Ask the Expert: Here’s Our Cold Email Formula
Phew, finally December.
We’re in the home stretch, and as much as you may be looking forward to the holidays, we’ve got to keep chugging along to get those deals closed.
Take a lesson from Lucius and keep fighting. Today’s newsletter can help! We’ve got:
Colby Hogan shares his cold email formula 🥶
Executive moves to keep your eye on 👀
Events to help you wrap up your deals and plan ahead for 2025 🎁
Let’s go!
Ask the Expert: Steal Our Cold Email Formula
Dear ZoomInfo, lately, I’ve been seeing fewer and fewer opens on my cold emails. I know it could be due to folks being OOO, but I still have a quota to hit. Can you help me out? What’s a good cold email strategy?
Dear Email Aficionado,
This is a great question because as sellers, it’s often really hard to know why we aren’t receiving responses. Yes, it could be that folks are out for the holidays, but it also could be that everything you’ve been told about cold emailing was wrong.
Let me explain.
Myth #1: Open rates are an important metric.
This may be controversial, but open rates don’t really matter when it comes to cold emails.
If someone is opening your email but not replying, what does that give you? I think if you have a high open rate but a low response rate, you actually know that you’re not crafting a good email. So, the metrics I suggest looking at are the reply rates, and of course the meeting conversion rate.
So, what’s a good reply rate? For me, a 10-20% response rate gives me indication that I’m doing something right. There’s nuance with which industry you’re selling into and how cold the email is. But if I can get one or two meetings out of every 10 I send, that’s a good use of my time.
Myth #2: Folks wait until they’re at their desktop to look at work emails.
Data actually shows that prospects are eight times more likely to open your emails on their phone, so make sure your emails are mobile-friendly. That means don’t include bulky paragraphs, don’t make them scroll, and don’t forget personalization.
Myth #3: You should include links to proof points.
In an actual cold email — meaning this is your very first contact with the prospect — don’t include external links if possible. I know in my job,I’m emailing important people who don’t have time to waste. The likelihood that they’ll scroll through your case study is slim.
When I’m writing an email, I’m thinking about how to grab their attention within the first or second sentence. That way, they’ll know immediately if they’re interested. I don’t want to call out too many features or functionality that we offer, or over-assume the problems they might be facing. I just want to get right to it.
Asking someone to do two things — like read a case study and schedule a call with you — is too much. You’re much less likely to get a reply.
Myth #4: Make a specific ask.
I used to always make a specific ask like, “Do you have time tomorrow at 10:30?” But now I’ve reduced that to “Interested in learning more?” or “Worth a quick conversation?” This allows me to gauge interest before wasting anyone’s time on a meeting. It’s also a super easy way to get more responses because I’m asking a yes-or-no question that doesn’t require them to pull out their calendar.
And if they respond with a yes, I can call them right away, rather than going back and forth to set up time.
So what should you do?
Here’s my cold email formula:
Subject line is less than five words
Reason: Why are you reaching out?
Problem: Speak to the prospect’s pain points
Social proof: relevant companies that have benefited
Yes or no CTA
Fewer than 75 words
And here’s an example of a way I showcase ZoomInfo in my emails to really highlight our product, without too much meat. One of our greatest features is our intent data, so I use that feature to start conversations in a way that I know would appeal to me as a salesperson.
I do a quick scan within our intent tool for the company I’m reaching out to, and craft an email like this:
Subject: [Company name]’s needs
Body: Hey [prospect name], I know [company name] sells [product or service] to [industry]. Did you want a list of potential customers that are searching for your product right now?
This template works because it’s short, it’s a yes-or-no question, and it appeals to their needs immediately. They know right away if they want to respond. And the best part is, this is incredibly easy to customize for various companies.
Hope this helps you get those reply rates up! Happy holidays!
— Colby Hogan, SMB New Business Account Executive
On the Move
Here are a few executive shuffles the ZoomInfo platform tracked recently. Get a taste of these and more with a free trial of ZoomInfo:
Citi hired Kate Moore as its chief investment officer. Moore previously served as portfolio manager & head of thematic strategy, allocation business at BlackRock.
Dollar General brought on Misty Melton as its VP of distribution. Melton was previously senior director, bulk distribution network at Lowe’s Home Improvement.
Ally Financial named Lindsay Sacknoff as its new head of deposits & invest. Sacknoff was the senior VP & head of payments at USAA.
Pfizer announced that Johanna Bendell will serve as chief development officer of oncology. Bendell last held the role of global head of oncology pharma research & early development at Roche.
Upcoming Events
ZoomInfo’s calendar is brimming with exciting upcoming events, both in-person and virtual. Find more information and additional events here.
AI Masterclass: Harnessing AI for Strategic Go-To-Market Success
Wednesday, December 11 | 2 pm ET @ The Georgetown Club
B2B sales is shifting rapidly, and with AI at the forefront of this transformation, now is the perfect time to take action. Join our EVP and Director of Go-To-Market Innovation as he guides you through harnessing the true potential of AI.
We’ll cover these three crucial elements of AI implementation:
Build the Blueprint: Create the frameworks for your GTM intelligence foundation and learn how to best leverage AI.
Make It Sing: Discover how to fuel your data orchestration with AI and implement scalable sales motions.
We Have Lift-Off: Experience the impact of AI on targeting decisions, prospecting, account management, intent signals, and more.
Toast to Victory: Winning 2025 Revenue
Wednesday, December 11 | 4 pm ET (Virtual)
With AI-driven sales tools transforming how teams target, engage, and convert prospects, the future is all about speed and precision. As we look ahead, the question is: How will your sales strategy rise to the challenge and give you the edge?
Sit down with our VP of Sales, Lou Wolf, as he guides a group conversation on what’s next for B2B sales leadership. Plus, between discussions, we’ll raise a glass with a wine tasting courtesy of Stoller Wine Estate — because success tastes better when shared.
[Ask Me Anything] From Intent to Action: Winning More Dream Customers in 2025
Tuesday, December 17 | 1 pm ET (Virtual)
From intent data and funding rounds to executive interviews and key hires, today’s marketers are working with a flood of data about their ideal customers. The challenge? Knowing where to start, and how to use all that data effectively.
Join experts from ZoomInfo and NetLine for an interactive “Ask Me Anything” session as they answer your questions and share practical tips for building ABM campaigns that will turn heads and drive results.
Submit your questions and register here
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