Cold Email Formulas and Examples For Warm Communication

What is Cold Emailing

Cold emails are letters sent to people the company had no contact with before. No one is waiting for them, no one asked to receive them, and there is not a big chance they will open and read them. Nowadays, many tools and email formulas help learn the recipes of a cold email that works. As a result, it became easier and faster for company agents to create campaigns. Let's take a look at the best cold email examples and a few must-have tools in this article.

Cold email examples and formulas that actually work

A lot of time-tested and simple formulas could be used in your email marketing to get audiences to take action, so it is not necessary to start from zero. Check out each example of cold email listed below and adapt them to your business. If it will not work well enough, try another one and keep trying - there is no one perfect and universal solution.

Present - Future - Way

Start with the existing potential customer's situation or problem - describe it concisely to your addressee - it is their present. After that, tell them about the possible improved future where all the troubles are solved. Finally, delineate the way how this amazing future can be achieved with the help of your company/solution, etc.

Here you can see a cold email template:

Cold email examples Present

This email body is based on the behavioral approach in psychology that considers pain and pleasure the biggest motivators for people. By using both, you will get closer to your goal.

Attention - Interest - Desire - Action ( AIDA)

This is one of the marketers' favorite formulas. Many people know this rule of the sales process; however, not everyone knows that it can be successfully used with cold, formal emails.

AIDA model is the method of constructing advertising and sales processes targeted at all touchpoints during a client's purchase journey, from introducing the product to buying it.

There are four fundamental stages of this trip:

Awareness/Attention

The first impression is important. The response rate and the conversion rate of users into clients depend on how they find your business. Either way, the more people would know about your product or service - the higher number of interested customers you will reach.

Interest

It is the most crucial stage. If the user decides that a product has no sense for him or if he does not find it good enough, he will not buy it.

Desire

At this stage, being interested, customers realize they need it, or you should build a desire for the product or service you're offering.

Action

The final push can include any of these popular schemas: free trials, referral systems, one-on-one offers, discounts, or others.

Cold email formulaSo, catch the person's attention (for example, include the fact about your addressee), ignite their interest by providing a good reason, spark the desire (for instance, by listing your other clients or an exclusive offer that expires soon. Finally, state what the person should do to obtain the desired value.

There is a cold email example for this formula:

Cold email examples Attention

Picture - Proofs - Action

This method has to catch attention from the first sentence and make the reader want it. Next, describe the desired reality for your customer or use a promising opening. Next, support your idea with a chain of facts, studies, etc. Finally, indicate the next step your addressee should make to get what he needs - to contact your company or to try a product/service.

The strength of this formula lies within the series of facts and proofs, making your promise much more credible.

Let them opt-out

Numerous studies prove that people are more likely to accept an offer if they feel no pressure and have the freedom of choice. So, showing your addressee the way out increases the chances of getting in.

QVC

One more excellent email formula that helps to increase the response rate is called QVC:

  • Q - question. No more than one sentence.
  • V - value proposition. This part should include one to three sentences maximum.
  • C - closing. It should be one sentence with a call to action.

There is a cold email example for this formula:

Cold email examples QuestionsIt's all about the benefits you can give to this potential client. Finally, we are closing the email with another question that leads to the next stage. This is a perfect place for CTA (call to action).

Awareness-Comprehension-Conviction-Action (ACCA)

Let's figure out what does mean each word in this formula:

  • Awareness — Tell about the problem or situation.
  • Comprehension — Explain how it could influence them.
  • Conviction — Build a desire by demonstrating how your product/service fixes the problem.
  • Action — Suggest to respond or take a step towards trying a free demo, for example.

Many people may think this method is similar to AIDA, but the "Comprehension" and "Conviction" aspects confirm the importance of clarity and suggest certainty simultaneously.

Tips to get your cold email read

When recipients don't open your email, it doesn't indicate they aren't interested. They could be busy that day and skipped the email, or maybe the email subject wasn't clear. We want to suggest some valuable tools that could help a lot with cold emails if you are a Zendesk user.

The first one is Proactive Campaigns. As we said before, the more users see your emails - the bigger number of requests you will get. And this app is exactly what you need for that purpose! So, add Proactive Campaigns to your Zendesk and enjoy.

This app lets segment customers into target lists, send mass follow-ups with the possibility to personalize them, and track customers' responses automatically! Also, using this app, you can schedule campaigns and run them offline, save templates and check the statistics, and select the email address to send your letter from.

The second app we recommend is Email Tracking for Zendesk. It gives you essential information about whether the receivers opened an email and when they did it, and what types of replies engage customers. Don't hesitate - that would save time and effort and help to increase the reply rates.

Make them personal

Remember that the person you're addressing is receiving many sales emails daily, so avoid template-like features that will surely lead your masterpiece into a "Deleted" folder, like impersonalized greetings (Dear Sir… or To whom it may concern). Instead, find out who exactly you're writing to and address them by their first name. It also works well to research the person (like hobbies or interests) and show this in the letter opening or underline common things between you. It takes time, but the results won't take long to show up.

Focus on the customer

Instead of focusing on your own or your company's advantages and achievements, focus on your potential client's (or their company's) needs or issues and show how your company can help. It lets your addressee feel you care about them and maybe a solid spur to respond.

Be laconic

Keep in mind that your email isn't expected or looked forward to. It is fortunate if it gets opened at all. However, the reader should not be scared away by the voluminous message in the fine print when it does. Think about the most important things you would like to say and place them close to the beginning. Keep your message short and make it easy to read through using short paragraphs, bullets, etc.

Imply what you want them to do

No, it shouldn't sound like a call to action in an ad, but still, at the letter closing, ask your addressee to perform the action you expect - to respond, give you a call, schedule a chat, visit your website, etc. It is also considered an excellent technique to ask them a question at the end of the letter, which sometimes compels the person to respond. Don't forget about all the recommendations listed upper for maximum impact.

Bottom line

Now that you have a few cold emailing examples know some tips and tricks. Have you got some effective formulas you feel like sharing? If so, we are glad to be helpful!

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