Optimising Email for Impact
Cold email can be a waste of time or a treasure trove
RP
by Ricky Pearl
How we learnt this
1
Outbound Agency
Specializing in cold email outreach and B2B data
2
Data-Driven
Access to more data than most agencies for custom campaigns
Email as a primary or support channel
TAM SIZE
US vs AU
NORM
Heavy vs light traffic
What is currently working?
Omni
Omni Channel vs Single Channel
WOULD YOU REPLY?
Email Deliverability 101
1
Use Normal Inboxes
2
Scale Horizontally
3
Warm Up Domains
4
Limit volume
5
Understand machine spam filters
6
Understand Human spam filters
SPAM 101
1
Authority
2
Copy
3
Scoring
4
HTML Ratio (eg)
5
Risk (links)
6
Patterns
Sending Platforms
Smartlead/Instantly
Direct inbox
CRM
Understand Capability
Your list is your strategy
1
Start with LinkedIn
Most list building tools get data from LinkedIn profiles
2
Use Multiple Tools
Apollo.io for initial lists, Clay.com for pulling and enrichment
3
Verify Emails to less than 2% bounce is essential
Always verify emails, even from trusted sources
Just because is can, doesn't mean you should
Copywriting Fundamentals
1
Why You, Why Now
Explain your reason for reaching out
2
Explain Your Offer
Clearly state how you can help
3
Show Social Proof
Include a relevant case study or testimonial
4
Call to Action
Ask if they're interested in taking the next step
5
BEING SUBTLE AND NUANCED IS NEEDED
Copywriting Fundamentals
1
Delivery = Inbox
2
Subject = Open
3
Hook = Read
4
Copy = Reply
SHOW ME YOU ARE HUMAN
Sequences
If you have more than one email - you better manage send volume and monitor your reply rates
Copywriting Fundamentals
1
Could this be automated
2
Could this be only for me
3
Could this person be useful
4
Could this be ignored
The 4 Core Offers
1
2
3
4
1
Save Time
2
Make or Save Money
3
Reduce Risk
4
Raise Status
Focus on the top 3 for B2B contexts. Frame your offer around these core benefits.
Sequence Structure
1
Email 1: Net New
Introduce offer, explain why you're reaching out
2
Email 2: Threaded
Add context, build on Email 1
3
Email 3: Net New
New angle, lower friction CTA
4
Email 4: Threaded
"Breakup" email, last attempt
Copywriting Levers
1
What's In It For Them?
Clearly communicate the prospect's benefit
2
Outcome-Based Messaging
Focus on results and case studies
3
Pain Messaging
Address specific pain points
4
Direct Offer
Be clear and concise about your proposition
Using AI in Outbound
Research Simulation
Use AI to mimic manual research process
Customized Workflow
Tailor AI to your offer, ICP, and pain points
Partial Generation
Use AI for specific parts, not entire emails
AI Prompting for Cold Email
1
Define AI's Role
Explain the task without mentioning cold email
2
Provide Context
Give AI necessary information about the company
3
Specify Output
Detail desired tone, length, and content
4
Control Messaging
Use prefixes or examples to guide AI output
The Social Trigger
Example of Effective Trigger
Targeting based on LinkedIn engagement
Tools
Use Clay for LinkedIn data, Trigify for engagement data
Performance
Outperformed other triggers across customers
Invalidating Cold Email as a Channel
1
Ask for Feedback
Remove meeting requests, ask about current solutions
2
Increase Free Offerings
Test giving away more value upfront
3
Paid Meetings Test
Offer to pay for meetings, gauge interest
Key Experiments and Findings
Domain Appearance
Prospects care more about message than domain
Apollo's "Likely to Engage"
No significant difference vs. random leads
Calendar Links
Direct meeting requests perform better than calendar links
Future of Cold Email: Deliverability
Tighter Filters
Email providers may introduce stricter spam detection
Human Mimicry
New platforms may simulate human email behavior
Balancing Act
Filters can't become so strict they hinder normal users
Future of Cold Email: AI and Automation
Advanced AI Agents
Handling complex tasks like competitor audits
Improved Personalization
AI-generated messaging becoming indistinguishable
Free Work Automation
Offering value upfront through automated processes
Closing Thoughts
1
Evolving Landscape
Cold email will remain viable but more complex
2
Data Accessibility
Contact data trending towards near-zero cost
3
AI Integration
Increased automation of outbound processes
4
Adaptability
Success relies on adjusting to new technologies and trends
5
THE SCIENCE IS CRITICAL, BUT THE CREATIVE CAMPAIGN IS SUCCESS VS FAILURE