In 2021, I have managed to reach and maintain a 38% reply rate with my cold outreach. I have built a system to help me structure my prospecting routine and a key part of it is the copy I use in my touchpoints.
Here’s a framework I use all the time for asynchronous touchpoints.
I start by finding a relevant piece of information about my prospect. It’s called a trigger and it helps prospects answer the question: “Did this person do some research about my problems?”
Here’s a list of my top 3 triggers:
When I have found a relevant trigger, I reference it as the reason for my outreach.
For example: “Hey Mary, noticed you also liked Heather’s post about boring hybrid events.”
Now that I have the attention of my prospects, I want to get them to reflect on a potential problem they have.
A good way to do that is to use an “away” question. It’s a question focused on the negative outcome of a situation.
It starts with snippets like: “How are you preventing/avoiding”, “What are you doing to avoid/prevent”.
For example: “How are you avoiding boring people to death with boring hybrid events?”
If my prospects face the problem I mention, they will be interested in reading further.
That’s when I try to enable the Netflix effect.
Ever wondered why you keep binge-watching series on Netflix? It’s because they finish episodes with a cliffhanger. They create a tense situation and cut the episode right before the tension is dissipated.
You want to use the same tactic to get people curious to know more.
Finally, I propose a simple CTA to satisfy my prospects’ curiosity.
Note that I’m not asking complicated questions or proposing to meet. I’m not dropping a calendar link either.
I just asked a close-ended question.
For example: “Interested?”
Here’s an alternative example:
It’s really that simple.
So in summary:
I would love to see how you adapt this framework to your prospects. Feel free to reply to this email with your version.
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