Back when I used to write cold emails like a robot vs now I just talk normal

Used to spend 2 hours crafting the perfect formal pitch with all these fancy stats and got like a 1% reply rate. Switched to writing like I'm messaging a buddy - starting with 'Hey, saw you guys just got Series A funding, congrats' - and my open rate jumped to 40% in one month. Anyone else ditch the corporate speak and see actual results?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse2907d ago

You say 'saw you guys just got Series A funding, congrats' works great for you, but that's exactly the kind of stuff that makes people think you're just fishing for a favor. I've tested the casual approach and got way more people ghosting me because they thought I was being fake friendly. Formal pitches at least show you did your homework and respect their time, not just slide into their inbox like you're old buddies.

wadeyoung6d agoMost Upvoted

I hear you on the "casual can feel fake" thing, but I think the formal pitch has its own problems too - like it can come off as cold and transactional, which also gets ignored a lot. Maybe the trick isn't about casual vs formal, but more about matching the vibe of who you're reaching out to. Some people really do respond better to a quick "congrats on the funding" because it feels human and low pressure, even if it's a little familiar. I dunno, I just think ghosting happens either way if the person isn't interested, so I'd rather risk being seen as friendly than robotic if that makes sense.