[Cold-Emailing] 10-part value-packed guide
Reliable framework to generate revenue with cold emailing.
Hello 👋
It’s Pierre from Reddot.
I publish daily on Linkedin and weekly on Substack.
Today I’m sharing a value-packed guide about cold emailing. 👇
Cold Emailing is a proven strategy for fast ROI.
But you need a reliable framework to get revenue:
So I wrote a 10-part value-packed guide.
Reddot Growth's team thinks I'm crazy to share it.
Yet I'm giving it away for free.
Here's what you can steal in the guide:
The exact campaign structure to use
How to ideate an email-ready offer
The 3-week timeline to organize
The 1-1-3-1 copywriting rule
Easy technical checklist
The 5 KPIs to follow
CTAs that convert
Answer patterns
7 Tools to use
Follow-ups
Here we go;
+ The exact campaign structure to use
The very first step is to organize your campaign on 3 pillars:
Target audience
Database structure
A/B Test
Sequences
1.You’ll need to prioritize 1-3 targets:
2.You’ll need to organize your database criteria:
3.You’ll want to A/B test at least one element:
4.You’ll need to organize your email sequence:
+ How to ideate an email-ready offer
Some offers are “email-ready” and some others are not.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of not “email-ready” offers:
❌ Generic service offerings like branding or website creation
❌ Online training and paid communities
❌ Solutions focusing only on complex features (e.g. database)
Why? Because you can get them anywhere, anytime. It’s like selling basic kitchenware online while everyone can buy it at the corner of the street.
But believe me (we did it), you can get results with:
Complex offers with a long sales cycle
Software as a service with low to high prices
The only way is to create a strong offer.
In a nutshell, your offer needs to be:
Specific & clear
Simple to understand
Branded / Unique
Have a time frame
Want to read more about this topic? Look at this post about the 5 steps to create a strong offer with the value equation.
+ The 3-week timeline to organize
If you want to conduct a cold-emailing experiment, you’ll need to organize a clear roadmap. The good news is that we have a framework for this too.
After the 3 weeks:
Create a report of the results with the main metrics
Organize a feedback loop from sales to marketing
Go/No-go on the cold emailing channel
+ The 1-1-3-1 copywriting rule
Most people do the same 4 mistakes:
❌ Want to send the same message to EVERYONE
❌ Try to push MULTIPLE offers in the emails
❌ Write a LONG list of features
❌ Push the recipient with ODD questions
Those are common mistakes, among others. The good news is that it’s easy to solve them with 1 simple rule: 1-1-3-1.
Your goal is to look like value, not like a spammer.
🎁 Bonus 9 copy tips:
Use a simple subject line (Reddot x Company)
Avoid passive voice and long sentences
Use soft calls to action, not hard ones
Include social proof in the first email
Show you conducted your research
Use a professional signature
Focus on one great offer
List the benefits
Be specific
+ Easy technical checklist
All of this is useless if:
You send to wrong emails
Your emails end up in the spam
So here’s an easy checklist to land in the inbox:
☐ Use an emailing software
☐ Connect the software to your email provider
☐ Warm up your domain
☐ Use an email validation service
☐ Set up your DKIM
☐ Setup your SPF
☐ Set up your DMARC
☐ Create a custom tracking domain (CTD)
Here’s how the email delivery works
+ The 5 KPIs to follow
In cold emailing there are 2 kinds of metrics:
Secondary Metrics: metrics that support your north star metrics
North Star Metrics: what you need to track to assess the strategy
Secondary metrics:
Click rate
Reply rate
Bounce rate
Cost per MQL
Those metrics are important to track to optimize your campaigns. But you don’t necessarily need to add them to reports.
+ CTAs that convert
Soft CTAs
A soft CTA invites your prospect to take action with a low commitment (e.g. answering an email). It's a great way to first build a relationship. They usually sound less salesy and start conversations.
Here are 5 Soft CTAs examples;
Any thoughts?
Is this worth exploring?
Are you interested in exploring this solution?
Have you tried [type of solution] before?
What’s your reaction to solving [business pain]?
Does it make sense to explore how we can [positive outcome]?
Do you want to learn more about what [outcome] could look like?
Are you open to learning how to get [desired outcome]?
Does it make sense to chat about [positive outcome]?
Would you say this aligns with your top 2023 initiatives?
Does this sound like a solution that could help your team right now?
Use Soft CTAs in 3 cases:
→ You are contacting this person for the first time. → You are still testing your market-fit → You want to build relationships
Hard CTAs
A hard CTA invites your prospect to commit his time (e.g. booking a call). It's a good way to shorten the funnel and book meetings directly. But it will work only with a great value proposition and engaging copy. And reply rates tend to be lower than soft CTAs.
Here are 5 Hard CTAs examples;
How about a quick call on [day/time]?
Does a call on [day/time] work for you?
Are you available to discuss on [day/time]?
Do you have 30 minutes to chat on [day/time]?
How’s your calendar look on [day/time] to meet?
Use Hard CTAs in 3 cases:
→ You have a proven market fit with the target audience. → Your value proposition or offer is a no-brainer. → Your audience already knows you.
+ Answer patterns
After sending thousands of cold emails, we noticed patterns in answers.
You get 5 kinds of answers:
The enthusiastic answers - it is uncommon but some people answer with a truly positive email and ask for more information or a call. This happens when you have a great icebreaker and a strong offer-audience fit.
The curious - “Ok send me more information” - Add them on Linkedin, engage with their content (if they post), and send them more info but include them in a long-term nurturing loop
The conversational - They will ask questions and might even start a debate. Switch on your conversational mode and try to move the conversation to a call.
The right account - wrong contact - “I am not the right person for this” Ask them politely to introduce you to someone in charge
The “leave me alone” - Leave them alone and unsubscribe them from your email sequence.
+ 7 Tools to use
Linkedin Sales Navigator to find prospects, learn about them
Dropcontact to enrich emails databases
Zerobounce to validate emails
Captain Data to automate the workflow
Apollo to find emails and send sequences
Lemlist to send sequences (lemwarm to warm the domain)
Pipedrive to keep track of the deals
Zapier to connect tools altogether
+ Follow-ups
There are a few follow-ups rules:
Don’t be afraid to send reminders (that’s why we use 5-email sequences)
Reply to your prospects’ answers within 24 hours to maximize your chances
Reduce the sales cycle length by booking calls within 7 days with interested prospects
Some leads will ask you to contact their colleagues; contact them ASAP and state where you got their email (”X told me to contact you directly”)
Take note of leads with a holiday message and contact them when they are back
Enjoyed this guide but don’t know where to start?
Done for you: Let Reddot build and manage cold emailing for you
Done with you: Get training from our cold emailing experts
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Pierre,
Tested data-based content, poised for profit, formidable presentation!
I wish you continued fulfillment, and serious success!!
Best,
Susan@DomainChair.com
Thanks a ton!