Writing Sales Messages That Address Specific Needs

💡 SALES EMAIL DONE RIGHT💡 In a sea of uninspired sales emails, here’s one that actually got a response and here’s why: 📖 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 This email had a clear, creative theme from start to finish. They played on my last name, connecting it to Roman strength, warriors, and resilience. They sustained this narrative with precision, showing a level of creativity you rarely see in cold outreach. Solid 10/10 on storytelling. 🎯 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿-𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 This wasn’t just surface-level personalization. They referenced a networking event we both attended at Commerce Roundtable: the Gaslamp Ghost Tour I went on with my wife and baby. That level of detail shows an actual connection. It’s the kind of personalization that can’t be faked. 💬 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 The subject line, "Sometimes a human needs to step in when AI fails us," directly referenced an email I had roasted from their company a few weeks ago here on LinkedIn. Instead of ignoring it, they leaned into it with humor and humility, showing they were receptive, aware, and ready to improve. 🔍 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Despite the creative touches, they didn’t lose sight of the main goal. They laid out clear, concrete points on how their service could solve specific pain points in our shipping claims process. And their ask was simple: a 15-minute call to show how it would work for BattlBox. Direct, respectful of my time, and confident in the value they could provide. This email didn’t just make contact; it made a connection. That’s what sets a truly effective sales email apart from the rest. #Sales #Storytelling #Personalization

Blessed are those who personalize their outreach—for they shall be rewarded. Email outreach has a reputation problem, and honestly? It’s earned it. We've all been on the receiving end of those generic, templated, and frankly, soulless emails that clog up our inboxes. No wonder people are skeptical when they hear the term "cold email." But when done right, email outreach can be a powerful tool for growing your network, making valuable connections, and even landing dream projects. Follow these simple commandments, and you're well on your way to more clicks and replies: 1. Reach out to others as you would have others reach out to you. Approach every email with empathy. Would you respond to your own message? If the answer is no, go back and rewrite. 2. For the love of all things holy, use people’s first names. It’s the easiest way to make a connection and show that you’re speaking to them, not a faceless group. 3. Don’t forget to personalize—always! Mention something specific about their work, their company, or a recent project they shared. It’s all about making the email feel unique to them. 4. Link to relevant case studies and portfolio pieces instead of your entire website. Show them exactly what’s relevant. No one has time to sift through a massive website—be concise. 5. Don’t diagnose—it’s gross! Avoid implying there’s something “wrong” with the way they’re doing things. Instead, frame your expertise as a potential value add. 6. Lead with a service that is an ongoing need—not branding! Focus on how you can genuinely help in a way that is practical and impactful. Start with the pain point they are likely dealing with. Branding is a hard sell through a cold email. 7. End with a strong call to action, such as a request for a meeting. Make it easy for them to say “yes.” Give them a simple next step—like a quick chat or a 10-minute meeting just to get to know them. Which leads us to... 8. Remember that this is about relationship building and not just a quick lead. Play the long game. Think of every email as the start of a relationship, not a transaction. 9. Always follow up. A polite, well-timed follow-up can make all the difference. People are busy—sometimes a second email is all it takes to get a response. 10. And above all else—remember that you’re emailing a person. Keep it human. Keep it genuine. If your email doesn’t sound like something you’d say in person, rewrite it. These principles have not only helped TheFutur Accelerator members (the program I run with Ben Burns) grow their networks, but many have booked dream projects by sticking to these commandments. Real connections, real conversations, and real opportunities start when you approach outreach the right way. Curious about how you can improve your email outreach? Drop your questions in the comments—I’d love to help you level up your networking game!

Ever wonder what makes a prospect actually respond to cold outreach? Let me share a recent experience that breaks down the art of engagement from both the prospect's and the sales rep's perspectives. Prospect's Perspective: Emily Leu shared the following insight about cold outreach that led to a meeting: “I recently connected with a BDR from Lavender 💜 after meeting someone (maybe an AE?) at an event. I might have gotten myself tagged as an MQL! 😅 Here’s how the outreach played out: Hyper-Personalized Email: The email felt customized—even if it followed a framework, it clearly wasn’t a mass template. Quick Follow-Up: I missed the email, but a LinkedIn connection request with a personal note nudged me to check my inbox again. Non-Committal Response: I replied on LinkedIn, but life got busy, and I forgot about it, even though I was interested. Text with a Voice Note: A few days later, I received a text with a voice memo. What worked? The combination of hyper-personalization, brevity, and a multi-channel approach that built upon previous touches. It was relevant and easy to digest!” --- Sales Rep's Perspective: Nihal D., the Sales Jedi who concocted this outreach, shared the following perspective: “Shoutout to 💜 Will Allred, who taught me a lot about effective outreach. One key takeaway: there's a crucial difference between relevant outreach and mere personalization. While personalization might be a casual nod (like, "Saw we both went to ABC school. Go Alphabets!"), relevant outreach digs deeper: "With your Series B a couple of years ago and your team ramping up AE hirings, am I right in thinking you're prepping for another round? Key Strategies: Digestibility is Key: I focus on proper spacing, low word count, soft CTAs, and mobile-friendly content. The easier it is to read, the better! Multiple Channels: If I don’t get a response after my first email, I reach out on LinkedIn to open another channel—just a friendly nudge to chat. Embrace Unconventional Methods: My final touch? A text with a voice memo! While sending a text might be controversial, it’s effective. Everyone checks their phones, and voice memos have a higher engagement rate than traditional voicemails. Plus, I can re-record as many times as needed! “My goal? To stay top-of-mind for at least 48 hours. If anything I shared resonates, the prospect will think it over and hopefully reach back out.” --- 💡 The takeaway? Cold outreach isn't just about being seen; it's about creating a thoughtful, engaging experience that makes prospects want to connect. Happy prospecting!!! P.S. DM me if you have a recent example of cold outreach that led to a meeting!

If you are writing sales messaging that could apply to anybody in your TAM, you're writing sales copy that nobody gives AF about. OUCH! I know that might be hard to hear, but here's the hack to better segment your TAM in 2025. ➡️ The harsh truth is that Founders who take a "boil the ocean" approach to selling in will fail. Here's how you can get better results in 3 steps: Step 1 - Move your focus from everybody who *could* possibly buy from you to the group of folks who are most likely to buy now, buy at a high price point, and later renew or be a referral source. Step 2 - From that much smaller group of accounts, create segments. These are not the traditional segments that help your organize your territories. These are segments that help you speak the language of a deep sub-set of prospects. I suggest at least 5 layers of segmentation blending firmographic data, signals, and contact-level data. EXAMPLE: You sell production line automation software. You believe your ICP is: US-based supply chain executives in manufacturing organizations with at least 1k employees. Great start, but it's time to add 5+ layers of segmentation before you can create a message that matters. Segment 1: Midwest "Manufacturing Belt" only Segment 2: Chief Supply Chain Officers only Segment 3: Machinery manufacturing only Segment 4: 50,000 to 100,000 employees Segment 5: New CFO hired in the past year Now you are only speaking to the CSCO or a sub-industry working in the region where you have the strongest social proof. By tightening the employee range you know they have a big enough problem to solve (+ can pick the best name drops) and a new CFO signals an openness to (re)explore cost-saving software. Step 3 - Use this process to launch dozens of micro-campaigns that speak to specific sub-sets of your territory because you've created enough segmentation to be 99% sure your copy will be RELEVANT to them. This is THE only way I've found to personalize at scale. I love teaching orgs how to better segment their accounts and create segment-specific value props. I call it #ValueBasedSegmentation ➡️ The result is: - Highly relevant copy - Emails that can be fully automated - High CTRs/replies without tedious personalization 📌 How do you personalize at scale?