In today’s digital age, where social media reigns supreme, cold emailing stands tall as the most effective method for generating leads. According to McKinsey, cold email marketing outperforms Facebook and Twitter combined by a staggering 40x.

However, mastering cold email lead generation requires more than just sending messages. It demands exceptional copywriting skills and a deep understanding of your target audience. Consider this: the average email user receives 120 emails daily, with 59% deemed irrelevant. Standing out is crucial.

Simple Tips for Writing Compelling Cold Emails

1. Crafting an Engaging Subject Line

The subject line of your cold email is your first impression and can significantly impact whether it gets opened. According to a SuperOffice study, 33% of recipients decide to open emails based on the subject line alone.

Personalizing the subject line with the recipient’s name can increase open rates by up to 22%. For example, “{Prospect’s Name}, Here’s what you’ve been searching for” is more likely to catch their attention than a generic subject line like “Check out our latest offer”.

Additionally, incorporating numbers can make your subject line more compelling. For instance, “Over XXX sold so far” can pique curiosity and encourage opens.

Creating urgency or triggering the fear of missing out (FOMO) can also be effective. Subject lines like “Time is running out fast” or “Only 10 minutes left!” can prompt recipients to take immediate action.

Here are some tips for crafting an engaging subject line:

– Personalize based on prospect data and research.

– Be truthful and clear about the content of your email.

– Keep it concise, ideally under 60 characters or 9 words.

– Avoid using spammy words like “sale”, “free”, or “discount”.

– Consider using emojis to add visual interest and convey emotion. 

2. Writing Clear and Short Emails

Just like how you quickly scan through internet content, recipients skim through emails, focusing on key information. Research from Boomerang highlights that emails with 75-100 words achieve the highest open and response rates (51%).

Campaign Monitor suggests that an optimal business email should range between 50-125 words. Keeping your email concise and direct is crucial for engaging prospects effectively in cold email lead generation. 

To enhance readability and engagement, use short sentences and paragraphs. This approach not only respects your recipients’ time but also increases the likelihood of them taking action.

3. Making Your Email Personalised

In today’s inbox, generic emails often get deleted without a second glance. Personalization is key to standing out and showing genuine interest in your prospect’s needs. McKinsey and Company found that personalized content can boost revenue by 40%.

To achieve this, leverage sales automation tools to gather prospect data and tailor your emails accordingly. Addressing recipients by name and acknowledging their achievements can establish a personal connection from the start.

Furthermore, personalize content based on job roles, responsibilities, demographics, and other relevant factors. Automating personalization within your sales engagement tool can streamline this process while segmenting your email list ensures recipients receive content aligned with their interests.

4. Add Value Instead of Pushing Sales

Resist the temptation to write overly sales-oriented content in your cold emails. Instead, put yourself in your prospects’ shoes and aim to provide value. 

A cold email isn’t just a sales pitch; it’s an opportunity to offer valuable insights and solutions. For instance, if your prospect operates a mid-sized organization without a CRM tool, highlight how implementing a CRM could benefit their operations.

To succeed in cold email lead generation, prioritize understanding your prospects’ pain points, goals, industry, decision-making roles, and success metrics. Tailoring your email content to address these aspects demonstrates your understanding and enhances the likelihood of engagement.

5.Send Emails at the Best Times

Consider your recipients’ daily email routine—they often face crowded inboxes like you do. That’s why planning your cold email campaigns strategically is crucial.

Research shows that 75% of cold emails are opened within an hour of arrival. To maximize engagement, aim to send emails during business hours. According to Mixmax, the optimal window is typically between 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM in your prospect’s time zone.

Avoid weekends, Mondays, and Fridays, as these tend to yield lower open and response rates. Instead, focus on sending emails on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for better results.

Keep in mind that the best timing can vary based on industry, client demographics, and other factors. Developing an ideal customer profile will guide you in scheduling your cold emails effectively.

6. Create a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

Focus on including just one compelling CTA in your cold emails, as this can boost click-through rates by 42%. 

Avoid multiple CTAs, which can confuse your audience and dilute your message, potentially leading to lower engagement and even spam classification by Email Service Providers (ESPs). 

Before crafting your CTA, conduct thorough research on your audience and their pain points to align your email’s intent with their needs effectively.

7. How to Follow Up Effectively

Did you know that achieving successful conversions from cold email lead generation often requires up to 5 follow-ups? Surprisingly, 44% of sales reps give up after just one follow-up, according to HubSpot.

After launching your cold email campaign, strategically plan follow-ups approximately every 5 days following the last email. However, remember not to overwhelm your prospects with excessive emails.

Add value in your follow-ups by offering informative content such as articles, improvement suggestions, data insights, or free resources like PDFs or eBooks.

While there’s no fixed timeline for follow-ups, a typical sequence might look like this:

1st follow-up: 2 days after the initial email

2nd follow-up: 3-4 days after the 1st follow-up

3rd follow-up: 7 days later

4th follow-up: 14 days later

5th follow-up: 25-30 days later (final follow-up)

To streamline this process and ensure timely follow-ups aligned with your leads’ position in the sales funnel, consider automating your follow-up sequences using cold emailing tools.