Sending outreach emails for the first time? Or struggling with low open rates?
So, without further ado, let's dive in!
1. Outline Your Goal
Before you craft a single sentence, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with this email? This simple question forms the foundation of your entire outreach effort.
What are the problems of skipping this step?
- Unfocused Emails: Without a clear goal, your email might touch on various topics without a central point. This confuses the recipient and reduces the chance of getting a response.
- Missed Opportunities: You might miss out on proposing the most relevant solution to their needs.
- Wasted Time: Both yours and the recipient's. They might not have the time or interest in what you're offering if it doesn't align with their goals.
Gary Latham, a leading figure in Canadian psychology, highlights the power of goals in goal-setting theory, stating that:
- Our conscious goals impact our achievements.
- Goals serve as the object or aim of our actions.
So, take a moment to define your desired outcome. Here are some examples of Outreach Goals:
- Get Backlinks: You want to improve your website's visibility and credibility by having other reputable websites link to yours.
- Secure a Guest Post: You want to promote your content on a relevant website.
- Generate Leads: You want to introduce your product or service to a potential customer.
- Make Partnerships: You want to collaborate with other businesses or influencers to expand your reach.
Pro Tip:
Make your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). For example, secure 3 guest posts by the end of the quarter.
2. Do Your Research
Now that you have a clear goal, it's time to delve into research. The more you know about your target audience, the better you can:
- Deliver value by providing relevant information and solutions.
- Segment your audience based on factors like demographics, preferences, business type, or company size.
- Increase engagement with content tailored to their specific needs, interests, and pain points.
- Optimize email timing for better open rates.
- Design CTAs that drive desired actions.
Check the recipient's LinkedIn and Twitter profile. Learn about their role, area of expertise, and recent projects. Check out their company website and learn about the company's mission and goals.
Identify any common ground like interests or experiences you can mention in your email to establish a personal connection. Customize your promotional or proposal approach to align with their specific niche, needs, and preferences.
Pro Tip:
Look for recent content the recipient has created or shared to understand their current interests.
3. Craft a Catchy Subject Line
A well-crafted subject line sparks curiosity. George Lowenstein's research shows that this curiosity makes people eager to find out what they're missing, as people naturally want to fill in the blanks.
In contrast, a poorly written subject line gets lost in the sea of emails as it fails to make the recipients curious, so they might simply ignore it.
- Nearly half of email recipients (47%) open emails based on the subject line.
- If the subject line doesn't resonate, 69% of recipients label it as spam.
So, crafting an engaging subject line is crucial. It sets sets the tone for your entire email. Here are some examples of good subject lines:
- Is [Pain Point] Holding You Back? Let's Chat
- Boost Your [Specific Metric] by [Percentage] with [Your Product/Service]
- Missing Piece for [Blog Name]: Your Audience Needs This
- Engage Your Audience with [Product/Benefit]
Pro Tips:
- Ensure your subject line clearly and briefly hints at the value you provide.
- Aim for between 36 and 50 characters, as it performs better and won’t get cut off.
- Don’t use spammy words or phrases like Get Paid, No Cost, 100% Free, Make $$$$$ in Days, 100% Guaranteed, Get Rich Quick, etc.
- Avoid all caps or excessive exclamation points as they make the subject line look spammy.
- Use a sense of urgency when it makes sense.
- Conduct A/B testing of different subject lines and analyze open rates to optimize over time.
Dive deeper into our guide on Subject Line Optimization: Tips to Boost Email Open Rates!
4. Write a Captivating & Personalized Intro
It’s because personalization builds trust by showing you've done your homework. And people are more likely to engage with things that are familiar to them.
Here’s an example of an intro from SEOBuddy:
Without addressing something specific to the recipient's interests or challenges, it's difficult to captivate their attention and illustrate why your message matters to them. Plus, it shows a lack of effort and reduces engagement.
Pro Tip:
Your intro should be brief and to the point. Avoid unnecessary fluff and get straight to the value proposition to maximize impact.
5. Highlight Benefits
When people receive your email, they wonder: What's the benefit for me? They want to understand how you can make their life easier or business run smoother.
So, address the recipient's specific pain points or challenges and explain how your offer solves them. For example, if you're promoting a project management tool, highlight how it simplifies tasks, saves them time, and reduces stress. Let's see what
leadmonk.io says about how to highlight the benefits on b2b outreach.- Quantify the results to demonstrate the positive impact your offer can have.
- Use strong action verbs like "achieve" "increase," "boost," "improve," or "enhance," to illustrate and emphasize the value you offer.
- Highlight what sets your solution apart from the competition, whether it's affordability or unique features. Clarify why choosing you is the best option.
6. Keep Your Email Clear & Concise
Concise and clear emails are more likely to be opened, read, and understood quickly. According to MarketingExperiments, their study found that short copy boosted click rates by 16.9% (40.19% versus 34.38%).
Pro Tips:
- Focus on the main point.
- Eliminate unnecessary words.
- Break up the text with short paragraphs and bullet points.
7. Include a Clear CTA
This study illustrates that while freedom of choice seems attractive at first glance, an overload of options can actually lead to undesirable outcomes.
- If your goal is a deeper conversation and understanding of their needs, mention a specific day for a call to discuss how you can help.
- If you're showcasing a product or service, you can offer a demo CTA that lets them experience its value firsthand.
- If you're reaching out to an influencer for a partnership, your CTA can propose a specific collaboration plan.
Make your CTA easy to find by placing it prominently.
8. End Professionally
Take it a step further by adding a link to your LinkedIn profile or website. This lets the recipients explore your skills, experience, and professional background.
Example:
John Doe
Content Specialist
ABC Agency
Email: [Your email address]
Phone: [Your phone number]
LinkedIn: [Link to your LinkedIn profile]
Pro Tip:
Before hitting send, proofread your email carefully to ensure it is free of any grammatical errors or typos.
Key Takeaways
- Set a clear goal for your outreach email (lead generation, backlinks, guest posting, etc.).
- Research your target audience to personalize your message based on their needs.
- Write a catchy subject line (36-50 characters) that sparks curiosity.
- Personalize your intro with the recipient's name and specific details.
- Highlight benefits — show how you solve their problems with data & proof.
- Keep it concise & clear — prioritize quick readability.
- Include a clear CTA for the next step (call, demo, etc.).
- Sign off professionally with contact details and links.
Want to learn more? Check out these related articles:
Cold Outreach for SaaS: How to get Start (step by Step)
Email Marketing Tips: 10X Your Conversion by Following These
Dos and Don'ts - B2B Cold Email Subject Lines for Outreach Success
The Next Step
Here’s how:
- Unified data: Never lose track of a contact or important detail again. Identify and segment your ideal clients with ease.
- Personalized email marketing at scale: Craft targeted email campaigns that nurture leads and convert prospects into loyal clients.
- Targeted campaigns: Track your outreach efforts and measure success with clear visualizations. Refine your approach for different stages of the sales funnel to maximize results.
- Effortless collaboration: Collaborate with your team on outreach strategies and track campaign progress seamlessly within the CRM.
- Exceptional customer service: Manage all client interactions and inquiries efficiently. Deliver on your promises with the right tools at your fingertips.