In the past decade there have been 100's of new ways created to get people's attention. With so many new and exciting options, cold emailing has been tucked away under the "traditional" marketing umbrella, and many write it off as less useful. However in the world of B2B marketing, emailing is still one of the most effective tools, when used correctly. It has rather high ROI and it continues to be the best place to reach people when looking for a new business opportunity. Most social media platforms, don't have direct access to the right decision makers and you can't be sure they'll even see your message or content, whereas the chances of actually reaching them via email is much higher.
So how do you use email effectively?
There is so much content on the internet about how to best do emailing that we wanted to distill down what we believe are the best tips.
Subject Lines
You’ve heard the adage “First impressions matter”, and that holds true for all forms of impressions. With emails, it's the subject line. The keys to making a good impression and getting the recipient to open are two-fold:
- Tell them what they'll get if they open
- Create a sense of intrigue
If you can accomplish one of those listed above while keeping it short (4-5 words max,) then you are already much closer to having a great cold email workflow. Getting people to open the email is half the battle so you should put a significant amount of energy just into thinking of and testing subject lines. Of course you should also test them depending on the demographic, and offer.
Make it Personal
When an email is generic it often receives much a lower open and click-through rate. And if an email is personalized inaccurately it’s even worse. Not only will you prospect be uninterested, but they will also conclude that you do not have the skill set to help them. On the other hand, personalization that’s done well captures the reader's attention more quickly, and makes them think you are prepared and experienced in the market you are pitching.
Here are some ideas to help you personalize your emails:
- Congratulate them on a recent achievement or award they have been recognized for.
- Make your call to action (CTA) match their decision making power and focus area, based on their title. For example, if they are a Human Resources Manager, don't ask them to meet about financial decisions.
- Use their industry or location to make an emotional connection. This can make them feel like you are more acquainted with their needs and will be able to help.
Framework That Guides Your Reader
Using a framework can be very helpful for writing emails that are short and effective. An email framework essentially outlines the points you need to convey in order for your prospect to believe that you have the solution to their problem. A few email formats that you may want to try include:
Attention-Interest-Desire-Action
- Attention: Get your reader’s attention quickly
- Interest: Explain why you think your offering will interest your prospect
- Desire: Grow their desire for your offering
- Action: Show them how to take advantage of it
Ask-Share-Call-Proof
- Ask: a question that identifies a problem they certainly have
- Share: how you’ve helped another company solve that problem
- Call: A simple, clear CTA
- Proof: A P.S. or email signature with social proof
Before-After-Bridge:
- Before: Describe what, your reader’s life is like now
- After: Help them picture how your solution makes it better
- Bridge: Show them how you’ll take them from before to after
Problem-Agitate-Solve
- Problem: Describe the current problem your prospect is facing
- Agitate: Emphasize the pain of the problem
- Solve: Share how you’ll help them solve it
Praise-Picture-Proof
- Praise: Compliment recipients on a recent achievement or milestone
- Picture: Paint a picture of how your solution will help the prospect achieve even more
- Push: Encourage them to take action on your ask
Length
Keeping your emails short will help you go farther. We know the feeling of wanting to share all of the great benefits of you company, product or service, but it's important to stay focus on one solution and call-to-action per email. Less is more.
A bonus of focused content – it gives you a reason to reach out again and again with more added value.
A/B Testing
Not every strategy works with all buyer personas. For example, there may be a buyer who is more likely to click on a subject line that is very casual, while another prefers one that is more professional and intriguing.
Testing will allow you to better understand what industries and demographics are most interested in your product/service, and how you should approach them through email.
While this is not a conclusive list of advice about email outreach, these are some of the most important elements we consider when creating email content for our clients. There are some great advice channels on platforms like HubSpot or Mailshake if you want to do-it-yourself. But if you're looking for a way to send great emails without having to do all the work, reach out and we'll put our proven track record to work for you.
About Us
Your B2B Marketing offers customized solutions to marketing for your Business to Business company. Our team has 30+ years of experience, staffed with people from a variety of international backgrounds. We offer a marketing plan that gives you what you need and nothing that you don't.
