Increase Response Rates by Applying the Right Cold Emailing Practices

Aug. 18 2025, Published 2:15 a.m. ET
Cold emailing is a trusted marketing and selling tool. However, older techniques need to evolve over time to produce better results to align with recent trends. If you continue relying on outdated solutions, you may not progress much in your efforts. You may struggle to achieve scale and speed in successful email delivery and performance. Use an efficient cold email software tool to avoid this scene. Modern cold emailing methods can avoid noisy inboxes, get noticed, and improve ROI. So, consider adopting and implementing essential email management steps.
You can explore Mailgo for an idea. This trusted outreach platform is used by different types of businesses to run and grow email campaigns, boost deliverability, obtain optimal engagement automatically, etc. With this platform, you can find leads, automate warmup emails, set schedules, verify emails, etc. However, it works better when you combine its benefits with another tool like Apollo, which is a prospecting platform. The Apollo & Mailgo cold email best practice can be used to optimize results. What does it entail? Let's explore the dos and don’ts.
Email writing
Subject line and messaging are the two integral components of a well-crafted cold email. You cannot expect it to perform per your expectations without any of these elements. The best way to create the perfect email structure is to write the email body first, then add the subject line. Both Mailgo and Apollo can come in handy in these matters. You can use them for the best personalization outcomes.
CTA and subject line blunder
Some marketers add a call to action in the subject line, such as "want better response rates." It reduces the impact of your cold emails. Most inboxes are already flooded with hundreds of such emails, and many of them have efficient spam detectors in place. If your email is too sales-oriented, it’s more likely to be trashed. You can take the help of your cold email software for some creative yet practical suggestions. With an AI tool, you won’t feel tempted to use subject lines like ‘Quick meeting?’ or ‘Need help with?’ anymore.
Subject line and opening line best practices
There must be a connection between the subject line and the introductory line for the email to feel instantly relevant. Suppose the target company is interested in cost-cutting. Your subject line can include the terms "cost reduction," and the first line of the email can start by saying, "Came across the announcement about the XXXXXX cost reduction, Anne.” Adding the first name of the recipient at the end of the introductory line can prove rewarding. It helps establish a quick rapport with the intended customer. To add this specific detail, you can export a contact list from Apollo and organize data fields using Mailgo. The cold email tool will also support you in two more ways:
- Apollo’s verified email details can be about 70 to 80% accurate. With Mailgo, you can clean your email lists by eliminating invalid or unwanted email IDs. Due to this, your email's bounce rate can improve, and your sender reputation will also remain intact.
- The email delivery platform also enables you to segment prospects for hyper-personalized campaigns. You can use flexible rules to attain your goal.
Focus on the prospect
Many cold emails are dismissed or rejected as spam because they prioritize senders’ interests. Please avoid this mistake. You should not talk about your product or service. From the opening line to the rest of the email body, the emphasis should be on the customer. With full attention on the recipient, you can expect to achieve a higher email open rate. At the same time, there is no need to add pleasantries, such as – ‘Hope you are doing well?’ ‘How is it going?’ etc. These additions only kill the precious email space.
Another thing you need to watch out for is the use of flowery language. Straightforward language will be more impactful. Ensure the email body is brief, simple, and attractive. It should avoid creating any friction. You must consider this aspect when applying the cold email outreach best practices.
Reader-friendly email framework
Emails should be easy to skim for the readers to create an impact on them. You can achieve this by implementing a few essential elements correctly. For example, you can add value propositions in bullet points and bold main words in the email to convey the intent. Paragraphs should be short. Even sentences should be simple and short to help readers absorb the message better. If you add a link, it cannot be more than one. Also, a call-to-action statement can be used only once.
Social proof
Many sales emails don’t properly use social proof. If you have testimonials or case studies that prove your offerings help companies overcome their problems, you must use them. Don’t have one? You can create them and use them in the email. Customers want to know how you are helping others like them.Cold outreach email services like Mailgo and Apollo can give smooth access to social proof. You can use them to gather important data points to incorporate into your emails.
Meeting requests
What’s at the core of this entire cold emailing exercise? You want to secure an appointment with a prospective client. There can be an urge to ask clients for a meeting, even in the first outreach attempt. It can be a disaster. No one would be interested in meeting a stranger. Wait for their response before sending a meeting invite. If you still want to include a meeting request in the first email, you can provide a link to your calendar in the signature. It will not make things too obvious. At the same time, some may book a slot.

Interest-based CTA
Generally, people are advised to use closed-ended questions, requiring recipients to choose a yes or a no. These types of CTA don't ask for a meeting. Instead, they check the recipient's interest. Ensure you add only one CTA, though. Some best examples of CTA can be:
- Are you bothered by {pain point}? Do you want a solution?
- Check how it works!
- Is this something you were looking for?
- Do you want to increase your team’s productivity?
Conclusion
It is crucial that the timing of your outreach is right. Mailgo can help you understand the best time for sending an email to improve its open rate. They will furnish you with relevant details such as various datapoints, industry habits, time zone and work hours. You can always drop them an email with your query and their experts will get in touch with you at the earliest.