How well do your cold email messages connect with prospects?

If you're getting open rates below 30% and a response rate less than 5% you probably should rethink your emails and spend more time on crafting more personalized messages.

The CEO of Fortune 500 company and the manager of a coffee shop have different responsibilities, so it doesn't make sense to target them with the same emails. No matter who your prospects are, they desire highly relevant messages that appeal directly to their specific needs.

1. Understand your who your target persona is before you begin

Before you start your cold email campaigns, make sure you've done your homework. Think about the buyer persona/s you want to target. Who will benefit the most from your product/service? Where are they at in their sale cycle? How will they use your product/service?

The best way to do this is to talk to people who fall into your audience of potential buyers or existing customers, but you can also gain information by looking at the Twitter and Linkedin accounts of people who fit in your audience. Make notes of what they have in common, and pay special attention to how people describe them in Linkedin recommendations.

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you narrow your target audience, enabling you to craft cold emails that are more human.

2. Identify your persona's unique pain points

People respond more when they can directly relate to an email. Feature-focused messages listing all the fancy bells and whistles of your product/service aren't exciting. Your prospects are only interested in how these features can benefit them and their business.

Instead of wasting time talking about all the awards your company is racking up, think about your product/service from the perspective of your prospects. What types of responsibilities do they have? What problems does your persona/s face on a daily basis? How can your product/service improve your prospects' lives?

Your prospects want to feel that you truly understand them and their lives. You'll get a lot more responses when you reach out to them with a genuine, benefit-focused message that is centered on their needs and desires.

If you're interested in crafting highly personalized cold emails that will get you dozens and even hundreds of qualified leads, download our free Fool Proof Cold Email Guide