{"id":9175,"date":"2020-07-30T12:10:12","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T10:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodpecker.co\/blog\/?p=9175"},"modified":"2025-01-21T10:16:53","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T09:16:53","slug":"dos-and-donts-in-cold-emailing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodpecker.co\/blog\/dos-and-donts-in-cold-emailing\/","title":{"rendered":"Dos and Don’ts in Cold Emailing. How to Write a Cold Email that Wins Leads?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You created a highly targeted prospect list and carefully scheduled the campaign. Everything went smoothly from the technical side, yet you received just a few positive replies. What went wrong, then?<\/p>\n

The problem may be in the message itself.<\/p>\n

Read on to learn what are the dos and don\u2019ts for writing cold emails<\/span>. Check what you can change in your cold email<\/span> copy and subject line to get more positive replies.<\/p>\n

Avoid vague subject lines<\/h2>\n

Even though we shouldn\u2019t judge the book by its cover, sometimes we can\u2019t help it. Have you ever picked a bottle of wine just because the label caught your attention? Or opened a blog post because the title sparked your interest?
\nHere I got you.<\/p>\n

Think of an email<\/span> subject line as the packaging of your message. It makes your prospects decide whether they open your email<\/span>, ignore it or delete immediately without even checking what\u2019s inside.<\/p>\n

When I open my mailbox I often see subject lines like \u201cQuestion\u201d or \u201cWoodpecker <> Unknown Company Name\u201d that don\u2019t tell me much about what to expect when I open the message. They are too vague to spark my interest. And they repeat in almost every second email<\/span> in my inbox<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Put yourself in your prospect<\/span>‘s shoes for a moment. Why would they care about a \u201cQuestion\u201d from a stranger? Especially if they get dozens of emails<\/span> with exactly the same subject line per week that fight for their attention. In such a flood of look-alikes, only a subject line that stands out by being relevant and promising will win.<\/p>\n

So what subject line would encourage a prospect who doesn\u2019t know your company to open a message from you?<\/h3>\n

For example, the one that refers to a business<\/span> need they have or a problem they currently struggle with. Something that will make them think \u201cHmm this sounds interesting. I\u2019ll check it out, maybe that\u2019s something I could benefit from\u201d. Or something along these lines. You get the idea.<\/p>\n

Check the best subject lines we\u2019ve come across and find out why they work so well:
\n15 Best Sales Email Subject Lines We\u2019ve Come Across >><\/a><\/p>\n

Always end your email with a clear Call to Action<\/h2>\n

If you think about a subject line as a key to get your emails<\/span> opened, a CTA is a key to encourage people to reply. A CTA should be the answer to a crucial question our addressee will be asking themselves, that is: \u201cWhat do they want from me?\u201d<\/p>\n

This answer should be conveyed in one of your email<\/span>\u2019s last sentences, so it makes the goal of your message clear. It should be specific and persuasive, so it leaves no doubt about what you\u2019re asking your addresses to do, be it answering a question, meeting in person, having a call or leaving a review.<\/p>\n

Take a look at your CTA now. Is it clear and specific? Would you know what to do if you were a prospect<\/span>? Aren\u2019t you asking them for too much? Keep in mind that you\u2019re still just a stranger to them and asking for a 30-minute chat or a meeting in person may be too much at this point.<\/p>\n

Check how a CTA may be worded to match various intents and persuade the addressees to take action: Perfect CTA, or How to Write a Persuasive Cold Email? >><\/a><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t make people read essays, be clear and concise<\/h2>\n

Imagine this: your message caught your prospect<\/span>\u2019s attention thanks to a relevant and prospect-oriented subject line. Intrigued by it, they open the email<\/span> and\u2026 bump into a wall of text that scares them away.<\/p>\n

A big block of text is hard to read. It makes your message look boring and off-putting. Very few prospects<\/span> will wade through it till the end to read a CTA.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why you should try to squeeze your message into just a few sentences. Cross out all the unnecessary sentences that only drive your prospects<\/span>\u2019 attention away from the goal of your message. Be merciless to all the fluff surrounding your point. Less is more in this case.<\/p>\n

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