The 8 Elements Behind Every Money Making B2B Cold Email

Introduction

Cold email is the outbound selling technique of sending a sales pitch to a prospective customer without a prior relationship. It works by using an email to reach out to the prospect, establishing a rapport in the message, and encouraging the recipient to talk to a salesperson over the phone, where they can then sell their product or service.

Cold email marketing is an effective and underutilized sales strategy with an ROI of 10,000% or more per email. It is a series of well-crafted emails with a clear call to action for your prospect to convert. In the right hands, cold email is a profitable, scalable sales funnel that can feed into the rest of your sales process.

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If you are just starting with cold emails for your business, the process and necessary information may seem overwhelming. We are here to make it easier.

Are cold emails effective? 

For some reason, cold emails remain a somewhat taboo subject in today's marketplace. When it comes to sales, entrepreneurs still want to believe the old-fashioned way – that they will be able to hit it big without doing any hard work. 

However, there are so many different tactics and tricks out there. Cold emails are just one of them. When you think about it, cold emails are the most logical way to make a sale. Not everyone is going to pop on your website and order. The trick is figuring out the best way to get people to take action.

It is one of the best ways to grow your business and your sales. It is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to reach out to new people. It is one of the most powerful ways to get in front of new prospects and turn some of them into customers.

Is it illegal to send cold emails? 

Many online business owners are afraid to cold email, but it is one of the best ways to build a legitimate online business. Whether you run an ecommerce site, a digital product, or a blog, building traffic is time-consuming and laborious. It is almost impossible to earn a steady stream of leads and sales without cold email. Emails are easy to send and low-cost, and you can use them to build a massive list of contacts without giving away your product for free.

The first aspect to explore is whether anyone has a right to stop you from sending cold emails. When reading about sending cold emails all over the web (both to find inspiration and find out whether this is legal), you saw many blog posts around whether cold emails are illegal or not. 

Most blog posts focus on spam laws, saying you can send out cold emails, but not spam emails. It is an oversimplification, though. Cold email law is dependent on the individual situation. It depends on what you are sending.

How to prevent cold emails from spam filters?

A powerful cold email is personalized to the individual prospect. It offers clear value, uses friendly language to build rapport, and builds trust by demonstrating that the sender understands the prospects' needs. Moreover, a good cold email complies with CAN-SPAM, which includes an opt-out method and accurate sender information.

On the other hand, spam is often automated, generic, and impersonal. Spam is sent in bulk to contacts that have not been researched or qualified ahead of time. It rarely offers true value or presents information in a way that addresses the prospect's needs. Also, spam is potentially illegal since those who spam their contacts are less likely to follow CAN-SPAM regulations.

It is never fun to get caught in the spam filter, so we have listed some unique ways to prevent your email from spam triggers that could destroy your cold outreach campaigns.

• Turn off opt-out links and tracking.
• Make sure that your email addresses are valid and verified before sending.
• Use your first 1,000 leads as a test.
• Never use the same email content across multiple email domains.

The Best Practices for B2B cold email

To launch a successful B2B cold email campaign, you need to get the basics right. Below are some of the best practices for sending B2B cold emails.

1. Write catchy subject lines

Catchy subject lines are a crucial component of effective cold emails.

If you fail to convince your leads to click on your email initially, your chances of a reply plummet down to nil.

The idea of crafting clickable subject lines that do not look spammy is a complete but complex thing to accomplish.

But, here are the three essential steps for creating a compelling subject line that earns clicks.

• Short subject lines.

According to a study by Aweber, 82% of experts send subject lines with 60 characters or less.

Also, Brian Dean from Backlinko states that shorter subject lines get opened more as they reach the inbox frequently and are more mysterious.

Note: Also, shorter lines prevent your subject line from becoming trimmed on mobile devices.

• Tickle interest and tease curiosity.

Speaking of mystery, you can leave a little to the imagination of the recipients by writing shorter subject lines as it will interest them.

"Meeting at 10 AM?" is more clickable than revealing all the info with, "Are you willing to meet up at 10 AM for a personalized demo?".

When Kyle Racki received this email below, not only did he become a client, he found it so good and shared it with his audience. Also, he described it as the best cold email he had received.

That is a pretty successful sales email if you would ask me!

The email subject line "Magic Goggles" is crisp and snappy; it is more engaging than "An unprecedented way to understand the customer experience," isn't it?

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• Make your subject lines personalized with a name or available data.

When LeadGenius switched their subject line from "Your sales process" to "I found you through [mutual connection name]," open rates increased by nearly 50%.

And in Yesmail's study of 7 billion emails, emails with personalized subject lines got 2x more unique click-rate and 58% higher click-to-open rate than emails without any personalization in their subject lines.

But what if you do not have a name?

You can still personalize it with a common connection name [I know you through], company [as a user of any company], or person [heard about you through someone] to boost your cold emails.

2. Keep it short, not more than 100 words

According to Boomerang's study of 40 million emails, cold emails between 50 and 100 words get higher reply rates.

Brevity is key to sales emails. Now take a look at Bryan Harris's successful sales pitch to HubSpot's editorial team.

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It delivers a ton of value in a way that respects a recipient's time; also, it is short and sweet to the point.

Leads are busy, and their inboxes are overwhelmed with pitches and offers. Explaining value with fewer words helps you win and gain attention.

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3. Personalize and lean towards an ABM approach

"Dear customer"

This way of addressing a potential customer screams "boring message ahead" louder when they open an email.

It is better to avoid such generic terms and sales messages. It drains out the personality from your email, thereby replacing it with a corporate tone that doesn't interest the lead.

Find the prospect's first name and use it, always. Here is a similar example from SavvySeller.

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To make it attractive, personalize your email with the lead's recent activity or interests.

Simply like Denis Oakley's team did to turn a solid but struggling product into a business doing $1 million in sales.

They attended events in the client's market and greeted the relevant sales professionals at the booths while collecting 1200 business cards.

They then reached out to them and received a great response. Most sales professionals recognized the company from the event and forwarded the cold email to the right person in the company.

You can also find a blog comment, a LinkedIn post, or even a hobby of theirs and add it to your email. You can take personalization further with account-based marketing (ABM), which can deliver a higher ROI than other marketing activities, according to 87% of B2B marketers. 

It is also called the flipped funnel approach. ABM enhances the idea of personalization and applies it to your overall sales strategy.

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4. Use short paragraphs and sentences

Did you read the entire sentence leading to this question?

If you did so, then congratulations! 👏

Your online reading habits are unusual yet exceptional compared to most people, who typically scan content while reading, concentrating only on the relevant and valuable information.

To make cold emails easier to scan and digest, use 2-3 sentence paragraphs with brief, simple sentences like this.

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Or, just like how Lemlist keeps their follow-up emails simple, easy-to-read, and fun.

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5. Have a simple, single CTA

When you have multiple Call-to-action (CTA), it may be hard for a lead to make a choice. This scenario is called "The paradox of choice."

Excessive links and attachments could flag your email as spam, and they also trigger the outcomes of too many choices as taking any action becomes more challenging for the recipient. Funnel your message down to a specific point, and guide your lead to one call to action as shared below,

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6. Use GIFs and emojis to emotionally engage

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We prefer to purchase things from people we like. 

Also, with B2B often considered a serious "straight-faced" industry, you are always open to using fun and humor to be friendly and make authentic connections.

To improve the personality and warmth conveyed in your emails, you can use images, create GIFs, or emojis.

For example, let's say you're sending a sales email that ends with:

"Let me know if there is anything you need, Okay? I am here to help."

It does sound supportive. But what if you could finish it with a cheeky gif.

It is eye-catching and drives the feeling with a bit of humor.

7. Internalize the follow-up

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80% of sales will require an average of 5 follow-ups. But the surprising thing is, After just one attempt, 44% of salespeople fail to follow up.

In an analysis of over 20M+ outbound sales emails, the Woodpecker team reported that cold email campaigns with 4-7 follow-ups had a response rate of 27%, which was 3x more than those with just 1-3 follow-ups.

Prospects are busy, they may not find time to reply promptly, and even if they intend to respond later, they may forget to do so. However, following up is a necessity for a successful B2B cold email campaign.

8. Proofread your cold email

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Make sure you have the basics right. Always fact-check the name, job title, and company of your lead. And avoid basic errors like spelling mistakes or incorrect information about the lead.

How Not to Send Cold Emails for B2B Sales

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If you have an email target list and your reply rate is less than 10% with personalized emails, your cold emails could use some work. Before we discuss the sales template that got us hundreds of new customers, let's talk about what not to do while sending emails for outreach.

1. Too Many Ideas

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You might have an outstanding product, but highlighting too many value properties in your emails will confuse the readers. A common sales saying is, "A confused mind says no."

Keep this in your mind and stick to one unique idea in your email. All of the emails you write must support that one idea, whether you are provoking the lead's interest, adding value, making a strong claim, or providing proof to support your claims.

Here is what to avoid in your email:

• Multiple themes in the email
• Claims irrelevant to your main point
• Multiple call-to-action

2. Too Long

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In general, your buyers do not want to read a mini ebook in an email if they do not previously know who you are. You have to provide value and establish trust before you can earn their attention.

Keep this in mind and structure your sales email that clearly and precisely communicates the following:

• The value you add
• The offer you are making
• The proof that supports it
• The call-to-action you want the prospect to take

If your emails are running too long, here is what to watch out for:

• Confusing details and irrelevant information
• Making claims that are not ground in fact
• Asking the buyer to do too many things

A caveat:

Email copy can be as long as it needs to be to reach your desired outcome. Also, sales email length can vary according to your buyers' preferences, intent, and how much engagement you can get from your copy.

Long-form sales emails also work. For example, Close.com said they use a long-form sales email as their subscriber engagement rate is higher enough to warrant one.

But, in many cold emailing situations, you may not have that high level of engagement to justify it.

3. Too Self-Centered

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Do not talk a lot about yourself or why you are fantastic when you send out a cold email. Instead, your focus must be on helping the prospect overcome pain or problem.

What to watch out for:

• When you do not know much about the prospect's problem
• When your focus is on features rather than benefits

4. Too Fancy

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The sales templates that are overly fancy can make your emails look impersonal and spammy, even with personalization. The buyer may not identify it as a personal email when it's too pretty for sales.

What to watch out for,

• Extra time spent on visual collateral rather than copy
• A generic language that reads as though it could apply to anyone
• No segmentation in the email list

5. Too Soft

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Sending out sales outreach emails can be nerve-wracking. You could also be concerned with what the person on the other end thinks of you. At the same time, do not fall into the trap of not being assertive enough.

If a prospect does not know you, then they know they are probably being sold to. Soft language beats around the bush and undercuts your message.

Watch out for the email phrases to avoid,

• "You may not know me, but"
• "Whenever you have time."
• "Would it make sense for us to talk?"
• "I know your time is valuable, but"
• "Sorry to bother you."

Instead, you can use phrases that convey value, get to the point, and call the prospect directly to action. If they are not interested, they will not do it anyway. Softer language would not change that fact.

6. Too Robotic

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It is a mistake not to include a human element in your emails. Cold, rigid emails that do nothing but talk about generic marketing points are a solid way to turn the prospects off.

Watch out for language like:

• "To whom it may concern."
• "Thanks in advance."
• "I guarantee that this product will..."

Instead, you can write what you know about your buyer persona and create a personalized message asking them questions and speaking to their problems.

7. Too Many Special Characters

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Avoid typing special characters like this!!! A potential prospect will find it spammy and unprofessional!!!

A properly placed emoji or exclamation mark will add a little flavor to the copy, but the catch is to be "well-placed."

Avoid too many special characters such as,

• Exclamation points
• Semicolons
• Parenthesis
• Dashes

It is best to have a straightforward flow as much as you can. Be careful about where you use emojis, bolding, and italics as well.

8. Too Many Spelling and Punctuation Mistakes

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The cold messages with several grammar or spelling mistakes are a good way to look sloppy. It will erode trust, and the client may have doubts about your authority and professionalism.

Do,

• Read your email aloud before sending
• Use a spell checker
• Ask an associate to proofread

We have gone through the bad, and now it is time for the good. Below, you will find a new and enhanced template that our clients used to turn their game around.

What is the difference between the cold sales email no one opens and responds to and the one that generates new leads? Is it the catchy subject line? The email length? The way the copy is written? Or the content?

But, the answer is a combination of all of the above.

Crafting the perfect sales email is both an art and a science. Writing an email with a friendly tone that gets to the point directly can be tricky. Crafting a CTA that is inviting and not forceful is an art.

But, you won't have to figure it out on your own. With the help of the efficient templates in this article and expert tips on what not to do in your next cold email outreach campaign, you will have the confidence to create attention-grabbing emails that prospects would want to read.

How to Write a Cold Sales Email

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Below, we will discuss the B2B Cold sales email template and explain why it works so well.

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Email Subject Line

10x [Prospect's company name] traction in 10 minutes

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Template,

Hi [Prospect's name],

I have an idea that I can explain to you in 10 minutes to get [Prospect's company name] its next 100 best customers.

I recently used this strategy to help our client [Competitor company name] almost triple their monthly run rate.

[First name], let us schedule a quick 10-minute call so I can discuss the idea with you. When works best for you?

-[Your name]

The results of this email spoke for themselves,

• 57% open rate
• 21% reply rate
• Outcome: 16 new customers

So why did this cold email template work when the previous ones failed? Here are a few reasons,

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1. Exciting subject line

The subject line is your key in cold messaging. You should 50% of email work on crafting and testing different subject lines. You have to create an engaging but credible subject that intrigues recipients.

Craft a compelling and informative subject line to pique the client's interest in the body of the email. Further, doing a bit of research on the client's business profile will help you create a more personalized subject line.

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2. Enticing offer

Give your prospects a reason to reply and a simple call-to-action. Every business would want to almost triple its monthly run rate. Mentioning your customer success story with another client they've heard of makes this proposal seem more realistic and attainable. Make sure to include relevant numbers and statistics to make your offer even more exciting.

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3. Personal feel

This sales email has a friendly tone and format that does not seem spammy or sales-y. If you are too formal, you would sound stiff and like a sales professional rather than a person-person.

Before you click the send button, do a final read-through of the email content to make sure it has a natural and conversational tone.

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4. Social proof

The biggest barrier to selling is the risk. No one would want to be the first client and work with a company without credibility or experience. Mentioning one of your top customers and the results you delivered to them makes you less of a risk.

You can also attach client case studies or customer feedback to provide your prospect with a detailed preview of your work. With a compelling and engaging example, the client will be more inclined to work with you.

SmartWriter

SmartWriter is a powerful AI Email writer tool to build personalized B2B email messages using client data that brings customers 80% open rates and 40% reply rates. SmartWriter can help you generate cold emails any number of times with just one click.

Cold emailing is made easy and quick with this AI-powered tool where you can do more than just sending out cold emails to improve your conversion rates, thereby generating leads.

To generate an effective B2B sales email, do the steps as below,

Step 1 - Sign up with SmartWriter or Sign in to your account to create an effective cold outreach email for marketing.

Step 2 - Create a project or pick an existing project available on the tool.

Step 3 - Select Create Copy or Compose Copy and choose the category as Cold Email Outreach.

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Step 4 - Choose the Intention from the available categories.

Step 5 - Now, enter the details and the prospect URL or upload CSV to generate the cold email you may use.

Step 6 - You can select the best sales email copy from the templates generated with the tool.

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Step 7 - You can also edit the details and generate a new set of templates with the Edit Prompt & Try Again.

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Conclusion

Crafting a perfect cold email can be complex and tricky. With SmartWriter, you can create personalized cold messages for your email marketing campaigns in no time at ease.

When sending out cold emails to your prospects, make sure to research their company's background, business goals, needs, and pain points. If you want to send out mass cold emails or set up your cold outreach campaigns, SmartWriter is the perfect tool to get you started.