The Power of Cold Email

On May 1, 2017 (yes, I remember the date) I sent a cold email that I had no idea would change everything for me. It’s changed the way I think about what’s possible, the way I think about passion and “doing what you love” and given me something that absolutely makes me light up. More than almost anything else. 

In 2017 – during my freshman year - I was bored out of my mind which is why it’s convenient that right around that time 3 things happened:

1.     Watched a car commercial, started thinking about the way brands were marketing to our generation and realized that they had – or have - no idea. 

2.     Realized that I’m not a millennial but instead part of this entirely different generation which no one was talking about. Until then, everyone under the age of about 40 was considered a “millennial.” 

3.     Read a Forbes article about this kid who was running a company that helped “brands better understand, connect, and engage today’s youth” and decided to reach out.

It was probably the worst cold email I have ever sent. And that’s saying a lot because I’ve been emailing people since I was probably 14. For whatever reason, he responded. 

A friend asked me yesterday how many emails I’ve sent. And I think the answer is probably about 100,000. I mean, sophomore year I hit Gmail’s email limit. Multiple times. Which is 500 emails in a 24 hour period. Until about a year ago, most of those did not receive a response. Now, I usually get a response. Sometimes it’s telling me to **** off (in a nice, professional way), but usually it works with whatever the intention is – getting advice, scheduling a phone call, etc. 

It’s how I’ve gotten in touch with some of the most amazing people in the world, including Mark Cuban, Arianna Huffington, Daniel Ek (Spotify), Jonathan Neman (Sweetgreen), Monte Lipman (Republic Records) among others. It’s why Sheryl Sandberg sent me a signed book, shirts and an email response. 

It’s how a kid got an internship at Snapchat and how another one got an investment from Mark Cuban. 

It’s also directly how I’ve closed 5 deals and indirectly how everything has happened. 

NFL. FOCUS Brands. SmileDirectClub. Chipotle. Taco Bell. 

At the end of 2017 I cold emailed the CMO of the NFL. She responded and said that they already had someone working with them on similar stuff and would keep me in mind (which means no). I had emailed the kid who was working for them probably 3 weeks earlier. So, when the CMO responded with that, I mentioned that I knew the kid, that I brought a “unique angle” as a female and he helped. That’s how the NFL happened. 

When I was 14, I watched Kat Cole on “Undercover Boss.” At the time, she was the President of Cinnabon and I remember thinking to myself that she was badass. I spent the next few hours learning everything I possibly could about her – like that she started as a waitress at Hooter’s at 19, became VP of the company at 26, president of Cinnabon at 29 and now, is the President and COO of FOCUS Brands which is the parent company to Jamba Juice, Cinnabon and Auntie Anne’s, among others. Towards the end of 2017, I cold emailed her and we had a pretty awkward first conversation. I was already nervous and when she said she only had 5 minutes, I didn’t really know what to say. I followed up for a year. Then, in March of last year (over a year later), I got to speak there.*

In April of last year, I emailed Chipotle. After an initial phone call, they suggested I set up a meeting for later that month when he was going to be in the area. So, I flew down to OC in the morning, met with them in the afternoon and flew back to the Bay Area in the evening. I closed that about a month later. 

SmileDirectClub, which at the time was the biggest deal I had ever done, was through cold email as well. So was Big Lots. Which is the biggest deal I’ve ever done by 2x. 

Most people think about cold emailing as being for sales or entrepreneurship. And it is. 

BUT, it can also be used for just about anything – getting advice, finding mentors, building relationships, finding jobs/internships. 

So, since I have been asked many, many times for the format, here we go.

NAME, 

I know that you’re really busy and get a lot of emails so this will only take 60 seconds to read. (MAKE SURE IT REALLY DOES ONLY TAKE 60 SECONDS (OR LESS) TO READ). 

A few lines to show who you are and establish credibility (YOUR CREDIBILITY CAN BE THAT YOU ARE A STUDENT).

Ask your very specific question (AKA WHY ARE YOU EMAILING THIS PERSON?)

I totally understand if you're too busy to respond, but even a one or two line reply would really make my day. (I ONLY USE THIS WHEN ASKING FOR ADVICE - NOT SELLING)

(SOME KIND OF CLOSING)

YOUR NAME

And there we go. That’s the tea.

*Taco Bell happened by meeting someone at FOCUS Brands. 

**If you need help finding people’s email addresses, Google that shiz. ;) 

Or text me. :)