Merely 8.5% of emails prompt a reply - but fear not!
These cold email opening tips will help you captivate and spark curiosity in your recipients so you can funnel more replies with less effort.
(Hidden gem at the end!🔥)
Hearing crickets?
It’s time to ditch the generic 'Dear Sir/Madam' openings!
Want to grab attention? Make it about them.
Show you're invested by referencing in their business wins, recent social posts, or mutual connections.
Find a unique angle that feels natural and relevant to the goal of your email.
A personalized opening resonates, making them feel seen and valued.
For example,
Hi Jane, I was really impressed by your recent quantum computing analysis in 'Tech Digest'.
Don’t stop there, however - tell them exactly what you liked and why you liked it.
Be sure to keep it short!
Something like,
...Your take on its potential impact on cybersecurity was eye-opening! What inspired you to consider the connection?
If you can’t find a fitting reference, cut straight to the chase instead…
Another way to stand out, is to keep your cold email short, snappy, and crystal clear.
Skip the jargon and aim for curiosity, not confusion.
Keep it simple to catch their interest fast.
Highlight a pain point right out the gate in clear, everyday words.
For example,
Hi James, let me cut to the chase - let's update your project management software together.
Give them a reason to care from the get-go.
Your opening line needs to promise value: solve a problem, boost efficiency, or offer game-changing info - without any strings attached.
Start strong by showing what's in it for them to ignite a conversation.
Once they actually engage, you’ve got the green light to pursue them.
For example,
Hi Lauren, I've got a hack to slash your content production time by half.
Ever heard of George Loewenstein's Information-Gap Theory of Curiosity?
It explains why hooking with a fascinating fact, a gripping question, or a bold statement works. When curiosity is piqued, it's like a mental itch for closure.
But here's the key: tie that curiosity to your value proposition.
Align their need to know more with what you offer, and voilà !
You've merged neurology and persuasion for a killer email strategy.
For example,
Hey Alex, are you aware that 70% of your website visitors leave without engaging?
This only works if you’ve done your research and target the right people.
Sally, the remote marketer, will probably not be interested in industrial grade cooling-systems - no matter how ‘cool’ your hook.
Forget corporate formalities and ho-drum email openings.
Be you in that email - write as you would speak in your cold email.
This is immensely important when your goal is to build a foundation of trust and transparency - which, let’s be honest - it should be.
Here’s an example:
Hey Sarah! Noticed a glitch on your website's checkout page—could affect customer purchases. Would you like some help with that?
We have an list of 25 high-conversion intro lines if you’re in doubt about how to start your email.
Pro Tip: Emails with social profile links in the sender's signature score an average 9.8% higher response rate (Backlinko) - check out our email signature guide to add credibility to your outreach.
You can side-step all this manual labor by crafting personalized cold email openings with AI!
lemlist’s AI icebreaker is one of our favorite built-in tools!
You can use it in campaigns that have been created manually and in AI generated sequences so your campaigns can run on auto-pilot!
Here’s a quick overview of the process:
From your list of leads, you’ll have an option to either
     2. Select the leads you want to create your icebreakers → Click on Generate X icebreakers
This will turn your {{icebreaker}} custom variable into a fully customized, AI-generated intro line that will push your prospects to read and reply to your email!
You will also have an option to choose the tone of your icebreaker, and to regenerate until you find the perfect fit for your niche!
Sounds cool?
Our free trial comes with 100 PAYG credits to activate specialized AIÂ features.
Have fun!
Craft compelling email openers using personalization, clarity, value, curiosity, and authenticity.
Perfecting these 5 elements can significantly boost your response rates!
Want to level up your cold email strategy on all fronts?
Grab our complimentary cold emailing Ebook today.
G2 Rating | Price | Best for | Standout feature | Con | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.9 star star star star star | $30/mo $75/mo $2,999/mo | Large, distributed sales teams | AI evaluation precision, gamified KPIs | Lack of tracking system | |
4.6 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Sales operations and finance teams | Powerful configurability | Limited training resources and complex to navigate | |
4.4 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Mid-market and enterprise businesses | Comprehensive incentive management | Potentially high cost and steep learning curve | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | $15/user/mo $40/user/mo Enterprise: custom price | Complex sales structures and businesses of all sizes | Complex sales structures and businesses of all sizes | Steep learning curve | |
4.6 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Collaborative teams | Connected planning | Complexity and steep learning curve | |
4.6 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies with complex sales structures | Complex incentive compensation management (ICM) with high efficiency and accuracy | Complexity for smaller teams and potentially high costs | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies who want to automate commission calculations and payouts | Simplicity and ease of use | Lack of features like redirection | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | $30/user/mo $35/user/mo Custom: upon request | Businesses that need a comprehensive and user-friendly sales compensation management software | Ease of use and adoption | Lack of ability to configure the product based on user needs | |
4.8 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies with modern sales culture and businesses who want real-time insights | A built-in dispute management and real-time visibility | Users say it works slowly, customer support is slow | |
4.9 star star star star star | $30/user/mo $50/user/mo | Smaller sales teams | Powerful automation | Lesser user base and average user interface | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies with scalable needs | Automated Commission Calculations | Lack of filtering by date, no mobile app |
PRM Tool | Rating | Feature | Pro | Con | Mobile App | Integrations | Free Plan | Pricing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.65 star star star star star-half | Org-wide alignment | User-friendly layout and database | Suboptimal as a personal CRM | square-check | Lack of tracking system | square-check | Team: $20/month Business: $45/month | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Social Media Integration | Easy contact data collection | No marketing/sales features | square-check | Lack of tracking system | square-xmark 7-day trial | $12/month | |
4.75 star star star star star-half | Block Functions | High customization capability | Not a dedicated CRM | square-check | Limited | square-check | Plus: €7.50/month Business: €14/month | |
N/A | Open-source | Open-source flexibility | Requires extensive manual input | square-xmark | Limited | square-check Self-hosted | $9/month or $90/year | |
3.1 star star star | Simple iOS app | Ideal for non-tech-savvy users | iPhone only | square-check iOSÂ only | Limited | square-xmark 1-month trial | $1.49/month or $14.99/month | |
3.6 star star star star-half | Smart Contact Management | Feature-rich and flexible | Reported bugs | square-check | Rich | square-xmark 7-day trial | Premium: $13.99/month Teams: $17.99/month | |
4.4 star star star star star-half | Customizable Interface | Customizable for teamwork | Pricey for personal use | square-check | Rich | square-xmark | Standard: $24/member Premium: $39/member | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Integrated Calling | Integrated Calling | Too sales-oriented & pricey | square-check | Rich | square-xmark 14-day trial | Startup: $59/user/month Professional: $329/user/month | |
4.8 star star star star star | Business Card Scanning | Business Card Scanning | Mobile only | square-check | Limited | square-check | $9.99/month | |
4.45 star star star star star-half | 160+ app integrations | Comprehensive integrations | No free app version | square-check | Rich | square-xmark 14-day trial | $29.90/month or $24.90/month (billed annually) |
Capterra Rating | Free Trial | Free Plan | Starting Price (excluding the free plan) | Maximum Price (for the most expensive plan) | Best for | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.5 star star star star star-half | square-check 14-day | square-check | €15/month/seat billed annually | €792/month/3 seats billed annually + €45/month for each extra seat | Versatility and free plan | |
4.2 star star star star | square-check 30-day | square-xmark But it offers reduced price to authorised nonprofit organisations | €25/user/month | €500/user/month billed annually (includes Einstein AI) | Best overall operational CRM | |
4.3 star star star star star-half | square-xmark | square-check Limited to 3 users | Comprehensive incentive management | €52/user/month billed annually | Small-medium businesses and automation | |
4.5 star star star star star-half | square-check 14-day | square-xmark | €14/seat/month billed annually | €99/seat/month billed annually | Sales teams and ease of use | |
4.1 star star star star | square-xmark | square-check Limited 10 users | $9.99/user/month billed annually | $64.99/user/month billed annually | Free plan for very small teams up to 10 |
CRM goal | Increase the sales conversion rate for qualified leads from marketing automation campaigns by 10% in the next 6 months. | ||||
SMART Breakdown | 1. Specific: It targets a specific area (conversion rate) for a defined segment (qualified leads from marketing automation). | 2. Measurable: The desired increase (10%) is a clear metric, and the timeframe (6 months) allows for progress tracking. | 3. Achievable: A 10% increase is possible based on historical data and potential improvements. | 4. Relevant: Boosting sales from marketing efforts aligns with overall business objectives. | 5. Time-bound: The 6-month timeframe creates urgency and a clear target date. |
Actions | Step 1: Refine lead qualification criteria to ensure high-quality leads are nurtured through marketing automation. | Step 2: Personalize marketing automation campaigns based on lead demographics, interests, and behavior. | Step 3: Develop targeted landing pages with clear calls to action for qualified leads. | Step 4: Implement lead scoring to prioritize high-potential leads for sales follow-up. | Step 5: Track and analyze campaign performance to identify areas for optimization. |
Outcomes | Increased sales and revenue | Improved marketing automation ROI | Marketing and sales alignment | Data-driven marketing optimization |