Double Cold Email Response Rates with the "Rule of One"

Some people loath receiving cold prospecting emails. But I love them. That's because I teach sales professionals how to write these crucial introductions — (and it is an introduction, not a sales presentation) — so when I see one in my inbox, I'm cheering that person on!

In fact, just such an email appeared in my inbox earlier this week. 

Reviewing it, the email was pretty good. It was certainly better than most I see. However, the writer made a common mistake that is likely lowering response rates and her chances of booking a meeting.

She didn't follow the "Rule of One."

In a nutshell, the Rule Of One involves keeping your sales email singularly focused on one person, one problem, one solution. By keeping your prospecting email that simple, you give your prospect a clear and motivating path to your call-to-action.

As a result, you're much more likely to get a positive reply. 

Let's take a look at each of these "one's" in more detail.

1. Write to ONE specific person

In your cold email, you need to demonstrate that it's a message specifically to your prospect, and not the masses. It needs to be authentically one-to-one, even if you're using a template to guide your writing.

When a prospect reads your email, the reaction you don't want is: 

“This is another email from a sales rep who used a cut-and-paste template. She probably blasted this to a hundred other prospects. I doubt she knows anything at all about us. Delete!”

This is the reaction you do want:

“This is a personal email from someone who learned more about us, has a credible solution that might help us, and is asking if we’d like to learn more. I’m going to consider this!”

So don't write to a job title, a segment, or some hazy notion of a target market. Tailor your email to the living, breathing person you're trying to reach.

2. Highlight ONE "Pain Point Problem" that your prospect is likely facing

Your product or service might help with many problems, needs or goals your prospect has. Pick one. Ideally, one that is most likely to get their attention.

In my sales writing workshops, I call this: Identifying the Pain Point Problem. First, you learn more about your prospect's business. Then, you determine which problem, need or goal is likely to be top-of-mind for them.

Zeroing in on a likely Pain Point Problem gets your prospect reading your email with increased interest.

And that's what you want!

3. Point out ONE way your solution solves that problem

I realize it's difficult to resist the urge to say everything about your product or service. After all, your solution may have a cornucopia of features your prospect will value. 

But focus on just one.

Why? Because if you go into too much detail, you'll overwhelm your prospect. 

Remember, a cold email is an introduction, not a sales presentation. You're making an initial connection and getting the conversation started. If you dump a brochure's worth of information into your email, you'll be sending the wrong message.

Think about it from your prospect's point of view. If they see what looks like a sales pitch from a stranger, they'll click delete. But if you, instead, identify a problem they might be facing — and reveal one compelling way your product or service may be the solution — that whets their appetite to learn more.

So remember the Rule Of One when writing cold emails: one prospect, one problem, one solution.

Keep your emails that simple and focused, and you'll see a big jump in replies and meetings.

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Steve Slaunwhite's next workshop: Writing Cold Prospecting Emails That Work. June 24, 2021. This is a CPSA (Canadian Professional Sales Association) virtual workshop. I hope you can join us!