For a number of reasons, people typically prefer third-party recommendations about a product or service rather than hearing a brand talking about itself. After all, most companies like to portray themselves as the best at this, or the best at that, but do their actions really back up those words?
In light of this, social proof, testimonials, and recommendations from other influential figures are some of the most powerful forms of marketing available, which is why having an effective outreach marketing strategy is crucial for any business that wants to succeed, especially in the digital world.
What is outreach marketing?
Outreach marketing is the process of intentionally connecting with influential people in your industry in order to build relationships, drive exposure, and ultimately promote your brand or product. Usually, this means securing backlinks from authorities in your industry in order to improve your SEO and get more traffic to your website.
It’s important to note that outreach is not the same as spamming people with unsolicited messages or requests. A successful outreach campaign requires research, personalization, and a genuine interest in the person you’re reaching out to.
Instead of a shotgun approach, think of outreach as a sniper rifle: you want to be strategic, targeted, and above all, personal.
With that said, outreach marketing is not for the faint of heart. It can be time-consuming, requires a lot of effort, and there’s no guarantee that your efforts will be successful. Bear in mind there are roughly 333 billion emails sent and received each day, so standing out in someone’s inbox is no easy task.
Fortunately, we are here to help. In this post, we’ll give you seven actionable tips that will help you execute an effective outreach campaign and start converting like crazy.
Find the right contact
First things first, you need to identify which people/publications you want to target. You don’t want to waste your time reaching out to people who are not going to be interested in what you have to say. In addition, it’s best to avoid publications that will not yield the results you are looking for if you do manage to secure a link/endorsement.
With this in mind, take some time to highlight all of the high-value "mega-influencers" and experts in your industry, and then work your way down from there. Of course, if you are only a new business with a small audience, you may find it hard to convert these individuals, but it’s still important to have them on your radar.
Do your research
To stand the best chance at success, you need to know who you are dealing with. What are their interests? Are they working on any projects at the moment? Have they spoken about your industry/company before?
The more you know, the better equipped you will be to form a connection and land a desirable outcome. If you are struggling with research ideas, LinkedIn is always a good place to start - check out their publications, blog posts, and even see if you have any connections in common that could act as an introduction.
Presentation is everything
Your email should be easy on the eye and free of any typos or grammatical errors. Break up your text with short paragraphs, use bullet points where appropriate, and include images/media to add some visual interest.
Moreover, you want to look as professional and polished as possible. One way to do this is to always include your signature on email correspondence. Not only will this make you look more credible, but it will also give the recipient all of your contact information in one easy-to-find place.
Personalization should be a priority
The people you are reaching out to will likely be getting a lot of messages, so it’s important that you make yours stand out. Personalization is key - if your message looks like a generic form letter, it’s likely to be ignored.
Instead, take the time to write a custom message for each person you are reaching out to. Reference something specific that they have done, such as a recent blog post or speaking engagement, and explain how you can add value to their work.
Make your subject line count
According to Invesprco, 47% of email recipients open emails based on the subject line, making it one of the most important aspects of your outreach email.
Your subject line should be brief, attention-grabbing, and to the point - otherwise, there’s a good chance it will end up in the trash. Consider using emojis, Power Words, or numbers/statistics to make your subject line more eye-catching. Avoid anything that looks like spam.
Create a value proposition
If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours - that’s the age-old saying, and it still rings true today. In order for someone to help you, they need to know what’s in it for them.
Your value proposition should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. What can you offer them? How will they benefit from working with you? Keep it short, sweet, and to the point - otherwise, you run the risk of losing their attention.
Add a CTA (call-to-action)
You need to explicitly tell the person what it is that you want from them, whether that’s a link, share, or endorsement. If your CTA is buried somewhere in the email, there’s a good chance they will miss it altogether.
Make your CTA clear, bold, and easy to find - it should be one of the first things they see when they open your email. And whatever you do, don’t ask for too much - one CTA per email is more than enough.
Wrapping up
Using the tips and tricks above, you should be well on your way to crafting the perfect outreach email. Just remember to always follow up, be polite, and be grateful for any and all responses - even if they aren’t the ones you were hoping for.
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