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Eight Steps to Writing Killer Cold Email Copy​

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Cold email copywriting is all about crafting messages that are specifically tailored to catch someone’s attention and highlight what makes your offer stand out. The main goal is to spark enough interest to get a response and, hopefully, kickstart a new business relationship.
It's not like your usual newsletters or those "hey, remember us?" emails. We're talking about sliding into the inboxes of total strangers who could be your next big clients. It might seem intimidating, but honing the skill of writing killer cold emails can open up tons of new opportunities.

Table of Contents

What Exactly is Cold Email Copywriting?

Why Cold Email Copywriting Matters

What Makes a Good Cold Email?

Eight Steps to Writing Killer Cold Emails

Four Tips for Cold Email Copywriting Success

Four Must-Read Books to Start Writing Better Cold Emails

What is Cold Email Copywriting?

Cold email copywriting is about crafting messages that grab attention and make your offer stand out. The goal? Spark interest, get a response, and start a business relationship.

Cold emails are different from other types of outreach in a few important ways:

  1. No Prior Connection: Cold emails target people who haven’t subscribed to your emails, unlike newsletter subscribers.
  2. Personal Touch: A well-written cold email is personalized, showing you’ve researched the prospect’s business and needs.
  3. Starting a Conversation: The focus is on opening up a dialogue, not just making a sales pitch.

Why Cold Email Copywriting Matters

Cold emails can be a game-changer for your business. By reaching out directly to potential customers, you can:

  1. Reel in More Customers 🤩
    Cold emails connect you with an entirely new pool of prospects, extending your reach beyond your existing network (I.e., more changes to land a big fish)
  2. Crank Up Conversions 📈
    Personalizing your outreach to address specific pain points makes recipients more likely to engage than with generic marketing blasts.
  3. More Cash Flow  💰
    If you can nail your cold email game, you’ve got a non-stop party of fresh leads crashing into your sales pipeline. It’s like turning on a money tap for your business. More leads, more sales, and more cash in your pocket.

 

Tools like Parakeet use AI to simplify cold email copywriting, saving you time and making your outreach more effective.

What Makes a Good Cold Email?

So, what’s the trick to standing out in a crowded inbox?

  1. Subject Line
    • Your subject line is the gatekeeper; it determines whether your cold email gets opened in the first place.
    • Keep it short and sweet. Grab their attention. Show ’em what you’re worth.
    • There’s no standard rule for this, but keeping it between 30 and 50 characters, or 4 to 7 words, will be your best bet.
  2. A Strong Opening
    • Start strong with a personalized greeting that shows you’ve done your homework.
    • Mention relevant details about them or their business to make a quick connection or call out something you’ve noticed.
  3. Body Content
    • When you’re writing the body content of your email, get to the point fast. Tell them what you’ve got and how it’ll make their life easier. Break it up into bite-sized chunks and throw in some bullet points.
    • Make it easy on the eyes so they can skim through and still get the gist. Keep it snappy and interesting; nobody likes a boring email.
  4. Call-to-Action
    • Wrap it up your email with a bang. Tell them exactly what to do next—no beating around the bush.
      • Want them to jump on a call? Grab a free download? Whatever it is, spell it out. Make it so easy they can’t help but click that button or hit reply. You’re basically holding their hand to the finish line.

Eight Steps to Writing Killer Cold Emails

1. Know Your Audience

  • Get to know your target audience inside and out.
  • Understand what keeps them up at night and what drives them.
  • Use professional networks and industry databases to gather useful insights
 

2. Do Your Homework

  • Look into your prospect’s company and market.
  • Note recent accomplishments or news (if you’re a fan of icebreakers, this is where you get all your sauce from).
  • Use this info to tailor your message.
 

3. Hook Them with the Subject Line

  • Create an attention-grabbing, concise subject line.
  • Highlight your value and what you offer.
  • Steer clear of spam phrases like “ACTION REQUIRED” (unless you are looking to get blocked)
 

4. Start Strong

  • Open with a personalized greeting.
  • Reference something specific about the prospect.
  • Set a positive tone for the rest of the email.
 

5. Make Your Case

  • Clearly say why you are reaching out.
  • Outline the values of your offering.
  • Keep it short and sweet and use bullet points.
  • Emphasize key information.
 

6. Guide Them to the Next Step

  • Include a clear call-to-action (CTA).
  • Use action-oriented language (e.g., sign up, register, or submit are all good options).
  • Make sure your CTA matches what your email’s all about. Keep it on track.
 

7. Remove Errors or Typos

  • Seriously. Proofread for mistakes. (Got a friend who owes you a favor? Have them help)
  • Double-check spelling, grammar, and punctuation
    • It might be helpful to run it through one of those spell-checker things. Just to be safe…
 

8. Play Around and See What Sticks

  • Whip up a few different versions of your email.
  • Mix it up – try different subject lines, fiddle with those CTAs.
  • Check out what’s working and what’s not. Use the good stuff in your next batch.

Remember, the goal is to create a personalized, valuable, and actionable message that your prospect can relate to. Always look to refine your approach based on the results and feedback you’re getting on your current campaigns.

Four Tips for Cold Email Copywriting Success

On top of the basics, there are a few best practices that can kick your cold email copywriting up a notch:

  1. Personalization
    • Tailor each message as if it’s meant for one prospect, referencing specific details about their business, role, or industry
  2. Focus on Value, Not Fluff
    • Clearly articulate the benefits your product or service offers and avoid any unnecessary or empty hype
  3. Test and Iterate
    • Conduct A/B testing to improve each element, like subject lines and CTAs, then use the data to refine your approach
  4. Get AI to Help
    • AI Sales Tools like Parakeet can help automate the tedious parts of cold email outreach, from personalization to campaign management

Once you get the hang of this cold email thing, it’s like having a secret key to a treasure chest full of leads. You’ll be growing your biz faster than a weed in spring. So ditch those stale old outreach tactics and jazz up those inboxes. Make some noise and get noticed!

Four Must-Read Books to Start Writing Better Cold Emails

If you’re ready to dive into cold email copywriting, here are four must-read books (plus the links to buy them) to get you started:

  1. Cold Email Manifesto: How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline, Convert like Crazy, and Level Up Your Business in 90 Days or Less, by Alex Berman
  2. The Ultimate Sales Machine, by Chet Holmes
  3. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini
  4. Email Persuasion: Captivate and Engage Your Audience, Build Authority, and Generate More Sales With Email Marketing, by Ian Brodie

Those Killer Cold Emails Deserve to Land in an Inbox...

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