So, you managed to get that cold email opened by the recipient.
Well done, past the first hurdle.
The next is to create an environment where the opener does something you want as a result of the opening, your next step in the process of engaging towards a transaction.
If you do not have one, why bother in the first place?
A couple of weeks ago I opened a cold email, simply because the headline promised something I had been actively seeking. A simple CRM system designed for small B2B businesses looking at the opportunities offered by sales and marketing automation to scale their businesses. Exactly the thing I had been looking for to assist one of my clients.
In addition, I could see from the auto-preview that it was directed at me, and that there was a logical connection.
I have reproduced it below:
A review of CRM options for SME’s contemplating a first step.
Dear Allen,
I was in the audience at the recent presentation you gave to small business CEO’s in the AFGC forum. I fully agreed with most of the points you made, and you raised a few I had not considered.
One of them was the difficulty many SME’s have taking that first step into marketing automation, usually a simple CRM implementation. I see from your Linkedin profile and significant number of blog posts that this is the sort of thing you run into regularly.
Attached is a review of a number of systems I completed a short time ago, which I thought might be of value to you.
I will ring you at 8.50 am next Thursday, and if you are available, hopefully take 5 minutes to see what you thought of the systems reviewed.
Kind regards
Stephen
He did ring at 8.50 the following Thursday, we did have a conversation, way longer than 5 minutes, my choice, and it is likely that we will do some business.
Lets look at what he did right:
- The headline of the email promised to deliver a benefit, something that may make my life easier.
- The email had been highly personalised, and was complementary of the work I had done.
- The CTA was crystal clear. He would ring me at a specified time, for a chat that almost required me to have read the attachment to participate. It would almost have been rude of me to have been unavailable and unprepared.
- He promised to take up only 5 minutes. How could I not give 5 minutes to someone who had gone to all that trouble, and who possibly had a solution to a problem in front of me.
Are your email campaigns as targeted?
Do you do the work up front to give yourself the best chance of creating a qualified lead?
