Cold Outreach That Doesn’t Suck

How to Craft Outbound That Gets Responses

Most cold outreach is garbage.

You’ve seen it. The LinkedIn messages that start with “Hope you’re doing well!” before launching into a generic pitch. The emails that read like they were written by AI and approved by a committee. The cold calls that sound like a script from a bad sales training video.

If your outbound isn’t getting responses, it’s probably because it’s boring, generic, or annoying. Here’s how to fix that.

1. Get to the Point—Fast

Nobody has time for a five-paragraph email. If your message takes more than a few seconds to skim, it’s going in the trash.

• Bad: “Hey [First Name], I came across your profile and was really impressed with your background. I wanted to reach out and introduce myself…”

• Better: “Hey [First Name], I saw you’re [doing X]. I have an idea that could help—interested?”

Your prospect should know what you want within the first sentence.

2. Make It About Them, Not You

Most outreach fails because it’s all about the sender—their company, their product, their amazing features. Nobody cares.

Instead, focus on:

• Their pain points (What problem do they have that you can solve?)

• Their goals (How can you help them win faster?)

• Their time (Respect it—don’t waste it with fluff.)

3. Personalization > Automation

People can smell a templated email from a mile away. If you’re blasting out the same message to 500 people, don’t be surprised when nobody responds.

Better approach:

• Mention something specific about their company, role, or recent activity.

• Tie your offer directly to their challenges.

• Keep it short, relevant, and easy to reply to.

4. End with a Simple Ask

The worst way to close an email? “Let me know if you’d like to chat.”

It’s vague, passive, and easy to ignore. Instead, make the next step clear and low-commitment:

• “Does a quick 10-minute chat next Tuesday work?”

• “Mind if I send over a quick Loom video with more details?”

• “Are you the right person for this, or should I talk to someone else?”

Final Thought: Stop Sounding Like Everyone Else

Cold outreach works if you don’t sound like every other person flooding inboxes with generic pitches.

Be direct. Be human. Be worth replying to. That’s how you get responses.