Guest post by Michael Deane

Cold email is dead. 

How often have you heard this? A lot, most probably.

And still, this strategy has been around for quite some time and still beats the odds. If done right, cold emailing can help you grow your customer base quickly. The best thing about it is that you don’t have to run through your entire marketing budget in order to see results. 

Stats say that email generates a 3,800% ROI, which means that for every $1 you invest, you’ll make $38. 

However, there’s a risk of slipping into the spam territory if your cold emails aren’t properly crafted. 

Here are some tips on how to stay on the safe side and make your cold email campaign a success. 

Build a Prospect List 

This requirement is an absolute must, and if you really want your cold email outreach to generate results, you should understand that building a prospect list doesn’t mean purchasing it on the internet. 

This is a very bad idea because these lists are packed with outdated and incorrect information, not to mention that you have no idea whether these people whose addresses you obtain are your target audience in the first place. 

If we bear in mind that data decays very quickly – 30% of people change jobs, 34% of companies change their names, and 37% of email addresses become outdated annually, it’s clear that a list purchased on the internet is an example of dirty data. 

But the trouble is not only that you’ll send your campaign to a defunct address, but also that you’ll raise a red flag with your email service provider. Namely, by reaching out to inactive addresses, you risk being marked as a spammer as well as ruining your sender reputation. 

This is dangerous because if you’re blacklisted, your emails will be automatically directed to the spam folders of your recipients. 

Build your own list by researching publications’ websites, particularly on the  About Me and Contact pages. You can also find contacts by googling the publication’s name and the words “submission guidelines.” For example, if you were looking for the editor’s email address at Better Homes and Gardens, you would google “Better Homes and Gardens Submission Guidelines.”

Research Your Target Audience 

Most cold email campaigns fail because inexperienced business owners think that it’s enough to collect a number of email addresses and blast out a massive amount of emails. 

But, you need to understand your target audience in order to be able to create tailored emails that will resonate with them. 

That’s why it’s essential to unearth your prospects’ interests, preferences, and pain points. If you address their issues and offer them a solution, your cold emails won’t fall flat. 

So, knowing as much as possible about the publication you’re reaching out to will help you personalize your emails and provide value. 

Implement Email Automation 

The thing is that you will send cold emails to hundreds and maybe even thousands of recipients, which means that it’s impossible to do it manually and stay on top of everything. 

Email automation will help you streamline this entire process and monitor your metrics. It’s the only way to keep track of your opens, clicks, bounces, and other KPIs (key performance indicators). 

Advanced email automation tools feature email chatbots that can quickly respond to prospects’ messages and engage them. They’re similar to AI-powered conversational chatbots capable of handling customer questions and issues, as both types of digital workers keep the conversation going and generate business opportunities. Most writers won’t need chatbots, but they can be helpful for answering questions on your website and social media pages.

Personalize Your Emails 

You’ll increase your odds of being marked as a spammer if you send generic, mass emails. 

Nobody wants to receive email messages that aren’t genuine and personalized, so you have to try harder than that if you want to grab your prospects’ attention. 

There are different personalization tactics that can vary in a degree of sophistication, but just using your recipients’ first name won’t suffice. You can use all kinds of information about your prospects such as mentioning a recent article you enjoyed from their publication. It’s also a good idea to use a mutual connection or mention your prospect’s recent accomplishments such as a new job or something similar in order to start a conversation. 

Polish Your Subject Line 

Using a relevant and catchy subject line is a surefire way to make your email stand out in your recipients’ inboxes. However, this doesn’t mean that you should use deceptive click-bait in order to get them to open your message, as this trick will work only once, if at all. 

Asking relevant questions that include your recipients’ pain points is a good tactic as it indicates that you’re going to discuss that issue and offer a solution. Similarly, it’s very important to personalize your subject lines as that will also capture your prospect’s attention. You can get tips on crafting great subject lines here.

Conduct A/B testing to identify what works for your target audience and use your findings for future reference. 

Finally, check a list of spam trigger words and phrases, and do your best to avoid using them in your subject line. 

This is a round-up of the most important tactics to help you send out effective cold emails that will get your prospects to open, click, and respond. It’s worth mentioning that you shouldn’t give up after just one attempt. Be persistent and follow up at least a couple of times before you call it quits. 

Here are 55 subject line ideas to help get you started.

Author Bio

 Michael has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has worked with a huge range of clients, which has made him knowledgeable on many different subjects. He has recently rediscovered a passion for writing and hopes to make it a daily habit. You can read more of Michael's work at Qeedle.