#19 | The Art of Cold Emailing | GTD Technique
Personal:
Ms. Pretiosum and the Art of Cold Emailing.
Before we start, it's important to mention that cold emailing is a numbers game. But to maximize your success, you need to make these emails:
1. Personal
2. Clear
3. Simple to reply to with defined next steps
A great cold email can make or break it; once you nail it, the response rate can be an astonishing 80%.
- Start with something very personal. Start with the name:) So no "Dear Sir/Madame".
- Great podcast/newsletter/blog! I have seen your talk. I checked your company website, etc. Just be honest here.
- Give short context (1 sentence): why do you need to speak with this person?
- Share how you can be helpful (1 sentence): not necessary, but nice sentence to have.
- Ask for a short intro call (15 min max).
App:
Notability: This is by far my favourite note-taking app. You can create different folders for notes from studying various subjects, languages, admin, work ideas, and industry reports.
Not only this, the app also has audio notes-to-text transcription.
The best part is that Notability offers different templates that fit your needs, whether you're looking for concept maps, weekly tasks, planning your perfect day, or more.
Media:
How do you determine if your next book is worth your time? I found this website quite useful. It's called BookPecker, and it summarizes various books in 5 bullet points.
Yes, I've tested it. While it doesn't provide a comprehensive book summary, it can give you a good overview of what to expect and whether it is worth buying.
For example, a friend mentioned the book "The Ascent of Money" by Niall Ferguson today. I checked the website summary and decided to order the book based on that and my friend's recommendation.
Summary: The book traces the evolution of money and financial systems throughout history, exploring the impact of credit, banking, and investment on the development of civilizations. It examines the rise of financial markets, the origins of bubbles and crashes, and the role of finance in shaping the modern world.
Key points:
1. Money's Evolution: The book explores money's journey from ancient commodities to today's digital currencies, highlighting its impact on human history and the financial world.
2. Credit's Significance: Ferguson underscores the role of credit and debt in societal development, enabling resource allocation, infrastructure building, and economic expansion.
3. Financial Institutions' Role: The book discusses how banks and financial institutions facilitate money and credit flow, driving economic growth, but also posing risks like financial crises and recessions.
4. Financial Crises Impact: Ferguson analyzes historical financial crises, their effects on economies, and mitigation measures, offering insights into financial system vulnerabilities and regulatory needs.
5. Finance Globalization: The book examines the interconnectedness of financial markets, leading to a global financial system, and discusses its implications, challenges, and opportunities.
Learnings:
Back to our email topic!
I'm currently working on improving my email inbox. I found this great article by Andreas Klinger on how to manage your inbox better.
He suggests having the following setup:
- Box 1 - All "to-dos"
- Box 2 - All emails "awaiting a reply"
- Box 3 - All "delegated" emails
- Box 4 - All emails related to meetings, flights, etc.
- All done with 0 plugins, using only standard Gmail features
You can click this link to check the exact steps to set up your Gmail in the right way.
I am still testing this approach myself, as I either answer instantly or move longer emails to the "Next Steps" folder, where I occasionally forget to reply ☹️
Check it out and let me know if this GTD Gmail approach works for you!
I'm Yana, crafting this awesome newsletter every Sunday in my spare time. Support my writing by becoming a paid subscriber here for the price of a coffee.
I'm always excited to hear your feedback:
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