The best cold email I ever received

In my career, I’ve sent and I’ve received many, many cold emails that have resulted in a huge spectrum of emotional reactions. But there’s one I received recently that really stood out to me (in a good way!), so I thought I’d share and break down all the ways this simple 4-sentence note is a full master class in great emails.

What made this email great:

• It’s short and simple

• The tone is casually respectful

• The intro is one clear line

• There’s a no-pressure ask

• It establishes our mission alignment 

• It sows seeds for a long term relationship 

The full email and lessons, below the jump. 

shared with permission from Arash Sadighi

It’s short and simple, making it easy to digest and remember

It was very easy to visually scan this email. Each sentence is a separate paragraph and it’s only four sentences long. For busy people with twitter-length attention spans, this format is perfect. Four sentences is enough to efficiently start a connection - if there’s interest in what you’re proposing, there will be a future avenue to share more info.

Sentence 1: The tone is casually respectful, and establishes our connection

He gave me props but without being overly complimentary; he mentioned that we have mutual connections to show that we operate in similar worlds and increase the chance I’d see him as a peer and a real person, not just some random cold calling robot. Also, mentioning that he saw our news on both Twitter & LinkedIn, both places we’re active, made me feel like he really inhabits the same online spaces as we do. (He didn’t even have to mention who our mutuals are; it was still effective for establishing some level of credibility and familiarity.) It all helped make me feel like this was a personalized email and not just a standard spam blast that goes out to everyone. Since we’re in the startup space which tends to operate in this casual but to the point manner, he likely knew that this is just the right tone to strike to show he’s of the startup world too.

Sentence 2: A simple intro does the trick

He encapsulates who he is and what he does in one, very simple sentence, and links out in case I want more info or examples. Brief and clear. I’m sure there’s a ton more he could’ve included about how he’s different from others and how it all works, but this is enough to establish who he is in my mind; I can engage further if I need to.

Also - it’s very straightforward and clear. Often, other cold emails create false pretenses or hide the intent of what a person is going after. This really doesn’t help anyone. 

Sentence 3: The no-pressure ask stands out

This is the softest sell email I’ve ever received from someone in real estate - and that makes it stand out. Both residential and commercial real estate are full of hard sells and I feel like I’m constantly getting pinged with irrelevant information or listings. Instead, Arash suggested ONE relevant idea for how I could use his services, and puts zero pressure on but suggesting we talk if it makes sense “down the line.” It’s also focused on my needs and what I want, not on what he’s trying to offer. Such a refreshing and positive way to put things, especially when others are demanding your time and attention immediately and wouldn’t get any better of a result.

Sentence 4: Mission alignment makes us feel like we’re on the same side

Like sentence 1, he establishes camaraderie by spelling out how we’re aligned in our goals. It’s a nice way to evoke positive feelings and open the door for a potential bond. It makes us feel like we’re on the same team rather than on opposite sides of a negotiating table.

Despite the great email - I didn’t respond to his offer - he didn’t get a sale

I’ll be honest. This was the very best cold email I have received all year (and maybe ever). But I still didn’t respond to his offer. 

Why? Well - what he didn’t know is that we have low space needs, and they are filled in different ways - including friendly partnerships and an Industrious membership. Plus, my very good friend Sheena works in the very same space as him, she’s great at her job, and I would go to her if I needed anything more bespoke. 

So even if you write the very very best cold emails, nothing guarantees a response because you don’t know the situation of the person on the receiving end. You also can’t assume you know the reason why someone didn’t respond. So, you tweak another batch of messages and try again. 

Yet - long-term, there’s a warm relationship building

I actually ran into Arash at a startup event a week or two later, and he was just as low-key friendly in person as I expected from his kind email. We had a lovely chat and laughed about the cold email. Now he’s cemented even further in my memory, and if I or anyone else I know ever need anything, I know he’s there. 

(Now that I look back - I wonder if he sent that note knowing we’d be at the same event soon after and would have a seemingly organic run-in. If so, that would be an even more genius move. Take note for your playbook.)

Cold messages have an important place in building a company. You won’t always have a direct relationship or connection with the person you’re trying to reach. But if you’re going to take up someone’s time with an email, LinkedIn message or phone call - remember - it doesn’t take a lot of words to establish mutual respect, and it’s far more likely to leave a positive impression. Down the line, that positive impression is much more likely to turn into a sale.

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