7 Prospecting Email Templates that Get Responses
Prospecting is hard for entrepreneurs and sales leaders, and it’s even harder to get a response. That’s why it can be discouraging to get started on a new campaign when you know how much of an uphill battle it is. But a prospecting email template can help new, or even experienced, professionals test new email techniques and improve their lead generation campaigns.
You might find it easier to use LinkedIn for prospecting, or Facebook and Twitter. However, using Facebook or Twitter as cold outreach methods tend to be less successful. In fact, email is 40x more effective at acquiring customers than Facebook and Twitter combined. That’s due in part to the popularity email has among professionals.
To earn and measure better open rates and response rates, some tactics work better than others.
What Makes a Great Prospecting Email Template?
According to a MailChimp analysis, the average email open rate across all industries is around 21%. How does this compare to your email open rates?
If you want to bump your campaign numbers up, you can test intriguing subject lines, send your emails throughout the week, and try to avoid the spam folder. For instance, people tend to open more emails mid-week, so you should consider sending emails on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.
When it comes to recipients reading an email, the kind of content you write is crucial. A study by Boomerang found that emails, “written at a 3rd-grade reading level were optimal.” That means easier words to understand and shorter sentences. Why might this be? Because most recipients are skimming through your cold email for key points that might interest them.
Furthermore, Boomerang found that emails receive higher response rates when they are written with emotion. And not just positive emotions either—even negative emotions can result in higher response rates. Whatever you decide to write, try to avoid neutral language that might seem dull or emotionless.
Here are seven great prospecting email templates that get responses:
1. Give Them a Compliment
Hello [Prospect name],
I admired your recent piece on [insert topic/title] in [insert publication]. I especially liked your point about [insert salient point from article].
I thought you might appreciate this piece on a similar topic: [insert article with a tie to your product/service].
What are your thoughts on the subject?
Regards,
[Your name]
(Source: HubSpot)
A little compliment can go a long way. That goes for social settings and prospecting emails. You might be surprised how many people respond to flattery.
2. Give Them Something Useful
Hi {first name},
I stumbled upon a post you wrote on {social media site} about {topic or post}. I thought your points were spot on!
{Insert main takeaways from the piece and how the points the recipient made about the piece were helpful.}
Did you see {article} by {name} on a similar topic?
{insert email signature here}
(Source: Zendesk)
Give your prospect something useful that they can use. By giving them something without asking for something in return, you can start to build a relationship.
3. Give Them Social Proof
Hi {recipient’s name},
My name is {salesperson’s name} and I am the {designation} for {your company name}in the {region of the prospect}. {a sentence about what your company does}.
{customer 1, 2, 3} have all moved to {your product} in Q3 to help with:
1. {benefit 1}
2. {benefit 2}
3. {benefit 3}
And much more. I would love to get on a short call with you for a quick review of your current systems and how we can help.
(Source: Freshworks)
Including social proof in your emails is a great way to entice your prospects and make them take you seriously. Mention customer names they might know and address similar pain points and benefits.
4. Show Them You’re Better Than Competitors
Hi {Name},
Just ran across your website and noticed you were using {Your competitor’s product}. How are you liking it? I run a {service} called {your company}.
It’s just like {your competitor’s product}, only {key differentiator}. If you’re up for it, I would love to jump on a quick call with you and get your opinion on how we could make {prospect’s company} better (and see if it would make sense for us to work together).
Would {date and time} be a good time for you? (If not, I’m flexible, just let me know).
(Source: Mailshake)
If your prospect is using a product similar to yours, this is a great email to prove that yours is better. Let them know how your product differs from your competition and highlight the benefits.
5. Use the AIDA Formula
Hi, [Name],
Are you looking for ways to scale your lead generation efforts?
In just six months, we’ve helped [A & B companies] achieve [X results] after implementing [your solution].
In addition to increasing the number of qualified leads, [your solution] has also helped [Company B] increase revenue and [Company A] streamline internal workflows.
I’d love to talk to you about how [your solution] could help your company achieve similar results.
Do you have some time to chat later this week?
(Source: RevenueGrid)
AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. By touching on those points in that order, you’re addressing each cognitive stage a buyer goes through when deciding on a product or service to purchase.
6. Ask Them for a Referral
Good afternoon {first name},
Could you tell me who handles decisions in the {sales/customer relationship/product buying} department and how I may connect with them?
Thank you in advance,
{insert signature here}
(Source: Business2Community)
Not sure if you have the correct contact? This is a great template to get you in touch with a decision-maker. It’s short and to the point so that the recipient doesn’t have to spend much time reading, which might get them to quickly respond to you.
7. Follow Up on Your Original Email
Re: [Your original subject line]
Hi [Name],
I was just wondering whether you'd had a chance to take a look at the below that I sent across the other day?
I appreciate that your inbox will be busy, but I just wanted to loop back in as I think that this could be great for you because [Value add].
[Original email]
[Email Signature]
(Source: Semrush)
You always want to send out an outreach follow-up email as a reminder. People have busy lives, and maybe they intended to respond to your initial email and forgot. Hopefully, this email gets them to respond this time.
What do These Prospecting Email Templates Have in Common?
Personalization! A prospecting email’s personalization is so important for generating more leads through prospecting.,
“Research their website, LinkedIn page, their company’s news—anything that can give you insights so you can connect in a meaningful, relevant way.”
-Viki Zabala in Forbes, Chief Marketing and Product Officer at First Orion
A perfect prospecting email won’t help you get responses unless you do the right research beforehand, such as making sure they will be interested in your offering. Part of this research is that you need to find verified email addresses that are linked to a prospect who would actually be interested in your product or service.
That’s where Skrapp.io comes in. The Skrapp.io Email Finder discovers business emails from LinkedIn, company websites, and its bulk email finder functionality.
Try our prospecting email tool to find the verified contact information you need to fill out your email list.
