Cold email is a goldmine for lead generation, and it comes with brand awareness and a chance for your company to increase profits.

 

 

But the work is a hard grind. Writing a good cold email calls for a language of its own. Its tone tastes engagingly professional with the sales-y wrung out. It’s bold.

 

 

So, what should marketers consider to write cold emails just right? 

 

 

Here is a checklist of questions you should ask yourself to ensure that your cold emails stand out in your potential clients’ crowded inboxes. 

 

 

1. What Is Your Objective? 

 

Before writing a cold email, identify what you are trying to accomplish with the particular message. What’s your objective? If you’re finding it hard to pinpoint, ask yourself the following questions:

 

• Am I introducing myself or my brand? 
• Am I offering a product or service?
• Am I asking for feedback?

 

Of course, there’s no wrong answer to these questions. But evaluating how you answer them leads to shaping the objective of your message, so your content is relevant, concise, and straightforward. Knowing what goal you are working towards can help you to focus on the tone and language of the message. 

 

 

Plus, getting your objectives straight not only gets your message across clearer, but also increases the chances that they’ll engage with your message by replying or clicking on the links in it.

 

 

2. Who Is Your Audience? 

 

Effective cold emails have specially-chosen recipients. So, make sure you’ve identified your audience before you choose your email recipients. You can start by asking yourself:

 

• Who is my target audience?
• What do they expect from an email like mine? 
• What language do they respond best to? 

 

When segmenting your email lists, think about your prospects’ demographics and interests—the more specific, the better. Researching to know who your audience is and what type of messages they typically engage with is integral to writing something that they’ll read.

 

 

3. What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

 

Your cold email campaign will only be effective if you highlight the unique value your product or service can provide to your ideal customers—called your unique selling proposition or USP.

 

 

Your USP should clearly explain why someone would want to use your product or service over any of your competitors. This part of your messaging must be easy to understand and straightforward because this is what will convince people to take action.

 

 

For example, if you’re selling yoga mats, instead of just saying that you’re offering “high-quality yoga mats,” explain how they can help improve a person’s yoga practice. 

 

 

Think about what makes your product unique, and focus your message on those aspects. Highlighting your one-of-a-kind-ness gives your readers a reason to click through and learn more.

 

 

4. Who Are You?

 

When writing cold emails, you should include who you are and your role in your company. Doing this tells your recipient who’s sending the email and what value you provide.

 

 

Introduce yourself upfront in the first part of the email and speak from a personal perspective throughout the email body to invite a connection. It’s not hard—write your email as you’d talk to a new colleague that you hope to get to know better.

 

 

Introduce Yourself from the Get-Go

 

Cold emails without proper introductions tend to read more like sales pitches or scams, which really puts people off. What’s worse is using fake identities for your cold email campaigns.

 

 

Ensure the highest possible email deliverability and open rates by sending from a real business address and using your real name.

 

 

For example, use an email address that clearly shows the recipients who you are and from which company you’re sending an email. Recipients are more likely to open an email from senders with an email address like [email protected] compared to [email protected].

 

 

Send from a Business Address

 

Avoid sending business emails from a personal domain—send from a business domain instead. Using your company email domain is the best way to give yourself more credibility and increase your email deliverability.

 

 

If you send too many emails using your personal address, email providers like Gmail or Outlook might mark your emails as spam. And we all know that an email that doesn’t reach prospects’ primary inboxes means you’ve wasted your time and money on nothing.

 

 

5. Is Your Timing Relevant?

 

Timing is essential when it comes to cold emails. You need to ensure that you’re sending your cold emails at a time when people are likely to open up and engage.

 

 

Sending cold emails during the middle of the day on a weekday typically gets better results than emails sent late at night or on the weekend. Avoid sending cold emails on holidays or during events when most people are busy or away from their computers.

 

 

Double check that you’re saying the right thing at the right time by asking yourself:

 

• Does my prospect need this solution now?
• Does my prospect feel the pain point I’m trying to address with my product or service?
• Can they get many benefits if they purchase my product right now?

 

By considering your timing, you heighten the chances that recipients will open your email and reply. You wouldn’t reply to a cold email when you’re busy with your full-time job, right? Exactly.

 

 

6. Is Your Subject Line Intriguing?

 

The subject line of cold emails can make or break the success of the cold email campaign. The headline is the key that unlocks the door to your message.

 

 

So, in a nutshell, the subject line should communicate the essence of the offer in clear, intriguing language that grabs the reader’s attention. Here’s how to make your email subject line interesting:

 

• Write from your prospect’s point of view. Think about what kind of benefit you can include in your subject line to grab your reader’s attention. What’s in it for them when they open your email? Make it about them and not about you.
• Personalize your content. The subject line is not the place for self-promotion. You need to make the reader feel special. Let them know that you actually planned to contact them. Clarify that your email is meant to be helpful and not spam—skip the clickbait subject lines that don’t have anything to do with your offer.
• Don’t give too much information. You can save that for the email body. For example, make your subject line an open-ended question that makes your readers reflect on a problem they may have that you have a solution for. Or, try flattery to pique their interest.

 

We’ve fleshed our best tips and practices out in our ultimate guide. Check it out!

 

 

7. What Is Your Call-to-Action (CTA)?  

 

The call-to-action in cold emails should be clear and direct. You want to ensure that your audience knows what you’re asking them to do—signing up for a free trial, booking a demo, or purchasing a product.

 

 

The CTA should:

 

• Be placed prominently within the cold email so readers can easily find it. 
• Avoid confusing language or visuals that could distract instead of highlight.
• Be kept to a minimum. Too many CTAs within one message can be overwhelming for readers and might dissuade them from taking action.

 

Answer the Questions for Better Cold Emails

 

Writing cold emails that resonate with your target audience can be time-consuming and daunting—but it doesn’t have to be. To summarize our tips above, remember that:

 

• Having a checklist of questions ensures that you’re sending an engaging cold email that stands out from other messages in the recipient’s inbox
• Knowing who your audience is and having a clear objective gives content and tone direction
• Having a concise call-to-action gives readers a clear direction on how best to respond after reading through your message

 

By taking some extra time to craft unique messages and focus on quality content over quantity, you can increase your open and conversion rates significantly. And if you need more help, head over to our Ultimate Guide to Cold Email to learn everything there is to the marketing technique.

 

 

Craft the perfect cold email that addresses all these questions perfectly every time by working with experts. Our ScaleUpSales pros can launch your cold outreach for positive results. Contact us today!