Isn’t technology grand? Yes, it is. Unless, if by using it you are getting ignored.
One of the most used tactics today in using technology is, using emails as a way of performing ‘cold calls’. Hands up of those of us who actually enjoy getting these emails? Okay, then what makes you think anyone would like to receive these emails from you?
According to studies reported by Forbes, 269 billion email messages are sent every day. What would make yours stand out in this electronic avalanche?
Cold emailing can be effective; however, if you are not getting any responses, you may want to make sure that you are doing the following.
Target: Knowing who your target market is and having specific campaigns for your specific market will do two things:
- Make you more productive in narrowing the numbers of emails sent; therefore, giving you more time to focus on actually talking to your market audience.
- Greater chance of getting a response to your email.
Remember, ‘everyone’ should never be the answer to the question: “Who is your ideal customer?”
Decision Maker: If you are not targeting this individual, then why would they answer your email?
Lost: With all the emails that are received, 121 average a day, it is easy to gloss over some. Hubspot suggests that one schedule emails very early in the morning so they appear earlier in your targeted decision makers feed.
Subject Line: Take a very long and close look at the subject lines of the last 5 or 6 cold emails you sent. Now, answer the following question: “With all the emails I have to get to, does it stand out and make the recipient curious enough to actually open it?” Didn’t think so.
Personalization: If you do not personalize an email to me, I can’t hit the delete button fast enough. If you spell my name wrong, the delete button gets hit again. Your name is by far the most important thing to you. It’s who you are. What makes you think it is any different to those you are attempting to attract? Leaving it blank will only antagonize them even more as you are too lazy to make an effort to find out. This is not a way to impress a targeted decision maker.
Length: Have you ever heard the phrase: “Less is more.”? This is even more critical with a cold call email. You have to grab my attention within the first couple of sentences. If not, I’m not reading any further. Also, if you think for a single second that the receiver is going to sit there and read a 500-600-word email you are seriously delusional. If a cold call email is longer than 100 words, it is way too long. You have no idea how many cold call emails I get that would easily fit into the category of an eBook. I know for a fact I am not the only one, as it is a common complaint I hear from clients.
Action: You have done a phenomenal job in providing a short, personalized email, targeted to the decision maker with a great subject line and you are still not getting any return emails. Why? Let me ask you: “Did you add a call-to-action?” Do not make the prospect guess what they are supposed to do next, tell them. The number of cold call emails I get without an action-step is staggering. Make the action step easy, quick and with an immediate benefit.
Being ignored is truly one of the most hurtful feelings one can experience, however, in the case of the cold call email, how much are you really responsible for being ignored?