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Cold emailing isn't very popular here, and in general I don't know anyone who likes receiving cold email. I don't think the problem is cold emailing, but the wa
by jameslk 2y ago
Cold emailing isn't very popular here, and in general I don't know anyone who likes receiving cold email. I don't think the problem is cold emailing, but the way it's done. Most cold email is irrelevant and not helpful.
Here's an example taken from this handbook:
> Hey Matt —-
> Friend of mine told me about Za-zu last week. Congrats on the recent raise.
> Random, but noticed you've got a few jobs open for SDRs.
> Reason I'm reaching out is I run a cold outbound agency. We can send at 17x the volume of a typical SDR, and our emails are usually twice as effective. Have generated $1B in pipeline for companies like Angellist.
> Worth a chat this week?
> - Person Who Writes Better Emails
I actually get emails like these all the time and I mark them as spam. Because they're spam.
Instead of sending me this email, imagine instead I received some actual leads from this agency in the first email. Like just 3 companies that are a very qualified match:
> Hey Matt —-
> Friend of mine told me about Za-zu last week. Congrats on the recent raise.
> Random, but noticed you've got a few jobs open for SDRs.
> Here's 3 qualified leads you might be interested in:
> Company 1 and why it's qualified
> Company 2 and why it's qualified
> Company 3 and why it's qualified
> Those leads have expressed interest in your service. I run a cold outbound agency. Have generated $1B in pipeline for companies like Angellist. Worth a chat this week?
Now that's helpful. I actually know this company could provide some value. Maybe I'll actually respond because I want some more.
Being relevant and very helpful is really hard to do at scale. You have to actually do some work to learn about the company, the person, and provide something tangible that's valuable. For some products/services, it might be possible to do at scale. Until then, it's really just spam by a different name.
- meiraleal 2y agoFor me, they are both spam
- jameslk 2y agoThe example email presumes the recipient who's getting it actually needs the service. I'd be happy if someone did free work for me. If you don't need the service, then yes it's irrelevant either way and effectively spam. But maybe there's some other reason you think the free work or email is spam?
- thereisnospork 2y ago>But maybe there's some other reason you think the free work or email is spam? Is 'they are sending me a cold email' not enough? I'd trust the content of a cold email even less than info from car salesmen if that were possible.
- jameslk 2y ago[flagged]
- hn_throwaway_99 2y agoOh please, are we at the point now where we're thinking that a selfless act (somebody giving you your lost wallet) is analogous to someone trying to make money by contacting you? People are sick of it not just because it's "irrelevant*, but we're tired of being sold to every waking moment. I am still sad at how this spammy article about spam has so many upvotes on HN.
- bee_rider 2y agoEh, I was with you until the wallet analogy. Returning somebody’s wallet is just a pure favor. The second email isn’t a favor really, it is still a pitch. It is a better pitch. But it is still a pitch.
- seanhunter 2y agoThey are both spam and you are making the world worse. Congratulations on being part of the problem.
- MortyWaves 2y ago[flagged]
- bjord 2y agoout of curiosity, how do you feel about cold emails asking for a conversation? I am currently looking for a new job (potentially in a new industry), so I'm doing cold outreach to people whose experience seems relevant and/or interesting, asking for advice, and usually a phone call in which I can pick their brain would you also view my emails as spam? if not, would you bother replying?
- jen729w 2y agoIf you’re genuinely interested in a conversation, I think that’s different. If you’re reaching out to someone who you admire/‘know’, that’s you making an effort at a genuine human connection. What I get are emails that say ‘I would love to write articles for your audience, please respond if you would like to see a sample.’ My site clearly doesn’t publish 3rd party articles. And if you were that keen, just send me the damned sample. You’re okay.
- seanhunter 2y agoI get those exact same article spam emails. I always wonder what the angle is there, whether they are farming SEO juice or what the deal is.
- timClicks 2y agoI've always assumed that they charge you for publishing.
- seanhunter 2y ago
- rekabis 2y ago> I don't know anyone who likes receiving cold email. I enjoy submitting cold eMail to SpamCop. But beyond that, no.