The 7 Elements of a Perfect Cold Email

I’ve never made a cold call in my 16 years of sales.

Nope, not a single one.

My 8-figure business #samsales Consulting was built on outstanding cold emails. Cold emails so purpose-built, so individualized that high-value prospects can’t help but engage.

The approach I created for doing just that is something I call Show Me You Know Me™, a hyper-personalized email writing strategy for your most valuable prospects. It’s made up of seven key elements sure to increase your open rates, get you more responses, and help lay the foundation for long-term relationships that are rewarding both personally and financially.

And I lay it all out for you in my exclusive Apollo Academy Master Class. Check out my lesson covering email writing below — you can also watch the full course here.

#1: The subject line

Everyone you’re reaching out to gets loads of spam and poorly written emails that look like spam. It’s no wonder the average open rate for typical sales emails is six percent with a pitiful .9 percent response rate.

As I mentioned in a recent Apollo webinar, stand out by referencing or quoting personal information to spark a relationship. Maybe it’s something your buyer posted on LinkedIn or said on a podcast or wrote in an article—about their company, a hobby, the last college reunion they attended.

The trick here is to make the email subject line so especially unique to them, that it really only makes sense to one person—the recipient.

“Running Podcast + Chicago Pizza."

To you or I, this is a random subject line, but it’s something that a Chicago-based prospect who recently shared their list of favorite podcasts will be highly-intrigued to open.

Spend 20 or 30 minutes nailing a subject line — yes, for each and every email; this is about quality over quantity (eventually you’ll be able to whip one up in five to seven minutes).

If you don’t nail this part and grab the buyer’s attention, even the most brilliant body copy is a waste of time and energy. 

#2: The first sentence

“I hope this email finds you well.”

Stop right there.

Clichéd niceties like that one should be outlawed. Even if they’re genuine, they come off as disingenuous and uninventive. Corporate Bro knows what I mean. 

Along with your name and subject line, your first sentence is usually the only other phrase that pops up in email previews. So make it count and take some time to craft a congenial opener that relates to your subject line.

Here’s one of my tried-and-true standbys: “We’ve yet to be properly introduced, but I’m Sam McKenna, CEO of #samsales.” I’m telling them who I am and what I do in a mere 14 words. It’s simple, to-the-point and informative. 

The combination of my well-researched subject line and my “We’ve yet to be introduced” starter is designed to make a buyer think, "I don't know this person, but they seem to know something about me. Maybe we should be introduced.”

That’s what gets your email opened, which is half the battle.

#3: The transition

Next, there should be one more piece of artfully crafted prose that goes before your sales pitch.

The transition is an authentic tie-in to your opener that sets you up to talk about your product.

Say you kick off an email to me with, “Hey, Sam, I see you went to FSU.” That’s a good start, but your next sentence shouldn’t be, in effect, “Wanna buy my stuff?”.

Build out, without dragging out, the FSU angle. 

If your dad went there, too, you might have fond memories of tailgating with him and tossing around a Nerf football. Describe those memories. If you saw an especially epic game, describe that game and how it made you feel. 

Then get into the sales-y part gradually and casually. 

“I could go on and on about FSU. The reason I’m writing is….”

Incorporate details you snagged from LinkedIn—maybe a new role or a hot industry take they posted—and show them how they could benefit from your product.

Because you wouldn’t contact them if you couldn’t help them, right? 

Dig deep and find a unique angle to leverage. Something that’s still related to what you’re selling, but that fewer people will think to use in a cold email. Trust me, it’s there. 

Then drop in something to this effect: “I’d love to connect soon and give you more details.” It’s less a call to action (I’m getting to those) and more a gentle nudge.

#4: The challenge

In my experience, the majority of sales emails tell readers what their company does rather than the challenges they solve.

Which only opens up the door for your prospects to simply say: “We already have that so we don’t need you.”

Instead, surface one of the common challenges that you know your buyers face (and you should know quite a few from your endless customer conversations).

If, say, they employ a lot of SDRs and your software drives pipeline growth by 3x, tell them that. Informing buyers about what your company does without saying how they’ll benefit makes it much easier for them to ignore your email. 

Here’s another example: If you’re selling a productivity tool, don’t rattle off a generic: “We help you manage your time, prioritize tasks, and reduce time waste.”

Drill down. Assume that they are already using a productivity tool, like Asana or EverNote or Harvest as many companies do, in which case you can help them get a lot more out of it.

Bottom line: It’s not what you do, it’s what you do better. And how what you do better can help your buyer be better.

#5: The value proposition

This is the “so what?” of what you do. 

It’s your chance to empathize with a buyer’s challenges and how they impact day-to-day operations or annual goals or life in general. Not only can you help alleviate their pain, you feel their pain.

One of the most powerful sales tools is a psychological technique known as loss aversion. If you can convince someone of what they’re losing (money, time, employees) rather than gaining, they’re twice as likely to be interested in the solution you’re selling. 

Let’s say I was pitching LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

I might say something like: “Six percent of a buyer’s inbound leads come from people who change jobs and reconnect. But what about the other 94 percent who you don’t hear from?”

That’s a lot of potential business to lose. 

But your tool can prevent it by doing X, Y and Z. 

That’s the kind of value proposition buyers can’t (or shouldn’t) ignore. You can even test-market it first by asking one of your in-house buyers how it resonates with them.

If they dig it, chances are others will too. If they don’t, rework it and try again.

#6: Hidden or forthcoming objections

This is where you get inside your buyer’s head by predicting not only what they need, but how they might refute your pitch.

It means anticipating what’s coming instead of being caught off guard and firing off some weak response that goes nowhere. 

Maybe the buyer already has an in-house CSM who handles customer relationships. Maybe they already have an analytics tool in place. Maybe they don’t have the budget. But don’t wait for them to tell you those things, because chances are they won’t. 

Use your knowledge of the most broad buyer objections to your technology, your platform, your solution, your analytics—whatever it is you sell—and simply, acknowledge it.

“While you may already have a project management tool…”

“While I’m sure you have some killer analytics strategies in place…”

Then insert your refute.

Dig deeper, below the surface. Describe the short- and long-term impact your product will have. Reiterate your value proposition. Tell them why they should care.

#7: The close

The close to your email should ALWAYS include a call to action. 

“Interested in learning more?” “Up for a chat?” You’re soliciting interest here.

But never suggest a specific day or time. And do not — repeat, do not — send a calendar link. It’s too pushy and it asks that they do extra work. 

Give the buyer agency by asking them when they’re available. “If it’s easier,” you can add, “here’s when I’m available.” Then drop in the scheduling link. By putting their needs and convenience above yours, you’re already being helpful — and you’re setting the tone for future interactions.

At the end, your “Show Me You Know Me” email will come together and look a little something like this:



Remember: Quality over quantity. Spend 80 percent of your time on 20 percent of your prospects — the very best ones.

Even if you get a negative response, you still got a response. Don’t waste it!

Thank them for getting back to you. Connect with them on LinkedIn. And if they were the wrong contact, ask them who the right one is. Just because nothing’s happening at the moment doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future.

Now it’s time for me to stop writing and for you to start writing. Master these seven elements, and I’m confident your open and response rates will skyrocket. 

And if you have any questions, shoot me a message on LinkedIn. Always happy to help!