Cold Email Outreach Tips

I got a killer cold call from a real estate agent. Here’s a transcript of the call. Matt: “Josh, this is Matt. I’m an agent in Boca. Do you still own the home on Marbella Drive?” Me: “I do.” Matt: “I don’t suppose you’re looking to sell it?” Me: “I’m not. I like it here.” Game off for a second. Here’s the thing. When you knock on doors, most of the time people aren’t in buy mode. “I’m not interested in moving” isn’t an objection. It’s reality. Now check out the next thing Matt said. Game on. Matt: “Sounds like that’s your forever home.” My desire to correct kicked in. Me: “Well, I don’t know about forever home.” Opening created. Here was Matt’s ask: “Once a quarter, I send out an email about what homes in Boca Rio are selling for. If you’d like, I can add you to the list.” I said yes. Now Matt will be top of mind if I ever want to sell. When prospects tell you they’re happy with their current vendor, here’s some phraseology that might create an opening: “Sounds like they’re perfect.” “Seems like they check every box.” “Do you mind me asking, are there conditions in which you would consider reviewing your options?” If you want to be a better closer, be a better opener.

I've reviewed 2,500+ resumes last year. Avoid these mistakes that 90% make. 1. Generic Summaries ❌ "Motivated professional seeking opportunities to leverage my skills..." ✅ "Marketing Director who increased e-commerce revenue 47% through data-driven campaigns and strategic partnerships." 2. Missing Numbers ❌ "Led large team and improved sales." ✅ "Led 15-person sales team to deliver $3.2M in new business, exceeding targets by 28%." 3. Cluttered Formatting ❌ Tiny margins, dense paragraphs, and multiple fonts. ✅ Clean headers, consistent bullet points, and enough white space for easy scanning. 4. Outdated Information ❌ Listing your high school achievements and every job since college. ✅ Your most relevant accomplishments from the past 10-15 years that showcase your career progression. 5. RESPONSIBILITY LISTS ❌ "Responsible for managing client relationships and handling complaints." ✅ "Retained 98% of key accounts and turned 3 dissatisfied clients into top referral sources." 6. ATS-UNFRIENDLY DESIGN ❌ Creative formats with graphics, text boxes, and unique fonts. ✅ Clean, standard formatting with relevant keywords that match the job description. Pro Tip: A tool like Teal’s AI Resume Builder can help you avoid ALL these mistakes by helping you: ⮑Turn generic summaries into powerful pitches. ⮑ Back achievements with real numbers. ⮑ Perfect your formatting instantly. ⮑ Showcase relevant experience. ⮑ Transform duties into accomplishments. ⮑ Get noticed by more recruiters. Try it out for free: https://tealhq.co/4aAEY2g Your resume has 7 seconds to make an impression.  Use these tips to make them count. Share this to help others level up their resume! 📈 And follow me for more advice like this. 📌 In addition to being a job search coach, I’m also a part-time career advisor for Teal so if you have any questions about their AI Resume Builder, let me know.

Want to pitch someone on LinkedIn? Read this before you hit “send.” Every week, I get messages that go something like this: “Hi, I’m [Name]. I’ve built this incredible thing. It’s doing amazing work. Here’s why it matters. Can you help me/share it/connect me?” It’s not that I don’t care. I do. But these messages usually miss the mark and here’s why: They center the sender. Not the receiver. Here’s the truth: When you approach someone for the first time, you (and your project, product, or platform) are not the hero of the story. THEY are. If you want someone to care, start by showing that you care about what they do, what they stand for, what they’re building. Read their posts. Watch their interviews. Figure out what they’re trying to solve. Then ask yourself: how does what I’m doing help them win? Make your message less “I need,” and more “Here’s what I see in your work and how I can add value.” Additional tips: 💬 Keep it short. Long-winded intros are overwhelming. You’re not writing your bio, you’re opening a door! Three concise paragraphs is plenty (even less if you can). 🎯 Be specific. Instead of saying, “Let’s collaborate,” say: “I’d love to explore how we could align my youth platform with your mission to build stronger leadership pipelines.” People respond better when they know exactly what you’re asking. What’s your call to action? 🧠 Show you’ve done your homework. A thoughtful compliment goes a long way. “Your post on LinkedIn really made me think.” “I noticed you’ve been working on Y and I’m building something that could support that.” It shows you care enough to listen first. 🤝 Give before you ask. Share a helpful resource. Offer a useful intro. Tell them about an opportunity they might benefit from. Relationships are built on generosity. 📆 Respect their time. Instead of jumping into a call request, consider asking: “Would it be okay if I shared a 1-pager for you to skim in your own time?” People are more open when they don’t feel pressured. Please don’t immediately ask for a call. 💡 Think of it as planting, not picking. Your goal isn’t to “get” something, it’s to begin something. Not all outreach will lead to a project right away, but if done well, it can spark long-term relationships, ideas, and even unexpected opportunities. ✨ Bonus hack: I often ask my clients to count how many times they say “I” vs. “you” when they write to, present to or speak to their stakeholders. If the “I”s win, revise. It’s not listener-centric enough. Connection starts with empathy, not ego. Lead with curiosity. Offer service. That’s how collaborations are born. If these tips are helpful, check out Storytelling and Leadership for more. #Storytelling #AuthenticConnections #LinkedInTips #Leadership #PurposefulWork

Stop (only) applying for jobs. I'm serious. While everyone will help, here is what actually works: ✅ Spend that time building relationships with people at companies you want to work for. Here's the math no one talks about: 100 applications = 2-3 callbacks (if you're lucky) 10 genuine connections = 5-7 opportunities How do I know? Hiring and getting hired are very similar. So far, all my hires were referrals and introductions. All my clients came through the same. I've placed hundreds of designers. The ones who got hired fastest? They weren't the ones with the most applications. They were the ones who: → DMed designers at target companies about their work (I've hired people who did this at Miro) → Commented thoughtfully on posts from hiring managers → Asked for 15-minute coffee chats, not job talk at first → Built relationships BEFORE they needed them (that's the actual gold here) Real example from last week: The designer spent 3 months engaging with the design lead's content. When a role opened up? She got a DM: "We have something perfect for you." Never even posted publicly. Meanwhile, 847 other designers are fighting over the LinkedIn posting 👹 But here's the part no one teaches you — WHO to reach out to: ✓ Someone I aspire to get to know ✓ Someone's career I aspire to have ✓ Someone who works where I'd like to work ✓ Someone who may be going through similar challenges ✓ Someone I will have lots to talk about And here's how I prioritize companies and roles: First, I map out my network: → Find all my previous colleagues — where do they work now? → Find all open roles — what's relevant and what sounds like the best fit? → What can I see about those environments from JDs and career websites? This gives me a targeted list of: ✨ Companies where I already have warm connections ✨ Roles that actually match my skills ✨ Environments I'd thrive in (not just survive) Smart networking > no applications > successful hires. Every. Single. Time. The best jobs aren't advertised. They go to people already in the conversation. So stop being application #248. Start being the person they think of first. Your time is better spent building one real connection than sending 20 applications into the black hole. Trust me on this one. 💬 How did you get your last role: application or connection? Tell me and let's do some market research together ⬇️

In the last 10 days via Instantly.ai: ✅ 18 appointments booked ✅ 9 leads generated in a single day from 1 campaign ✅ First clinic partnership secured for a client Here’s what actually made the difference beyond just “personalization”: I didn't even use Clay. 🔹 Tight ICP filtering – Instead of targeting everyone in our target industry, we narrowed to decision-makers at mid-size companies that recently posted hiring signals, and confirmed their ability to take on additional work. Fewer contacts, higher hit rate. 🔹 Problem-first messaging – Instead of opening with “who we are / what we do,” every sequence started with the cost of their current status quo (missed appointments, staffing gaps, wasted pipeline). That framed the outreach as relevant instead of salesy. Trigger events > endless pitches. 🔹 Structured follow-up cadence – Most replies didn’t come from Email 1. They came from emails 3–4, where we shifted tone: lighter, more conversational, sometimes even with a short one-liner but always built urgency and displayed the ROI of the offer to the prospect. Consistency > cleverness. Outbound isn’t about “sending more.” It’s about sending smarter. If you’re only relying on referrals or inbound, you’re betting on luck. Cold email gives you control over pipeline. 👉 I’ll keep sharing breakdowns like this—so if you’re building outbound, follow along. #coldemail #instantlyai #outbound #GTM

One cold email isn’t enough. But most follow-ups are just reminders. That’s why they fail. Here’s a better sequence: Email 1 - problem / insight • Lead with a relevant industry shift or pain point. • End with a low-friction CTA. Follow-up 1 - new angle • Instead of “just checking in,” introduce a different benefit. Follow-up 2 – case study or social proof • Show how a similar company solved this issue. Follow-up 3 – final nudge • Make it easy to say yes: “Worth a quick chat, or should I close your file?” The best cold email sequences build momentum. What do you send in follow-ups?

I just deleted 147 cold emails without reading them. Here’s what they all got wrong: Every morning, my inbox looks the same. A flood of pitches from people trying to sell me something. Most days, I just mass delete them. But this morning, I decided to actually read through them first. Within 5 minutes, I spotted a pattern. Everyone was making the exact same mistake. They were all trying to close the deal. ALL IN THE FIRST MESSAGE 🥵 Let me show you what I mean (with two small examples): APPROACH A: "The Wall of Text" Send 100 cold emails with full pitch, calendar link, and case studies. • 3 people open • 0 responses • 0 intros This looks exactly like the 147 emails I just deleted "Hi [Name], I noticed your company is scaling fast! We help companies like yours optimize their marketing stack through our proprietary AI technology. Our clients see 300% ROI within 90 days. Here's my Calendly link to book a 15-min chat: [LINK]. Looking forward to connecting! Best, [Name]" BORING!!! APPROACH B: "Micro Conversations" Same 100 prospects, broken down into micro-convo's. Email 1: "Do you know [mutual connection]?" • Send 100 • ~40 open • ~20 respond Email 2: "They mentioned you're scaling your marketing team. I'd love to connect about [specific thing]." • Send to 20 who responded • ~15 continue engaging Email 3: "Would you mind if they made an intro?" • Ask 15 engaged prospects • ~10 intros Final score: • Approach A: No intros • Approach B: 10 intros How to Apply These Lessons (Tactical Summary): 1. Focus on Micro-Conversations: Break your cold outreach into smaller, manageable steps. Build rapport before making any asks. 2. Personalize Everything: Reference mutual connections, specific company milestones, or shared interests in every message. 3. Play the Long Game: Aim for replies in the first message.. not conversions. If you’ve been struggling with cold outreach, you might just need a new approach. Give this one a try and lmk how it goes.

7 Words To Change On Your Resume (For More Impact & Value): 1. Responsible For Anyone can be “responsible for” something. Instead, use more specific, action-oriented language like:  - Developed  - Spearheaded  - Overhauled  - Generated  - Etc. Pair those with measurable outcomes for a winning resume bullet. 2. Hard Working Simply claiming to work hard doesn't convey tangible results. Replace this with:  - Increased  - Delivered  - Optimized  - Exceeded  - Improved Hard-working customer service representative → Improved customer retention by 30% through enhanced service strategies. 3. Team Player Employers don’t just want someone who says they’re a team player. They want to see the results of those collaborations. Replace this with:  - Collaborated  - Partnered  - Led  - Mentored Team player in marketing → Partnered with cross-functional teams to develop and execute a campaign, boosting lead conversion by 40%. 4. Results-Driven Being results-driven doesn’t mean you actually drove any results. Prove that with better language and metrics. Replace this with:  - Generated  - Produced  - Reduced  - Increased Results-driven marketing specialist → Produced a 200% increase in website traffic through a targeted SEO strategy. 5. Detail-Oriented Claiming you're detail-oriented is meaningless without evidence. Show it through actions and accomplishments instead. Replace this with:  - Audited  - Identified  - Improved  - Enhanced Detail-oriented project manager → Enhanced project documentation accuracy, reducing errors by 30%. 6. Self-Motivated Rather than saying you’re self-motivated, show it with results. Replace this with:  - Initiated  - Led  - Launched  - Created  - Developed Self-motivated team lead → Initiated a mentorship program, increasing employee engagement scores by 20%. 7. Communicator Don’t just say you’re a “great communicator” or have “communication skills.” Show them! Replace this with:  - Presented  - Negotiated  - Advised Consultant with excellent communication skills → Presented 30+ workshops to client teams resulting in 37% improved operational efficiency.

How it started: 4,000 cold emails sent. 1 lead generated. How it’s going: $4M+ ARR. Top 1% Agency Award. 30-person team. 6 lessons that turned my outreach campaigns from crickets to conversions: 1/ The list is the strategy Putting your message in front of the right person matters more than anything else. Many spend little time building their lead list, and a lot of time figuring out what to say. Do the opposite. Hint: You want to identify people/companies struggling with a problem you can solve. For example, we ran campaigns for an HR SaaS that helped with employee churn. We looked at Glassdoor reviews, and the average employee tenure. If employees stayed less than 18 months on average, + reviews were bad… we hypothesized the companies were a fit. 2/ Be as valuable as possible Most cold outreach try to get. “can I have 15 min of your time?” “can I pick your brain on… ?” But the best outreach gives. How to do that? Think about the first thing you would do for them if you signed them as clients. And do it already… for free. For example, I ran an outreach campaign targeting recruitment firms. I figured that the first thing I’d do for them, would be to build a list of Talent Acquisition Directors in companies hiring for 10+ roles. So I built the list. Sent it to them. Along with a tutorial of how I built it. It worked. 3/ Write for 1 person, then scale. Most try to build the biggest list possible and come up with a message that’ll appeal to everyone. But appealing to everyone = appealing to no one. When I start a new outreach campaign, I manually write 25 messages, 1 by 1, by looking at my prospect LinkedIn profiles. The beauty of doing it this way, is that you uncover patterns, that you can later on scale with the help of tech & AI. 4/ Fix your deliverability Good deliverability doesn’t guarantee you’ll succeed. But bad deliverability guarantees you’ll fail. Make sure to follow ‘best practices’ - < 50 emails per day per mailbox - SPF, DKIM, DMARC Setup - No open rate tracking - Secondary domains - Email warm-up … and send emails you’d want to receive. 5/ Pair cold email with other channels Cold email is a great channel to start with. It’s cheaper than paid ads, faster to get results than with content. But when you send cold emails, people check you out. Guess who’ll they trust more between your competitor who’s a ghost online vs. you who’s been posting valuable content on a consistent basis? 6/ Use the best Sales Software The outbound landscape keeps on changing. The best tools stay on top of the market, and ship new features constantly. In the cold email world, no one ships faster than Instantly.ai… (and I’m not saying that because they gave me this beautiful golden plaque, they’re simply the best) P.S: We wrote a 14-page guide that includes how our $4M ARR outbound agency books meetings using AI & Tech. Interested? Let me know below and I’ll make sure you get it :) P.S 2: Thanks Ada for the pic 📸

I managed a 70 person recruiting team, hired thousands of engineers, and was told that the facebook recruiting team had an internal blog breaking down my outbound approach bc so many engineers had shared it internally... These are my outbound sourcing maxims. 1. get good at email - use the prospect's personal email (NEVER INMAIL!!!!) - subject line must be about THEM (but not basic "go trojans!") - declare your intent ("I think you fit for our team") - 90% of message should be about THEM - people like to be liked - list why you are impressed by them - humor helps most of the time - DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOURSELF - DO NOT LINK JOB DESCRIPTIONS - SERIOUSLY STOP WTF - ... sell the conversation, not the job Two main takeaways here. One, approaching someone and telling them that you are amazing "gives the ick." This is as true in recruiting as it is in dating. Two - don't force existential consideration early. If you give lots details about the opportunity, people will find every reason to find that it's not a fit. Also, you're coming on too hard. 2. you need to contact WAY more people than you think - good response rate = >20% - good interested response rate = >10% - only a fraction of those who take a call will actually be a fit - == >50 outreaches per day for most roles ... seriously, LOTS OF OUTBOUND, and it's gotta be good. I used to not even check my email until I'd sent 50 outbounds every day. Each outbound had to meet my conditions above. 3. people are most honest at the outset - take advantage - more time in process == candidate is more likely to WANT the job - people who WANT something are more covetous of it - and people who want something might not be entirely open ... the stakes are low on the first call - so candidates are more likely to be open about their needs - so you should do everything you can to get them NOW. 4. STOP TALKING!!! ("god made you with two ears...") - people love to talk about themselves (if it feels safe!) - 30 minute call? Candidate should be talking for 27 of them - ask good questions, think "Hot Ones" quality - goal: figure out what they care about - ... then spend 3 minutes delivering a supremely tailored pitch Bad recruiters pitch at the outset, with no idea what the candidate cares about. Great recruiters find the buttons, then push them. 5. move as fast as possible once you have the right one - people want to feel wanted... - time is typically interpreted as disinterest (even if that's not accurate) - so, move fast as you possibly can, give clarity about next steps, etc ------------------------------------------ The succinct version... - Write great emails - Write a lot of emails - Ask deep questions early - Listen before speaking - And don't dilly dally when you have the one Easy to write. Hard to do. But this is 100% my blue print.