Heard a guy at the Detroit Chamber mixer say cold emails are dead. Is that true or just lazy talk?

I was at the Detroit Regional Chamber networking event last Tuesday and overheard some marketing guy telling a startup founder that cold emailing doesn't work anymore. He said it's all about warm intros and LinkedIn DMs now. But I've been getting decent responses from cold emails I send to small business owners in Warren and Sterling Heights, maybe 1 in 20 replies. Are you guys still getting results from cold outreach or has it dried up for you too?

2 comments

2 Comments

tarajenkins6d ago

Focus on the subject line and first sentence. That's where most people lose it. Keep it short, mention something specific to their industry or location, and never sound like a template. That 1 in 20 rate is solid for unsolicited outreach, especially if you're targeting small shops in Warren or Sterling Heights where owners actually read their own email.

spencer_hayes716d ago

Honestly, does anything else even compare to that rush when a personalized subject line finally lands?