Free Guide

10 Cold Outreach Laws

Implement these proven tips to make your email outreach more effective and build a reliable email channel.

1

You Don't Matter

You matter, of course, but adopting the 'you don't matter' mindset is extremely useful. It shifts your approach from seeking value to delivering it. What your prospect wants is what matters. What you want doesn't.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Focus on the prospect's pain points, not your product features
  • •Research their business challenges before reaching out
  • •Frame everything in terms of their goals and outcomes
2

Be A Value Add

I get 20+ DMs and connection requests every day. 95% of them try to take value instead of giving it. For example, they ask for a favor instead of offering one. This is a bad strategy. Focus on adding value, not just taking it.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Share relevant insights, resources, or introductions first
  • •Offer free value before asking for anything in return
  • •Comment on their content or congratulate their wins
3

Don't Waste Time

"Hi" "How are you?" "Can I ask you a question?" I get versions of these every day, and I never answer them. They waste my time and make me dig to find out what's wanted. Get to the point.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Lead with your value proposition in the first sentence
  • •Skip generic greetings and small talk
  • •Be clear about why you're reaching out immediately
4

Be A Real Person

Most people don't want to interact with robotic responses or outreach software. Add personality to your outreach with humor, authenticity, and personalization.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Write like you're talking to a friend, not a lead
  • •Use conversational language and avoid corporate jargon
  • •Add personal touches based on their profile or content
5

Include Social Proof

Common forms of social proof: • Knowing someone in common • Being endorsed by others • Showing results for other people. If you have any of these, mention it in one line of your outreach message.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Reference mutual connections or shared communities
  • •Mention recognizable clients or case study results
  • •Include specific metrics that demonstrate your credibility
6

Keep It Short

Nobody wants to read a 300-word essay. Keep your outreach concise: get to the point, state your intentions, ask a question, and finish with a firm CTA.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Aim for 50-75 words maximum in your first message
  • •Use short paragraphs and bullet points for readability
  • •One clear call-to-action, not multiple asks
7

Don't Disguise Your Intentions

There's nothing worse than someone pretending to be a friend and then delivering a canned pitch later. If you want to be friends, be genuinely friendly. If you want to sell, just sell. Don't disguise your intentions.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Be upfront about your business purpose from the start
  • •Don't bait-and-switch with fake friendship or interest
  • •Respect their time by being transparent about your ask
8

Show That You're "In The Game"

Creators and professionals often don't have time for random conversations. They prefer to connect with other creators and professionals. Show you're in the game through your bio, profile photos, and the content you create.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Optimize your LinkedIn/social profiles before outreach
  • •Share valuable content regularly to build credibility
  • •Demonstrate domain expertise through your online presence
9

Have Something To Sell

If you're doing outreach for social connections and long-term financial gains, that's perfectly fine. But if you want to make money in the short term, focus on building an offer to sell or selling your skills.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Create a clear, valuable offer before starting outreach
  • •Define your target customer and their specific problem
  • •Price your offer based on the value it delivers
10

Be Persistent

There are two kinds of persistence: 1. Following up multiple times with non-repliers 2. Doing outreach daily or almost daily for years. Persistence pays off. Show up and follow up.

💡 Action Tips:

  • •Follow up 3-5 times with value-added messages
  • •Space follow-ups 3-7 days apart for best results
  • •Keep a consistent outreach schedule, not sporadic bursts

Key Takeaways

Remember these essential principles for successful cold outreach

Focus on Them, Not You

Every message should be about solving your prospect's problems, not showcasing your product. Lead with value, demonstrate understanding, and make it relevant to their specific situation.

Be Authentic & Direct

People appreciate genuine, straightforward communication. Don't hide your intentions or use manipulative tactics. Be honest about what you want and why you're reaching out.

Consistency Wins

Success in cold outreach comes from persistent, consistent effort over time. Follow up multiple times, do outreach regularly, and don't give up after a few rejections.

Common Cold Outreach Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Generic Mass Messages

Sending the same template to hundreds of people without personalization. Recipients can tell when a message is mass-sent and will ignore it.

❌ Lengthy First Messages

Writing long paragraphs that read like essays. Keep your first message short, scannable, and to the point. Save the details for follow-ups.

❌ No Clear Call-to-Action

Ending messages without a specific next step. Always include one clear, easy action you want them to take (reply, book a call, check a link).

❌ Giving Up Too Soon

Sending just one email and never following up. Most deals require 5-7 touchpoints. Be persistent but respectful in your follow-ups.

❌ Poor Email Deliverability

Not warming up email accounts or configuring SPF/DKIM/DMARC properly. Your emails end up in spam, wasting all your effort.

❌ Aggressive Sales Pitch

Leading with product features and pricing in the first message. Build rapport and demonstrate value before moving to the sales conversation.

Cold Outreach Checklist

Researched the prospect's business and pain points

Know what challenges they face before reaching out

Personalized the message with specific details

Reference their content, company news, or mutual connections

Kept the message under 75 words

Short, scannable, and easy to read quickly

Led with value, not features

Focus on outcomes and benefits for them

Included social proof or credibility markers

Mutual connections, case studies, or relevant results

Added one clear call-to-action

Make it easy for them to know what to do next

Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records

Ensure proper email authentication for deliverability

Warmed up email accounts before sending

Build sender reputation gradually over 4-8 weeks

Planned 3-5 follow-up messages

Schedule follow-ups with added value each time

Optimized LinkedIn/social profiles

Prospects will check your profile - make it credible

Tools to Improve Your Outreach

Mailbox Calculator

Calculate how many mailboxes you need for your outreach volume

Calculate Now

SPF Generator

Set up email authentication to improve deliverability

Generate SPF

DMARC Generator

Protect your domain from spoofing and phishing

Generate DMARC

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