Problems with Email-Only Outreach

Stop the investment SPAM. The main reason that founders fail with their outreach for a potential investment are overly generic messages. Every day I get messages that congratulate me on my great investments in payment technologies, battery tech or other sectors I have never invested in. I delete all those messages - those founders just need money, they do not want to have ME on the captable. They have not done their homework. Messages often lack a link to the website, a link to their linkedin and a pitchdeck. I need to filter quickly. Everything that is missing makes this process more complicated for me and increases the chance of me not continuing the process because I can not distinguish between spam and legit outreach. The outreach is often not a match for my investment criteria speaking about rounds that are too late for me or funding sums that are not relevant to me. I delete all those messages. Again: homework not done. People asking to jump on a call before providing any information apart from super generic info about the business like the purpose of the company and the addressable market - I will not jump on a call. That is like being a car dealer saying you have a great car to sell asking potential clients to come to the car dealership without any additional info. It will not work. If you want to convert outreach into opportunity do the following: First you identify angels that invest in your space of which you think they could be a valuable addition to your captable. Second you write an email/message that contains the following: - Short intro about you as the founder (include your linkedin in footer) - Short description of the business (include website in footer) - A couple of sentences around traction - Information regarding the current round (size, valuation, which milestone will be reached with the money) - Info why you reached out to the angel/ why you think she or he will be a good addition - Include link to schedule a call I am sure by doing that and sending out 10 emails/messages you will create more opportunities than sending out 1.000 untargeted messages.

I received this message from an individual repping AI consulting to help companies drive pipeline. It’s wrong for a variety of reasons… “I am interested to explore if we can work together. I’d be happy to grab a virtual cup of coffee or just chat. Always happy to network either way, let’s chat at your convenience.” Nice? Sure. Clear? Not even close. Effective? Nope. Here’s the problem: “Interested to explore if we can work together” — This is vague and passive. What kind of work? Why me? Why now? I share enough content and talk on enough podcasts you should have better research. “Grab a virtual cup of coffee or just chat” — This is the cold outreach version of “wanna hang out sometime?” If you’re selling AI strategy, lead with something more intentional. “Happy to network either way” — This is filler. And worse, it sounds like you’re just collecting connections. If you’re in the AI space (especially consulting) you have to assume you’re not the only person in my inbox pitching “exploration.” Differentiate or be ignored. Especially if I believe I can use AI to write a better email. How to fix it: ✅ Be specific about why you’re reaching out ✅ Show that you’ve done your homework ✅ Lead with value, not vagueness ✅ Make the ask clear and easy to say yes to Example: “Hey Kyle - I’ve been following how you’re structuring your marketing team around AI. I work with companies like X and Y to automate content workflows and reduce campaign time by 40%. Would you be open to a quick chat next week to swap notes?” Short. Personal. Clear. Relevant. If you’re not sending messages like that, you’re just adding noise. And nobody has time for more noise. Nobody.

Cold outreach isn't the problem. Lazy outreach is. Every day, I see messages that scream, "I didn’t do my homework." They’re generic, irrelevant, and frankly, a waste of time for both of us. Here’s the thing: When reaching out without a clear understanding of what I do, who I serve, and how I can actually help, it’s obvious. It also screams, “I don’t value your time, and I’m not valuing mine either.” 𝐸𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 when it’s easy to see what I do right there on my profile or website. 𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝐭𝐢𝐩: The best way to stand out isn’t fancy pitches or relentless follow-ups. It’s knowing exactly why your message is a fit for the person you’re contacting... For hiring, fundraising, sales, asking for help, networking, etc. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐜𝐮𝐭: 📍 Research isn’t optional. It’s the baseline for credibility. 📍 Lead with relevance. Why this message, why you, and why me? 📍 Be clear about your ask. If you don’t know, I certainly won’t either. Not only will you get more responses, but you’ll build the kind of reputation that opens doors before you even knock.

70% of outbound doesn’t fail because of bad tools. It fails because it’s "forgettable". Nobody remembers: → How many tools you used → How long your sequence was → How many emails you blasted → How much jargon you packed in Buyers don’t care how hard you worked. They care if you respected their time. What they do remember: → You respected their time → You followed up with care → Your message was relevant → You solved a real pain point Outbound isn’t a numbers game. It’s a relevance game. Too many teams treat it like a lottery: → Blast 1,000 emails → Hope for 10 replies → Call it a win The real cost is huge: → Wasted money on tools → Burned credibility with your ICP → Demoralized teams when nothing sticks That’s why outbound feels dead. But the truth is simple: It’s not dead. Bad outbound is. And I’ve seen this across 50+ B2B teams. The ones who win don’t send more. They send better. The best teams use intent signals, triggers, and activities. Not to spam. But to enrich their data so every message feels relevant. Think funding rounds. Think job changes. Think new hires. Think tech installs. Even a post your prospect engaged with last week. That’s what makes outreach feel relevant even at scale. Here’s what to do instead: → Follow up with care → Lead with relevance → Send fewer, better emails → Keep it short, clear, human Outbound is simple. Respect people. Deliver value. Repeat. Do that, and your pipeline grows. What’s the most memorable cold email you’ve received? - Like the post? Repost ♻️ to help others. Follow Arpit Singh and tap the 🔔 

Your prospect has 147 unread emails. Yours just got added to the pile. What makes them open YOURS instead of the other 146? After sending thousands of cold emails and generating over $700M in sales throughout my career, I've identified the #1 mistake destroying most cold outreach: ZERO RIGHT PERSONALIZATION. Most reps "spray and pray". Sending the same generic template to 1,000 prospects hoping something sticks. Then they wonder why their response rate is 0.5%. Here's the cold email framework that consistently gets 20%+ response rates:  → Make your subject line about THEM, not you. Use recent news, achievements, or common pain points to spark curiosity. Example: "Your Inc 5000 ranking" or "Austin expansion" 1. Keep your email so simple it doesn't require scrolling. It MUST be mobile friendly, as 68% of executives check email primarily on their phones. 2. Use this 3 part structure:  → Personal opener: "Hey [Name], [specific personalization about them]"  → Show understanding: "In chatting with other [title] in [industry], they're typically running into [pain point]"  → Soft CTA: "Got a few ideas that might help. Open to chat?" 3. Research these personalization sources: • Company website (values, mission page) • Press releases • LinkedIn activity • Earnings transcripts (for public companies) • Review sites The hardest territory to manage isn't your CRM. It's the six inches between your prospect's ears. They don't care about your product. They care about THEMSELVES. Recently, one of my clients was struggling with a 1.2% response rate on cold emails. We implemented this framework, and within 2 weeks they hit 17.4% - with prospects actually THANKING them for the personalized outreach. Find your sweet spot on the personalization spectrum. You can't do hyper personalized video for everyone, but you can't blast the same generic template either. — Hey reps… want another cold email strategy? Go here: https://lnkd.in/gKSzmCda

Fact: Outbound sales is broken. Incentives and strategies are misaligned. Tools like Salesloft and Outreach didn’t cause it. They amplified it. Now marketing and sales need to work together to fix it. The real issue is that sales managers push SDRs to prioritize volume over quality, leading to generic outreach that no one wants to read. Fixing this starts with focus. Give SDRs a small set of accounts, 30 per quarter, and tier them into A, B, and C priorities (using tools like Clay, Tofu, Unify). This makes it clear who they’re targeting and allows them to spend their time understanding the industries, companies, and people they’re reaching out to. Instead of chasing volume, they can dive deep into the problems their prospects are trying to solve. With the right tools, resources and 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, SDRs can educate themselves on the pain points, motivations, and challenges of their target audience. They can craft outreach that adds value and speaks directly to what matters most. Take me as an example. If you’re reaching out to someone like me at MoEngage, don’t send lazy, cookie-cutter emails like: “Does getting more pipeline keep you up at night” “Would you be interested in getting more qualified meetings” “Do you want customer lists of your competitors?” “Are you still interested?” “I haven’t heard back. I’ll assume this isn’t a priority.” These don’t work. They’re noise. If you want my attention, show me you’ve done your homework. Understand that I’m focused on growing in North America. Recognize the challenges of expanding into a crowded market. Tell me something valuable about how companies like mine are navigating those problems and how you can help. This approach may lead to fewer meetings overall, but the meetings you get will be better. SDRs and AEs will know their audience. They’ll understand the pain points. They’ll deliver messaging that lands because it’s relevant and thoughtful. And this isn’t just a sales problem. Marketing has to help. Marketing should train SDRs and AEs with insights about the market, the ICP, and the problems worth solving. Outbound sales works best when sales and marketing are aligned, working together to get the right message in front of the right people. Stop trying to get more meetings. Focus on getting better ones.

Cold outreach can feel like a guessing game, but after sending 1000s of cold emails, I’ve learned 1 thing: Cold email success is in the details. Look at these data↓ - 16.9% of emails never reach the recipient's inbox - Deliverability on Google: 95.54% (57.8% inbox, 37.74% promotions tab) (source: Emailtooltester) Here’s my strategy to improve deliverability and boost replies in 2025: 1. Build a “Spam-Proof” Foundation Your emails are only as good as the infrastructure supporting them. Here’s what works: Authenticate Everything ↳ Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to gain inbox trust. Smart Infrastructure ↳ Rely on Smartlead'𝘀 SmartServers for a dedicated setup that avoids shared-IP pitfalls. Start Small, Then Scale ↳ Gradually warm up accounts to 50–100 emails/day. Domain Strategy ↳ Rotate campaigns across multiple domains or subdomains to stay clean. 2. Make Them Want to Open Your Email Subject lines and first impressions matter. Here’s how to make them count: Short Subject Lines ↳ Keep them under 5 words—clear beats clever every time. Personalization ↳ Mention their recent work, role, or company name in the opening line. Text-Only Wins ↳ Fancy designs get flagged; stick to plain-text emails. Curiosity-Driven CTAs ↳ Use phrases like, “Would this solve X for you?” 3. Solve Real Problems, Not Generic Ones Your offer needs to hit home—here’s how to make it stick: - Focus on one pain point that resonates with your audience. - Use data-backed proof: “Cut costs by 20%” or “Save 5 hours weekly.” - Keep your pitch straightforward: No jargon, no fluff. - Add social proof—testimonials and case studies work wonders. 4. Test and Refine Before Sending The best campaigns come from constant iteration. Run Spam Tests ↳ Catch issues before they damage your sender score. Test Placement ↳ Ensure your emails land in the inbox across Gmail, Outlook, and others. Iterate Weekly ↳ A/B test subject lines and CTAs to find what works. A Smarter Way to Scale The formula is simple: Robust setup + Irresistible offers + Strategic scaling = Cold email success. Tools like Smartlead SmartServers handle the technical side, leaving you to focus on what matters: building meaningful connections. What’s been your toughest cold email challenge?

3 avoidable mistakes in cold outreach and how to fix them. Cold outreach is hard - but a lot of what makes it hard is actually fixable. Here are 3 common ones & what to do instead: 1️⃣ Emails landing in spam It happens more than you think. Just because your email ID is valid doesn’t mean your message will reach the inbox. ✅Fix: → Warm up your domain, Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Stick to clean lists. There are two dozen loops to run through to get your emails into inboxes. Make sure you actually run through them. → Your message only matters if it actually gets seen. 2️⃣ Using signals without context “Congrats on your funding! Want to buy my product?” Or: “Loved your post yesterday! By the way, here’s what I do.” We’ve all seen these messages. They feel generic, robotic and disconnected from any real value. ✅Fix: → Recognize the difference between “a” signal and “your” signal. → Don’t stop with referencing a trigger, instead connect it to your offer in a way that flows naturally. Example: If they raised funding, tie it to a scaling challenge your solution addresses. If they posted about a topic, build on the insight, not the event. 3️⃣ Competitor targeting done wrong A common trap: “You’re using [X]? We’re better. Switch.” Here’s the problem: → You have no idea if they’re happy with the current solution. → It comes across as aggressive and disrespectful. Finally, you have competitors do, and that’s not what you want them doing with your customers. 😀 ✅Fix: → Acknowledge the competitor respectfully. → Then show where your product specifically helps, ideally in areas others have found valuable when switching. For example: "We’ve seen customers using [X product] find Y feature of our tool  really helpful in solving [specific challenge]. Does this sound relevant for your team?" Or “Saw you're using [Competitor Name] - great product, especially for [strengths like speed, ease of use, etc.]. That said, a few teams who’ve switched to us mentioned they ran into challenges with [1–2 common pain points]. We’ve built [Product] to solve for exactly that. Not saying we are better across the board, but for teams where those issues matter, the switch has been worth it. Would it make sense to explore if this applies to you too?” This keeps the conversation respectful, avoids drama, and positions your product as a great solution without attacking anyone else. Cold outreach works but only when you get the basics right: ✅ Be thoughtful. ✅ Be respectful. ✅ Be relevant. That’s how you cut through the noise and start meaningful conversations.

Your sales emails suck. And guess what? I know because I get 30 of them a day. I see the same mistakes over and over...the boring intros, the endless rambling, and the generic pitches that make my inbox feel like a nightmare. Want to know why? Because your email has 3 seconds to make an impression. THREE. Seconds. That's how long you have before I hit "delete" So if you’re not cutting through the noise, you’re just part of the problem. Here’s why your outreach isn’t working: 🚫 Cut the fluff, now – “Hope you’re doing well” or “Just checking in” is a one-way ticket to the trash. No one has time for that. If you don’t get to the point within the first 5 words, you’re done. ✂️ Get to the point fast – Lengthy emails are a killer. Research shows emails under 50 words see 83% more replies. That means if you're writing a novel, you’re already losing. 📚 Personalize (like actually personalize) – "I see you're in [insert job title here]”—that's not personalization, it’s lazy. Do your homework and show that you understand my specific challenges and goals. If you don’t, I’m clicking delete before you even finish your sentence. 🎯 Relevance matters more than anything – If your email isn’t directly tied to what I’m trying to accomplish, it’s not going to get a reply. I don’t need a generic pitch; I need to know how you can help me solve my problems today. 🔥 Stop the lazy copy-paste – If I can tell you’re sending the same message to 100 people, I’m out. Your outreach should feel like you’re speaking to me, not to the entire world. Personalization isn’t just a buzzword. You’ve got 3 seconds to grab attention and show value. If you’re still using the same tired tactics, you’re wasting your time...and mine. 🎤 🫳 ALSO MASSIVE SHOUTOUT to the folks using video to prospect, can say that personalized video messages get a response from me every time. I LOVE them.

I was talking to my husband, who’s building his startup, Talowiz. His marketing approach? Find contacts via some martech tools, launch email or LinkedIn campaigns, and hope for conversions. Sounds familiar? Unfortunately, this is where most startup founders go wrong, especially when their deal size is low. They burn dollars on tools and campaigns with little to no return. Let’s talk about why this approach often fails: 1️⃣ Targeting the Wrong Companies Most of the time, these contacts are not from accounts that may be interested in your offerings. This is not a research-driven approach. 2️⃣ Generic Messaging Multiple industries have their specific pain points. Addressing these pain points should be the first step. It is imperative to research the accounts before starting any outreach. 3️⃣ Spray and Pray Doesn’t Work Only 5% of buyers are actively in-market. Sending generic campaigns to everyone is wasteful, especially in B2B, where personalized outreach is important. 4️⃣ Email Challenges Many emails never reach inboxes. According to studies, 20% of emails fail to land in inboxes due to spam filters, poor domain reputation, and unverified lists. Average open rates in B2B? 21.33% for general emails, which means most efforts go unnoticed. Even if you manage to land in the inbox of someone not ready to buy, they might mark your email as spam, killing future opportunities with them. 🚨 Bottom line: Relying on random lists, generic campaigns, and drip emails without research only wastes efforts and dollars. 🚨 So, what’s the solution? The key is to stop the spray-and-pray approach and focus on Account-Based Marketing (ABM) to prioritize research, personalization, and targeting in-market accounts. Want to know how ABM can transform your startup’s marketing? Stay tuned for my next post or drop me a message! #ABM #accountbasedmarketing #B2B #B2BMarketing #ABMers #AccountBasedMarketers