What are effective rebuttals against the argument that 'everyone does cold email'?

Summary

The consensus from experts, marketers, and documentation is that while 'everyone does cold email' might seem like a valid argument, it's not an effective, ethical, or sustainable strategy. Cold emailing is often viewed as spam, damages sender reputation, leads to deliverability issues, and can result in blacklisting, as well as potential legal issues like GDPR violations. Instead, building relationships, focusing on permission-based marketing, engaging with communities, providing valuable content, and implementing proper email authentication are recommended as more sustainable and ethical alternatives. The underlying theme is prioritizing recipient consent and providing value to attract interested prospects rather than resorting to unsolicited outreach.

Key findings

  • Reputation Damage: Cold emailing damages sender reputation, leading to deliverability problems and potential blacklisting.
  • Spam Classification: Cold emails are often classified as spam, regardless of personalization efforts.
  • Legal Risks: Cold emailing can violate data protection laws like GDPR, resulting in fines and legal consequences.
  • Ineffectiveness: Cold emailing is becoming less effective due to increased spam filtering and decreased user engagement.
  • Sustainable Alternatives: Relationship building, content marketing, SEO, and community engagement are more sustainable alternatives to cold email.
  • Permission-Based Marketing: Permission-based marketing leads to better engagement and avoids being flagged as spam.

Key considerations

  • Ethical Considerations: Prioritize ethical marketing practices and obtain explicit consent from recipients before sending emails.
  • Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with data protection laws, such as GDPR, when sending emails, especially internationally.
  • Alternative Strategies: Explore and implement alternative lead generation strategies that focus on attracting interested prospects rather than cold outreach.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain a clean and engaged email list by regularly removing unengaged or invalid addresses.
  • Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails and improve deliverability.
  • Value Proposition: Focus on providing value upfront and building trust with prospects to create a more receptive audience.

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

The collective responses strongly suggest that while 'everyone does cold email' might be a common justification, it's not necessarily an effective or ethical strategy. Experts and marketers highlight that cold email can damage sender reputation, lead to deliverability issues, and potentially result in blacklisting. Building relationships, participating in communities, and using content marketing are presented as more sustainable and ethical alternatives. Compliance with data protection laws like GDPR is also a key consideration, as cold email often lacks the explicit consent required. Focusing on ethical lead generation through opt-in methods and providing value upfront are repeatedly emphasized.

Key opinions

  • Reputation Damage: Cold email can damage sender reputation, leading to deliverability problems and blacklisting.
  • Ineffectiveness: Cold email is becoming less effective due to increased spam filtering and user awareness.
  • Ethical Concerns: Cold email raises ethical concerns and may violate data protection laws like GDPR.
  • Better Alternatives: Relationship building, content marketing, and community engagement are more sustainable alternatives.
  • Value Proposition: Providing value upfront and focusing on permission-based marketing yields better results.

Key considerations

  • Sender Reputation: Monitor and protect your sender reputation to avoid deliverability issues.
  • Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with data protection laws when sending emails, especially to international recipients.
  • Alternative Strategies: Explore alternative lead generation strategies beyond cold email to build a more engaged audience.
  • Ethical Marketing: Prioritize ethical marketing practices and obtain explicit consent from recipients.
  • Long-Term Sustainability: Focus on long-term sustainability by building relationships and providing value over short-term gains from cold email.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora argues that cold emailing is becoming less effective due to increased spam filtering and user awareness. Personalized and targeted outreach through other channels is more likely to yield positive results.

May 2021 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sales Hacker explains that cold email is often viewed as spam. Building a strong online presence, participating in relevant communities, and using targeted content marketing can attract leads more effectively and ethically. Focus on providing value and building trust.

July 2021 - Sales Hacker
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot notes that cold emailing can damage your sender reputation, leading to deliverability issues and potential blacklisting. Building an opt-in list through valuable content and permission-based marketing is a more sustainable approach.

May 2023 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Warrior Forum suggests focusing on content marketing and SEO to attract inbound leads instead of relying on cold email. Creating valuable content that answers potential customers' questions can lead to more qualified and receptive leads.

July 2023 - Warrior Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Woodpecker explains that while personalization can improve cold email results, it doesn't address the fundamental issue of sending unsolicited emails. Even highly personalized spam is still spam. Focus on acquiring leads through ethical and permission-based methods.

August 2021 - Woodpecker.co
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that sending cold emails to individuals in regions with strict data protection laws like GDPR can lead to legal issues and fines. Compliance requires explicit consent, which is generally absent in cold email scenarios.

November 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital argues that while cold email can work, it's less effective than warm outreach. Building relationships and providing value before asking for something increases success rates. Focus on targeted, personalized messages and consider alternative outreach methods for better results.

November 2021 - Neil Patel Digital
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares a story about a client whose domain was blacklisted by Spamhaus due to sending marketing campaigns to a purchased list, causing executives to be unable to send emails.

November 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from LinkedIn advocates for relationship building over cold emailing. Engaging with prospects on social media, attending industry events, and providing value upfront creates a warmer and more receptive audience.

June 2022 - LinkedIn

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

Experts uniformly advise against the 'everyone does it' justification for cold emailing. They point out that cold emails often end up in spam, damage sender reputation, and are generally unwanted by recipients. Alternatives such as building relationships, engaging with the community, and focusing on opt-in email strategies are recommended. The consensus is that cold emailing is not a sustainable or effective approach, and deliverability vendors can offer limited assistance when cold emailing practices are in place.

Key opinions

  • Spam Placement: Cold emails often end up in the spam folder.
  • Reputation Damage: Cold emailing hurts domain reputation.
  • Ineffectiveness: Cold emailing is not a sustainable or effective approach.
  • Recipient Disinterest: Recipients generally do not want cold emails.
  • Limited Help: Deliverability vendors can only provide limited assistance with cold emailing practices.
  • Better Alternatives: Relationship building and opt-in email strategies are more effective alternatives to cold email.

Key considerations

  • Domain Reputation: Protect your domain reputation by avoiding cold emailing.
  • Opt-in Strategies: Focus on building an opt-in email list.
  • Alternative Outreach: Explore alternative outreach methods such as relationship building and community engagement.
  • Client Acceptance: Consider turning down clients who insist on cold emailing or setting clear boundaries regarding deliverability support.
  • Long-Term Sustainability: Prioritize long-term sustainable email practices over short-term gains from cold email.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the idea that 'everyone does it' doesn't make cold email acceptable, especially because recipients likely don't want it. If your recipients did want your emails then they would already be on your mailing list. Your cold emails will hurt your domain reputation, and no deliverability vendor will be able to fully help you.

April 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that instead of relying on cold email, consider alternative methods such as building relationships and becoming known in your target community. This approach can lead to more receptive and engaged prospects.

February 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the reason cold emails often go to the spam folder, and refers to a resource for more information.

October 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states that she cannot help clients get cold emails delivered and, depending on the company, will either turn them down or accept them with the caveat that she won't assist with cold email efforts and that her advice will be ineffective as long as they are using the same domains and resources as their opt-in mail.

December 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource suggests that while many engage in cold emailing, much of it ends up in spam folders. He declines consulting for those whose main goal is cold leads, as he views it as unsustainable compared to opt-in email practices.

December 2023 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

The documentation from various email service providers and anti-spam organizations consistently emphasizes that unsolicited bulk email (spam) is harmful to deliverability and sender reputation, regardless of how commonly it's practiced. Permission-based marketing, list hygiene, authentication, and audience segmentation are crucial for avoiding spam filters and maintaining a healthy email program. The key takeaway is that simply because 'everyone does it' doesn't negate the negative consequences of sending unsolicited emails.

Key findings

  • Spam Definition: Spam is defined as unsolicited bulk email and can lead to blacklisting.
  • Permission Matters: Permission-based marketing improves engagement and avoids spam flags.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is crucial for deliverability.
  • Authentication: Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records enhances email authentication.
  • Avoid Unsolicited Email: Sending unsolicited emails harms deliverability and sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Spamhaus Listing: Understand the criteria used by Spamhaus for blacklisting and avoid practices that could lead to a listing.
  • Explicit Consent: Obtain explicit consent from recipients before sending emails.
  • Audience Segmentation: Segment your audience to send relevant emails and improve engagement.
  • Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails.
  • Regular List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list to remove unengaged or invalid addresses.
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid highlights email deliverability best practices that involve list hygiene and audience segmentation. This helps to ensure you are sending relevant emails to an engaged audience. Maintaining a healthy sender reputation, authentication and avoiding spam triggers are important.

December 2024 - SendGrid
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus defines spam as unsolicited bulk email and details the criteria they use for blacklisting. Sending unsolicited emails, regardless of how common it is, can result in being listed as a spam source, impacting deliverability.

January 2023 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace emphasises that maintaining a clean and engaged email list, setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, and avoiding sending unsolicited emails are crucial for improving email deliverability and preventing emails from landing in the spam folder.

March 2023 - Google Workspace
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp emphasizes the importance of permission-based marketing. Obtaining explicit consent from recipients before sending emails ensures better engagement and avoids being flagged as spam. Permission signifies that the recipient is interested in receiving your communications.

January 2024 - Mailchimp