Cold emails have a common universal trait: most prospects hate them. The reason is quite plain – they lack the familiarity and personalized touch which warm emails own. Warm email prospecting is an antidote for the rock bottom open rates of cold emails.
As we move ahead with this article, let us delve into what makes a warm email unique, how a warm email differs from a cold email and the secrets to getting the prospecting right through warm emailing.
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What is a Warm Email?
The name explains it all. A warm email is a targeted outreach strategy to establish a business connection with previously known contacts made through any marketing efforts such as webinars, events, demos, previous customers and other business connections.
In other words, warm emails are targeted to any prospect who has previously engaged with your company, services and products in some way.
Difference between a Warm Email and Cold Email
A cold email lands in a stranger’s inbox, who has never established any connection with your products and services. The sole intention of a cold email is to strike a business conversation with the recipient. The body of cold emails usually focuses on pitching the offerings irrespective of the needs and preferences of the recipient.
Warm email, on the other hand, positions the sender as the expert in their domain capable of solving the recipient’s pain points. Unlike cold emails that are targeted to a bulk number of recipients, a warm email is written to only one recipient with a personalized touch that relies on the past interaction level. Warm emailing can drastically improve lead conversion, response rate, and deal closures.
Tips to Write a Warm Email
The uniqueness of a warm email necessitates certain background work to get its strategy right. Warm emails are more about the prospect, their interests, and pain points and less about your offerings. To write a warm email that leaves an ever-lasting impression, consider these tips in your warm emailing approach:
#1: Get the premise right
Many sales reps often confuse cold emails with warm emails. When warm emailing a prospect, the only goal is to convince them for a call or meeting.
The intention of a warm email is never to directly sell the product, encourage them for a demo or a trial or bombard them with a list of your offerings.
Once you understand this basic trait of a warm email, you are just an email away from your prospecting success.
#2: Know your prospect, literally!
In sales terminology, a prospect can be an email id and a contact number. But if you want to get the warm emailing right, it is vital that you understand the prospect to whom you are sending the email.
Research the prospect on their business website about the team page or LinkedIn. Understand their interests, decision-making power, company, technology and resource needs, and pain points of their industry.
The more you understand the warm emailing prospect, the better the relevancy of the warm email turns out to be.
#3: Ditch the templates
Templates can be turn-offs especially when you are prospecting through warm emailing. If the prospect has already seen the template through other sales pitches, the purpose of your warm emailing is already lost.
A warm email necessitates everything relevant and personalized, right from the subject line, introduction, business talk, and closing question. You can accomplish this only when you understand the prospect by doing research and then starting drafting your warm email.
#4: Write a compelling subject line
The subject line must reflect your effort in researching their pain points and interests. Refrain from using generic cold email subject lines for your warm emailing approach.
#5: Catch their attention with an engaging introduction
Think beyond the usual introduction about you and your company. Rather believe in the power of storytelling and a little flattery. Keep it realistic and let the introduction indicate that you know them and their business.
#6: Empathize with their pain points
Website and social media posts are great places to start understanding your prospect’s pain points. By observing them closely, you should be able to identify their challenges and the gaps in their business needs.
#7: Convey your value proposition
Once you talk about their pain points, without any delay humbly convey your value proposition.
How does your business differ from the others in the market?
What achievements do you have worth sharing to build credibility?
Success stories, testimonials, statistics, percentages, and numbers about your past accomplishments convince the prospects to consider your pitch.
#8: Provide a freebie
Offering a free download or a consultation can create a strong sense of personalization. Make sure the freebie you offer aligns with the topic of the email and the offering.
Open-ended questions to ask in a warm email
Ending the email with an open-ended question is a great tactic to pique the prospect’s interest and pave way for further communication.
The essence of warm emailing is to understand the prospect’s needs by asking relevant questions. Questions in warm emailing must be suited to the prospect’s decision-making power and needs.
Shooting a straight away “Are you ready for ready for a sign-up?” without building the requisite warmth might work counterproductive.
Hence, instead of “Would you be interested in learning more?”, try these engaging questions as a part of your warm emailing approach:
- What is the time saving you would like to achieve by eliminating (the pain point)?
- How do you intend to empower your team to achieve more?
- What new features of (product/service) do you believe would help you achieve more?
- What downsides you would like to eliminate in your current solution?
- How are you currently handling the (service) problems?
- How do you visualize your ideal solution?
- What challenges did you have in the past while migrating to an alternate solution?
- Do you have any requirements to improve your efficacy levels (in the given process)?
- Do you need help with deploying (resources/technology) faster?
- What is the timeline you would like to get this implemented?
Related Read: Why businesses need a CRM?
How to create a strong CTA for a sales email?
Your prospect has read the email thankfully, and next what?
Your CTA must direct him to continue the conversation or establish the relationship you expect from them. Some of the CTAs to incorporate in your warm emails are shared below:
Clear and Formal:
“Are you available for a 15 mins chat on Sep 30 at 5 PM IST?”
Connecting with calendar:
“Let’s catch up for a coffee at a time of your convenience. Here’s my calendar.”
Create a multiple choice:
“Just reply with a 1 or 2 or 3.
- You are not interested. So, I won’t email you anymore.
- This sounds interesting, but maybe at a later point in time.
- I want to know more. Let’s talk now!”
Remind about your value proposition:
“Are you available for a call this Thursday to discuss how you can increase your customer retention?”
Add a little humor:
“What does it take to have a 30-minutes time of yours? (P.S: Shall I convince my boss to a coffee date with you?)”
Leverage FOMO
“This exclusive discount offer lasts only for 48 hours. I can’t see you miss it!”
Ask for a decision maker:
“Is this something that might interest you right now?
If yes, can you please connect me with the right person with whom I can discuss this further?”
Make it a Yes or No question:
“Can you please confirm with a yes/no if you are ready to fix your contract challenges once and for all?”
Invite them to a survey or social discussion:
Share a link to your Twitter discussion or LinkedIn poll that pertains to the topic in the email to encourage them to connect with you better.
Encourage them to Subscribe:
Have a newsletter or a free demo? Ask them to subscribe.
Make them stay connected:
Ask them for their permission to send future communication related to discounts, webinars, masterclasses, news, and events of your company.
Sample Warm Emails that work
Warm email Sample 1:
Dear [NAME],
I recently found your company announcement about your expansion to new geographies. Congratulations on this thrilling milestone!
I am aware of how complex managing deals can get when a business like yours starts to scale. Here at ABC corporation, we help the legal team with seamless contract management. Our cost-efficient software helps cut down the handling time by 48% time and improves the contract efficiency by 87%.
Our contract management services have been consistently gaining top reviews from our global customers.
(name), you can explore the success stories here (link to the success stories page or pdf).
At this point when you are growing, is this something that helps you?
If so, please allow me to explain more about the benefits over a quick call.
Could we connect this Friday at 3 PM EDT? If not, feel free to book your convenient time on my calendar here.
Thanks,
[ ].
Warm email Sample 2:
[Prospect Name],
I came across your talent gap article on LinkedIn recently. The way you discussed the intensity of the topic with relevant statistics is thought-provoking.
At ABC, we are committed to closing the talent gap in the industry which makes me believe that we both are envisioning a common goal.
Our training and certification programs help educational institutions cut down their training time and cost by 35% and improve placement opportunities by 46%.
This free download has our training strategy, programs, and student testimonials that explain our training capabilities.
[prospect name], if you believe this solves your talent gap puzzle, I can arrange for 3 free demo sessions for your students.
I won’t take much of your time. Simply reply with 1, 2, or 3:
- I’m in! Would love to explore free demo sessions.
- I need further clarification. Can you quickly explain over a call?
- Sounds good, but maybe at a later point in time.
Looking forward to your reply,
[ ].
Warm email Sample 3:
Hello, [name]!
I hope you’re having a great week.
I’ve seen your recent blog on [topic].
I really loved this statement […..]! Thought-provoking, I must agree!
I was checking out your website and products page and noticed you are missing the benefits of [….].
I help customers achieve more from the [service or product] and so I am connecting with you if I could be of help to you.
I am sure your week is busy, but would you mind connecting for 15 minutes this Thursday so I can explain this in detail?
If not, can you point me in the direction of [the person who handles this]? I won’t take up much of their time, I promise!
Either way, your article is impressive.
Feel free to connect with me if there’s anything I can do to [help you with your goal].
Best,
[Sender signature]
Conclusion
Sending warm emails is a powerful conversion tactic. Warm emails get the work done without appearing too salesy, remind the recipient about your connection and establish it. Try these warm emailing tips and templates to add a little warmth to your email marketing strategy.
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