How to Write a Cold Email Quickly and Efficiently
Many of us want to know how to write a cold email, but most of us just want to grab a free template and run with it. However, cold emails work best when they are personalized not customized.
I want to take just a few minutes of your time to help you learn how to write a cold email quickly, effectively, and explain why personalization is so important to any cold email endeavor.
Need to know how to write a cold email quickly? Start with a solid structure
I’ve written about cold email plenty of times. And here’s why: a great cold email is one of the most powerful tools in a business owner’s arsenal. With a well-written email, you can get a new client, partner, influencer, investor, etc.
And while I’ve written about how to write a cold email, I haven’t given a structure of how to lay everything out. This is the process of creating a template for all of your cold emails, without having every cold email be exactly the same.
So here is the cold email structure that will help you create brand new cold emails on the fly every single time.
The intro section
Every cold email will need some kind of introduction…because, presumably, the recipient has no idea who you are.
The most important thing is to make the first sentence grab their attention while also clearly stating who you are. The best way to do this is to find a personal connection and bring it to light in the very first sentence.
Some cold email templates and structures I have found have you build that personal connection in the last sentence of the paragraph or in the second paragraph. But…here’s the thing…
…no one truly cares who you are.
They care about themselves.
It’s human nature.
So starting with a personal connection like a compliment or a personal review about something of theirs you have interacted with will go a lot further than telling them, “I’m Dylan Miller, a growth partner who specializes in content marketing and copywriting!”
The value proposition
One of the most important things to remember when you are learning how to write a cold email quickly and efficiently is to build value immediately.
If you are just asking for a sale right out of the gate, then you have wasted everyone’s time.
Your second paragraph should point out a problem they likely (and, if you’ve done your homework, know that they do) suffer from. Then, offer to resolve it with a partnership. The last sentence should simply explain what that partnership looks like and how you intend to solve the problem.
Call to action
Your last paragraph should lay out the details of the next steps for them to start working with you. The best way to get them to respond is to make it a simple “reply to this email” because asking someone to jump on a form or schedule a meeting is an extra step where they will second guess.
My favorite tactic is to use the phrase “just reply with the word ____ and I’ll set up a time for us to talk soon!”
They have to reply with one word or phrase. They don’t even have to say anything else. That’s as simple as it gets for them without having to worry about any kind of hassle.
This entire email should be in the ballpark of 150 words. It shouldn’t take much more than that to get your point across and build a connection.
Make it personalized NOT customized
Now, there is one last thing I need to say on this topic that I think is absolutely critical. There is a big difference between personalization and customization.
The way I want you to think about this is that personalization is for the recipient while customization is for the sender.
If you understand nothing else about how to write a cold email, then please understand this difference. If something is personalized, then it only makes sense to that person.
This means you can’t make blanket statements or talk in generalities about who you are emailing. No, it needs to be something specifically personal to them! Not just the business or company.
This is a bit more difficult, but it pays off far more often than a customized introduction. This is where you can just plug and play any kind of information to make it different on the fly. If you are part of a marketing team and you mention that you like the brand colors…then you probably wouldn’t consider that much of a compliment because you had nothing to do with it.
Now, let’s say you get an email saying, “I thought the subtle use of the past tense in this particular line of copy was sublime.” THAT is a personalized connection rather than a customized connection.
Master this difference and ANY email you send will be met with applause! (okay, maybe not literally, but people will really like them, okay?)
Now you know how to write a cold email quickly and efficiently
And there you have it! I have squeezed just about every bit of knowledge on how to write a cold email out of my brain that I can. I hope it has been valuable for you!
If you have liked what I say with the words I write, then shoot me an email and let’s start working together [and, yes, that awkward wording was intentional ;)]. If you like doing extra steps, then here is a neat-o form to fill out, too!
Genuinely, though, I try to create tons of helpful content every week with my blog. So I would love for you to check around and see what you think.
No matter what, please know that I appreciate you, friend!