Newsletter: If You Must Send a Cold Email, Do This 📮; 5 Ways to Secure Meetings with Top Prospects 🤝 ; How to Improve Your Pitch, According to Hollywood 🤩
I don't recommend sending cold emails to prospective partners. I have a rule I've been teaching people during my coaching sessions that you shouldn't email a prospect unless you have...
An overwhelming value proposition that must be shared (e.g. "The audience that attends my event is the perfect audience for your business...")
A personal connection or referral that can put you on the prospect's radar screen. (e.g. "Joe Waters suggested I contact you...")
However, sometimes people just want to send that cold email to see what happens. It's like pulling the lever on a slot machine - it's irresistible for some people! 🎰
Here are my suggestions to improve your chances of hitting the jackpot with a cold email.
Structure Matters. Start by telling people who you are and what you want. The two most important ingredients are the value proposition - what's in it for them - and the call-to-action (CTA) - the specific action you want them to take.
Keep it short. 150-250 words max. I'm serious. Not one word more. No one wants to read a long email. No one. Not your spouse. Not your best friend. And certainly not your prospect.
What comes next is critical. It's not about the email per se. It's what follows the email. If the prospect responds your next step is easy. But what if they don't? What's your plan? Send them another email??? Take a step-down on your CTA and ask them to do something else, like signup for your partnership newsletter???
The key with cold emails is not to send them, well, cold!! You need a strategy and a plan. What's yours?
✍️ Partnership Notes
1. How a family-owned business with 32 locations in three states took a stand after the Buffalo shooting.
2. Five ways to secure meetings with top prospects. What would YOU add to this list?
3. A nice round-up here on how fashion and cosmetic brands responded to the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
4. I was surprised I got so many comments last week on 1-800-Flowers.com's Pride Collection to support GLADD.
People replied that their definition of "net proceeds" was, in one reader's words, "insane." 😂. Another reader wrote: "Good luck figuring how much their donation is."
Others commented on what other brands weren't doing for Pride Month.
Newsletter reader Jordan McAuley wrote:
“Hey it's better than Peloton. Their Pride Apparel collection this year has only two items: a hoodie and socks, with no mention of a charitable donation. Peloton has a large LGBTQ+ membership plus many of their instructors are gay.
Who wants to wear a hoodie in June? The socks have PRIDE on the bottom where no one will see it, not to mention you're basically stepping on PRIDE :)
I'm a Peloton user and disappointed. They are getting a lot of pushback and angry people on social media over this. I know every company can't be perfect, but with Peloton's issues lately and its large LGBTQ+ base, you'd think they would do better.”
🤑 Marketing Your Cause
1. How you can improve your pitch, according to Hollywood.
2. How images drive email marketing (and social media marketing, search marketing, etc.). Love the point on using "image words" in the subject line.
3. The Nashville Public Library's "I read banned books" library card has become as popular as its banned books!
😎 Cool Jobs in Cause
1. Vice President, Corporate Support, Buffalo Toronto Public Media, Buffalo ($90k - $120k)
2. Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Minneapolis
3. Corporate Development Director, Heart Challenge, American Heart Association, Austin
4. Director, Corporate Partnership - Pharma & Life Sciences, Susan G. Komen, Remote
🧠🍌 Brain Food
1. Our lives would all be better if we revived our sense of wonder.😮 A must-read article!
2. This is just what we all need for when our Zoom meetings are in different time zones.🕝 You're welcome.
3. Why people hated (HATED!) shopping carts when they first came out. 🛒 Fascinating!
