6 More Cold Email Secrets Revealed (Part II)

All I can say is, WOW!

For some reason my post about cold emails went viral - Try This Cold Email that Gets Me a 75% Response Rate.

It’s already been read by more than 175k people, shared over 2k times and has nearly 8k Likes. I’ve received notes of thanks from people all over the world.   

But to be perfectly honest…it caught me totally off guard!

So why did it go viral? Obviously there are a whole lot of people out there who struggle with writing effective emails, especially to people they don’t know. 

Given that, I wanted to share some additional tips and add a bit of clarity to some of the ones shared previously. And to share the following…

You can’t please everyone, so stop trying. Some people will look for a reason not to respond to you, no matter what. Some readers said they wouldn’t respond because they were offended by the use of their first name in the sample email…others were offended by my use of contractions (could’ve, don’t, etc). Ummmm, really!?! Anyway, don’t give those people your energy because they don’t deserve it. Let them go on with their glass is half-empty attitude. Personally, I feel bad for those folks…it’s a tough way to go through life. You will never get 100%...so just stay positive!

Don’t hold back. You never know what’s going to resonate with people, so go for it. Whether it’s reaching out to people via email, LinkedIn or the phone…or posting an article, don’t hold back out of some silly fear or insecurity. Just get it out there…whatever “it” is. Don’t be afraid of what people might say…because they may surprise you. Hell, you may even go “viral”! 

Stop waiting for perfection. I could have continued to edit that article until I thought it was perfect. In fact, as soon as I hit send, I thought of other things I should have written. But I’m glad I didn’t wait and continue to fiddle with it because getting it out there was far more important. Remember, the pursuit of excellence is essential…the pursuit of perfection is the enemy.   

That said, here are some of the things I would have added to that article…see, I got another crack at it anyway! ;-)

It’s not about you. It’s more about the email recipient than you. So focus on either solving a problem they face or providing a benefit that is relevant to them in some way. That is what will pique their curiosity and elicit a response.  

Make it personal. The body/template of the email should remain the same once you find the hook that will intrigue the recipient…but the opening and close is where you can and should personalize it a bit if you’re able. Did you go to the same school, have some common connections or read something interesting about their business?  All good ways to personalize it.   

At some point, you will have to pick up the phone. Sorry, but at some point, you’ll have to speak with them. If they’re not responding via email or LinkedIn, it’s time to pick up the phone. There is definitely a balance to be struck here. 

Don’t just follow my advice blindly. The sample email I shared in the article is incredibly effective for me…but it’s just an example of what works for me, in my particular business. You should take what you like about it and make it uniquely yours for your style, your industry and your business. 

Don’t like using someone’s name twice? Don’t. It works for me because that is true to who I am. I tend to use people’s names in my personal life too…that’s just how I’ve always rolled. 

Full disclosure…I also go with buddy, dude, kid, brother or something similar when I communicate with friends and close colleagues (not in a cold email, don't be silly). Like I said, it has to be natural…and it works for me.

Find your own personal style and make it work for you.

If you take this advice to heart, I guarantee you’ll see better results. 

Please let me know how it goes…seriously, I want to hear. 

CLICK HERE if you’d like Updates, Articles & New Product News Delivered to Your Inbox…so you don’t miss it on your LinkedIn feed.