9 Foolproof Ways to Earn a Response From a Cold Email

When cold emailing an influencer or business leader, you don't just want to be persistent. With all the emails piling up in their inbox, your message should capture their attention right off the bat. Here are some helpful tips to make sure your email stands out from the crowd.

A. Follow Up and Follow Up Again

Have tenacity when following up, but do it just enough to stand out. There's a fine line between following up and being annoying. Send the email, then send a follow-up email shortly after. If you have their physical address, send them something in the mail. A simple thank you card with your business card inside has worked wonders for me over the years. - Marty McDonald, Bad Rhino

A. Use an Engaging Subject Line

The first step is to get them to open the email. Then, of course, ensure the content and visual aspect is interesting so they actually read the email. This starts with an engaging subject line, or the email may remain in never-never land with thousands of other unopened emails. Depending on the relationship, the subject line could be personalized, funny, poignant, interesting, and/or catchy. - Angela Delmedico, Elev8 Consulting Group

A. Connect on a Different Level

You can cold email, but don't cold sell. Begin a long-term relationship and connect with them on a deeper level. When someone tries to cold sell me, they go right to the delete bin. - Cory Poccia, Mainstream Entertainment Group Inc.

A. Use Personalization, Passion and Persistence

First, do your research to make sure that you personalize both the subject line and body of the email. Then, make sure that your passion for what this influencer or leader is doing shines through in the email. Lastly, be very persistent until you get a response. These three P's rarely fail. - Lisa Curtis, Kuli Kuli

A. Get to the Point

Make your questions short and sweet. Chances are, you're one of several trying to get a response from that person. The best way to get a response is to make it the simplest email they can cross out on their to-do list. - Jon Bradford, Colab

A. Connect on Social Media

Offline and online relationships should be approached similarly. It takes a while to get to know someone, but through meaningful conversations on social media, the influencer will get to know you and feel inclined to connect even further. By following the 80/20 principle, you can listen and learn from the community, then insert yourself at the most appropriate moment. - Ariel Sultan, Food Guru

A. Do Your Research

I always research prospective influencers on social media and make a point of personalizing my email. Did they just take a trip to Hawaii? Say, "Aloha!" Did they post a picture of their favorite dessert? Remark on how delicious it looked. Make a personal connection, and you'll create a comfortable line of communication -- one which they'll want to reply to. - Selena Soo, S2 Groupe

A. Provide Value

By providing something of value -- a statistic, advice, or an opportunity -- you can grab someone's attention from the sea of emails they receive every day. You also want to make sure you keep it quick and get straight to the point. If you take the extra time to add value, you'll be surprised with the outcome. - Michael Cleary, Huemor

A. Connect Over a Mutual Interest

I've always found that simply connecting over a common activity, event, or passion is most effective. Every potential connection or influencer I email, call, or send a message to will respond -- even if it's just to say they don't have the time or the interest right now. It's best to just try and ensure your request is relevant to their interests. - Coy Yonce, Mantis Digital Arts

These answers are provided by members of FounderSociety, an invitation-only organization comprised of ambitious startup founders and business owners.