On this episode of The Startup Chat with Steli and Hiten we are discussing the value of cold emails and when to send them, who to send them to and the all-important subject line.  Cold emails sometime cause the sender to dread the fear of rejection if they aren’t answered, but sending them makes sense when you have something specific to offer or request.  Hiten sends cold emails when he finds a product he really likes and may want to offer his help.

Steli has a framework he uses when thinking of cold email.

The email needs to be opened and for that to happen the subject line needs to be really good.

Cold emails should be short and to the point.

Be sure the email is requesting a response - a call to action.

Have a follow-up strategy for those who don’t read your email.

We talk more in-depth about the all important subject line.  There are a few that have gotten our attention, but not necessarily in a good way and we talk about those.  It’s a good idea to be as human as possible and not manipulative. If you want to know the reason why your emails are or are not being read, ask for feedback.

Today’s Tips:

Hiten: Have an extra email box which you can use to sign up and receive emails on your area of interest.  It’s really easy to get inspired by other email you receive and you may run across some good subject lines.

Steli: You need to have a follow-up strategy before you even send the first email.  If you have a warm connection with someone don’t take their silence over your email as a sign of rejection.

A second tip - don’t do one email to a group because your response rate will be lower.

We would like to hear about your email strategies and tactics.  Hit us up on Twitter @Steli or @hnshah, or send us an email.

If you have questions, got feedback or want to discuss any of the topics further, there's now a place to do just that: The Startup Chat Facebook group. Just go to www.TheStartupChat.com/fb, join the group and say hi!  Look forward to seeing you in there.

Want Steli & Hiten to record more episodes of The Startup Chat?

Help us promote the podcast by subscribing on iTunes and writing a review!  After you’ve published your review, send us an email with your mailing address. You’ll get Steli’s book The Ultimate Startup Guide to Outbound Sales + a free 15 minute call with either Hiten or Steli to talk about your business (limited availability; first come, first serve).  Click here to make it happen!