For salespeople responsible for generating leads, outbound emails are essential for capturing the attention of prospects to start turning them into leads. But as with every endeavour in sales, crafting effective email sequences can be a time-consuming and challenging task. Fortunately, we’ve created some proven email sequence templates that can help you create compelling and engaging emails that will increase your chances of generating leads. Find them below:
What Is An Outbound Email Sequence?
An outbound email sequence is a series of emails sent to prospects or leads over a period of time, ofter referred to as a cadence.
An outbound email sequence typically aims to engage with recipients, nurture relationships, and move them through the sales or conversion funnel by using personalised messaging to capture their attention.
While the content of the emails can vary, they generally include introductory emails, follow-up emails, break-up emails, and potentially additional emails with more detailed information or offers.
Also read: Outbound Sales Explained: Techniques, Strategies & Best Practices
The Power of Outbound Email Sequences
Frankly, outbound email sequences are a cost-effective and low-risk strategy for converting prospects.
According to a study by the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing has an average ROI of 122%, four times higher than other marketing channels, making it a cost-effective way to drive sales and conversions.
Ultimately, outbound email sequences can help you effectively build relationships, generate leads, nurture prospects, and convert them into customers or clients.
6 Types of Outbound Email Sequences
There are several types of outbound email sequences that you can use for different purposes, depending on the goals of your campaign.
Some common types of outbound email sequences include:
- Cold Outreach Sequence: Reach out to potential buyers without prior interaction or relationship with your company. The goal is to introduce yourself, establish rapport, and generate interest in your product or service.
- Follow-up Sequence: Follow up with prospects who have shown initial interest or engagement but have yet to convert. The goal is to nurture the relationship, provide additional information or resources, and encourage further action or conversion.
- Re-engagement Sequence: Re-engage with prospects who have shown interest in the past but have become inactive or unresponsive. The goal is to reignite their interest and rekindle the relationship, often by providing new information, offers, or incentives.
- Upsell or Cross-sell Sequence: Target existing customers with upsell or cross-sell opportunities. The goal is to leverage the relationship and trust established with the customer to generate additional sales or expand the customer’s usage of your products or services.
- Abandoned Cart Sequence: This type of email sequence is used for e-commerce businesses to follow up with prospects who have added items to their cart but still need to complete the purchase. The goal is to remind them of the items in their cart, address any objections or barriers, and encourage them to complete the purchase.
- Event or Webinar Promotion Sequence: Promote and drive attendance to an upcoming event, webinar, or workshop. The goal is to generate interest, provide relevant details about the event, and encourage registration or attendance.
- Referral or Affiliate Sequence: Request referrals or promote affiliate partnerships with existing customers or contacts. The goal is to leverage their network and establish new connections or partnerships based on their recommendations.
How Many Emails In An Outbound Sequence?
The optimal length for a cold outreach outbound email sequence can vary depending on different factors, such as your target audience, the nature of your product or service, and the specific goals of your campaign.
A typical outbound email sequence can range from 3-7 emails, depending on the complexity of your campaign and the level of engagement you want to achieve.
But, there are some general guidelines to consider when determining the length of your outbound email sequence. For instance:
Initial Email: The first email in your sequence should be concise and to the point. It should introduce yourself or your company, clearly state the purpose of the email, and provide a compelling reason for the recipient to open and read further. This email should be short and typically not exceed 200-250 words.
Follow-up Emails: Follow-up emails in your sequence can be used to provide additional information, address objections, and build rapport. They can be longer than the initial email but aim to be concise and engaging. Follow-up emails can be sent at various intervals, such as every 2-3 days or once a week, depending on the urgency of your campaign and the level of engagement from your prospect.
Closing Email: The final email in your sequence, often known as the “closing” or “last chance” email, should create a sense of urgency and encourage the recipient to take action. It can be longer than previous emails, but its messaging should still be concise and clear. This email may include a final offer, deadline, or call-to-action to encourage conversion.
Overall, you must balance providing enough information and value to the recipient while avoiding overwhelming them with lengthy emails.
Remember to continually assess and optimize your email sequence based on your prospects’ response rates and feedback to ensure its effectiveness.
The Best Outbound Email Sequence Template for Converting Prospects
Save, swipe and share this outbound email sequence template. Then customise it to your needs; we hope it helps!
The Introduction
Subject Line: Some Ideas for [Solving Pain Point, e.g. “Generating More Revenue In Uncertain Times”]
Introduction: Hi [Prospective Customer’s Name],
One of your competitors was recently able to [solve pain point, e.g. “Generate more revenue in uncertain times“] with us.
Body: We’d love to jump into the details with you sometime, with the view of helping you gain the same results.
CTA: When would be a good time to connect for 5 minutes?
I look forward to hearing from you,
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company]
[Your Contact Information]
1st Follow-Up
For prospects who have yet to respond, you can use this follow-up email template:
Subject Line: Trying to connect, [Name]
Introduction: Hi [Prospect Name],
I’m sorry we haven’t been able to connect. I know how hectic things can get.
Body: I don’t mean to bug you, but I do want to help you [solve pain points, e.g. “Generate More Revenue In Uncertain Times” so you can exceed [insert custom goals].
CTA: To schedule a time to discuss, just click here.
Best,
[Your Name]
2nd Follow-Up
Subject Line: Hey again!
Introduction: Hi [Prospective Customer’s Name],
Did you get my last email about [solving pain point, ‘Generating more revenue in uncertain times”]?
Body: I know it’s a busy week, but do you have 5 minutes to connect?
CTA: Either reply to this email or choose a time here to chat,
I look forward to hearing from you,
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company]
[Your Contact Information]
Break Up Email
Subject Line: Is it goodbye for now?
Introduction: Hi [Prospect Name],
I’m sorry we haven’t been able to connect.
Body: Typically, when I haven’t heard back from someone, it means they are either really busy or aren’t interested.
If you aren’t interested, this is goodbye for now!
CTA: If you are still interested, are you free for a five-minute call on [Specific Date] and [Specific Time]?
I look forward to hearing from you,
Best,
[Your name]
What Makes an Effective Outbound Email Sequence
While having an outbound email sequence template is a helpful starting point for crafting a compelling message, there are several elements you should know, study and practice to make your own so effective:
Subject Line
- Short, concise and to the point.
- States what the email is about in under 65 characters
- Doesn’t use sales-y words, e.g. “buy”, “exclusive opportunity”, “Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, “feature”, or “cutting-edge.”
- Uses hashtags, glyphs and emojis sparingly and in context (too many will get you filtered into the spam folder)
Introduction
- Personalised to the prospect, e.g. uses their name, job title and company.
- Doesn’t introduce you, your company or your product first.
Body
- Kept brief and to the point.
- Don’t over-promise or make unbelievable claims.
CTA
- Directly tells the prospect what you want them to do, e.g. call for a quote, get a demo or get a free trial.
Initial Email
- Has a solid value proposition
- Engages prospects with a compelling subject line
- Highlights the pain points or challenges your product or service can solve
- Includes a personalized touch to establish rapport with the prospect
- Includes a clear call to action (CTA) to encourage further engagement, such as scheduling a call, downloading a resource, or visiting your website
Follow Up Emails
- Acknowledges and addresses any potential objections or barriers that the prospect may have expressed or that you anticipate based on their profile or industry.
- Provides evidence, data, or testimonials that counter these objections and build trust.
- Offers additional information or resources that can help the prospect make an informed decision
- Reiterates the value proposition and benefits of your product or service.
- Includes a CTA to encourage the prospect to take action or engage further.
- Communicates the exclusive nature of the offer and the value it provides to the prospect.
- Highlights the benefits of your product or service and how it can specifically address the prospect’s pain points or challenges.
Final Email
- Provide a final reminder of the limited-time offer or promotion
- Recap the value proposition and benefits of your product or service
- Reinforce the urgency and scarcity of the offer
- Include any additional testimonials, case studies, or data to persuade the prospect further
- Include a strong CTA to encourage the prospect to take action before the offer expires
Discover a New Way to Generate Leads
Like blood to a body, a full sales pipeline is necessary for your business to survive. The thing is, prospecting has evolved, and old methods just aren’t effective anymore.
In our Prospecting Power training we teach participants how to ensure your customer acquisition strategy is creative, persistent and, most importantly, generates real results.
