Cold Email Still Works (If You're Not Doing It Like Everyone Else)

Every few months someone declares that "cold email is dead."

It's not dead. It's just that most people are doing it terribly.

If you're getting 0.5% reply rates and zero meetings, it's not because cold email doesn't work. It's because you're doing what everyone else is doing.

Here's what most bad cold email looks like:

Subject: Quick question about [Company Name]

Body: Hey [First Name],

I noticed you're the [Job Title] at [Company]. We help companies like yours [generic value prop]. We've worked with [name drop] and [name drop] to achieve [vague results].

Would you be open to a quick 15-min call to discuss how we could help [Company]?

Best, [Your Name]

This email sucks. You know it sucks. The prospect knows it sucks.

It's obvious you sent this to 500 people. There's no specificity. No reason for them to care. No reason to respond.

What Actually Works

Good cold email feels like it was written specifically for that person.

Not because you spent 30 minutes researching their company (though that helps). But because you understand their world deeply enough that your message resonates immediately.

Here's what changes:

1. Your subject line isn't trying to trick anyone

Stop with the "quick question" and "following up" subject lines. Everyone sees through it.

Just be direct. "Scaling outbound at [Company Name]" works better than "Re: Your LinkedIn post."

2. Your first line proves you're not a bot

Reference something specific. A recent funding round. A product launch. A job posting. Something that shows you actually looked at their company.

Not in a creepy way. In a "I actually did 60 seconds of research" way.

3. Your value prop is specific, not generic

"We help SaaS companies grow faster" is meaningless.

"We book 10-15 qualified demos per month for B2B SaaS companies selling to mid-market" is specific.

See the difference?

4. Your CTA is low-pressure

Stop asking for calls right away. Most people aren't ready for that.

Ask if they're even interested in solving the problem. Give them an out. "Not the right time? No worries."

Low-pressure = higher response rates.

The Technical Stuff Matters Too

Even if your copy is great, you'll get nowhere if:

• Your domains aren't warmed up properly

• You're sending from a domain with no email history

• Your SPF/DKIM/DMARC isn't set up right

• You're sending 500 emails a day from one mailbox

Deliverability is boring, but it's the difference between landing in the inbox vs. the spam folder.

Most people skip this part. Then they wonder why their emails aren't getting replies.

The Bottom Line

Cold email works when:

• Your copy is specific and relevant

• Your technical setup is solid

• You're targeting the right people

• You're not sending the same template as everyone else

If you're doing those things and still not getting meetings, let's talk. Either your offer sucks (possible) or something in your execution is off (more likely).

Either way, cold email isn't dead. You're just doing it wrong.

Talk soon,

Lourenço