{"id":836,"date":"2020-05-07T14:40:41","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T14:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wiza.co\/blog\/?p=836"},"modified":"2023-10-30T20:33:02","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T20:33:02","slug":"cold-email-phrases-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wiza.co\/blog\/cold-email-phrases-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Cold Email Phrases to Avoid in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I hope you\u2019re staying safe and sane in these trying times. <\/em>
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Do you feel comforted or bored? Be honest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promising cold email copy can quickly turn into a cliche. 
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Boredom (or, worse, annoyance) is the last thing you want your prospects to experience when they open your cold email. Casual writing can do the trick. You just have to make sure you get your message right. But what works and what doesn\u2019t? To distill an answer into a quick list of \u201cdon\u2019t do this ever\u201d<\/strong> phrases, we turned to both experts on cold email and our own experience as we build Wiza. 
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These phrases are ineffective at best, and dishonest and or off putting at worst. Let\u2019s all write better cold emails.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1: \u201cHi, my name is Brooklin and I work at Wiza.\u201d <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Opening your email with the wrong focus is a good way to lose your prospects before they even finish the first line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The phrase shows your lead two things right off the bat:
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  1. You\u2019ve done 0 research into them and their company.<\/li>
  2. You have 0 interest in personalizing your offer and pitch to the challenges they face. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    You have 2 seconds to grab their attention. Make good use of it by making the first line about them. <\/em>Drop the intro further down. 
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    Ideally, you would have already followed or connected with them on social media, so the cold intro isn\u2019t always necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    #2: \u201cWould you like to schedule a time to chat?\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Dayana Mayfield, an cold email copywriter, is not a fan of jumping to the \u201cquick 15-minute call.\u201d 
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    Neither are we, to be honest. Here\u2019s what Dayana has to say about this particular CTA.  
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    \"cold<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cPeople should stop trying to go straight for requesting a call and instead ask something that starts a conversation.\u201d <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Dayana has a great alternative: ask a simple, yes\/no question as your CTA. Prospects will find it easier to respond, and you\u2019ll almost certainly see your engagement rate shoot up. 
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    Even when we do mention the possibility of a call, we make it less demanding and, ultimately, bring it back to how we <\/em>can help them<\/em> so that we Strike<\/a> a chord.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    #3: \u201cI\u2019m following up on\u2026\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    This one is less common but equally annoying. Including a line like this is a good way to grab a lead\u2019s attention, but it\u2019s generally dishonest (or misleading at best). 
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    Professor Ben Hippeli calls it one of his \u201cInstant Delete\u201d phrases in cold email. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"cold<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cUnless I recognize who the email is coming from, I\u2019m deleting that email.\u201d <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Save the \u2018follow up\u2019 for someone you\u2019ve truly already engaged with elsewhere.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    #4: \u201cI\u2019ve been following your stuff for awhile.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Speaking of bad cold emails coming off as disingenuous.
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    Nothing turns off someone who receives 10+ cold pitches a day quite like this phrase \u2014 which is false 99% of the time. Victor Ijidola, a B2B content strategist, puts it as succinctly as possible.
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    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Whether you\u2019re pitching content marketers or making initial contact with high-level prospects, save this sentiment for when it\u2019s actually true. Steer away from gushing over their work unless you have been engaging on social channels ahead of outreach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    #5: \u201cLooking forward to hearing from you.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Intros are key, but the way you end a cold email can have a big impact as well. Check out what B2B growth hacker Patrick Hellstrom, has to say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"cold<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The phrase may seem innocuous. And it probably is, in most cases. But some prospects take issue with this outro for two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. It brings the conversation back to you <\/em>instead of keeping it on them. <\/em><\/li>
    2. They\u2019re pointless words. They\u2019re not saying anything. They\u2019re moot (see what I did there?)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Point is, keep the focus on your prospect even as you sign off. Try something simple like \u201ctake care\u201d or a secondary CTA like \u201cThink it over and let me know\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      #6: \u201cSorry\u2026\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      You don\u2019t have to be the Don Draper of sales, but you shouldn\u2019t resort to self-deprecation either.
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      Avoid saying sorry. In any form. 
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