How to Write Engaging Cold Email Follow-Ups

Sending cold email follow-ups can seem daunting, but in fact, they are very promising. Whether it's due to the time of day, the priority of the prospect, or the appearance of your email, initial cold emails, even those with all the right ingredients, can be overlooked.

With follow-up emails, you are sending a polite reminder that you are (a) emailing the prospect for a reason, (b) have something that could improve the prospect's business, and (c) are not spamming.

The First Step to Writing Cold Email Follow Ups

Before you can begin to consider your follow-up strategy, you first need to gather a list of prospects and then write that initial cold email.

How do you gather a list of prospects worth emailing?

1. Spend time searching LinkedIn and connecting with prospects who could benefit from your product or service. Then use Anymail Finder's LinkedIn Email Finder Chrome Extension to extract a profile email address from any LinkedIn page with the click of a button and build email lists quickly by exporting them into a CSV/Excel file containing the details of your new leads and their emails.

2. Gather a list of people who have tweeted about needing your product. Start by using a tool like BuzzSumo.com to search for tweets being shared that relate to your product. Then upload that file to Anymail Finder to find email addresses for those people by looking at their domain names, which come with BuzzSumo’s file.

And, what about that initial email?

First and foremost, use a platform like Anymail Finder that guarantees a +97% delivery rate to ensure that your prospects will receive your email.

Then, ensure your initial email includes an enticing subject line that solves a problem they might have. It needs to be personalized, packed with value and social proof, and include a clear and concise call-to-action (CTA).

Why Send Cold Email Follow-Ups?

According to QuickMail, 55% of replies to cold email campaigns come from a follow-up email and the optimal number of follow-ups is 3.

If your cold email is relevant because you have taken the time to research and identify the right prospects, then follow-ups are worthwhile.

It's also important to remember that with every cold email sent, the average unsubscribe rate is 2.7%. Therefore, unless perfectly crafted, sending more than 3 follow-up emails could result in losing over 10% of your prospect list.

6 Ways to Improve Your Cold Email Follow-Up Strategy

Unsure how to follow up on a cold email? Here are six ways to improve your cold email follow-up strategy to get a response.

Automate Your Sending

Consider utilizing a tool such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator to automate your follow-up emails. Automation not only guarantees that follow-ups are scheduled, but it also saves you time. Additionally, by employing automation software, you can effectively track important metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and more.

Write Compelling Subject Lines That Avoid The Words ‘Following-Up’

Your subject line should grab your recipient's attention, highlight the purpose (value) of your email, and entice them to open your email. It is important to avoid spammy and generic subject lines like "Follow-up" or "Checking In."

Be Clear and Concise

Keep your follow-up emails brief and to the point. Clearly state the purpose of your email, the value you provide and what you're asking for.

Write Clear CTAs

It is crucial to include clear and concise call-to-actions (CTAs) in your cold email follow-up strategy. CTAs are essential for guiding your recipients toward the desired action and increasing the chances of a response. The CTA should clearly state what you want to achieve with the follow-up, whether it is an email response, setting up a phone call, or clicking a link to your website.

Personalize Your Follow Ups

To send effective follow-ups, take the time to learn your prospect's names, their business's names, and their pain points. Show that you are not sending spam by incorporating this information into your follow-up subject lines or body copy. You can mention a recent article or social media post by them to further personalize your follow-up and demonstrate genuine interest.

Social Proof

Incorporating social proof, such as testimonials, statistics, and awards, provides evidence that others have found value in your product or service. This can help build trust and credibility with your recipients. When integrating social proof into your cold email follow-up strategy, ensure that you use authentic and relevant evidence that is tailored to your recipients' needs and interests.

From Cold Leads to Customers

By incorporating these strategies into your cold email follow-up approach, you can enhance the effectiveness of your outreach efforts and increase your chances of receiving a response from your recipients.

Remember, the key to receiving a response to any cold email follow-up is to have a smart prospect list. Focus on automating your sending, crafting clear and compelling copy, personalizing your emails, and including social proof for the best results.