Email marketers are ALWAYS brainstorming ways to boost those open rates, right? Especially since according to cold email statistics, cold email response rates rarely exceed 10%.
What to put in a subject line? Whether to switch to cold calls? How many follow ups to send? Are long subject lines any good in 2024? How to write cold emails? What to do to grow click through rates?
The list of questions about sending cold emails is never-ending. How to reach a prospect’s inbox so they not only get the message, but reply to it?
To craft cold emails that grab attention, and generate leads that convert into deals, you should follow the best trends in cold mailing.
It’s like a puzzle we’re constantly trying to solve. So, we’re checking the latest trends that might just be the game-changer you need. Stick with us as we unpack these fresh strategies – you might find just the trick to give your campaigns that extra edge.
Trend #1: Multichannel approach – diversify or get left behind
Gone are the days when a single email channel brought millions in revenue. In 2024, it’s all about being as multifaceted as your clients. Since our audience is everywhere, and so should your messages be.
Your clients are zipping from one platform to another, their digital footprints a complex web of interactions. To really grab their attention, your cold emailing strategies need to be just as dynamic.
Now, while you’re hopping across various channels, there’s something you can’t afford to lose – consistency. Your message, regardless of the medium, should always echo the core values and propositions of your brand.
Create a content calendar that aligns your emails, social media posts, and ads around a central theme or campaign. All of that so that no matter where your clients encounter your brand, they receive a consistent experience.
Crafting a killer multichannel workflow in cold email campaigns
Let’s put this into action. Imagine you’re launching a cold email campaign. Here’s a snazzy workflow to consider:
- Email first: Start with a personalized email. Nothing too pushy, just a friendly ‘hello’ and a hint of what you offer is very often all you need (at first).
- Follow-up on social media: Didn’t get a response? Time to slide into their social media DMs. A quick, casual message on LinkedIn can work wonders.
- Retarget with ads: If they’re still playing hard to get, use retargeted ads when applicable. A subtle nudge reminding them of your awesome service.
- Back to email: Round it off with a follow-up email. This time, add a bit more detail about your offer, maybe even a case study.
Trend #2: #NoBS, Straight to the point – time is of the essence
In 2024, the mantra for cold emailing is clear: cut to the chase. It’s not just about catering to the dwindling attention spans, but about respecting everyone’s time – yours and your recipient’s.
Time is more precious than ever. Your clients are juggling a thousand things at once. (And, so are you…) A concise, clear email shows that you value their time as much as they do.
Long-winded emails are out.
Clarity and brevity are in.
It’s about making your point without the fluff. Think of it as the email equivalent of a firm, friendly handshake – it gets the job done without lingering.
How to keep your cold email outreach short and sweet
- Get to the point. Start your email with the most critical information. Why are you reaching out? What’s in it for them? Answer these questions in the first few lines. BTW: email subject lines exist for this reason, too.
- Simplify your message. Use simple language and short sentences. Avoid industry jargon unless it’s widely understood in your recipient’s field.
- One call to action. Don’t overwhelm with multiple requests or links. Have one clear call to action. What’s the one thing you want them to do after reading your email?
Being direct isn’t about being pushy. It’s about making the journey from introduction to action as smooth and quick as possible. In 2024, the most successful cold emails are those that get straight to the point, with a clear, concise message that respects the recipient’s time and intelligence, or even gives some food for thought.
Trend #3: Asking calibrated questions – uncover more than just answers
Calibrated questions aren’t your run-of-the-mill inquiries – they’re crafted to elicit more than a simple yes or no. They’re about guiding the conversation in a direction that benefits both parties.
Calibrated questions typically start with ‘what’ and ‘how’. ‘What’ questions shape thoughts and focus on problem-solving, while ‘how’ questions deal with implementation and empathy. ‘Why’ questions are reserved for specific scenarios, like establishing the value you bring to the table.
Asking these questions in your cold emails, you’re not just seeking answers but steering the dialogue toward a deeper understanding of your client’s needs and challenges. You
And asking the right calibrated questions, you can reveal underlying issues or concerns that might not surface in a standard conversation. Even a single question can lead to more effective solutions and a stronger client relationship – so that’s what is worth capitalizing on in 2024 compelling cold email strategies.
How to use calibrated questions in personalized cold emails and messages?
- Start with ‘What’: Questions like “What is the core issue here?” or “What are the biggest challenges you face?” can open up a dialogue that goes beyond surface-level interaction.
- Move to ‘How’: Questions like “How have you handled these issues in the past?” or “How does this affect your overall strategy?” encourage your clients to think about practicalities and empathize with your perspective.
- Use ‘Why’ sparingly: Reserve ‘why‘ questions for moments where you need to establish your unique value, such as “Why do you think our solution is the right fit for your problem?“
Calibrated questions are about asking smarter, not more, and getting to the heart of what your clients truly need. And, yes, to what you need from them, too.
Trend #4: AI as a personal assistant in email personalization
AI in cold emailing takes on a supportive, not dominant, role. You’re all good if you’re planning on using it to enhance personalization and fine-tune communication, not to replace genuine human interaction, though.
AI tools are already increasingly adept at gathering nuanced information about leads. They can gather and process data that can be further used to tailor emails that resonate on a personal level. The outcome is that each interaction can feel more genuine and less like a generic broadcast – even though its personalization relies heavily on AI.
As AI becomes more prevalent, its detection also becomes easier – not only for those who send these messages but also for those who receive them. It might get to the make or break point where the recipient decides to reply (or not) to a particular message not upon evaluating its value, but its authenticity.
AI should be used as a tool to augment human interaction, not overshadow it. The charm of personal touch in emails should remain front and center.
Three AI use cases for cold emails
It’s about leveraging AI for tasks that were previously ignored or not given enough attention. You can use use it for:
- Data-driven insights. Use AI to gather insights about your leads – their interests, industry trends, and engagement patterns – so that your emails hit the right note.
- Grammar and style checks. Let AI handle the nitty-gritty of grammar and style, in any language.
- Tone analysis. AI can analyze the tone of your email, suggest adjustments to make it more engaging or appropriate for the recipient, and make it sound more natural.
Again – AI in cold emailing is more like a skilled assistant – there to help, not to take over.
We’ll talk more about AI later on.
Trend #5: Mobile-optimized cold email campaigns – sleek, efficient, and to-the-point
The focus of cold emailing has been significantly shifting towards mobile optimization. With a large chunk of your potential customers accessing their emails on mobile devices, your cold email campaigns have to be not just effective but also efficiently tailored for smaller screens.
The format and length of your cold emails were always important – but now, they have become even more critical. Subject lines need to be captivating yet concise, as they play a huge part in open rates.
This brings some challenges to personalized email subject lines. Finding a balance between personalized subject lines and shortened messages is what can bring you a higher open and response rate.
Also, the email body should be direct and to the point, quickly addressing the prospect’s pain points. It’s easy to overdo this part as senders, usually, want to be as persuasive as possible.
While interactive and rich content can be engaging, in mobile-optimized cold emails, they can lead to friction and frustration. It’s about finding that middle ground where your message is clear without being cluttered.
Also, think about how your cold email looks on a small screen. Use bullet points and short paragraphs to make the content easily digestible. Remember, your email needs to perfectly match the convenience that mobile offers.
Key considerations for mobile-optimized cold emails
- Check if your cold email campaigns are responsive, meaning they adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes. In this way, email engagement is improved.
- In mobile-optimized emails, your call to action should be clear and easy to find. Don’t bury it in text – make it stand out so that it’s easy for the recipient to take the next step.
- Before launching your campaign, test how your cold emails look on various devices. As a result, you can avoid any display issues that might affect your campaign performance.
In 2024, optimizing your cold email strategy is about creating authentic and meaningful relationships with your potential customers, starting from the moment they see your cold email in their inbox.
Trend #6: AI SDR – revolutionizing outbound with automation & enrichment
Simply put – get ready for the rise of AI Sales Development Representatives (SDRs). This trend is all about re-building Revenue Operations through mini-automations that replace manual outbound efforts with AI and various enrichment sources.
The trend is moving towards having outbound marketing predominantly managed by AI systems, with human oversight focusing on conversation management and precise target definition, rather than manual research of accounts and contacts.
The top 1% of companies will excel in creating fully automated, hyper-personalized copy using specialized flows. And this will be top-tier copywriting, impossible to generate. All for increasing the average response rates while building long-term relationships with potential clients.
With AI SDRs, the focus is on crafting emails that are sophisticated enough to bypass spam filters, ensuring your message reaches the email recipients effectively, while all of the other elements are more-or-less automated and streamlined here.
A workflow to follow:
- Automated lead processing. Companies are creating systems that automatically categorize companies from a list, clean and refine data, and remove smileys from names for natural outreach. This automation ensures that the initial contact feels personalized and genuine.
- Deep personalization: Them, the AI SDRs are designed to take care of various aspects of potential clients. They can now use insights to craft personalized messages that resonate with the target audience, so that they capture the prospect’s attention effectively.
- Campaign integration like a breeze: Once the AI “assistant” has crafted a personalized approach, it seamlessly integrates these prospects into the appropriate cold email campaigns, with a smooth transition from data processing to outreach.
Automating the mundane and focusing on creating authentic, personalized messages, companies can engage their potential customers more effectively, getting a higher response rate and building genuine connections.
Trend #7: Using your own domain for cold emailing – navigating new email provider policies
In 2024, using your own domain for cold emailing will become more crucial than ever – due to new adjustments by major email providers like Google and Yahoo. These changes are aimed at reducing spam (which is a great thing), but they also present new challenges for cold email outreach (which is not that great after all).
What is changing?
- Bulk senders must authenticate their emails using established best practices like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, so that the personalized emails do not reach the spam folder.
- Email providers now mandate a one-click unsubscribe button in emails from large senders. This feature must be easy to use, and the unsubscription requests must be processed promptly.
- Google, for example, will enforce a spam rate threshold of 0.3% of messages sent. Staying below this threshold is required to avoid being flagged as a spammer by a potential customer.
How to get ready?
- Start with a technical overhaul. Review and update your email authentication methods. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is no longer optional but a necessity.
- The one-click unsubscribe feature could lead to higher unsubscribe rates, so focus on creating content that clicks with your audience to maintain engagement.
- Monitor your spam rates using tools like Google’s Postmaster Tools. Adjust your cold email content and delivery methods to stay compliant with the new thresholds.
Adapting to these new requirements, you can continue to effectively communicate with your target audience while contributing to a safer and less cluttered email environment.
It cannot be COLD any longer
When it comes to cold emailing, the average response rate is hitting 8-9% at best. This number will only decrease if you hold on to the trends from 2022 or 2023. That’s why you should go with the flow of the brand new trends that we have identified in this article. Good luck!