Cold Outreach Hacks That Actually Work (Personal Favorites)

Let’s be honest. Cold outreach sucks.
It feels awkward, fake, and borderline desperate. But guess what? Sometimes it’s the only card you’ve got.

When I first started out, I had no connections, no followers, no big online presence to lean on. I definitely didn’t have months to build a social following or thousands of dollars to throw into ads just to reach a few clients. If you’re in that boat, welcome, cold outreach is your lifeboat right now.

But here’s the truth people won’t tell you:
Cold outreach can work, if you do it right.

What Even Is Cold Outreach?

Basically, you’re messaging people who don’t know you exist. They’re not expecting your message. They’re not actively looking for your service. They’re just random strangers sipping coffee and scrolling Instagram, and suddenly bam your DM lands.

Naturally, these prospects are harder to close. Warm leads might take 3 calls to convert. Cold leads? You might need hundreds before one turns into a client. It’s a brutal numbers game. You will be ignored. You will get rejected. Expect it. Embrace it.

But if you do it the right way, you can still win.

Here are three cold outreach strategies that actually work. Plus, two cheeky email hacks I use to boost my open rates.

1. Loom Outreach Videos

This one is gold.

Here’s what I do: I record my screen using Loom and walk the prospect through a mini audit of their business. For me, it’s often their website SEO, Google Ads setup, or online reputation. If you’re a copywriter, you could review their website copy. If you’re a designer, audit their visuals.

The point is to show them real value upfront.

Imagine you get an email saying:

“Hey, I recorded this 5-minute video walking through a few fixes on your website. Hope it helps.”

You’d watch it, right?
People feel a sense of reciprocity when you put effort into helping them for free. Even if they’re annoyed you emailed, they’ll still appreciate it.

But and here’s where everyone fails recording the video isn’t enough. You need to follow up. Hard.

My process:

1. Send the Loom video.
2. If they haven’t watched it, send a reminder email after 2 days.
3. Then call them. Yes, actually call.

When I call, I say:

“Hey, this is Orrnob. You probably remember me from the video I sent a few days ago breaking down a few website issues.”

If they don’t remember, I say:

“Totally fine, I know you’re busy. If you check your inbox, I sent a video walking through your site audit.”

At this point, they’re caught off guard (in a good way). They feel you’ve done something nice and personalized, and it’s hard for them to shut you down outright.

Remember, always be complimentary in these videos. Don’t just say, “Here’s everything you’re doing wrong.” Highlight what they’re doing well, then suggest a few improvements.

2. Personalized Cold Emails

Here’s what doesn’t work:
Generic templates saying, “Hey, we help businesses like yours get more leads.” Delete.

What does work:
Personalized emails that mention something specific about them a recent post, their location, a broken link, a public review, literally anything that shows you actually researched them.

For subject lines, avoid being salesy. Instead, go hyper-specific:

• “John, noticed a broken link on your site”
• “Have you seen this negative review from Sally?”
• “Quick heads up about your Google Ads budget”

These get opened. Because they don’t feel like marketing, they feel like a helpful email from a real person (which it is).

3. The “Do You Know” Method

I love this one. Instead of sliding into DMs with, “Hey, do you need my services?” (which is what 99.9% people do), try:

“Hey, do you know anyone who could benefit from [your service]?”

Why this works:

1. It’s not abrasive or pushy.
2. Even if they don’t need you, they might refer someone.
3. That referral is now a warm lead, not cold, because it’s coming through their connection.

This instantly expands your network. And people love feeling like they’re helping out a friend.

Two Email Hacks That Boost Open Rates

Before you go, here are two hacks I use in all my cold emails:

1. Write in all lowercase.

No formal capitalized subject lines. Just simple, text-to-a-friend style emails. Makes it feel human, not corporate.

2. Add “re:” before your subject line.

“re: quick website fix for you”
People subconsciously think it’s part of an ongoing conversation. It’s not misleading, it just stands out and gets opened.

Final Words

Cold outreach isn’t fun.
It’s not the best long-term strategy, either. But when you’re starting out with no connections, it’s your fastest way to land those first clients.

Just remember:

✅ Personalize everything
✅ Play the numbers game
✅ Follow up like your life depends on it

That’s it for today. Now go record that loom video, send that personalized email, and stop wasting time waiting for leads to come magically knocking.