How to review your own cold prospecting emails

It’s an understatement to say that cold prospecting emails are tough to get right.

So many outbound reps bang their heads against the wall trying to figure out why their emails are getting deleted or ignored, while some are unfortunate enough to be placed in “spam”.

After reviewing hundreds of submissions to Sequence Practice, we’ve developed a repeatable process for reviewing prospecting emails quickly and effectively.

Sample email review | RevUp Sequence Practice

Our (not-so-secret) formula

Here’s a ridiculously simple framework we use at RevUp for reviewing cold emails to get replies, not deletes:

Step 1:

Review the content

Send yourself a test email, read it as if you were receiving it for the first time, and ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does my subject line stand out in the inbox?
  • Can it be skimmed in 10 seconds or less?
  • Is there one focus/call to action?
  • Is it about the recipient?
  • Is it interesting?
  • Can the recipient use what you sent to be better today?
  • Is the “ask” smaller than the “give”?

Re-write until you can say “Yes” to all, then move to the next Step

Step 2:

Read out loud

Read your message out loud in front of a mirror, and ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is it clear?
  • Is it easy to say?
  • Is it easy on the ears?
  • Does it sound casual, like you’re talking to a friend over lunch?

Re-write until you can say “Yes” to all of Steps 1 & 2, then move to the next Step

Step 3:

Send to a friend/colleague/co-worker

Send your newly optimized email to someone close to you who either represents or understands your buyer, and ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do they get it without asking you more questions?
  • Is their feedback positive?
  • Would they say “yes” if they received the message from someone else?

Re-write until you can say “Yes” to all 3 steps, then move to the next sequence step

Why this works

Following this simple framework will ensure your emails are clear, concise, focused, and value-driven. It’s not a silver bullet but makes it less likely for yours to be deleted or ignored and more likely that you get positive replies.

The 6 guiding principles behind this are just as simple but extremely helpful in writing quota-crushing sequences:

  1. Length – Your email should be skimmable and understood in less than 10 seconds (Jason Bay)
  2. Language & Tone – Your message should be easy to read and sound like a casual conversation – no jargon! (Scott Barker)
  3. Hero – Your email should talk about your recipient, not you (Donald Miller)
  4. Opener – Your opener should entice the recipient enough to read the rest of your message (Belal Batrawy)
  5. Give – “Give” the prospects something they can use to be successful today (Josh Braun)
  6. Ask – Your call to action should feel smaller than the “Give” AND clearly indicate what they get from agreeing (Rex Biberston)