Rose's Editorial Blurbs: How to Write an EPIC Cold Email + FREE Template

Friday, April 14, 2017

How to Write an EPIC Cold Email + FREE Template

killer-cold-email




So, you’ve probably sent out a cold email at some point, or maybe you haven’t gathered the courage to do so yet. Either way, this blog post is for you.


Hundreds of people have sent out cold emails and never got a response, and, if we’re being honest, it’s probably not their fault. These people that you’re emailing?  They’re extremely busy and usually, just can’t be bothered. 

So, your email needs to really pop and wow for them to take those 2-3 minutes to read what you have to say. Whether you want to get an affiliate for your blog or you want to email that publisher about your amazing manuscript, these tips will be what turns that dead silence into an influx of replies you won’t know what to do with.



What you will find inside:

  1. Structure: Long isn’t always best. 
  2. Ask for advice, not money: Shows your respect and admiration. 
  3. Do your research: Shows your enthusiasm and initiative.
  4. Personalize your email:  Find out how your product fits with them, not the other way around.
  5. Write Conversationally: Makes it more palatable and it's less boring.
  6. Remember to thank them: Shows your gratitude for their time, and if they respond, their patronage.   
  7. Aim High: Gumption is all you need sometimes to get the ball rolling in your favor.
  8. Follow up email: Make sure they received your email or it can be a reminder if they forgot to respond.







Structure


You’ve probably been writing or are thinking of writing a long diatribe about yourself and your amazing product—don’t do it. It’s 100% going to get your email deleted. It's best to stick with a greeting, a few short paragraphs (2-3), and a sign-off. Nice, short, and simple. You want them to be able to read everything in literally less than 3 minutes.



Ask for advice, not their money


This is probably one of the biggest turn offs and a huge mistake. No one likes a mooch and they receive emails for handouts all day long. You need to gain their respect and it’s easier to do this if you show them your respect for them and their craft. 

Letting them know that you value their opinion is flattering, it also lets them know that you’re not just in it for the money, but that you want to grow as an individual. People also love to help others— it’s practically ingrained in them— and they are more likely to respond because their interest is piqued. 

So, make sure you do your research before you send out that email. Which brings us to our next topic.


Do your homework


A personalized email is a million times more effective than an impersonal and dry email. Knowing the person’s background information and relevant articles or TED talks will result in the recipient of the email being impressed and also shows your enthusiasm.

When you do your homework, it becomes easier to offer a genuine compliment that is tailored specifically for them.

No, ‘I’m your biggest fan’, is not a genuine compliment. I bet they haven’t heard that before.



Personalize your email



Now that you know some basic information, you can tailor your email to make your offering enticing enough for them to want to reach out to you. This is a key point here. You mustn’t talk about what they can offer you, quite the opposite actually. They won’t care, and it won’t benefit them, so why should they? You need to tell, better yet, show them how your services will make their business better. Here’s an example:



Hi Dave,

I noticed your website has a broken link and isn’t currently mobile friendly.

<Insert mobile-friendly presentation>

MobileWP is a plugin that actually mobile optimizes blog sites like yours and enhances readability as well as your readers experience on their mobile devices. When you have a few moments, I would love to talk so we can get this taken care of for you.

All the best,

Jason



Let’s take a minute to discuss the underlined parts, which are the ones that I really like from this.

  • I like how he took the time to research and do his homework, which resulted in him finding a problem that he could fix!
  • I also like how instead of listing what’s wrong and providing a massive text block, he showed him through a presentation, how his plugin works and how he could fix it.
  • He is also decisive and says when instead of if, which is pretty ballsy, but it might work for you too.
  • And lastly, he talks about how he can help him.

It’s a little on the short side, but that’s because all of the talking is done in the presentation. Of course, this isn’t for everybody. If your skill set isn’t really a show kind of skill, make sure that when you talk about what you can offer that you make it about them.



Write Conversationally



This ties into your email being personal. I know it’s hard to have a conversation with yourself but this is why we have an imagination. It just sounds better when you’re talking with someone, rather than talking to or at someone. You really don’t want your email to sound like a research paper. **(Keep on the lookout for my 7 ways to write conversationally piece)



Remember to thank them

It’s very important that you show your gratitude. They’re taking time out of their busy schedule to read what you have to say. So, thank them. If they respond, thank them again, especially because they responded.



Aim high

Take a risk. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You really never know who will take you under their wing. Snobs come in all forms and being successful does not necessarily mean you are one of them. So, don’t let that be a deterrent.



Follow up email



It’s customary to send a follow-up email if you see that 2-3 days have gone by and they haven’t responded. So, reach out, ask them if they received your email or if they have any questions. Some of your recipients might be busier than others, only you know, so take that into consideration before you do your follow up. If the CEO of a fortune 500 with 80,000 employees hasn’t responded yet, give it a week or two. Apples and oranges, if you get my drift. 




So, to recap:

  1. Structure: Make sure your email is no longer than 4 paragraphs. Salutation, short body and sign off.
  2. Ask for advice, not money: You want them to hire you or invest in you, but what are you offering them? You need to make sure you make it worth their time and money.
  3. Do your homework: When you do research, it shows that you are enthusiastic about them and they will be impressed. You can also offer a genuine compliment because you know more about them.
  4. Personalize your email: Tailor your email so that you are offering them what they need at the right time. Look for problems that you can solve for them.
  5. Write conversationally: Write the way you would if they were in front of you. Don’t talk to or at them.
  6. Remember to thank them: Courtesy goes a long way
  7. Aim high: Don’t be afraid to talk to anyone. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
  8. Follow up email: Make sure you follow up if you don’t see a response in the next 2-3 days (or 1-2 weeks depending on workload)


This goes without saying-- please make sure that you proofread your emails. You are trying to get their attention, but you can also get negative attention for having your emails riddled with mistakes. For more on proofreading, I have a checklist that will be useful to have in front of you while you go over your emails.

Don’t forget to download my template for a successful and effective cold email. There will be two templates provided. One for relating your product to an article and the other for applying your product to their already existing business. 


This works for writers as well. If the publishing house you are sending your manuscript is lacking in your genre, that can be all the prompt that you need. They need to diversify; therefore, they need YOU! 


Or maybe you have read some of the books that publishing house has published, and their writing styles closely align with yours? That’s another win. 



2 FREE Templates for writing cold emails

 

If you like everything in this blog, subscribe for more informative posts like this one. Share with your friends and family and invite them to subscribe too. 


Tell me in the comments below if you used this template and how it worked for you?

What did you like, didn’t like?


If you don’t think this can apply to you, let me know in the comments what you do and I will personally help get you set up.   

how to write a killer cold email
And that's how you write a killer cold email.

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