When it comes to reaching out to businesses, sending cold emails is a big deal.
Cold emails, in fact, are a powerful way to connect with potential customers and scale your business.
Studies show that using emails for marketing is a smart move. For every dollar you spend on it, you get back $40 on average. That’s better than many other ways of marketing.
But, here’s the tricky part—finding the right email addresses for your cold emails.
Luckily, there are multiple methods and tools that can help you with that.
Before we embark on the journey of building an email list, let’s address the elephant in the room—buying a list.
Should You Buy a List?
While it may seem like a shortcut to a lengthy process, the reality is starkly different.
Purchased lists often lead to low engagement, high unsubscribe rates, and, worst of all, potential legal issues. In the realm of email marketing, authenticity trumps all.
So, the answer to the question “Should you buy the list” is a big “NO”.
How to get emails for cold emailing?
There are multiple ways you can get emails for your cold email campaigns. However, to build a high-quality list, it is crucial to go chronologically.
So, let’s first explore how to create your customer profile.
1. Create Your Ideal Customer Profile
The foundation of a successful email list lies in understanding your audience. To start, identify who your audience is – the people who would genuinely love what you have to offer.
Dive into the basics: age, location, and gender. Picture their interests, hobbies, and even the challenges they face. Are they tech-savvy trendsetters or more traditional in their approach? By sketching out these details, you’re essentially painting a portrait of your dream subscriber.
Then, go beyond demographics and peer into their desires and pain points. What keeps them up at night, and what sparks their joy?
Understand what will motivate them. Think of it this way: if your product or message were a perfect match for someone, who would that someone be?
Be specific – the more you pinpoint, the sharper your email marketing arrow becomes.
By creating this customer profile, you’re not just finding an audience; you’re laying the groundwork for emails that resonate, engage, and become a welcome guest in their inbox. So, start building your ideal customer profile – your gateway to a thriving email list.
2. Build an Email List
Now that we’ve laid the groundwork, let’s explore how to get emails for cold emailing.
2.1 LinkedIn Search: Connect with Precision
LinkedIn, the professional playground for networking, is a goldmine for potential leads. Utilize its search feature to pinpoint professionals in your niche. Then you get their email addresses by clicking on the contact info link after visiting their profile.
However, not everyone openly shares their email address. Some users may have strict privacy settings, making it challenging to obtain their contact information. Additionally, there’s a risk of appearing too forward, so approaching with tact is crucial.
2.2 Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Entice with Value
Create landing pages that act as magnets, attracting visitors with irresistible offers. A compelling lead magnet—a free ebook, guide, or webinar—will incentivize users to share their email addresses. Ensure your landing page is user-friendly, emphasizing the benefits of subscribing.
However, getting visitors to share their email addresses can still be a challenge. Users are cautious about providing personal information, and if your offer doesn’t resonate with them, convincing them to subscribe becomes an uphill battle.
2.3 Content Upgrade: Elevate Your Content Game
Upgrade your existing content by offering additional resources or in-depth insights in exchange for email addresses. Readers, always hungry for more valuable information, won’t hesitate to share their contact details for that extra edge.
But remember, the challenge lies in delivering a content upgrade that exceeds expectations. If the added value doesn’t resonate with your audience or feels like a rehash of existing content, gaining email addresses becomes a struggle.
2.4 Use Pop-ups: Grab Attention Smartly
Leverage the power of pop-ups with exit-intent triggers. As users show signs of leaving your site, a well-timed pop-up can capture their attention. Craft a concise message highlighting the benefits of subscribing and making the process seamless.
Make sure you time them accurately. Timing them poorly can irritate visitors, leading to a negative perception of your brand. Additionally, creating pop-ups that seamlessly integrate with your website’s design while conveying a compelling message requires finesse.
2.5 Hosting Free Webinars: Educate and Collect
Position yourself as an industry expert by hosting free webinars. Promote these events across various channels, encouraging participants to register with their email addresses. The valuable knowledge you share will make them more willing to share their contact details.
2.6 Join Niche Groups on Social Media: Be Where Your Audience Is
Identify and join niche-specific groups on social media platforms. Actively participate by sharing valuable content. Once you’ve established yourself as a valuable contributor, discreetly share a link to your subscription page, encouraging interested parties to join your email list.
Patience is key here. Gaining recognition and credibility within niche groups takes time. It’s a gradual process of consistently providing valuable content and engaging with group members.
2.7 Use Email Finder Tools: Tech to the Rescue
Embrace the power of technology with email finder tools. These tools scour the web for publicly available contact information associated with a given domain or individual. While using these tools, exercise caution to ensure compliance with privacy policies.
Here are some resources that can help you.
a. Databases
Apollo.io
A comprehensive platform, Apollo.io combines lead discovery with engagement tools. Create custom databases tailored to your specifications, ensuring your email list is not just large but also highly targeted.
- Access the Apollo.io platform and login.
- Create a custom database by specifying your target audience criteria.
- Browse through the results and select relevant profiles.
- Extract emails by either manually copying them or using Apollo.io’s export feature.
ZoomInfo
With a vast repository of B2B data, ZoomInfo allows you to target specific industries, roles, and locations. Extracting emails involves a user-friendly interface, enabling precise filtering for your ideal audience.
Here is how you can use ZoomInfo:
- Navigate to the ZoomInfo platform and log in to your account.
- Use the search filters to define your target audience based on demographics, industry, location, etc.
- Browse the results and select profiles that align with your ideal customer profile.
- Extract emails by either manually copying them or using the platform’s export feature.
Hunter.io
This versatile tool specializes in domain searches, making it ideal for discovering email addresses associated with a particular website. With a Chrome extension simplifying the process, Hunter.io is a valuable addition to your arsenal.
To use Hunter.io, follow the following steps:
- Visit the Hunter.io website
- Enter the domain or website associated with your target audience.
- Hunter.io will generate a list of email addresses associated with the domain.
- Download the list or use the Chrome extension to export emails directly.
- To simplify the process, you can also add the Chrome extension
Lead411
Focused on delivering accurate B2B information, Lead411 stands out for its real-time updates. The process involves customizing searches based on criteria like industry, location, and company size.
Here’s how you will get emails from Lead411
- Access the Lead411 platform and login.
- Utilize the search filters to narrow down your target audience.
- Browse through the results and select relevant profiles.
- Extract emails by either manually copying them or using Lead411’s export feature.
b. Email Scrapers & Finders
Snov.io
Offering a suite of email marketing tools, Snov.io excels in email discovery. Its email finder extracts emails from LinkedIn profiles, websites, and even names, streamlining the process of building your list.
Follow the steps below to get emails for cold emailing:
- Sign in to your Snov.io account or create one.
- Choose the Email Finder tool.
- Enter the name, company, or LinkedIn profile URL of your target.
- Snov.io will provide you with verified email addresses for your chosen criteria.
- Download the results or use the platform’s integration options.
Clearbit Connect
Integrated seamlessly with Gmail, Clearbit Connect enriches your inbox with valuable information about your contacts. It goes beyond email extraction, providing insights that enhance your understanding of potential subscribers.
- Install the Clearbit Connect extension for Gmail.
- Open Gmail and hover over an email address.
- Clearbit Connect will provide additional information about the contact, including their email address.
- Use the insights to verify and enrich your email list.
Voila Norbert
Specializing in email verification and finding, Voila Norbert simplifies the task of building your list. With a user-friendly interface, you can verify and discover emails with ease.
- Visit the Voila Norbert website or use the Chrome extension.
- Enter the name and the domain of your target.
- Voila Norbert will generate and verify email addresses associated with the provided information.
- Download the results or use the platform’s integration options.
However, you must remember that while email finder tools can be powerful, there’s always a risk of inaccuracies. Relying solely on automated tools without manual verification may lead to contacting the wrong individuals.
Additionally, ethical considerations and compliance with data privacy regulations should always be a priority when extracting and using email addresses. Always ensure that your methods align with legal and ethical standards.
Hence the next crucial task that falls on your list is verifying your email list.
3. Verify Your List
Building an email list is only half the battle; the other half is ensuring its quality. Utilize email verification tools to sift through your list and eliminate inaccuracies. This step not only improves deliverability but also safeguards your sender reputation.
Here are some tools that can help you.
ZeroBounce
ZeroBounce offers email validation services, helping you identify and remove invalid, disposable, and role-based email addresses. It also provides bounce detection and email scoring for better segmentation.
NeverBounce
NeverBounce provides real-time email verification and list cleaning services. It checks each email address for validity, ensuring that your emails reach genuine recipients and reducing the chances of bounces.
Verifier
Verifier is an email verification tool that checks the validity of email addresses, removes duplicates, and ensures that your list is free from spam traps and other potential issues that could harm your deliverability.
Conclusion:
By understanding your audience, leveraging the right resources, and prioritizing verification, you can build an email list that not only expands but also sustains your brand’s connection with its audience. Remember, in the world of email marketing, authenticity and quality triumph over shortcuts and quantity.
Now that you know how to get emails for cold emailing, you can successfully run your campaigns with the help of a cold email automation tool like SafeMailer.