Cold Email: Big Thinking, Smarter Approach, More Payoffs
A multi-sourced conversation about experiences, insights and recommendations
Cold emails are a challenging approach to communication yet if they are well thought-out and constructed, big opportunities can happen, even if the odds feel daunting.
“You can cold email nearly anyone, but nearly everyone overlooks how powerful it can be,” says James Clear, author of the New York Times bestselling book, “Atomic Habits.”
“Sending one email each week that feels like a stretch can change your life.”
He admits that there is going to be struggle involved.
“Will you get turned down?” Clear asks. “Sure, most of the time. But you only need one to pay off for something amazing to happen.”
As billionaire Mark Cuban has said about businesses: “You only have to be right once.”
Clear’s advice for writing quality, effective, successful cold emails is simple.
“Take your time, write a thoughtful message and muster the courage to press ‘Send,’” he says.
“My first PR (public relations) job began with a cold email. Off duty and still in my military uniform, I sent an email to a name I saw at the end of the credits on an Amazon TV show,” says Gabrielle Pickens, lead consultant at Pickens Creative, which collaborates with brands built on disrupting the status quo. “I didn't know her and she didn't know me. All I knew was that I needed an opportunity.”
“A cold email is an underutilized power move that can open doors and change the trajectory of your life,” she learned and stresses to others.
Possibilities might even exceed the imagination.
“When a cold email works, it’s like opening a door you never thought you could access,” says Peter Murphy Lewis, founder and CEO at Strategic Pete, a strategic-and-tailored marketing firm. “I’ve seen it lead to partnerships, career pivots, investment opportunities; each one a huge turning point that could have easily never happened.”
Lewis brings up what he believes is an unhelpful, sabotaging belief.
“There’s this misconception that cold emails are long shots, but when done right, they can be the start of a lasting professional relationship,” Lewis says. “I know people who reached out to someone they admired, not expecting much and ended up with a mentor, or in some cases, a business partner. It can change the trajectory of a career.”
The effort can be difficult emotionally yet many people have benefitted.
“A successful, cold email can lead to incredible opportunities, like new partnerships or high-value clients,” says Jon Morgan, CEO and Editor-in-Chief at Venture Smarter, a consulting firm that helps startups and small businesses scale and grow.
Morgan reached out to a potential partner and that one email transformed into a long-term collaboration that reshaped his company’s approach.
“These emails bypass the usual gatekeepers and connect you directly with decision-makers,” he says. “It’s about building authentic connections that create lasting impact.”
“From my experience, cold emailing is mostly a miss but the one that reaches the right person at the right time more than makes up for all your lost effort,” says Faiza Aijaz, the co-founder at Ecazon Ecommerce Solutions, an Amazon brand management agency catering to existing and aspiring Amazon Private Label sellers worldwide.
“At the moment, 70% of my agency's revenue comes from clients we approached via cold emails, and I guess that's enough indication of how powerful it can be.”
Advertising may not deliver most of a business’ results.
“Most of the clients we get come from cold email,” says Mario Sarceno, the founder at Founders PR. “Almost all of the business and media coverage we get for our clients comes from cold email. Cold email cuts through the noise fast and directly in a way that cold calling or advertising cannot. All you need is a subject line to be eye-catching enough for somebody to give you their attention.”
As Clear mentioned and most people know, it is confusing to learn how to succeed.
“Cold emails don't have a high success rate but that's ok,” says Bob Mackowski, a commercial photographer and small business marketing speaker. “You don't need a high conversion rate as long as you're converting some of them for good amounts of money.”
“I speak for a lot of the small business centers that are scattered throughout North Carolina and most of those speaking engagements begin with a cold email. They become slightly warmer every time that one books, because now their colleagues have booked me. This year I've spoken for 23 of the 58 centers and they all tie back to cold email in one way or another.”
It’s extremely important to know specifically how to write such a communication piece.
“At the other end of every email address is a human being,” says Tracy Lamourie, the founder and managing director at Lamourie Media, “and if you send a considerate, thoughtful, personal message — sometimes you make a connection and business magic is made.”
“I get half of my business from word of mouth and the other half from cold emailing people who I have genuinely looked into and learned about on social media and LinkedIn and who I think could really use my service. Then, I approach them in a direct and human — not cut and paste — way. I have literally gotten hundreds of clients over a decade this way.
“I frequently hear ‘I am so grateful you reached out to me’ or ‘I really like your energy.’”
There is emotional investment and uncertainty that comes with the time and energy involved with cold emails yet Clear says that should not be the focus or obsession because of the potential opportunities and payoffs.
Building a mindset that is more opportunity-driven than being overly concerned with disinterest and rejection is imperative to build confidence and consistency of habit.
A reminder of perseverance and what is possible is helpful as is the realization that doubt is likely to be part of our thinking.
“We can start by reframing rejection. Having the courage to email a complete stranger is a win in and of itself,” Pickens says. “Be encouraged by your resilience and creativity, rather than discouraged by the actions of others.”
Small shifts like that and the ones that follow can help act as a catalyst for continuing and breaking through.
“Initially, we were a two-person agency, and I was responsible for client outreach,” Aijaz recalls. “After a month, the utter silence that used to follow my cold emails became discouraging, but reading success stories on online forums inspired me to continue my outreach efforts.
“I then decided to block out 3 hours a week for writing cold emails and stopped obsessing over why I wasn't getting a reply back.
“I think I had sent out around 300 emails when I suddenly received a reply from a mid-sized Amazon brand that wanted to get on board. They've become our long-term client and have referred two more brands to avail of our services.”
“You need to detach yourself from rejection,” Sarceno advises. “If you're offering something valuable, timing is one of the biggest reasons for rejection. I personally don't dwell on rejections and have a template reply that I send to prospects who reject our emails. That way, I don't dwell on what I did wrong, too much, and begin to invest my time in finding other prospects.”
Getting comfortable with reality strengthens your thinking.
“You have to accept a cold reception as part of the fact of doing cold emails. It's not a highly successful enterprise,” Mackowski reasons. “Once you can accept that, and that it isn't personal, you can proceed to give it a shot.”
Clear mentions writing at least one, good cold email a week. If you have time, more, even a little more, is better.
“One email a week isn't enough,” Lamourie says. “Do ten. But make sure it’s not a cut-and-paste job. Make sure you are actually reaching out to humans in a genuine way, not as a number or a prospect. It's not a numbers game, it’s a people game.”
“The secret is reframing each rejection as a step toward the right response,” Lewis contends. “It’s like working out. Reps make you stronger and each rejection toughens you up a bit more. Rather than looking at each ‘no’ as a failure, view it as training for the ‘yes’ that’s coming. You’re honing your message, refining your approach and developing resilience.”
“Remember, the right people won’t respond because of your credentials alone; they’ll respond because they see value and genuine intent in what you’re saying. Every rejection is just another filter on your way to that valuable connection.”
Keeping one’s mind on the inevitable successes is vitally important.
“It's difficult to stay positive when there's silence at the other end,” Aijaz has discovered and admits. “What helped me was joining agency owner communities online, where people posted about getting a reply after 50, 100 or even 800 emails. It's easier to believe in something when you see it happening to others like you.”
Don’t forget to appreciate the small wins.
“Celebrate any reply,” Sarceno proposes. “When you get a 'no' that means your email is landing in people's inbox and not their spam. That's huge. Realize that every 'no' is just one step closer to a 'yes', and if a 'yes' doesn't come after a lot of rejection emails, then maybe it's time to adjust your messaging or your offer.”
“It's hard to accept the discouraging rate of conversion for cold emails until you hit on one of them,” Mackowski says. “Then, it's all worth it.”
Focus on what you need to be achieving with your efforts.
“It's absolutely true that it just takes one positive response to change your business or your life,” Lamourie says, adding a wiser way to look at it. “Stop thinking about marketing and start thinking about communicating and connecting.”
When cold email is done well, the results could be exponential in gravity.
“I remember when a single email led to a mentorship that opened doors to an entire network of clients,” Morgan says. “Focusing on the potential of that one ‘yes’ keeps us going, even on slower days. This belief in quality over quantity helps us find value in every connection.”
Pause and remember what you’re seen, heard or read that impressed you.
“Try focusing on examples — whether your own or others’ — of times when a single ‘yes’ opened up extraordinary opportunities,” Lewis recommends.
“For instance, in my career, I can point to several moments where one positive response led to a snowball effect, turning a simple interaction into a full-blown opportunity. Visualizing these kinds of successes helps solidify the idea that the next ‘send’ could be the one that changes everything.
“It becomes less about quantity and more about creating meaningful, well-thought-out connections.”
Clear made sure to remind people to “Take your time, write a thoughtful message and muster the courage to press ‘Send.’” Four important, difference-making steps.
“Writing considerate, customized emails demonstrates respect and sincere interest, which frequently results in greater answers,” Morgan says.
“For example, bringing up a particular project or praising the recipient's work has previously led to opportunities. It feels less daunting to hit ‘send’ when you take the time to customize each message.
“A simple gesture can transform a chilly email into a significant opportunity. It's simpler to maintain motivation when you concentrate on the possible effects of each communication.”
Constantly remember that you have the ability and opportunity to constantly impress.
“Thoughtful messages stand out in a sea of generic outreach,” Lewis points out. “Taking the time to research who you’re reaching out to and crafting a message that genuinely resonates with them changes the dynamic.
“Think of it this way: your recipient is busy and your email is a request for their attention. Why should they care? Answer that question well in your message, and it’ll feel much less like cold outreach and more like a purposeful conversation.
“When you feel a bit of fear pressing ‘Send,’ it’s usually because you care about the outcome. That’s a good sign.”
Brevity is going to make your time, energy and writing more impactful.
“When people read your email, they won't read an essay,” Sarceno says. “They're already taking time out of their day to read an email they weren't expecting to read when they checked their inbox. Time is of the essence. Make it short and sweet, present your offer and have a clear call to action.”
Be bold and courageous. You never know who will be interested in a connection and your offer for mutual, beneficial gain.
“We live in a world full of opportunity, so take a chance and bet on yourself,” Pickens advises. “Have the courage to create a reality that you enjoy versus simply taking what's given to you. Confidence is built from the inside out by your reps.”
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