Is Cold Emailing Dead or Just Undergoing a Transformation?

Your alarm goes off at 6:00 am and your first thought is not necessarily a cheerful one. However, in the realm of outbound marketing, your mornings might be even more daunting if you still rely on traditional outbound telemarketing techniques. If you have been in this field for any length of time, you would go as far as to say that the fact that someone is still cold calling, cold emailing, or relying on outbound telemarketing in general is not particularly surprising. The reason behind this is simple: the success rate for cold calling and cold emailing is as low as 2% according to the Harvard Business Review.

The Challenges of Cold Contact

The problem is that the success rate for cold calling is dismal to say the least. The variables involved in cold calling make it difficult for successful outreach. For instance, the caller is faceless and unknown to the person on the other end of the line. Furthermore, the person being called may be busy or not in the mood to talk. On top of that, they are likely receiving solicitation calls from dozens, if not hundreds, of other callers that day. The combination of these factors significantly reduces the chances of making a sale.

The Decline of Cold Calling and the Rise of Warm Calling

This is why most experienced salespeople cringe at the idea of cold calling. They know how difficult it can be and that the likelihood of success is minimal. Consequently, many companies have opted to avoid using cold calling altogether. However, this does not mean that companies are not seeking new business. In fact, some would argue that they are looking to acquire more business than ever before. So, where do they go from here? The answer lies with what today's successful salespeople call warm calling and telemarketing.

Introduction of Warm Emailing and Telemarketing

Warm calling and telemarketing take the time to establish a relationship with the person they are speaking to. This can result in a sale as opposed to bombarding the person with a sales pitch right off the bat. In many cases, the goal is to introduce yourself and share a common interest or connection before making any sales pitch. This allows the person to feel more comfortable and builds trust.

Types of Warm Outreach

Introductory Calls: This is when a telemarketer reaches out to someone directly and introduces themselves. The goal here is to gain credibility and rapport by sharing some sort of common interest or connection and as a result, this can lead to an introduction down the line. Re-connecting: This is when a company recognizes your potential – maybe you have been on their mailing list – and they reach out to establish a connection with you. They may report on major milestones achieved since your last interaction or simply inform you about new products or services that have been added. Regardless of what it says, it's all part of building trust so that you are more likely to buy when they reach out to you with a proposal.

The Shift from Cold to Warm

The key difference between cold calling and warm calling is that the latter takes the time to establish a relationship with the person they are speaking to. In today's market, cold emailing is not dead; it has simply undergone a transformation. Successful telemarketers are now turning towards warm calling and cold emailing as their primary tool.

The focus is no longer solely on immediate sales but on building long-term relationships. Whether through cold emailing or warm calling, the goal is to create a connection that can lead to future business opportunities. Instead of seeing telemarketing as a dreaded task, think of it as an opportunity to connect with new prospects and build relationships that could benefit both parties in the long run.

By investing time in relationship-building and tailored messaging, companies can increase the effectiveness of their outreach and ultimately achieve better results in their sales efforts.