Cold email writing is not as simple as it seems. Every line must hook your prospects in and bring them to your site. For structuring your copy, you can use powerful formulas and improve the cold email reply rate.
We have put together this article, by combining our team of marketing experts’ years of a unique experience with the best strategies and techniques (Cold Email Formulas) from professionals around the world.
AIDA (ATTENTION, INTERESTS, DESIRES, AND ACTION) or Personal Approach
AIDA is probably the most common copywriting model, which is targeted at a specific reader. Use this formula to make your emails more personal and recipient-centric. Also, AIDA-based emails won’t look like blasts but like friendly offers.
AIDA’s elements are as follows:
Attention- You need to grab the prospect’s attention with the subject line or opening sentence. Find out what will make them notice you.
Interest- Attract the target audience’s attention by appealing to their interest or pain points. Don’t make it all about you; it’s all about them.
Desire- By leveraging social proof, scarcity effect, exclusivity, or explaining how your offering will change the prospect’s life, you can create a desire for your offer.
Action- After capturing your lead’s attention, persuading them to take action, and building a wish for your offer, your email should end with an exclusive request for action. You shouldn’t overburden them with options.
For instance,
It is brevity that makes this email so short. In my opinion, this perfectly illustrates the one thing you need to bear in mind when you write cold emails-keep them short to increase the chances of them being read. Let’s look at the next formula in brevity.
BBB(A BRIEF, BLUNT, and BASIC) or Get to the Point
It is better to keep it short. Short and simple is appreciated. Do not use unnecessary adjectives and do not go round in circles. Follow these guidelines when writing a BBB email.
Brief- Keeping it brief is the best way to ensure effectiveness. Shorter emails lead to faster responses.
Blunt – Get to the point quickly. Tell us what you can offer and why it may be useful.
Basic- Maintain a basic level of simplicity. Keep sentences and words simple. Always keep the recipient in mind when writing an email.
For instance,
Never ask for an appointment. Cold email formulas produce the shortest email letters, so every word must be useful.
Create a BAB (BEFORE, AFTER, and, BRIDGE) or image
With the BAB formula, your offer is customized to meet the needs and wants of your recipient:
Before- Describe a challenge that your prospects face. Your product or service should only be listed as being able to reduce or solve the problems and consequences.
After- In the end, show them how awesome the future could be without this problem. Include specific statistics and numbers.
Bridge- Provide a bridge to the future by explaining how your product or service can help them achieve it.
Each element of the formula should have a short paragraph. Also, it is crucial to include a call to action.
Cold email formulas can lead to a successful campaign. This system works because it relies on the Freudian pleasure principle, which states that humans search instinctively for pleasure and avoid pain. Pain and pleasure are motivating factors for people.
PAS (PROBLEM, AGITATE and, SOLVE) or Pain Points
The PAS formula is also based on identifying a unique pain point, similar to the BAB formula. Rather than showing the glittering future, you are only adding salt to the wound. Let’s see how it goes:
Problem- Identify where the problem lies.
Agitate- Describe the specifics of the problem to hammer home its severity. Use examples, your own experience, or references to sources to back up your statement.
Solve- You should be the hero at this stage with a solution to the problem.
There is a greater motivation to perform under the PAS formula because pain is a stronger motivator than pleasure. A person is more likely to take action to avoid possible negative consequences than to achieve a positive outcome. The recipient will be motivated to seek a solution if they imagine how the problem could get worse or impact other aspects of their lives.
Your prospect needs to feel just enough frustration from the Problem and Agitate elements to prompt action. Solve your prospects’ problems completely – never agitate them with problems your product or service cannot resolve.
QVC (QUESTION, VALUE PROPOSITION and, CALL TO ACTION) or The Question
Do you know that starting an email with a question draws the recipient’s attention? Cold emails should also contain three to five sentences. Use the helpful QVC formula below if you need help managing this complex task.
Question- It is not necessary to introduce yourself. Ask a question that is closely related to your offer and the recipient’s problem instead of going straight to the point.
Value Proposition- Your value proposition should focus on what sets you apart from the competition.
Your email should conclude with a strong call to action. Close your presentation with an actionable call to action. In the same way as BBB, QVC should be concise and powerful. Make sure you pay attention to every word.
One of the most effective strategies to hook your prospects is to use this formula. Think of your email as a friendly recommendation, not as a desperate attempt to gain attention.
PPP (Praise, Picture, and Push) or Be Nice
PPP works again due to psychology: being praised, even by strangers, releases dopamine, which means your mood improves.
Praise- In some way, praise your prospect to open up a dialogue. Compliments are as pleasurable as receiving money. Use them to start your email.
Picture- Make a cause-and-effect diagram to demonstrate how your product or service can help your prospects. This will increase your credibility.
Push- Make them curious by giving a hint of your offer, but don’t go into too much detail. Don’t provide too much information, and just enough to excite the prospect.
Praise is an element we’ve seen many marketers overlook with this formula, which is a mistake we’ve seen many marketers make.
This is the main component of the formula that influences your prospects’ decisions the most. Don’t give empty praise; make sure it’s a real, specific, and important accomplishment.
Don’t overpraise your prospect mention just one or two things that set them apart to keep the human touch without sounding too salesy.
SCH (STAR, CHAIN, and, HOOK) or Star of the Show
There are many similarities between the SCH formula and the AIDA formula, but its key parts are more distinct and specific. Follow these steps:
Star- Introduce your idea, service, or product as the star of the show. Your opening should be positive and catchy.
Chain- A chain of facts, benefits, and reasons will help you turn the recipient’s attention into interest and then into a desire for your star.
Hook- An effective call to action is the hook.
The chain component is the most important. It should support your star and hook with enough data, reports, testimonials, case studies, and examples. For better conversions, add details about any current discounts or offers that will convince your prospect to act today. This formula allows for a great deal of creativity in your copy.
SSS (Star, Story, and, Solutions) or Stir Their Feelings
SSS consists of three elements focusing on characters:
Star- Your idea, product, service, or new feature can be the star of your story. You or your prospect can be the star.
Story- Talk about the problem that the star faces in this paragraph. Make it engrossing and coherent.
Solution- Describe how the star went on to achieve a successful result.
Your story does not need to be overly dramatic. Find out what troubles your prospects and appeal to their emotions. As a result, you will be distinguishable from your competitors.
Make sure that your final copy is convincing and genuine enough for your coworkers to give you feedback if you don’t have much copywriting experience.
BYAF (Buy You Are Free) or let them go
Using the BYAF technique, you will gain compliance in a very simple and efficient manner. You can implement it simply by stating that a prospect can refuse your request or offer. More than 22,000 participants in 42 independent psychological studies have proven their effectiveness.
When you acknowledge the freedom of your target audience to say “no”, you grow your response rate overall and double your chances of receiving an affirmative response.
Yes, it is that simple!
We use this formula the most often. BYAF doesn’t require much planning or structure, as it removes any pressure that a prospect may have to respond to your offer as a result of receiving a cold email. Furthermore, it makes you appear more friendly to the prospect, which always works in your favor.
RDM (THE READER’S DIGEST MODEL) or the Classic
In his classic book Tested Advertising Methods, John Caples studied the structure of Reader’s Digest articles to develop this model.
In his opinion, the best articles have several characteristics in common:
- They contain facts
- with specifics
- with few adjectives
- the sentences are telegraphic
- and evoke curiosity
A good email copy will have these characteristics mentioned by any email marketer. Be sure to conclude with a compelling call to action or an open question that will get the recipient’s attention.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we’ve explored the top 10 cold email formulas to help you retrieve email addresses for free. These simple and friendly techniques are designed to increase your chances of success in reaching out to potential contacts.
By using these cold email formulas, you can effectively build connections and expand your network. So, go ahead and give these formulas a try – you never know what opportunities may arise!
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