Ignore These 15 Ideas and Get Ghosted When Cold Emailing Clients or Busy People

21 Jun 2025 #misc

In 2019, I started my first attempt at running a freelancing business.

I had started freelancing for a company I had just left. I thought I could do the same for other companies. My strategy for finding clients? Cold emailing any software agency I could find.

I even emailed every recruiter I found on open applications on LinkedIn. Those days, LinkedIn was flooded with “life-changing opportunities.” Sorry, I meant job listings.

I don’t remember how many emails I sent. But I remember getting just one reply. When I followed up, I only heard crickets.

Here are 15 ideas to reduce chances of getting ghosted when cold emailing clients or anyone else:

#1. Send 10 ideas for free. Don’t expect anything in return. This is James Altucher’s idea to become an idea machine.

#2. Don’t give your reader homework. “Fill out this application form to apply.”

#3. Make an offer simple to say yes. “For $x, I do XYZ.”

#4. Don’t make your reader look or feel bad. “Your YouTube video thumbnails suck, but I’m here to rescue you.” Good luck with that!

#5. Show real interest. “Hey, I’ve been following your content and liked your take on XYZ” or something like that.

#6. Start with a genuine compliment. Probably an idea I picked from “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

#7. Sound like a real human being. Write using your own words.

#8. Don’t copy pitches from the Internet.

#9. Don’t use classical sales tactics. “Hurry up! Only X seats left. Limited offer.” Think you’re reaching out to help, not to close.

#10. Don’t just ask for something in exchange for nothing. “Let’s do a collaboration. You do something for me, but I don’t do anything for you.” Yeah, I’ve received DMs on LinkedIn in those lines.

#11. Interact with your reader’s content first on social media.

#12. Use a catchy subject line in your email.

#13. Spell your reader’s name or title correctly. You don’t know how many emails and DMs I’ve ignored simply because they started with “Hello, coach Cesar.” I don’t have a coaching business and I don’t have “coach” next to my name anywhere online. Somebody just use a template, got you!

#14. Tell them how you found their contact details. “I found your email on your LinkedIn profile…“

#15. Include your own socials or portfolio as proof you’re real. Nothing fancy, you could try adding them under your signature.

Last year, I found a job listing I liked. They were looking for people on-site in a different country, but it didn’t stop me. I reached out to the CEO sharing 10 ideas to improve their product landing page. My mistake? I misspelled the company name. Maybe that’s why I never got a reply.