Our recent collaboration with a client presented a unique challenge. The main target audience consisted mainly of senior decision-makers, making it difficult to obtain their email addresses directly. These individuals were hard to reach as their contact information was frequently absent from common databases, although their colleagues' emails were available. Additionally, they preferred formal communication rather than casual interactions, leading us to adapt our approach accordingly.
The Challenge:
The product being sold by our client had a price range from $8,000 to $80,000, indicating that we were not dealing with low-value items. We needed to refine our messaging to attract the appropriate audience. The main concerns included:
Difficult-to-find decision-makers: Their email addresses were not included in standard databases.
Communication preference of the audience: They favored a formal and professional tone that conveyed importance.
Prolonged sales processes: This required us to meticulously handle the outreach and follow-up activities.
The Solution:
Recognizing that the conventional method was not suitable in this case, we had to get creative. This is how we approached the situation:
Industry-Specific Subject Lines
We conducted an in-depth analysis of their sector and customized each subject line to ensure high relevance. Our goal was not only to attract attention but also to demonstrate our comprehension of their industry. This minor adjustment had a significant impact, particularly in a challenging market to break into.
Longer Emails that Delivered Value
While many advocate for brief and concise emails, we took a different approach by crafting emails exceeding 200 words and filled with valuable information. Our rationale was to ensure that these emails, often forwarded to key decision-makers, contained all necessary details. Surprisingly, this strategy proved successful as recipients valued the comprehensive content and even shared it with their colleagues.
Limited Inbox Outreach
Instead of sending a large number of emails indiscriminately, we adopted a strategic approach. We carefully sent approximately 25 emails per inbox to strike a balance between remaining inconspicuous and maintaining visibility. We needed to ensure that our emails were not disregarded, as we anticipated that recipients would respond at the right moment if our strategy succeeded. Establishing a reliable infrastructure was a key priority for us.
No Tracking
We do not monitor open rates and clicks, as we are aware that using tracking links could lead to being blocked. Some industries present challenges in terms of link usage. Thus, we avoided links as much as we can.
Top-Notch Inbox Management
Effective inbox management played a significant role in our achievements. We made sure to monitor the accounts that had confirmed meetings and those that supplied us with accurate contact information. This strategy prevented us from irritating individuals with repetitive messages or contacting the wrong individuals. In some cases, meetings were planned as far as six months, underscoring the importance of maintaining a well-organized "follow-up later" list.
Casting a Wider Net
Due to the difficulty of pinpointing specific decision-makers initially, we opted for a broader outreach strategy. We contacted various individuals within the organization and gradually made our way to the primary contact person. Rather than a focused, targeted method, our approach was more about initiating contact and navigating our way through.
The Results:
After 12 months of collaboration, here are the outcomes we accomplished:
We scheduled 255 meetings, with 60% of them meeting the qualification criteria.
The campaign resulted in a pipeline value of $6.732 million.
We achieved a notably high response rate as recipients perceived the emails as valuable and worth responding to, even if they were not initially interested.
Furthermore, in numerous instances, recipients shared the emails with key decision-makers, facilitating our direct access to the appropriate individuals.
What We Learned:
This campaign served as a reminder that conventional "best practices" may not always be the most effective approach. In this case, the extended, detailed emails proved beneficial, along with broader targeting rather than a narrow segmented list.
Tools We Used:
We opted for Smartlead Strictly due to the wide range of features, support, and transparency they provide. In case our emails are being burned, we prefer to be informed rather than receive inaccurate data.
For managing our inbox, we utilized Master Inbox and Missive.
Calendly was used for scheduling.
To keep track of things, we relied on Google Sheets and Notion CRM.
Apollo was used for leads.
For verification, we used Bouncify, Google Accept All Method, and BounceBan.
Have questions about our Cold Email Setup + Management? We're happy to discuss and share how this can work for your business!
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