Cold emailing potential clients is one of the main ways a freelancer will pick up new business. After all, we don’t all immediately walk into a freelancing career with all the network connections we might need in our back pockets!
We have to put the time and effort into finding these people, tracking down new leads, and sending emails, messages, and even picking up the phone. And let’s face it, anyone who tries the cold emailing method has faced more than their fair share of silence and rejection.
But there’s another thing to be aware of when cold emailing and/or cold messaging business owners you’d like to offer your services to: keeping yourself safe. And that can get a little complicated, so here’s a quick guide to keep in mind.
Understand Data Protection Rules
They’re a set of guidelines most countries operate by in the digital era, as you can’t just dig up everything you want to know about someone by tapping their name into Google.
You also can’t just reach out to a person without having a proper reason to do so. And when you do, you can’t just take any details you want from them, just in case they might need your services one day.
That’s no way to win over a client – and it could even land you with a very large fine, if it’s something you’re not careful about.
So all in all, you need to have a good idea of data protection rules that apply to both your business and the region you operate in. You can find these via your government’s website, or the digital handbook they’ve prepared.
But there are a couple of things we can tell you to keep in mind:
Be aware of where your prospect operates
It’s hard to say exactly what might get you in trouble without knowing the exact data protection laws of both your own country, and the country your prospect lives and works in.
Because both sets of laws matter here. And even then, these rules may vary according to the region, the type of business you’re conducting, and the company setups either you or your prospect has.
It’s best to contact prospects that have a confirmed business location, so you can quickly check what rules apply, and whether or not they’re stricter than your own.
Clearly explain where you found their email address
This needs to be written out in no uncertain terms. Where did you find their contact details? They’ll want to know how you knew to get in touch, and you also want to leave a paper trail yourself.
Be honest, and make sure it’s mentioned in the first paragraph of the email, to let the recipient know you’re trustworthy.
And remember, you need to stick to business email addresses here. Private email addresses need to be avoided, as they’re not strictly publicly available information.
Stay Aware of the Details You’re Giving Out
On top of keeping your leads’ data safe, you also need to keep your own details as private as possible. That’s why you should have a proper business email address to conduct cold outreach through.
Try to avoid using a private email address here, especially if your private address has been around for longer than a few years. This is important for two reasons when it comes to protecting your data.
Firstly, if you don’t know the person you’re contacting, you don’t know the state of their own online security. As such, your private email address could fall into someone else’s hands.
And secondly, an older email address is more likely to have been stolen and/or shared around through data leaks. You can’t be sure where your email has been stored or sold in this time, and you don’t want that to reflect on you or your potential client.
Create a Cold Email Campaign That Works
So, you want to reach out to potential clients. You’vce decided to do so via email, as it’s a classic way to communicate without being too ‘in your face’. Great!
However, you need to make sure you’re acting safely in every way possible. You don’t know who you’re talking to, but you don’t want your prospect to think you’re after their data either.
Both things need to be on your mind when you source your contacts AND put an email template together. Be upfront, be clear, and make sure your legitimate interest comes across as strongly as possible.
