How To Convert Customers With Cold Emails

Targeting and Personalization

• To effectively increase open rates for cold emails, focus on targeting individuals who are genuinely interested in the product or service being offered. (5m50s)
• When scaling cold email outreach, anticipate a decrease in conversion rates as the target audience expands to include less ideal customers. (5m10s)
• Personalized emails are more effective than generic ones, as demonstrated by an animated GIF example. (12m17s)
• Finding "uncommon commonalities," such as shared experiences or interests beyond basic demographics, can help establish a stronger connection with the recipient. (15m12s)
• To make cold emails feel more personalized, use informal language, smiley faces, and words like "special" and "exclusive". (28m30s)

Email Structure and Content

• Before scaling, it is crucial to manually write and personalize cold emails to identify effective strategies and achieve satisfactory conversion rates. (4m5s)
• The "from" field in an email should be a personal name and the subject line should be short, relevant, and interesting. (6m44s)
• When writing effective emails, it's important to have a single, focused goal for the email and to be human by using emotions and informal language. (10m10s)
• Emails should be written in a conversational, human-like tone, avoiding overly formal language or excessive use of placeholders. (12m37s)
• Sharing well-known customer names can provide social proof and credibility. (17m32s)
• Reframing "I" and "my" to "you" and "your" helps tell a story focused on solving the user's problems. (18m18s)
• Ending emails with a clear call to action in a standalone sentence encourages recipients to take the desired next step. (20m24s)

Effective Cold Email Examples

• An example of an effective cold email subject line is "Smoothie party - current YC company". (30m16s)

Ineffective Cold Email Examples

• The first email was ineffective because it was not targeted toward the recipient's needs. The recipient's company did not ship physical products, so a shipping service was not relevant. (22m57s)
• The second email was ineffective because it lacked personalization, a clear ask, and a signatory. The sender did not use the recipient's name, their request was vague, and the email was unsigned. (23m52s)
• The third email was ineffective because it was self-centered and focused on the sender's accomplishments rather than the recipient's needs. The email detailed the sender's work history and skills but did not explain how those things would benefit the recipient. (25m15s)

Communication Channels

• When contacting people, email is usually better than LinkedIn, and LinkedIn is usually better than text messaging. (7m6s)

Sender Identity

• Founders and CEOs should send cold emails themselves as recipients are more likely to take them seriously. (31m48s)