When you enter a business event, it’s pretty awkward to get in the selling mode. Instead, a warm introduction about what you do and how it can help eases it to a meaningful conversation. That’s how your cold email should turn out. It should make a complete stranger relate to your business the first time they open your email.
Indeed, there are many other aspects you need to cover in a cold email, as we’ll see soon; however, pitching your business right in a cold email can give you results with a few simple steps.
1. Why do you need to cold pitch your business the right way?
The first instinct when you send a cold email is to pitch why your business is the best fit. However, without context, this information is going to fall flat. It’s not going to create an interest for the reader to read through. And it makes a wrong first impression that your business is spammy. Because you have already created this perception, the next step will be to block your email. Given that was your best chance to open a conversation, the next set of emails will not cut through. Instead, the next batch of emails will not work the way you want them to.
Another reason you need to cold pitch your business the right way is that once your email address gets blocked, it affects the email deliverability of other email recipients, derailing your email marketing. Other email recipients might receive it as spam, or it might just not connect with others, leading you to believe that cold pitching isn’t for your business. It involves spending valuable time and resources on a non-functioning process.
Related reading: Cold Email Strategies
2.Why your first cold email pitch is important
The first cold email pitch is critical to set the stage for future emails. Once your prospects know what you have already done in the past and how it can help them, there is a higher chance of connecting with your business and emails. That’s where credentials play an essential role.
Identify the areas where your business has a name. Maybe you are a prominent figure to quote, or your book has been featured in many popular publications. By putting your credentials ahead, you give your prospects one chance to check your past work and begin the trust factor.
And in case you don’t have any credentials to date, then reach out to related industry colleagues or collaborators who want guests on their blogs or podcasts and spread the word about your work so prospects in your industry know you are someone they can rely on.
If you are new in the industry and few know your name try self-publishing a book on Amazon or speak at industry events to network early on.
3.What should you include in your first cold email pitch
The first cold email pitch has the potential to nurture potential prospects to customers. For this, create a well-defined structure that is easy to follow through the subsequent emails. For example, don’t forget to include your credentials in a line or two.
Next, keep it limited to a few lines so that the reader does not have to search for your main message. Ensure you leave sufficient white space in the email that makes it easy on the reader’s eyes, and it focuses on the primary outcome you expect the reader to do once the email is read.
Here is an excellent example of a precise feedback email that tells the reader what they expect from them without taking too much of their time.
Because this email is positioned as seeking help while valuing the reader’s expertise, there is a high chance of a reply.
Another thing to note here is to lead the reader on what you want them to do. Often referred to as CTA (Call-to-Action), prompt the reader to ‘reply’ ‘call back’ ‘book a demo’ or like in this example, simply ‘invite you to a demo account’ for the trial version making it easy for the prospect in a few steps to take action.
Last but not least, end the email with a personal email signature that lets them know where they can find you beyond email, whether it is a website link or social media icons, or your contact number.
4.How do you use Social Proof to increase Open rates
Besides crafting a great pitch, social proof can work well for your email open rates. Some ways to do so are using existing customer testimonials on your website and showing them in your email. Along with the testimonials include photos of customers to lend credibility, further making it relatable and building trust.
While you might already try several lead generation strategies, one aspect to consider is showcasing social proof in all the customer touchpoints from lead generation content, lead magnets, trials, and referral programs. It makes it easy for prospects to take the leap and keep interacting with your emails.
Rewind does a great job of showcasing their customer trust in their brand right on their website. Because it features above the fold, it makes it easy for readers who scan rather than read to quickly take a call on whether they would like to take things further. It strengthens the credibility when you see popular brands endorsing Rewind.
5.How to Build Social Proof if you have None
There’s a high possibility that social proof is something you have not been able to work on, or it’s just not on your radar. In that case, lean on other reputed brands that can use your product for free for a limited time and give their feedback that you can later use as social proof. Or use existing business data to show how your product has managed to achieve excellent results within the given timeframe. Award or industry recognition can also act in your favor in the case of a lack of actual customer testimonials.
An alternate way is to showcase your process and people and highlight what makes them unique to give you an edge over the competition. Doing so offers outsiders a chance to know your company culture and beliefs.
While you go about using your company culture to build trust, be sure to use email templates to save your time on creating emails that don’t lack the shine, primarily when you work on building your social proof to back up your product or service.
Related; The FOMO Marketing Strategy; examples and effective uses of FOMO Marketing
Conclusion
A cold email pitch might be unknown territory, especially when you are starting. But by following these simple steps, you could go from a novice in sending cold email pitches to creating meaningful emails that connect with your audience and don’t position your business as spam.
Using social proof, your business can build credibility, reliability, and trust that can go a long way in boosting open rates for your emails even as you later transition to getting prospects on board as customers.