Sales terminology often relies on temperature analogies to convey a sense of relationship. You've likely heard of cold calling – have you ever heard of a warm email?
Essentially, they are emails sent to someone you have a previous relationship or connection with. They are usually sent with the goal to pitch a sales or request; certainly in a sales context.
Warm vs Cold Emails
One difference between cold and warm is our level of familiarity. Warm emails leverage a previous connection, happening because we know someone or have been referred to them. Cold emails are the first point of contact, usually to complete strangers.
Another difference is tone. Warm emails speak to one specific person and reflect the nature of your relationship. Cold emails are more neutral in tone. They respect the fact the other person has yet to meet and get to know you.
Third, warm emails are usually one-to-one. It is rare to send them out to multiple people, although this can happen. Conversely, cold emails are often sent out to large audiences as mail blasts.
Last but not least, there’s the response Rate: Warm emails come from someone prospects know and even trust. This means recipients open and respond at higher rates.
Best Practices for Warm Emails
Here are 4 ways to get more responses and conversions out of your warm emails.
- Reference Your Connection Early: Even though you know your recipient, it may have been awhile since your last touchpoint. Reestablish that connection at the beginning of your message to ensure they remember you.
- Personalize Content: Tailor your message – your emphases, humor, email length, and more – to your audience of one.
- Value Proposition: Are you offering a solution, an opportunity or information? Outline the purpose of your email and be clear about how you can help.
- Clear Call to Action: Make it easy for them to act on what you're reaching out about. Provide easy links to schedule a call, attend a demo, or provide feedback, for example.
Mistakes to Avoid
The first mistake to avoid with warm emails is being Too Generic: It's not enough to email someone you know and hope the connection does your work for you. Personalize your message to make it more valuable to your prospect, no matter how close you are.
Be careful not to overwhelm your recipient. Emails to people you know should still be professional. Avoid writing long, complex messages. Do not send follow-ups ceaselessly.
At the same time, do not forget to follow up. Assuming that one email is enough is a mistake. If there's no response, a polite follow-up can make all the difference.
Last but not least… Never ignore feedback. If a recipient tells you they're not interested or asks you to not contact them again, respect their wishes. The opposite is also true; if someone is interested in your offer, do not disappear and leave them hanging.
Best Practices for Follow-Ups
Use these simple tips to get optimal results from your email follow-ups.
- Timeliness: Schedule a follow-up if you don't get a response within a reasonable time. Waiting a week is a good balance between being pushy and losing steam.
- Reference Your Previous Email: When following up, reference your previous email to jog their memory.
- Provide More Value: Don't just copy and paste your last message. Offer new insights, information, or solutions in your follow-up to emphasize the benefits of engaging with you.
- Ask for Feedback: If you're consistently not getting responses, consider asking if there's a better way or time to get in touch. Their input can help you pivot your email outreach.
As you continue to enact your warm email strategy, remember to stay focused on the relationships you build over time. Every good relationship takes time and attention to grow, and opportunities to help and be helped can come unexpectedly.
