Email: short, human, about them
Read this first
Email backs up your calls and LinkedIn. Deliverability and attention are both against you.
So keep it short, make it about them, and get them to say yes to a meeting, not to the product.
The one rule
Never say you saw them looking at a competitor. Written down it's even worse than saying it out loud, because they can forward it.
Your opening line comes from public stuff only: a hire, a launch, funding, something they posted. Never the signal.
How long
50–90 words. One idea. One ask.
If it looks like a newsletter, delete it and start over.
The 5 parts
- Subject: 3–4 words, their problem. “losing competitive deals?” · “quick idea for [Company]” · “[category] question” · “worth 10 min?” · “[their initiative] + you”
- Something about THEM. Public info only, never the signal. “Saw [Company] just [hired / launched / grew]…”
- Name the problem that makes people in your category actually go buy something.
- Proof. One line: one customer, one number.
- A reason to meet they’d want even if they never buy. A benchmark, a teardown, a sample, a second bid.
Steal this email
Email 1
Subject: quick idea for [Company] Hey [Name], saw [Company] just [public thing]. Usually when that happens, [the problem] starts costing real deals. We helped [similar customer] [specific outcome]. Want a 10-minute teardown of how you stack up in [category]? Yours to keep even if we never talk again.
Filled in: "…saw Acme just opened a London office. Usually when that happens, deals start going competitive without anyone noticing. We helped Globex catch 6 competitive deals early last quarter."
The 3-email sequence
Email 2: two days later, shorter, new angle
Hey [Name], one more thought: [second problem or proof point]. Still happy to send that teardown. Worth a look?
Email 3: the breakup, 3–4 days later
Hey [Name], I'll stop filling your inbox. If [the problem] ever gets loud, I'm around. Want the teardown before I go?
Breakups get replies. People who ignored you twice will answer this one.
Rules
- Plain text. No images, no fancy formatting.
- One link max, if any.
- Send from a warmed inbox.
- Automate the long tail if you want, but the priority accounts get a human writing to them.
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