Originally published on Forbes in Oct 2024. This article has been republished here.
20 Unique And Effective Cold Outreach Strategies
Finding and connecting with qualified leads is a crucial part of any business development strategy. While some prospects may naturally discover you through mutual connections or your shared content, others may never get the opportunity unless you make the first contact.
Though a cold outreach approach can feel daunting, it can also help you make meaningful business connections and, ultimately, boost your organization’s success. Below, 20 members of Forbes Business Development Council share some unique and effective cold outreach strategies to entice your prospects.
1. Practice ‘Smart Brevity’
In finance and professional services, many of us are experimenting with Smart Brevity (coined by Axios), which is a communication mechanism for concise but impactful written communication. In an attention economy where we are often inundated with emails and other notes, Smart Brevity can be a way to cut through the noise; the goal is to be concise while still communicating your value prop. – Rishi Sharma, Stout
2. Invite Industry Leaders To Share Their Expertise
Through a podcast I run on quantum computers (“The Superposition Guy’s Podcast”), I’ve done cold outreach by inviting leaders to appear on my podcast. This generates fascinating content for my audience, establishes an initial relationship and allows us to explore areas of mutual interest. – Yuval Boger, QuEra Computing
3. Create Personalized Case Studies
An effective cold outreach tactic is using personalized video case studies targeting C-suite executives. These brief, tailored videos showcase successful business transformation implementations, addressing specific pain points and demonstrating how the solution streamlined operations and reduced costs. This relevant, value-driven approach leads to higher engagement. – Kiran Yelamaneni, TCS
4. Include A Specific CTA In Your Preview Text
Have a well-crafted preview text. For instance, “Improve Your Data Insights Now” with a preview text such as “Find out how our solution helped clients see 40% more accuracy in their reports” provides a clear, enticing value proposition that encourages me to open the email and learn more. A preview text with a specific call-to-action can significantly increase open rates. – Sanjay Annadate, LatentView Analytics
5. Engage With Key Personas To Reach Decision-Makers
I always advise my teams to avoid cold outreach; every contact should have a purpose. Start by identifying four key personas within the account, then engage with influencers and champions to gather valuable insights on their current situation. Use these insights and leverage them as a referral to connect with decision-makers—who are budget holders! This makes you a trusted advisor versus a seller. – Pradeepa Kolli, LHH (The Adecco Group)
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6. Personalize Your Message And Cut The Fluff
In my experience, utilizing these three tactics has proven to be effective: 1. Offer personalized value, like kicking off the email with an insightful comment on the recent work of the recipient; 2. Remove the fluff. Don’t waste email preview real estate with “How are you?”; 3. Get right to the point using quantifiable success metrics. – Kristen Dolan, Influential
7. Leverage Mutual Connections
Making introductions through mutual connections is a great cold outreach tactic, even if it’s indirect. Referencing a shared acquaintance, group or experience creates a point of commonality between yourself and the contact. Researching industry associations in common and referencing a group or event you are both part of can also be effective. The shared experience can foster a sense of trust. – Kevin Thornton, Informa Markets
8. Record A Personalized Video Message
One effective cold outreach tactic I’ve used is sending a personalized video message. Instead of a standard email, I recorded a short video addressing the recipient by name, highlighting specific challenges they face and explaining how my solution could help. This tactic worked because it stood out, showed effort and built a personal connection, making it more likely to get a response. – Rahul Saluja, Cyient
9. Offer A Free Resource Or Solution
A tailored value-first approach works best—starting with a brief, personalized insight about the prospect’s business and offering a free resource or solution. It works because it shows genuine interest and offers immediate value, building trust from the start. – Umberto Cavallaro, AscoService
10. Send A CV To Highlight Your Company’s Value
The best tactic is one that stands out through an out-of-the-box approach, creating a memorable impression that can lead to long-term success. For example, sending a CV to a hiring manager—not to showcase a candidate but to demonstrate how your company can address their needs as a business partner—can make a lasting impact. This is currently being tested in an ABM campaign! – Anna Jankowska, RTB House
11. Connect With A Book And A Handwritten Note
One unique cold outreach tactic I’ve used is sending a handwritten note along with a small, relevant book. This personal touch stands out in the digital age and shows genuine effort. It worked because it created a memorable impression and demonstrated a thoughtful approach, making the recipient more likely to engage. – Sidharth Ramsinghaney, Twilio
12. Share Content Aligned With Your Prospects’ Interests
Instead of sending a typical follow-up email, I tried something different by saying, “I came across this article and thought of our last conversation.” By sharing relevant content that aligned with their interests, it demonstrated that I was genuinely paying attention and invested in our relationship. This approach added value to the outreach and made them more open to continuing the conversation. – Bryce Welker, The CPA Exam Guy
13. Engage On LinkedIn First
My favorite cold outreach tactic is engaging with a prospect’s LinkedIn content before reaching out. By liking or commenting on their posts, you build familiarity. When you finally connect, offer something of value, like insights or relevant resources. This approach works because it prioritizes relationship-building and adds value, making the outreach feel more genuine and welcomed. – Michael Fritsch, Smarter Operations
14. Set Clear Expectations For Your Follow-Up Messages
Without compromising on your reasons for reaching out, what I feel works great is if you set clear expectations. What I mean is, at your initial attempt, clearly indicate that you are going to follow up or schedule a meeting invite at a specific date and time. We all know that it’s difficult to get a prospect talking in the first attempt, so this lays the groundwork for your next engagement attempt. – Mustansir Paliwala, EQUANS
15. Connect With New Employees
I have observed that the conversion rate is higher when cold emails are sent in the first few months of someone taking on a new role. A personalized, customized and relevant outreach at this phase has had an outsized conversion rate, in my experience. – Roshin Unnikrishnan, Cisco
16. Find Market Segments With Similar MVPs
There are many tools for cold outreach to contact potential customers via email, text message, phone call and so on. The most effective way will be verifying market segments that have experienced a similar minimum viable product if the contact information is available. The target segment will bring more active feedback from potential customers throughout the cold outreach. – Gyehyon Andrea Jo, MVLASF
17. Include Interactive Content
One cold outreach tactic I’ve used is sharing interactive content like surveys, quizzes or calculators tailored to the prospect’s industry. For example, if you offer a solution for reducing operational costs, you could send a personalized calculator that estimates potential savings. This content engages audiences more deeply, leading to higher engagement and a more memorable experience. – Salice Thomas, Wipro Limited
18. Consider Doing A ‘Walk-In Pitch’
One effective cold outreach tactic is the “walk-in pitch,” where you visit a prospective client in person without an appointment. In today’s digital-heavy world, this stands out by showing commitment and adding a personal touch. It grabs attention, builds rapport and can lead to quicker, more meaningful connections than traditional virtual methods. – Scott Hozebin, StrideMD
19. Participate In Your Prospects’ Events
Once, I joined a prospect’s webinar and participated actively in the seminar. I later approached the speakers with follow-ups and established a connection (LinkedIn and other platforms). This led to building trust and seriousness in my pursuit, and more importantly, I was able to connect at a personal level. After a few interactions, my connections referred me internally to the right contacts. – Srinivas Vadhri, Kestone Integrated Marketing Solutions
20. Align Value Propositions With Prospects’ Achievements And Challenges
Creating bespoke value propositions that align with a prospect’s recent achievements or challenges has proven successful. Everyone loves the story of building something meaningful towards ultimate success. This approach shows you’ve done your homework and are focused on their needs, providing more meaningful conversations and outcomes. This puts the customer at the center, where they are the hero. – Curtis Brinkerhoff, Impartner, Inc.
