Newsletter #29 Expert Edition: What’s working now in cold emails?
Hi everyone,
I’m super excited to hand over the reins of this week’s newsletter to Laura Lopuch. Her legendary article for Copyhackers (complete with cold email templates) is a resource I continue to recommend to every freelancer who is stuck on how to send successful cold pitches.
Enjoy the read!
____________________
Cold emails have the power to get you new clients.
Or make new connections that get you new clients.
For example, this email I’m writing to you.
After I cold emailed Rachael (for something else!), she invited me to share what’s working right now with sending cold sales emails to get new clients.
Her timing was perfect.
(Keep reading to see the full email I sent her.)
In August, I sent out 31 cold emails.
In them, I was pitching different things: a partnership, signing up for my mentorship (like the email I sent Rachael!), and a new DFY offer.
So, they were different types of cold emails.
Woah, Laura, you might be thinking.
There aren’t different types of cold emails…
…
… are there??
Great question.
Before we dive into what happened with those cold emails…
Let’s start off with some foundational ideas.
What’s a cold email?
Cold email lives under the umbrella of cold outreach.
Cold outreach = connecting with a stranger and asking them to take the specific action you want them to take.
Cold emails is a form of cold outreach that uses emails as the communication portal.
Two broad types of cold emails are:
1) Cold sales email
Sent 1-1 to get a new client.
When I say “cold email,” I bet this is what you think of.
2) Partnership or collaboration pitch
Where you’re asking someone to give you access to their audience. Or you team up in a win-win scenario (i.e., be an affiliate for a product).
End result is you get more clients, email subscribers, and build authority with just one email.
Psst – these are my favorite types of cold emails.
Because you get more bang for your buck.
In fact, partnerships have consistently brought in at least $35,000/year for me over the last 6 years — while I took 2 maternity leaves and worked an average of 12 hours a week.
Back to the email I wrote Rachael.
Here’s how I put that..
Types of cold emails are:
- Cold sales email to get new 1-1 clients
- Podcast guest pitch
- Affiliate cold email to get affiliates
- Referral relationship cold email
- Ask an expert cold email
- Pitch a webinar, masterclass, workshop
- Lead magnet or email list swap pitch
So, what’s working right now in cold sales emails?
In August, I sent cold sales emails to test out selling two new offers:
1) a DFY partnership pitch service and
2) my group coaching / mentorship.
Okay, for the numbers:
> 94% open rate: my subject lines were working
> 67% response rate: my email body was clear and actionable, and my CTA was easy to act on
> 44% positive response rate: positive responses sound like, “tell me more,” “share the details?”, “I’m interested, but not now,” “check in with me in X weeks,” “yes, let’s do this.”
I want this point to be super clear:
Your cold email doesn’t convert right there.
Rather, your cold email is a conversation starter where you figure out who is interested in your offer.
Sometimes I sent the wrong offer to the wrong person.
For example, I did this inside the cold email I sent Rachael:
I pitched her to join my group coaching / mentorship program.
Through our conversation, I discovered she was a better fit for a partnership.
Like this one where she granted access for me to email you…
… yes, that’s this email you’re reading right now.
I’d never be here writing to you if Rachael and I hadn’t had a conversation.
Or if my email wasn’t set up to start a conversation.
A conversation is where the conversion or transaction or agreement happens.
That’s what I’m seeing right now in cold emails: go for the conversation not conversion.
When I ask, “are you interested?” versus “sign on the dotted line, let’s light this candle!” I get more positive replies which lead to more yes’s now… and in the future.
Because, honestly, sometimes the timing doesn’t line up to work together right now.
Over the 7 years of sending cold emails, I’ve always sent cold emails with the intent of being relevant to the reader’s hopes, dreams, and goals.
That’s more true now than ever before.
TL;DR —>
Focus on being relevant to your reader and starting a conversation with them.
If you’ve sent cold emails before and want to work with me 1-1 on your cold emails to unlock more warm traffic, check out my mentorship.
If you want to get started sending cold sales emails, you can get my entire, proven system inside the Cold Email Cash Flow Method.
Thanks!
Laura
————–
Looking for a biz book that’s actually useful?
Earn more, Run a Thriving Freelance Business, and Cut Out the Client Bullsh*t
One of my mentors, A-List copywriter Kim Krause Schwalm, is releasing her book TODAY! It’s specifically for freelancers who want to find bigger and better clients.
She brings a valuable client-side perspective to her narrative, having worked at a top direct response company as a marketer in charge of hiring freelancers, before going freelance herself.
Kim tells it like it is, and shares her hard-won secrets for launching, running, and growing your freelance copywriting business – including avoiding those all-too-common project headaches and nightmare clients… and ensuring you can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of freelancing (instead of letting it take over your life!)
You’ll learn essential skills like:
- How to get clients and cash rolling in steadily
- The #1 secret to getting paid more
- How to know if you’re not charging enough
- Client red flags you should never ignore
Plus: You’ll also get her “Client Badassery Secrets Tool Kit” as a free gift.
This includes a super-valuable Client Screening Questionnaire and a Sales Call Script so you can confidently close more deals with bigger clients.
Memes Of The Week
P.S. If you enjoyed this week’s newsletter and want to support it, you can:
- Forward this email to a friend and invite them to sign up here
- Buy me a coffee ☕
Need some 1:1 support on your freelance business direction and growth?
Level up your LinkedIn
This is the course I recommend if you’re stuck with how to get traction for your freelance business (and find those dream clients!) on LinkedIn.
Learn more about growing on LinkedIn here
+
Affiliate disclaimer: To cover the cost of my email software and the time I spend writing these emails, I sometimes link to products which may be affiliate links. If you choose to buy through my links, I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks, I appreciate you!
{{ address }} Unsubscribe
