Starting a cold email campaign can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. The goal is to introduce your business to potential customers or clients who may not have heard of you before and convince them to take action. This could mean making a purchase, scheduling a call, or signing up for a free trial.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps of launching your first cold email campaign, from crafting an attention-grabbing subject line to following up with leads. Let’s dive in!
What is a cold email?
A cold email is an email that is sent to someone who has not previously interacted with the sender. The purpose of this email is to introduce the recipient to the sender’s product or service and persuade them to take some form of action, such as making a purchase, scheduling a call, or signing up for a free trial.
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Cold emailing can be a powerful tool for generating new business, but it must be done thoughtfully and strategically in order to be effective.
How to start your first cold email campaign | A step-by-step guide
Starting a cold email campaign can be a challenging task, but with the right guidance, it can be an effective way to reach new customers and grow your business.
We’ll take you through the steps of setting up your first cold email campaign, from selecting the right software and purchasing a domain, to crafting persuasive emails and monitoring your results. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to launching a successful cold email campaign.
1. Acquire a list of highly relevant prospects for your cold email campaign
Acquiring a list of highly relevant prospects for your cold email campaign is a crucial step in ensuring the success of your campaign. Here are some steps you can take to acquire a list of highly relevant prospects:
- Identify your target audience: Begin by identifying your target audience. Who are the individuals you want to reach with your cold email campaign? What are their characteristics, needs, and interests?
- Utilize lead generation tools: There are numerous lead generation tools available that can assist you in finding and acquiring a list of highly relevant prospects. LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Hunter.io, and VoilaNorbert are some popular lead generation tools.
- Participate in industry events: Participating in industry events, such as conferences and trade shows, can be an excellent way to meet potential prospects and acquire their contact information.
- Leverage social media: Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and Twitter, can be powerful tools for finding and connecting with potential prospects.
- Request referrals: Don’t hesitate to ask your existing customers or clients for referrals. They may know other individuals who could benefit from your products or services.
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2. Select a cold email software
Initiating a cold email campaign can seem overwhelming, but choosing the right cold email software can simplify the process. There are several options available, each with its own set of features and pricing plans.
These tools offer advanced features such as hyper-personalization, advanced scheduling, omnichannel outreach, reply sentiment analysis, and team-centric features to help you maximize the effectiveness of your cold email campaign.
When choosing a cold email software, it’s important to consider your specific needs and budget. You should also look for a tool that offers good deliverability and has features that support it, such as the ability to control your outreach volume sending pattern. Many of these tools offer free trials so you can try them out before making a purchase.
3. Purchase a domain for cold outreach
Acquiring a domain for cold outreach is an excellent way to create a professional online image and leave a positive impression on potential clients or customers.
A domain name serves as the address of your website, so it’s crucial to select one that is easy to remember, easy to spell, and relevant to your business or brand.
When selecting a domain name, consider the following:
- Relevance: Select a domain name that is relevant to your business or brand. This will make it easier for potential clients or customers to find you when searching for your products or services.
- Memorability: An easy-to-remember domain name is easy to recall and spell, making it simpler for potential clients or customers to locate you online.
- Availability: Ensure that the domain name you desire is available for purchase. You can check the availability of a domain name by using a domain registrar’s search tool.
After selecting a domain name, you can purchase it through a domain registrar. A domain registrar is a company that manages the registration of domain names. GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Google Domains are some popular domain registrars.
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After purchasing your domain name, you can use it for your cold outreach efforts. This can include creating a professional email address using your domain name, setting up a website to showcase your products or services, and using your domain name in your marketing materials.
4. Set up your email account
Establishing an email account and creating a new email address using your newly acquired domain is an excellent way to create a professional online image and leave a positive impression on potential clients or customers.
Here are the steps to establish your email account and create a new email address using your domain:
- Select an email hosting provider: There are numerous email hosting providers available, such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Zoho Mail. Choose one that meets your needs and budget.
- Establish an account with the email hosting provider: Follow the instructions provided by the email hosting provider to establish an account.
- Verify your domain: To use your domain for your email address, you must verify that you own the domain. The email hosting provider will provide instructions on how to do this.
- Create a new email address: Once your domain has been verified, you can create a new email address using your domain. Follow the instructions provided by the email hosting provider to create a new email address.
- Configure your email client: You can access your new email address using an email client, such as Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail. Follow the instructions provided by the email hosting provider to configure your email client.
5. Authenticate your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is a critical step in ensuring that your emails are delivered to the inboxes of your recipients and not marked as spam. Here’s a brief overview of these protocols and how to authenticate your email with them:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF is an email authentication protocol that enables the owner of a domain to specify which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of their domain. To authenticate your email with SPF, you’ll need to create an SPF record in your domain’s DNS settings.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM is an email authentication protocol that allows the sender to sign their emails with a digital signature. This signature is then verified by the recipient’s mail server to ensure that the email has not been tampered with in transit. To authenticate your email with DKIM, you’ll need to create a DKIM record in your domain’s DNS settings.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC is an email authentication protocol that builds on SPF and DKIM. It allows the owner of a domain to specify how their domain’s emails should be handled if they fail SPF or DKIM checks. To authenticate your email with DMARC, you’ll need to create a DMARC record in your domain’s DNS settings.
6. Warm up your domain
Warming up your domain for cold email campaigns is a crucial step in ensuring that your emails reach the inboxes of your recipients and are not flagged as spam. Here are some steps you can take to warm up your domain for cold email campaigns:
- Begin gradually: When you first start sending cold emails from a new domain, it’s important to begin gradually. Send a small number of emails at first, and slowly increase the volume over time. This will help establish a good sending reputation for your domain.
- Send to engaged recipients: Ensure that you send your cold emails to recipients who are likely to engage with your emails. This means recipients who are likely to open, read, and respond to your emails. Sending to engaged recipients will help improve your domain’s sending reputation.
- Monitor your email metrics: Keep an eye on your email metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates. If you notice that your metrics are declining, it may be a sign that you need to adjust your email content or sending practices.
- Adhere to best practices: Adhere to email best practices, such as using a clear and concise subject line, personalizing your emails, and including a clear call-to-action. Adhering to best practices will help improve the deliverability of your emails.
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7. Craft an effective cold email
Crafting an effective cold email is crucial to capturing the attention of your recipients and persuading them to take action. Here are some tips for writing a compelling and persuasive cold email:
- Personalize your email: Personalize your email by addressing the recipient by name and mentioning something specific about their company or industry. This demonstrates that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in connecting with them.
- Use a clear and concise subject line: Your subject line is the first thing your recipient will see, so ensure that it’s clear, concise, and relevant to the content of your email.
- Be direct: Keep your email brief and direct. Clearly state the purpose of your email and what you’re offering.
- Provide value: Show your recipient how they can benefit from what you’re offering. Provide specific examples of how your product or service can help solve a problem or meet a need.
- Include a clear call-to-action: Conclude your email with a clear call-to-action, such as scheduling a call or requesting more information. Make it easy for your recipient to take the next step.
8. Develop a follow-up strategy
Developing a follow-up strategy for your cold email campaign is crucial to ensure that you remain top-of-mind with your prospects and increase the likelihood of converting them into customers. Here are some tips for developing an effective follow-up strategy for your cold email campaign:
- Determine the frequency and timing of your follow-ups: Decide on the frequency and timing of your follow-ups with your prospects. For example, you might send a follow-up email a few days after your initial email, and then another follow-up a week later.
- Personalize your follow-up emails: As with your initial cold email, it’s important to personalize your follow-up emails. Address the recipient by name and mention something specific about their company or industry.
- Provide additional value: In each follow-up email, provide additional value to your prospects. This could be in the form of new information, a special offer, or a case study that demonstrates the effectiveness of your product or service.
- Track and analyze your results: Keep track of your follow-up emails and analyze their effectiveness. Which follow-up emails are getting the best response rates? Use this information to refine and improve your follow-up strategy.
9. Check your sender reputation
Checking and monitoring your sender reputation is an important step in ensuring that your emails are delivered to your recipients’ inboxes. Your sender reputation is a score that email service providers use to determine the trustworthiness of your emails.
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A high sender reputation means that your emails are more likely to be delivered to your recipients’ inboxes, while a low sender reputation can result in your emails being marked as spam or blocked altogether.
Here are some steps you can take to check and monitor your sender reputation:
- Check your sender score: There are several online tools available that allow you to check your sender score, such as Sender Score and Reputation Authority. These tools provide a score based on factors such as the volume of emails you send, the number of spam complaints you receive, and the quality of your email content.
- Monitor your email metrics: Keep an eye on your email metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates. If you notice a decline in these metrics, it may be a sign that your sender reputation is being affected.
- Check blacklists: Check to see if your domain or IP address has been blacklisted by any email service providers. Being on a blacklist can significantly impact your sender reputation and result in your emails being blocked or marked as spam.
- Follow best practices: Follow email best practices, such as using a clear and concise subject line, personalizing your emails, and including a clear call-to-action. Following best practices can help improve your sender reputation and increase the deliverability of your emails.
10. Clean and validate your email outreach list
Cleaning and validating your email outreach list is a crucial step in ensuring the success of your cold email campaign. Here are some steps you can take to clean and validate your email outreach list:
- Remove invalid email addresses: Utilize an email validation tool to check the validity of the email addresses on your list. Remove any invalid email addresses to improve the deliverability of your emails.
- Remove duplicate email addresses: Check your list for duplicate email addresses and remove any duplicates. Sending multiple emails to the same recipient can harm your sender reputation and result in your emails being marked as spam.
- Update outdated information: Ensure that the information on your list is up-to-date. For example, if a recipient has changed jobs or companies, update their email address and other contact information accordingly.
- Segment your list: Segment your list into different groups based on characteristics such as location, industry, or job title. This will allow you to tailor your emails to the specific needs and interests of each group.
11. Test the spamminess of your email
Testing the spamminess of your email is a crucial step in ensuring that your emails are delivered to your recipients’ inboxes and not marked as spam. Here are some steps you can take to test the spamminess of your email:
- Utilize a spam testing tool: There are several online tools available that allow you to test the spamminess of your email, such as Mail-Tester and GlockApps. These tools analyze your email content and provide a score based on how likely it is to be flagged as spam by spam filters.
- Check your email content: Certain words and phrases, such as “free,” “guaranteed,” and “act now,” can trigger spam filters. Avoid using these words and phrases in your email content.
- Check your email formatting: The formatting of your email can also affect its spamminess. Avoid using all caps, excessive punctuation, or large font sizes, as these can trigger spam filters.
- Check your links: Ensure that any links in your email are from reputable sources and are not broken. Spam filters may flag emails with broken or suspicious links.
12. Be aware of your provider’s daily limits
Being aware of your email provider’s daily sending limits is crucial to ensure that your cold email campaign runs smoothly. Most email providers have a limit on the number of emails you can send per day, and exceeding this limit can result in your account being temporarily suspended or even permanently banned.
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Here are some steps you can take to be aware of your provider’s daily limits:
- Check your provider’s documentation: Most email providers have documentation available that outlines their daily sending limits. Check this documentation to find out what your provider’s limits are.
- Monitor your sending volume: Keep track of the number of emails you send each day to ensure that you stay within your provider’s daily sending limits.
- Spread out your sending: If you have a large number of emails to send, consider spreading them out over several days to avoid exceeding your provider’s daily sending limits.
- Contact your provider: If you’re unsure about your provider’s daily sending limits or if you need to send a large volume of emails, consider contacting your provider to discuss your options.
13. Schedule your first cold email outreach
Scheduling your first cold email outreach is a crucial step in launching your cold email campaign. Here are some tips for scheduling your first cold email outreach:
- Select the appropriate time: Consider the best time to send your cold emails. This will depend on your target audience and their location. For example, if you’re targeting business professionals, it may be best to send your emails during the workweek and during business hours.
- Utilize a scheduling tool: There are several tools available that allow you to schedule your cold emails in advance. This can help ensure that your emails are sent at the optimal time, even if you’re not available to send them manually.
- Test different times: Don’t hesitate to test different times to see what works best for your target audience. Monitor your open and response rates to see if certain times result in higher engagement.
- Be consistent: Once you’ve found the optimal time to send your cold emails, try to be consistent with your sending schedule. This can help establish a routine for your recipients and increase the chances of them engaging with your emails.
14. Gradually increase the volume of daily email sends
Slowly increasing the number of emails sent to subscribers over time is a common practice in email marketing, rather than sending a large volume of emails all at once.
This approach can help to prevent overwhelming subscribers with too many emails, and can also help to avoid triggering spam filters or causing deliverability issues. There are several strategies that can be used to slowly increase the number of daily email sends.
- One approach is to segment your email list into smaller groups, and send emails to each group on a staggered schedule. This allows you to slowly increase the number of emails sent over time, while also ensuring that each subscriber receives a manageable number of emails.
- Another strategy is to use an email service provider that offers features such as send-time optimization or throttling. These tools can help to automatically adjust the volume and timing of your email sends based on factors such as subscriber engagement and deliverability metrics.
15. Monitor and analyze your email activity
Keeping track of and analyzing your email activity is a crucial component of any successful email marketing campaign. By monitoring key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your emails and make data-driven decisions to improve your campaigns.
There are several tools and techniques that can be used to keep track of and analyze your email activity. Many email service providers offer built-in analytics tools that allow you to track the performance of your emails in real-time.
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These tools can provide detailed information on metrics such as delivery rates, bounce rates, and engagement rates, allowing you to identify areas for improvement and optimize your campaigns.
In addition to using built-in analytics tools, it can also be helpful to conduct regular surveys or polls to gather feedback from your subscribers. This can help you to better understand their needs and preferences, and tailor your email content accordingly.
Challenges when starting your first cold email campaigns
Cold emailing can be an effective marketing strategy, however, there are several challenges that you may face when initiating your first cold email campaign.
- One of the biggest challenges is constructing a high-quality email list. Since cold emailing involves sending unsolicited emails, it’s important to ensure that your email list is accurate and up-to-date. This means verifying the email addresses on your list, and removing any invalid or inactive addresses. Constructing a high-quality email list can take time and effort, but it’s essential for the success of your cold email campaign.
- Another challenge is creating effective email content. Cold emails need to be engaging and persuasive in order to capture the attention of the recipient and encourage them to take action. This means writing compelling subject lines, using personalization techniques, and including clear calls-to-action (CTA) in your emails.
- Deliverability is also a major challenge when it comes to cold emailing. Since cold emails are unsolicited, they are more likely to be flagged as spam by email providers. To improve deliverability, it’s important to follow best practices for email marketing, such as using a reputable email service provider, avoiding spammy language in your emails, and including an easy-to-find unsubscribe link.
In summary, initiating your first cold email campaign can be challenging, but with careful planning and execution, it can be an effective way to generate interest in your product or service.
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