Cold Email is simple, but it’s not easy. If you’ve tried before and gotten “meh” results, this quick checklist might help.
The 9 Cold Email Commandments
The main thing to remember is that Cold Emails do not sell on their own.
Cold Email’s purpose is to start a sales conversation, offer more information like a video or guidebook, or to add to a newsletter or mailing list. It’s more like an introduction that offers some potential value.
Here are the 9 key principles of getting ROI with cold email:
1. Thou shalt use a “throwaway domain”
Use Google Domains (very easy) and buy a different email domain, similar to your main .com address (company.com –> company.co). Redirect it to your main website (or a special campaign funnel!)
2. Thou shalt use paid GSuite (now Google Workspace) to send cold emails
Set up a new Google Workspace account with your new domain and set up a [firstname]@[throwawaydomain.com] address.
3. Thou shalt add SPF/DKIM/DMARC DNS records
Check out Google’s instructions here. If you use Google Domains, it will do this automatically. If not, you’ll need to add these manually.
4. Thou shalt not send more than 100 emails per day per email address
Everyone is obsessed with sending volume. The truth is that if you personalize the first line of your emails, you send a lot less and get better results. If you do truly need more volume, repeat this process until you are sending the volume you want per day.
5. Thou shalt warm up your email address properly
Do not just start sending cold emails. You need to create natural activity on the email account so your email doesn’t get blocked. Use ProspectingToolkit and simulate natural activity ongoing to balance your cold outreach and boost deliverability.
6. Thou shalt not include links in cold emails
Cybersecurity and SPAM are a bigger issue than ever in history. Firewalls and security software will block your emails, especially at the mid-market/enterprise level, if you include links in your cold emails. Save the links for when you get an interested reply (which you should get plenty of if you do this right!)
7. Thou shalt include no more than 3 paragraphs and make sure your email is readable on a smartphone screen
Make absolutely sure your prospect can read the entire message on their phone. Failing to honor this commandment is sure to drag your campaign into the dirt.
8. Thou shalt not sell directly in a cold email
Cold email should be used to make introductions, add value, and gauge interest. Do not try to sell directly in the first cold email, you will most likely fail.
9. Thou shalt include your physical address at the bottom under your signature to stay CAN-SPAM compliant
It’s important to follow your local laws. Study CAN-SPAM and GDPR to make sure you’re complying with their laws. Failure to do so could end in tragedy.
Honor These Commandments and You Will See Success with Your Cold Email Campaigns
Ignore these commandments at your own risk.
This wisdom is from 5+ years of trial and error and how we’ve won awards for our cold outreach success.
I wish you the best success and that you close some sales this week!
Oh and P.S. rules were made to be broken! Just use these as fundamentals.
