Frame-Shifting Tactics for Stages 1 & 2
When your prospect isn’t actively shopping (Unaware or Problem-Aware stages), use these tactics:
1. The Comparison Bomb
“Teams on Datadog are spending 20–30% more on monitoring than those using PulseCore — and they’re still missing key incident alerts. Want a side-by-side breakdown?”
Why it works: Create a little FOMO. You’re not saying they’re doing something wrong — you’re hinting that others are doing it better.
Use case: This works especially well with execs. Because what do execs care about more than anything? What their peers are doing that’s new, cutting-edge, and just might make them look behind.
You can’t get on their priority list if they aren’t in the right awareness stage. But you can make them think they’re missing something that already is.
2. The Invisible Cost Angle
“Engineers spend 5–10 hours a week untangling legacy code and chasing down undocumented dependencies — but that time never shows up on any report. It just quietly kills sprint velocity.”
Why it works: The best problems to highlight in outbound aren’t always the loud, obvious ones — they’re the silent ones your prospect has learned to live with.
Use case: When there’s a hidden cost they don’t realize they’re paying. Illuminate what’s invisible.
3. The “Why Now?” Trigger
“Google’s phasing out third-party cookies, and marketing teams without a first-party data strategy are already seeing weaker retargeting performance. The gap’s only going to widen this quarter. Want to see how others are adapting?”
Why it works:
- References a clear, time-sensitive shift
- Creates urgency without sounding alarmist
- Positions your solution as part of what top performers are already doing
Use case: When there’s a market shift, regulatory change, or trend that creates a window of urgency.
Personalization Tactics
1. Mention Where You Found Each Prospect
Examples:
- “I read your article on B2B lead generation on QuickMail’s blog.”
- “Saw that you’re speaking at Dreamforce in September.”
Why it works: Shows you’re not mass-blasting. Creates instant relevance.
2. Highlight Technologies They Use
Examples:
- “Since you’re using HubSpot to capture leads, I thought you might be interested in this.”
- “Since you’re using HubSpot to capture leads on your website, I wanted to get your take on this.”
- “I saw you’re using Hotjar on your website. Have you found any useful insights from it?”
Why it works: Shows technical awareness of their stack. Creates natural conversation opener.
3. Prove You’ve Researched Their Company
Examples:
- “Congrats on closing a new funding round! What’s next for your company?”
- “Nice work on getting a five-star rating for [company name] on Glassdoor!”
- “Awesome to see that you just closed a new round of funding— big plans for the next quarter?”
Why it works: Makes them feel seen. Shows you care enough to do homework.
4. Reference News Features
Examples:
- “I saw [Company Name] was named Austin’s fastest-growing HR company by TechCrunch. Congrats!”
- “Read your interview in [local news website] discussing [company name]‘s plans for the next couple of years.”
Why it works: Timely, relevant, and flattering. Natural conversation starter.
5. Look Into Their Hiring Plans
Examples:
- “How’s the search for your new [Job Opening] going? I have some tips that could help.”
- “How’s the search for your {{Job_Opening}} going? I have a few tips from building our team that I can share if you’re interested.”
- “Saw you’re hiring for three new {{Job_Opening}}. Are you hiring locally for those?”
Why it works: Hiring is a strong signal of priorities and pain points. Shows strategic awareness.
6. Bring Up Relevant Case Studies
Examples:
- “We’ve helped companies like [Similar Company] increase engagement with weekly video content.”
- “I work with companies like {{Marketing_Case_Study}} and make weekly videos for their blog.”
- “I work with companies like {{Recruitment_Case_Study}} and help them acquire customers through Facebook Ads.”
Why it works: Social proof + relevance. Shows you understand their world.
7. Mention Relevant Social Media Activity
Examples:
- “Since you liked the post about cold email metrics, I wanted to share some insights on the topic.”
- “Since you liked the {{HubSpot}} post about cold email metrics, I wanted to reach out to ask you about [related topic].”
- “Saw you shared an article on LinkedIn about the difficulties of hiring developers. I can relate to that!”
Why it works: Real-time relevance. Shows you’re paying attention to what they care about right now.
8. Touch on Their Goals and Responsibilities
Examples:
- “I saw you’re in charge of increasing ROI at [Company Name]. Have you tried [specific tactic]?”
- “I learned that you are in charge of increasing advertising ROI at [company name]. Have you tested [tactic]? Happy to share what I learn if not.”
- “Saw that you run marketing at [company name]. Are you the right person to reach out to about your video marketing strategy?”
Why it works: Shows you understand their role and responsibilities. Makes the email immediately relevant to their day-to-day.
Opening Hook Tactics
1. Unique POV on the Market
Formula:
- I think that XYZ [unique market observation]
- Teach them something about their own business
- Share an insight they haven’t considered
Example: “Brexit makes it harder to find quality leads in the UK market - most companies don’t realize the new friction points that emerged.”
Why it works: Positions you as a peer with valuable perspective, not just another vendor.
2. The “Poke the Bear” Approach
Ask a question that makes them rethink their current approach.
Example: “Emma, have you thought about automating your email sequences to free up more time for high-value sales conversations?”
Why it works: Neutral question that plants a seed without being pushy.
3. Observation → Pain Description
Formula: Start with what you’ve observed, then describe the pain it causes.
Example: “John, with all the buzz around automating outbound—new tools, GTM Engineers, Clay tables, and the AI SDRs—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by how to implement it all into your workflow, especially with so much on your plate.”
Why it works: Acknowledges their reality before offering anything.
Psychological Tactics from Josh Braun
1. Catch Them Doing Something Right
Start with genuine praise for something specific.
Example: “Josh – Your video on sales anxiety was spot on. Enjoyed your two cents on detaching from the outcome. Simple but not easy:-)”
Why it works: Makes them feel good. Lowers the zone of resistance.
2. Give People an Easy Out
Don’t trap them. Make it easy to say no.
Example: “I’m not sure if this is a fit for you folks, but if you’d like to learn more, would you be open to carving out some time to explore?”
Why it works: Reduces pressure. Paradoxically makes them more likely to engage.
3. Label the Awkwardness
Call out the elephant in the room.
Example (follow-up): “Remember that email we sent you yesterday? No? That’s because it wasn’t personalized at all. It sucked.”
Why it works: Disarms through honesty. Shows self-awareness and humor.
4. Ask Illumination Questions
Be subtle. Ask a neutral question that makes people think differently about their current solution.
Example: “Out of curiosity, how often are you in competitive deals against Outreach?”
Why it works: Makes them think without telling them what to think.
5. Be Vulnerable
Don’t pretend to have all the answers.
Example: “I’m not sure if this is a fit, but…” “I could be totally off base here, but…”
Why it works: Vulnerability creates trust and connection.
6. Stop Talking People Into Things
Instead of convincing, reveal insights and let them convince themselves.
Bad: “You need our solution because…” Better: “Most teams in your space are seeing X problem. Familiar?“
7. Praise with Moderation
Genuine praise works. Overdoing it sounds fake.
Good: “Nice work on getting a five-star rating on Glassdoor!” Too much: “You’re absolutely crushing it! Your company is amazing! You’re the best!“
8. Give Without Expecting Anything in Return
Offer value upfront with no strings attached.
Example: “I can send you a 2-minute demo so you can evaluate.” “Happy to share a 1-page summary you can review.”
Advanced Tactics
The Competitive Intelligence Play
Send a series of emails where you test competitors and share insights.
Email 1:
“Out of curiosity, how often are you in competitive deals against Outreach? Tried booking a demo and found I can’t live-chat w/ sales or schedule demos outside business hours with them.”
Email 2 (follow-up):
“Looks like you also compete with SalesLoft? A day later and they still haven’t responded to my inbound request. This means your two biggest competitors are completely dropping the ball on engaging right away.”
Why it works: Real-time research that benefits them. Shows initiative and provides value.
The “What People Hate” Tactic
Lead with the pain of the current approach.
Example: “Alex – What people hate about outbound is spending hours setting up tools, testing deliverability, and writing emails that don’t land, only to end up with an empty calendar.”
Why it works: Empathy first. Shows you understand their frustration before offering anything.
The Repurposing Insight
Show them an opportunity they’re missing.
Example: “Have you considered repurposing your videos for TikTok to expand reach beyond LinkedIn? @abhormozi grew from 0-23k followers in two months without lifting a finger.”
Why it works: Actionable insight that benefits them whether they work with you or not.
Follow-Up Tactics
The “Cheeky” Approach
Use humor to stand out in follow-ups.
Examples:
- “John, you don’t have to wait three days to reply.”
- “How have you gone so long without responding to me? I’m a delight.”
Sign-offs:
- “Awaiting your fair but stern reply.”
- “Awaiting your profanity-filled response.”
Why it works: Breaks pattern. Shows personality. Only use if it fits your brand and their culture.
The Self-Aware Follow-Up
Example: “Remember the email we sent you yesterday? No? That’s because it wasn’t personalized at all. It sucked.”
Why it works: Honesty and self-deprecation create intrigue and respect.
The Value-Add Follow-Up
Don’t just “bump.” Add something new.
Day 4 - Reply to Thread: [Share a resource/visual that adds value]
Why it works: Each touchpoint provides value. You’re not just checking in.
Matcher Strategy
Concept: Based on the specific company and their culture, what sort of email will generate the best response?
Questions to ask:
- Are they formal or casual?
- Are they traditional or cutting-edge?
- Do they value data or stories?
- Are they risk-averse or risk-taking?
Match your tone, approach, and tactics to their culture.
Key Reminders
- Every tactic should feel natural to your voice and brand
- Personalization isn’t about flattery—it’s about relevance
- The best tactic is genuine curiosity about their world
- Test different approaches with different segments
- What works in one industry might flop in another
Origin: Synthesized from Cold Email Best Practice vault Tags: Sales ColdEmail Tactics Techniques Personalization Created: 2025-10-17