Over the past year, I experimented with various email outreach strategies for our team and clients.
Through this journey, one specific cold email method stood out due to its consistent effectiveness.
I’m excited to share these insights with anyone looking to enhance their outreach efforts.
CAMPAIGN RESULTS: 72% OPEN RATE / 8% RESPONSE RATE
While these numbers may not set the world on fire, they are impressive considering the campaign was largely automated.
My involvement was limited to just about an hour for reviews, and I was pleasantly surprised by the encouraging responses we received.
EMAIL STRUCTURE
Subject: [Company Name] – [Job Title] Opening: [First Name]
Message:
Hi [First Name],
I came across your recent job listing for the [job title] position located in [location].
The description suggests you’re focusing on “[key aspect from the job description that aligns with your value proposition].” [Optional: If relevant, share briefly how your offering ties into the job posting.] [I’d like to present a relevant solution.]
Here’s an example from my outreach to a Head of Sales regarding their new outbound SDR positions (company name withheld):
And another example I sent to a CFO:
Hi Josh,
I noticed your opening for the FP&A position in San Francisco.
Your job description mentions dealing with expense reports in spreadsheets—something many teams now view as outdated, leading to frustration for boards.
Organizations like Drata have turned to our services to maintain real-time expense reports integrated with QuickBooks.
I thought you might find this applicable.
Starting with relevant job postings has proven successful, but you could also employ any unique observation that underscores a challenge your solution can tackle.
In essence, here’s the format to follow:
Hi [First Name], [Begin with an observation related to a problem you can address, in 1-2 sentences.] [Highlight the likely challenge they are facing and why it matters, possibly optional – in 1 sentence.] [Share an appropriate solution, offering enough detail to convey your capability without overwhelming them.] Would you be open to discussing this further? / Might this be of interest to you?
WHY THIS APPROACH WORKS
This method kicks off with an observation, which serves as a potential buying signal for the recipient.
This is crucial for several reasons:
- Targets the Right Audience: Successful outreach hinges on engaging individuals genuinely interested in your offering.
Even an outstanding email will fall flat if it reaches those who don’t need your product.
While some teams argue that their solutions could benefit any [sales/marketing/etc.] team within a certain industry, it’s essential to recognize that competing priorities often take precedence in their minds.
If your offering doesn’t align with their immediate challenges, they may overlook your message.
Simply put, without a problem, there’s no sale.
- Demonstrates Research and Understanding: In a crowded outbound environment, it’s vital to distinguish yourself.
Providing a unique and relevant insight makes you stand out and grabs attention.
- Creates a Clear Connection: By presenting your value proposition after your observation, you pave the way for a stronger link between their challenge and your solution—crucial, especially for more complex offerings.
BUILDING YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN
To create campaigns that resonate with buying signals, consider following these steps:
- Identify Relevant Buying Signals: Examples include hiring for a specific role, mentioning keywords on their website, using certain technologies, or referencing current news articles.
- Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): Focus on industry, persona, and company size.
- Compile Lead Lists for Each Buying Signal: Utilize tools like Coldreach, Apollo, ZoomInfo, Clay, or even a manual approach.
- Tailor Your Messaging: Adjust your communication for each identified buying signal to ensure relevance.
For those just starting out, manually crafting emails is invaluable.
It helps you hone your messaging and identify what resonates with recipients.
However, if time is tight or you’re ready to broaden your outreach efforts, our Coldreach team has rolled out an Auto-Pilot feature.
This tool automates lead list generation based on buying signals, personalizes emails, and schedules meetings with minimal effort on your part.
While manual, creative outreach can always be refined, I’ve found the buying signal-focused strategy particularly powerful for its automation potential.
It opens doors to scalability and delivers encouraging results.
Xiaohan Shen is the founder of Coldreach.
Source: Producthunt