Avoid these cold email mistakes if you wanna get more replies
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2024 9:13 am
Wondering why your prospects aren’t replying to your cold emails? Maybe you use the same self-centered or sales-y outreach methods that make your prospect run.
Drawing on our analysis of hundreds of cold email campaigns over the past 3.5 years, we’re here to talk about what works and what doesn’t.
Before diving into examples that will help you improve your campaigns, here’s an overview of the most common outreach mistakes:
#1 Self-centered pitch
#2 Long paragraphs
#3 Selling from the start
#4 Not focusing on a specific pain point
#5 Wrong email design
#6 Using industry jargon
#7 Not A/B testing
#8 Having multiple CTAs
#9 Not proofreading
#10 No personalization
Common Cold Email Mistakes That Lower Reply Rates
#1 Self-centered pitch
The harsh truth is – your prospects don’t care about you or your latest features. They care about what you can do for them and how you can help them succeed. So there’s no need to do a praise talk about your company, products, or even worse, yourself.
Here’s what you want to avoid when reaching out to your prospects:
bad example of self-centered pitch
This email won’t generate many replies, and here’s why:
there’s a lot of talk about a company and their achievements
no mention of the prospect’s pain point, as the only focus was to talk about their service
no personalization, which shows the email was sent in mass
So, how should you get in touch with your prospect instead? Let’s break down this example:
good email example with prospect-focused pitch
Why does this approach work?
by mentioning the prospect’s achievements, they spark interest and show that this email is unique, which boosts reply chances
the focus is on the prospect’s struggles which catches their attention
the approach is prospect-centered as it’s clear they want to provide algeria phone number list value and create a relationship, not sell
Rather than making your prospects hear about your product and company, try to find out more about them. What are their struggles and pain points, and what do they need help with? Use the pitch to build a genuine connection.
Once you make them feel like you’re there to help them, not to sell, they will feel more comfortable booking a meeting.
Talking too much about your company might be one of the most common email marketing mistakes. So make sure you stay away from it and write your emails like a pro
#2 Long paragraphs
Keep in mind that 1.7 billion people read their emails on their phones. This is why you should avoid long paragraphs in your cold email campaign.
Here’s an example of a cold email that doesn’t have lots of chances to get replies:
bad example of long email paragraph
Why should you avoid this style?
it’s hard to scan what the email is about because of the one-paragraph structure
the message looks longer than it really is, and your prospects might find it too time-consuming
it’s not mobile-friendly as the format can look overwhelming for the reader on the mobile app
Instead, follow structure practices from this example:
good example of short email paragraphs
What makes this structure good?
no more than 15 words per sentence
the paragraphs are short, 3-5 sentences, which makes email easy to scan
the text looks clean and easy to read on the mobile email app
Data shows the perfect email length is around 120 words. So make sure you outline the core value in short and clear sentences without taking too much time from your prospects.
#3 Selling from the start
Instead of jumping right into your sales pitch, focus on building a relationship with your prospect first. This boosts your chances of actually getting replies and closing more deals.
Here’s what you want to avoid when getting in touch with your prospects:
bad example of selling a service instead of meeting
Why this approach will never give good results?
they talk only about themselves and the service they provide
there’s no clear interest in getting to know more about the prospect
CTA is not focused on scheduling a meeting but directly on buying a service
Instead, aim to build a relationship by following the good practices from this example:
good example of establishing relationship with prospect first
Why does this outreach approach work?
CTA is asking for a quick chat rather than asking for a free download or purchase
shows genuine interest in getting to know the person they’re talking to
they mentioned common ground with the prospect as it can reveal potential topics for the meeting
To wrap up, cold outreach should never be about selling your product or service. Focusing on relationship building won’t only help you learn more about your target audience but also close a deal and grow your revenue.
#4 Not focusing on the specific pain point
Imagine opening an email containing a huge list of random services someone is offering. Even though one of them might solve your struggles, it will be hard to notice it between other irrelevant ones.
Focusing on your prospect’s specific pain point shows them you did your research, know how to help them, and you’re ready to do so. And therefore, they will be more likely to respond.
Drawing on our analysis of hundreds of cold email campaigns over the past 3.5 years, we’re here to talk about what works and what doesn’t.
Before diving into examples that will help you improve your campaigns, here’s an overview of the most common outreach mistakes:
#1 Self-centered pitch
#2 Long paragraphs
#3 Selling from the start
#4 Not focusing on a specific pain point
#5 Wrong email design
#6 Using industry jargon
#7 Not A/B testing
#8 Having multiple CTAs
#9 Not proofreading
#10 No personalization
Common Cold Email Mistakes That Lower Reply Rates
#1 Self-centered pitch
The harsh truth is – your prospects don’t care about you or your latest features. They care about what you can do for them and how you can help them succeed. So there’s no need to do a praise talk about your company, products, or even worse, yourself.
Here’s what you want to avoid when reaching out to your prospects:
bad example of self-centered pitch
This email won’t generate many replies, and here’s why:
there’s a lot of talk about a company and their achievements
no mention of the prospect’s pain point, as the only focus was to talk about their service
no personalization, which shows the email was sent in mass
So, how should you get in touch with your prospect instead? Let’s break down this example:
good email example with prospect-focused pitch
Why does this approach work?
by mentioning the prospect’s achievements, they spark interest and show that this email is unique, which boosts reply chances
the focus is on the prospect’s struggles which catches their attention
the approach is prospect-centered as it’s clear they want to provide algeria phone number list value and create a relationship, not sell
Rather than making your prospects hear about your product and company, try to find out more about them. What are their struggles and pain points, and what do they need help with? Use the pitch to build a genuine connection.
Once you make them feel like you’re there to help them, not to sell, they will feel more comfortable booking a meeting.
Talking too much about your company might be one of the most common email marketing mistakes. So make sure you stay away from it and write your emails like a pro
#2 Long paragraphs
Keep in mind that 1.7 billion people read their emails on their phones. This is why you should avoid long paragraphs in your cold email campaign.
Here’s an example of a cold email that doesn’t have lots of chances to get replies:
bad example of long email paragraph
Why should you avoid this style?
it’s hard to scan what the email is about because of the one-paragraph structure
the message looks longer than it really is, and your prospects might find it too time-consuming
it’s not mobile-friendly as the format can look overwhelming for the reader on the mobile app
Instead, follow structure practices from this example:
good example of short email paragraphs
What makes this structure good?
no more than 15 words per sentence
the paragraphs are short, 3-5 sentences, which makes email easy to scan
the text looks clean and easy to read on the mobile email app
Data shows the perfect email length is around 120 words. So make sure you outline the core value in short and clear sentences without taking too much time from your prospects.
#3 Selling from the start
Instead of jumping right into your sales pitch, focus on building a relationship with your prospect first. This boosts your chances of actually getting replies and closing more deals.
Here’s what you want to avoid when getting in touch with your prospects:
bad example of selling a service instead of meeting
Why this approach will never give good results?
they talk only about themselves and the service they provide
there’s no clear interest in getting to know more about the prospect
CTA is not focused on scheduling a meeting but directly on buying a service
Instead, aim to build a relationship by following the good practices from this example:
good example of establishing relationship with prospect first
Why does this outreach approach work?
CTA is asking for a quick chat rather than asking for a free download or purchase
shows genuine interest in getting to know the person they’re talking to
they mentioned common ground with the prospect as it can reveal potential topics for the meeting
To wrap up, cold outreach should never be about selling your product or service. Focusing on relationship building won’t only help you learn more about your target audience but also close a deal and grow your revenue.
#4 Not focusing on the specific pain point
Imagine opening an email containing a huge list of random services someone is offering. Even though one of them might solve your struggles, it will be hard to notice it between other irrelevant ones.
Focusing on your prospect’s specific pain point shows them you did your research, know how to help them, and you’re ready to do so. And therefore, they will be more likely to respond.