Advice for Sending Cold Emails and DMs
Someone just sent me five duplicated, poorly targeted emails in a row:
Writing "I trust this email finds you well" in multiple cold emails and then aggressively asking me to book a call is the worst way to earn my trust.
In sales and marketing, we should do things with the intention of getting results.
This isn't just true for cold emails; it applies to all our efforts. There's no point in putting effort into something destined to fail structurally.
With cold emails or DMs, your main objective should be creating a connection (not asking for a sale). You might make a sale in the future, but that shouldn't be the intention.
Here's an example of a good cold email that did get my attention:
The lesson? A genuine request for advice is a good way to create a connection.
Giving advice doesn't require much effort (it's not too big of an ask). Plus, it feels good to give advice and help someone out.
A few notes:
Don't ask to "hop on a call." A Zoom meeting with a stranger is a tremendous ask. Keep your request small.
Keep your message short: the harder it is to parse your question, the more unlikely the person will answer.
Don't have an "ulterior motive." The worst thing you could do is think: "First, I'll ask them for advice, and then I'll follow up and ask them to buy my thing."
You can also increase your chances of a response if you've been working to make yourself more recognizable:
Send encouraging tweets, emails, and YouTube comments: "Hey, I appreciated this episode! It made me think of X. Thanks for putting it out."
Put out helpful blog posts, tutorials, and podcasts. This will make it more likely that someone's heard of you and will recognize your name.
Be a customer! Supporting someone's work is a great way to get their attention.
Develop a reputation for being encouraging, helpful, and kind; folks will notice. When you ask for a favor, people will likely say "yes."
Cheers,
Justin Jackson
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