I Sent 200 Cold Emails and Got 3 Replies: Here Is What I Did Wrong
Sent 200 emails, got 3 replies. Back then, I thought "volume is the problem." I was wrong. Analyzing data within the Rinda platform, I realized that response rates aren't determined by volume, but by the quality and fit of the buyer list.
The day I sent 200 cold emails and got only 3 replies, I honestly felt defeated.
However, it was only after looking at the Rinda data later that it clicked: the problem wasn't the delivery volume; it was the list itself.
Looking back at the 197 unanswered emails, they all shared a common trait. The buyers had never handled that specific category before. Being in the same industry is one thing, but whether they are actually actively sourcing that item is a completely different story. I had sent them out without checking that difference.
Ever since then, I check the "sourcing temperature" before clicking send. Do they have a import history for similar products? Does that category appear on their social media or latest catalog? Just filtering by these two criteria changed my list quality entirely.
I learned the hard way that "quality" must come before "quantity." 😅
How do you verify the sourcing temperature of your buyer lists?
#ColdEmail #InternationalSales #BuyerProspecting
