What does Cold Messaging entail?
Cold messaging refers to the process of sending a message to someone you don’t know or a person who is not expecting to receive a message from you.
Since the people you are contacting are people you have never interacted with, it is relatively difficult to get a reply from them.
Your message has to stand out above other messages for you to get an actual response.
Before sending a cold message to anyone, you need to be clear about what you want and be sure of the reason you are sending a message.
Tips to follow when sending a cold message
- Don’t start with an apology
Many people make the mistake of starting a cold message with “I am sorry for disturbing you” which is not deemed professional. Cold messages are professional messages and should be written professionally.
Start confidently and use professional words to convey your respect.
- Be clear about why you are reaching out
You should make sure that the message you sent out portrays why you are reaching out to that person.
Send a more direct message and not just a simple greeting.
For example, if you send a simple “hi” or “can we talk for a minute” to someone, they will likely not take you seriously as the message is not specific about what you want.
- The message should be concise
When reaching out to someone you have never interacted with before, the best thing to do is to keep your message short and concise. Many people don’t have the time to go through lengthy messages especially when you are beating around the bush. It is advisable to keep your message between 50 and 100 words.
Also, send your messages in two or three paragraphs instead of putting them in one paragraph.
- Tailor your message to the recipient
People won’t take you seriously if you send a generic message to them and they are likely not going to reply in most cases.
You should always personalize your message to show the reader that you are not just copying and pasting.
- Ask for one thing
If you are reaching out to someone for the first time, asking for one thing at a time is the best practice to follow. The message might become confusing if it contains many requests and the recipient might find it hard to give you a positive response.
- Follow up
It is important to always follow up on the messages you send. Everyone is usually busy and they might have skipped your message without noticing anything.
If they haven’t replied within a few days of your first message, you can consider sending them a second one. Leave it at the second or third message and don’t bombard them with more messages.
Remember to always keep your messages short and simple. Also, if you don’t get a response from someone, do not allow it to get to you. Instead, perfect the act of writing cold messages by practicing.