Cold Emails: An Effective B2B Marketing Strategy When Done Right

On any given day, a working professional will receive 120 emails, but they'll only answer 25% of them. The remaining messages will get lost in the depths of their inbox.


If you haven't already, check out our other blog series on cold email:
17 Cold Email Marketing Mistakes to Avoid for B2B Campaigns
30 Research-Backed High-Performing Cold Email Subject Lines
6 High-Performing Cold Email Templates for Different Personas

The chances of someone responding to a cold email are even lower. If you're a salesperson who relies on email to gain clients, this isn't good news. Plus, cold emails are an important piece of a complete B2B marketing strategy.

So, how can you make sure your B2B clients not only receive, but open and respond to your emails? 

Luckily, writing effective cold emails is a skill you can develop. Keep reading to learn about cold emails and why they should be part of your marketing strategy. 

What is a Cold Email?

Before we can talk about what goes into a great cold email, we need to clarify what it is and what it is not. Basically, it's an unsolicited message that's sent to someone without a previous introduction. 

Isn't that spam, you ask? While spam and cold emails are both unsolicited messages, their similarities end there.

Spam emails are generic, sent to lots of people at once, are usually one-sided, they lack any context, and are often poorly written with typos.

A good cold email doesn't do any of that. It's more like a personalized letter of introduction that asks the recipient for something simple. Plus, it's an email that's written for a specific person.

The Goal of Cold Email Marketing

Cold email aims to make a connection with a new potential client. Your initial goal isn't to sell anything, your goal is to build a professional relationship. 

Once you've established a give-and-take relationship, you can build it from there. In time, it could lead to promotional and marketing opportunities, sales leads, or growth in your business network. At the very least, you'll gain valuable industry contacts. 

Choose the Right Email Recipients

The first step in a cold email marketing campaign is to decide what your goal is. Are you looking for sales leads, are you trying to create interest before a trade show, or do you need people to help promote a new product?

Your overall goal will help narrow down your list of recipients. For example, if you're heading to a trade show, you might contact some of the other vendors who are also going to the trade show. You could send cold emails to ask those contacts for a meeting at the trade show.  

To find potential contacts, you can use Google and LinkedIn. From there, you might need to do some digging on corporate or business websites to find specific email addresses.

Then, record the names of your contacts and their email addresses in a spreadsheet. It's also helpful to list any professional details you find or the location of their business. This information will help you draft personalized emails for each person on your list. 

How to Write a Cold Email for B2B Marketing

Before you start writing the body of the email, you need to pick a subject line. Research shows that 47% of people decide whether or not to open an email based on the subject line, so choose wisely. Keep it short and to the point. 

When you're writing a cold email, personalization is the most important aspect. If you took the time to write a personalized email, they'll be more inclined to return the favor with a response to your email. 

Start each email by addressing the recipient by their first name. Then, make it clear why you're reaching out and how you came across their name or business. 

Show that you're genuinely interested in who they are and what their company does. Did you read a recent blog post of theirs? Has their company had a recent success that made industry news? Did you hear about them at a trade show?

Mention one or two of these details in your introduction and then explain how you found it valuable or impressive. Once you've introduced yourself and expressed your interest, you can make your pitch. Not your sales pitch, but your pitch for a small next step. This could be a 15-minute call, a coffee at an event, or feedback on a specific topic they have some expertise in. You are just trying to start a conversation, not close a deal. This is very important.

Whether you want to send them product information or you're asking a question, don't make it about yourself. Use your pitch to explain how your offer is going to help them and their business.

General Tips for Cold Email Marketing

Since personalization is so important, using a cold email template can work against you. If you do start with a template, make sure to remove the obvious parts of the original email. For example, replace "Name" with the first name of your recipient. This should go without saying, but it happens all the time!

Also, keep your email short. Show that you respect their time by writing an email that gets straight to the point. 

The time and day you send your email can also impact how well it performs. Mondays and Tuesdays before 10 a.m. is a great time to send your emails. That way your recipients will see your email at the start of their workday and work week. 

Keep in mind that people only give same-day responses to one-third of the emails they get. Don't expect a response the same day. The responses you get or don't get will also depend on your recipient list and your message. 

Expand Your B2B Marketing Strategy Today

Any effective B2B marketing strategy needs to include cold emailing. If you're not sending cold emails to potential clients, you should start. It can lead to industry contacts, get sales leads, and build business partnerships. 

But, between researching recipients and writing personalized messages, cold email marketing takes time. 

If you're interested in adding cold email to your business' marketing strategy but you don't have the time, ProSales Connection can help. We'll handle the emails for you so your sales team can focus on building new business opportunities.

Contact us today to learn how our services can help your bottom line.