Cold emailing can be a powerful tool for business growth. However, getting those emails opened and read can be a real challenge.
As per Campaign Monitor, a business owner receives an average of 100 emails every day. This means that it’s essential to stand out and capture their attention.
Cold email open rates are one of the most important metrics. It gives you insights into how your emails are performing and how many prospects you have reached.
The best way to get the most out of your emails is to boost their average open rates. In this blog, I will highlight 11 tips for boosting cold email open rates.
Why Cold Email Open Rates are important?
Cold email open rates are important as they indicate audience engagement. High cold email open rates indicate people find your emails engaging. In contrast, low rates can signal issues with subject lines or content.
Open rates also give you an idea of what you must fix in your emails. For example, if you have an open rate between 60% and 80% but don’t have enough CTRs or cold email reply rates, this could mean that your email body and CTA aren’t good enough.
You can improve the email content by monitoring average cold email open rates and even checking your email deliverability. Plus, they're vital for measuring ROI and personalizing your emails. In short, cold email open rates are your email campaign's report card, showing how well you connect with your audience.
11 Tips to boost Cold Email Open Rates
Now that we have discussed why cold email open rates are important, let’s explore some tips and best practices for obtaining higher cold email open rates.
1. Clean your list
If you are sending cold emails, you must clean your prospect list. This should be the first step to achieving the best results from your campaign.
Cleaning the prospect list will reduce email bounce rates and low deliverability. In other words, you can increase open rates within a short period.
A well-maintained list improves your click and open rates, calculated as a percentage of emails sent. Removing undeliverable or risky email addresses boosts engagement by reducing the drag on your percentage. You can use a cold email outreach tool for this purpose.
2. Craft a captivating subject line
The email subject line is the very first thing people see upon receiving your email. It's like the cover of a book, and you want it to be interesting.
Make it short and catchy, like a little mystery or puzzle. You can make it even better by using the person's name or mentioning something recent. This enhances the personal touch.
Remember to pay close attention to personalization. It will help warm up your cold email and create a sense of familiarity in your prospect.
If you're emailing someone named John, you can say something like this: “John, we have something you are looking for!” This creates curiosity and encourages John to open and read your email.
3. Segment your email list
Not all leads are the same, so why treat them that way? Segment your email list based on industry, job title, or location.
Tailor your messages to each segment's specific needs and pain points. One way of doing it is by dividing your list according to different target personas.
For example, create a different list for each prospect. Whether your prospects are founders or email marketing managers, segmenting the email list will prove beneficial in the long run.
This can help you research pain points for these personas separately. Ultimately, you can make your email more relevant for each of these personas.
This approach shows that you've done your homework. As a result, the effort increases the chances of them opening your email.
4. Build trust with a recognizable sender name
A sender's name plays a significant role in cold email open rates. It builds trust and engagement.
A sender name is shown alongside your email subject line. This gives your prospect a clear idea of who you are and what you are going to talk about.
Use a recognizable and trustworthy sender name, ideally a real person from your organization. Avoid generic sender names, short forms, or nicknames.
A lot of people use aliases for cold emails, but it is better to use a real person’s name. If you are more focused on your brand presence, you can use a company name.
Writing your full name or using your first name with your company name is one of the best methods. You can grab prospects’s attention while telling them about you and your company.
5. Avoid spam traps
Avoid spammy words in your email subject lines. This is a crucial tip for improving cold email open rates and avoiding spam filters.
Spam filters are designed to detect certain words and phrases commonly associated with spam. If your email contains such words, they may be filtered out or sent to the spam folder.
Avoid using too many capital letters or words and symbols like “Free, $$$.” These might trigger spam traps, resulting in your email going to the spam folder.
Your email subject lines and body should be free of punctuation and grammatical errors. Check your emails thoroughly before you send them.
6. Personalizing emails
Nobody likes generic and one-size-fits-all emails. Craft personalized cold emails by addressing the recipient by name and referring to specific details about their company or situation. Show that you've taken the time to research and understand their needs.
Using your prospect's first name in the subject line is an excellent idea to increase your cold email open rates. A study says that using first names in subject lines can increase your cold email open rates by 50%.
The psychology is simple: The subject line is the first thing the recipient sees when you send them an email. When they notice their first name or relevant information, it triggers a sense of familiarity and curiosity and will usually compel them to open the email.
You can also personalize your emails with something about their company. Another good idea is to focus on the recent project your prospect might be working on.
7. Optimize email timing
Timing matters when it comes to cold email open rates. Research suggests that Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best days to send cold emails, followed by Wednesdays.
Don’t send cold emails on weekends and public holidays. This is because most of your prospects won’t open them.
Morning hours tend to be the best times to send cold emails. However, the ideal time may vary depending on your target audience and industry.
For example, if you are targeting the medical industry, sending them emails early in the morning is best. On the other hand, mornings and afternoons are great times to send cold emails to a prospect in the SAAS Industry.
Hence, it's essential to test and adjust your email schedule accordingly. Pay close attention to different geographical locations to get good open rates.
8. Use A/B testing
A/B testing is a powerful way to optimize your cold email campaigns. It helps you understand what works best.
Experiment with different cold email subject lines, email copy, CTAs, and sender names to see what works best for your audience. Later, once you have determined the perfect method to get the most open rates and email engagement, you can use that method for the more extensive list.
You can also do this over time by tweaking your emails a little from time to time to know what works best for you. By continuously testing and refining your approach, you can improve your open rates over time.
9. Keep it mobile-friendly
Many people check their email on mobile devices, so it's crucial to ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. Use a responsive email design that adapts to various screen sizes and resolutions.
Before you start your cold email campaign and send emails, test your emails on different devices. This is the best way to ensure they look good and are easy to read on mobile.
10. Monitor and analyze email metrics
Monitor your email performance to improve your cold email open rates. Pay attention to open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates.
Use cold email software to understand how recipients engage with your emails. This data will help you make informed decisions and refine your email strategy. An email automation tool can also help you with this.
If you plan to send cold emails to a large number of prospects, consider investing in an email automation tool. This tool can help you automate your tasks while monitoring and managing your email engagements.
Then, you can easily analyze and compare these metrics. This will give you more time to research, personalize your emails according to your recipients, and follow the best course of action.
11. Follow up and build relationships
Finally, remember that cold emailing is not just about making a quick sale. It's about building relationships with potential customers.
Take the time to follow up with leads. Provide them value through each of your follow-up emails. And engage with them with genuine intention.
Follow-ups increase the chances of getting higher open and cold email response rates. Even though you write cold emails to drive sales, they shouldn't sound too salesy.
Your subject line and email body must be relevant and provide value to your readers. Building trust and rapport can lead to long-term business relationships beyond a single transaction.
Ready to boost your Cold Email Open Rates?
Boosting your cold email open rates requires a thoughtful strategy and continuous optimization of your emails.
Using these tips and practices, you can increase your chances of getting your emails opened and getting replies.
Remember that building relationships with your cold leads is as meaningful as getting them to open your emails. With the right approach, cold emailing can become a valuable tool in your marketing arsenal. Happy Emailing!
