We all know the feeling of getting a cold call. It’s a little like the feeling you get when you see a police car. You’re not sure why you’re so nervous, but you are.
Cold outreach has a bad reputation, and it’s often well-deserved. It’s a difficult way to make a living, and it’s not a pleasant way to spend a few minutes if you’re on the receiving end.
There is, however, a way to make outreach more pleasant for everyone involved. It’s called warm outreach, and it’s a much more effective way to connect with potential customers.
1. Make sure you’re reaching out to the right person
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with cold outreach is reaching out to the wrong person. This is a surefire way to get your email deleted without a response.
Before you send any email, make sure you’ve done your research and that you’re reaching out to the right person. This means reaching out to the person who has the power to make decisions about your proposal or who will benefit from your product or service.
If you’re not sure who the right person is, do some digging on the company’s website, check out their LinkedIn page, or use a tool like Hunter to find the right email address.
2. Always provide value
To avoid coming across as spammy, make sure you’re always providing value to your prospects. This is especially important when you’re first introducing yourself.
There are a few ways you can provide value in your outreach: You can include a link to a helpful blog post, offer a free resource, or even offer a discount.
3. Be personal
Personalization is the key to successful sales, and that’s especially true for warm outreach.
If you’re going to ask someone to do something for you, you need to show them that you’ve done your homework and that you’re reaching out to them specifically.
That means you need to know who you’re talking to. This is where a good CRM comes in handy. A CRM can help you keep track of who you’ve talked to, what you’ve talked about, and what their contact information is.
You should also check out their website, social media profiles, and any other information that’s publicly available. This will help you get a sense of who they are and what they care about, which will help you tailor your message to them.
Personalization is a time-consuming process, but it’s worth it. It shows your prospects that you care about them and that you’re not just sending out a generic message to everyone you can find.
4. Find something in common
One of the best ways to make a connection with someone is to find something you have in common. This can be anything from a mutual friend or interest to the fact that you both grew up in the same city.
When you find something you have in common with the person you’re reaching out to, be sure to mention it in your email or LinkedIn message. This can help you establish a connection and make the person more likely to respond to you.
5. Build a relationship on social media before trying to reach out
Social media is a great place to make the first connection with a potential lead. It’s also a great way to stay top of mind with leads who aren’t quite ready to buy.
Follow your potential leads on social media and engage with their posts. You can also use social media to share relevant content with them.
When you do reach out with a message or a call, they’ll be more likely to respond if they recognize your name from social media.
6. Offer to help with no strings attached
Sometimes you’ve just got to give to get. You might be surprised at how many people are willing to help you out with your business if you offer to help them out first.
You can do this by offering to help with no strings attached. If you notice someone in your network is struggling with something, offer to help them out.
You can also offer to help someone out by making an introduction, providing them with a resource, or sharing some advice. Whatever you do, make sure you’re not expecting anything in return.
When you offer to help someone out with no strings attached, you’re building a relationship based on trust and goodwill. This will make it much more likely that the person will be willing to help you out in the future.
7. Share your knowledge
If you’re trying to connect with someone, it’s important to show them that you have done your homework. And what better way to show that than to share some of your knowledge with them?
You can do this by mentioning something you have in common, asking a question or sharing a piece of content that you think they might find interesting.
For example, if you’re reaching out to a potential employer, you could share an article about the industry they work in. If you’re reaching out to a potential customer, you could share a case study of a similar company.
The key is to make sure that whatever you share is relevant and valuable to the person you’re reaching out to.
8. Give something away for free
Who doesn’t love free stuff? Give your prospects a taste of what you have to offer by giving something away for free.
This could be anything from a free trial of your product to a free consultation with you. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something that your prospects will find valuable and that will help them see the value in working with you.
If you’re offering a free trial of your product, make sure you’re clear on how long the trial will last and what the terms are. If you’re offering a free consultation, make sure you’re clear on what the consultation will cover and how long it will last.
9. Ask for feedback
If you’re reaching out to someone you don’t know, you can ask them for feedback on your product or service as a way to start a conversation. People love giving their opinions, and this can be a great way to get them to engage with you. If your business runs on tools like the Wix affiliate plugin, this can also serve as a subtle introduction to your offerings while gaining valuable insights.
You can also ask for feedback on your email or your outreach in general. This can be a great way to get some valuable insights that can help you improve your approach in the future.
10. Be short and to the point
One of the biggest mistakes salespeople make when reaching out to prospects is writing long emails. They think they need to include every single detail about their company and product in order to get a response.
The truth is, the longer your email, the less likely your prospect is to read it. People are busy, and they don’t have time to read through a novel just to figure out what you’re asking them for.
Instead, keep your emails short and to the point. Get to the purpose of your email right away, and then include a call to action that tells your prospect what you want them to do next.
11. Don’t be afraid to follow up
When it comes to outreach, timing is everything. It’s important to follow up with prospects in a timely manner, but not so quickly that it seems like you’re desperate.
If you don’t get a response to your initial outreach, wait a few days and then send a follow-up email. If you still don’t hear back, you can try calling the prospect or sending another email.
Just be careful not to overdo it. If you’ve followed up a few times and still haven’t gotten a response, it’s probably best to move on to another prospect.
12. Send a handwritten note
A handwritten note is a rarity in today’s digital world. It takes time and effort to write a note, find an envelope, and put a stamp on it. The personal touch of a handwritten note can really make your outreach stand out.
The trick to a good handwritten note is to make it short and sweet. You don’t want to write a whole letter, but you do want to make sure the recipient knows you put some thought into it. Let them know why you’re reaching out, and be sure to include your contact information.
13. Make a video
If you’re not a fan of writing, you could always make a video. It’s a great way to introduce yourself, show your face, and give a little bit of information about what you do and how you could help.
You could do a screen share and talk through your points, or you could get out and about and film yourself in a more interesting location. You could even film a quick video on your phone and send that as your outreach message.
Videos are a great way to stand out, especially if you’re sending lots of messages to people and you want to show you’ve put a bit of effort into getting to know them.
14. Ask for an introduction
If you’re trying to connect with someone you don’t know at all, or if you’re trying to connect with someone who’s very high up in their company, you might not be able to get through to them on your own.
In that case, you can try to get an introduction from someone who already knows them. If you have a mutual connection, you can ask them to introduce you. If you don’t, you can ask someone else in their company to make the introduction.
You can also use LinkedIn to find people who are connected to the person you want to contact and ask them to introduce you.
Conclusion
The best outreach is a warm one. When you take the time to build a relationship with the person you’re reaching out to, you’re more likely to get a response.
Use these tips to warm up your outreach and you’ll be well on your way to building valuable connections.
