Sales Email Outreach: Exper Tips for Boosting Response Rates

On average, people deal with a whopping 121 emails daily; for big-business buyers, that number is even higher. Breaking through this email overload can be challenging, but mastering the art of sales email outreach can bring in the desired success. 

Sales email outreach is a rewarding game if done right. In this article, we'll share 7 expert tips before you start with sales email outreach. 

Let's get started!

Read more: 10 Reasons Why Smartlead Is Your Best Cold Email Outreach Partner

7 Expert Tips Before Starting Any Sales Email Outreach

1. Determine Your Sales Email Objective

The success of sales email outreach lies in determining a clear and measurable objective. It's your roadmap to crafting the perfect email pitch. This objective shapes your email's subject line, unique selling proposition (USP), and call-to-action. 

So, what are these objectives, and why are they so important?

• Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Your USP is the distinct value your product/service offers and sets you apart from the competition. It should align with your sales outreach emails.
• Different Objectives for Sales Email Campaigns: Your sales objectives can vary, depending on your business goals. You can drive attention, set appointments, qualify leads, or send pricing information. Each objective serves a unique purpose in the sales funnel.

Your email outreach objective sets the stage for success. It gives you a clear target to aim for, helping you measure the effectiveness of your campaign. Without a well-defined objective, you're just shooting in the dark.

Let's take a closer look at some common sales email objectives and how to measure success:

1. Gauging Interest: Begin with a brief introduction about your business and solutions. Measure success through metrics like opens, clicks, or positive responses. This objective helps you identify potential leads interested in your offer.

2. Setting Appointments: Persuade your lead to agree to a sales presentation or product demo. This objective moves your prospect further down the sales funnel, increasing the chances of conversion, and the success is measured by the number of appointments you secure. 

3. Qualifying a Lead: Determine if a lead is a good fit for your products or services and if they're genuinely interested. You can measure success by the number of marketing-qualified leads (MQL) or sales-qualified leads (SQL) generated. 

4. Sending Pricing: Make initial contact to see if a lead is interested in receiving pricing details. The number of pricing quotes or business proposals requested measures success. This objective narrows down your focus on high-potential prospects.

Pro Tip: To streamline your sales email outreach, create and store email templates for each objective. This enables you and your team to respond promptly and consistently. You can create and save effective sales email templates in Smartlead.ai. 

2. Research Your Sales Email Recipients in Detail

Before starting your sales email outreach campaign, research your intended recipients. Here's why it's important and how it works for you.

Why is it Important to research recipients?

Imagine sending a message to a stranger without knowing anything about them – it's like shooting in the dark. Researching your email recipients is the light in this dark room. It allows you to evaluate several critical factors:

• Relevance: Knowing your recipient's industry, interests, and pain points ensures your message is relevant to them. 79% of buyers only engage with offers if they've been personalized based on their previous interactions.
• Decision-Making Capability: Is your person reaching out to the right decision-maker, or should your email be directed elsewhere? This info saves you from reaching the wrong people. 
• Budget Capacity: Understanding your recipient's budget constraints can help you tailor your offer. This improves your chances of getting replies and streamlines the sales process.

Creating ICP and Buyer Personas

Create Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP) and buyer personas to research your recipients effectively. ICP is an outline of your ideal customer, while buyer personas are semi-fictional representations of different types of ideal customers.

ICPs and buyer personas allow you to:

• Segment Your Audience: 93% of companies see an increase in conversion rates after segmenting their leads. Knowing your audience helps you tailor your message for each group.
• Personalize Your Outreach: 80% of customers are more likely to purchase when offered a personalized experience. Buyer personas guide you in crafting messages that resonate with your recipients' needs and preferences.

Researching prospects is a proven strategy for success: 84% of buyers are more likely to engage with a vendor who understands their business challenges. Conducting thorough research into your sales email outreach helps you connect with recipients on a deeper level. 

3. Creating Engaging Subject Lines

Your subject line is your first impression. A well-crafted subject line can significantly impact your email open rates. According to industry data, emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened.

So, how can you craft an engaging subject line that boosts your chances of reaching your prospects and driving sales? Here are some key pointers:

• Personalization is Key: Mentioning the recipient's name or highlighting something specific about their needs or interests can make your email stand out. Stats show that personalized subject lines increase open rates by up to 50%.
• Tailor to Your Campaign: The type of subject line you use should align with your campaign's goals. Consider using an urgent subject line for a limited-time offer or promotional sale. These are highly effective for creating a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Emails with urgent subject lines tend to have an average open rate of 22%.
• Ask a Compelling Question: Engaging your recipient's curiosity with a question makes them eager to learn more, increasing their chances of opening your email. The question should be related to a pain point. 

Here are some examples of top-performing subject lines for sales emails:

• "Don't Miss Out: Limited-Time Discount Ends Soon"
• "Personalized Solution for [Company Name]"
• "Quick Question about [Prospect's Pain Point]"
• "Boost Your [Specific Metric] with [Your Product/Service]"
• "Ready to [Solve a Problem]?"
• "Request for [Prospect's Opinion/Expertise]"
• "Discover How [Customer Name] Achieved [Impressive Result]"
• "Last Chance: [Event/Webinar] Tomorrow!"

4. Personalize your Opening Lines and Email Body

Personalization is the name of the game for sales email outreach. In fact, research shows that personalized email messages improve click-through rates by an average of 14%.

So, how does personalization work, and why is it so effective? 

Personalization creates a connection, making your outreach more relevant and engaging. Here's how you can do it with sales emails:

• Mutual Connection: Start your email with a mention of a shared contact or connection. For instance, "Hi [Recipient’s name]! I saw we share a mutual connection to [the person you share it with], so I wanted to reach out personally." This immediately establishes a common ground and piques the recipient's interest.
• Compliment the Recipient: Praise the recipient's recent achievements or work. An example could be, "Hi [Recipient’s name]! I saw your recent [content such as an article, webinar, interview, podcast, etc.] on [content topic/subject] and found it impressive—nice work!" This shows that you've done your homework and appreciate their efforts.
• Highlight a Recent Event: Refer to a recent event or news relevant to the recipient's industry or business. For example, "Hi [Recipient’s name]! Businesses in the [industry] like yours could be seeing a lot of changes in [specific changes]. That said, I wanted to make a personal introduction about what we do." This demonstrates your awareness of their industry challenges.
• Mutual Interest: If you share common interests, use that as a conversation starter. For example, "Hi [Recipient’s name]! I couldn’t help but notice we are both [organization] alumni." This creates an instant bond.
• Mutual Membership: If you belong to the same organization or group, mention it. "Hi [Recipient’s name]! I see you are a fellow member of [mutual organization], so I wanted to make a personal introduction." This establishes a sense of community.

Remember, personalization doesn't end with the opening line. Continue customizing the email body to align with the recipient's interests, pain points, and needs.

5. Pitch Your Value Proposition

Your value proposition answers the question: "Why should the recipient care?" It brings out your message's fundamentals–what sets it apart and why your offer is valuable. 

Emails that lead with a strong value proposition experience 21% higher open rates. Also, a compelling value proposition can increase conversion rates by up to 300%. 

So, how do you pitch your value proposition? 

• Craft a clear and concise value proposition that leaves no room for confusion. Avoid industry jargon and buzzwords.
• Focus on how your product or service benefits the recipient. Solve their pain points or fulfill their needs.
• Emphasize what makes you unique. What do you offer that competitors can't match? Be specific.

Remember, your value proposition should resonate with your recipient, addressing their pain points and aspirations. Make it clear why they should read on and engage with your message.

6. Compose a Strong CTA

You must add the Call to Action (CTA) at a point where you guide your prospect toward taking the desired action. Here are some expert tips for crafting a compelling CTA to boost your email outreach success.

The principle of “less is more” is valid for CTAs. Keep it simple and focused by adding only one CTA per email. Overloading your sales email with multiple CTAs can overwhelm your recipient and dilute your message. You aim to lead your reader towards one specific action, so keep it laser-focused for the best results.

How to write a CTA, you ask? 

A compelling CTA should be concise, action-oriented, and leave no room for ambiguity. It should tell your prospect exactly what you want them to do and what they can expect in return. For example, if your goal is to schedule a product demonstration, your CTA might sound like this:

"I’d love to give you a short, 15-minute demonstration to see if this solution fits your needs. When’s the best time for us to connect over the next week or so?"

It's essential to guide the recipient toward the next steps and make it as effortless as possible for them to respond.

Here are some examples of CTAs for sales emails: 

• Meeting request: "Let's schedule a brief call to discuss how our solution can benefit your business. Click the 'Schedule a Call' button below to find a suitable time."
• Information Download: "To learn more, click the link below to download our latest whitepaper."
• Request for Feedback: "We value your opinion. Please take a moment to share your thoughts by clicking the survey link provided."
• Trial Sign-up: "Ready to experience our product? Start your free trial now by clicking 'Get Started.'"
• Discount Offer: "Don't miss out! Click here to claim your 20% discount on your first purchase."

Craft your CTAs wisely, and make them irresistibly clear to drive actions.

7. Analyze and Improve Your Emails

Trial and error is not just about sending out messages and hoping for the best; it's about continuously fine-tuning your approach based on the data you collect. Let’s discuss two essential aspects of this process: tracking data metrics for feedback and using spintax.

Tracking the performance of your email messages is a vital step in your quest for success. Most email campaign tools or cold emailing tools like Smartlead offer robust analytics that provide invaluable feedback.

Start by closely monitoring key metrics like open rates and click-through rates. Your subject line works fine if you're witnessing high open rates but have few conversions or responses. However, the content of your message might need improvement. Conversely, if your open rates are consistently low, but your click-through to open rate is skyrocketing, your message content is engaging, but your subject line could use some attention.

Conclusion 

Sales email outreach is not just about firing off emails haphazardly; it's about crafting messages that stand out in a crowded inbox and convert prospects into loyal customers.

I know what you're thinking: "But how effective are these sales emails?" Well, according to recent studies, sales emails yield a jaw-dropping 40 times the customer acquisition rate compared to social media platforms. Imagine what that could do for your business!

Following these seven expert tips, you'll write better emails, boost lead generation, and fast-track sales.