The Pitfall of Self-Praise in Cold Outreach

A fundamental principle I've stuck to over the years is often overlooked by many when reaching out to prospects.

It's straightforward: Do not praise your product or service when attempting to secure that initial meeting with a potential client.

Claiming that your company is the industry leader, boasting about best-in-class services, exceptional customer service, or emphasizing decades of experience doesn't resonate in an introductory message.

What you need is a message that sparks the prospect's interest. Simply stating that you outperform competitors won't pique their curiosity. This is because a) words are easily spoken, and b) at this point, they're more concerned with what it is you offer rather than your self-proclaimed proficiency.

Consider this analogy:

Your kitchen faucet is leaking. You receive a message: ‘Hi, I'm a plumber. Need assistance with your plumbing?’ Your response? "Yes, I do!"

Now, imagine your faucet is still leaking, but the message reads: ‘Hi, I'm a window cleaner. Can I assist with your windows?’ You'd probably think, "No, but do you know a plumber?"

If the message instead boasts, ‘Hi, we're the world's best window cleaning service!’ Your likely response? "Not interested."

Lastly, given two messages: ‘Hi, I'm the world's best plumber! Need plumbing help?’ and ‘Hi, I'm a plumber. Need assistance with your plumbing?’ Which would you be more inclined to answer?

Without context or evidence, self-praise can come off as mere boasting, which often rubs people the wrong way.

However, there's an exception to this guideline: It's acceptable to present concrete data, such as, ‘Our solution boosts lead conversion by 40%’.

In cold outreach, your initial message serves as a handshake, not a sales pitch. Praising what you do is self-centered by definition.? By focusing on the prospect's needs instead and offering a service that is needed and timely, you stand a better chance of opening the door and building confidence in your prospect - eventually leading to a signed contract and a happy professional relationship.