Let’s get this out of the way: cold outreach still works — when it’s done well. But if you’re a founder, consultant, or solo operator trying to book meetings and not getting replies, you’ve probably heard the same thing:
"Cold email is dead."
"People ignore LinkedIn DMs."
"Outbound doesn’t work anymore."
That’s not true. The problem isn’t outreach — it’s how it’s being done.
Here’s how to fix it.
1. Your Message Isn’t the Problem. Your Relevance Is.
Most cold emails or DMs fail because they’re generic.
They don’t speak to the recipient’s role, timing, or problem.
Bad:
“Hey, I help businesses grow with cutting-edge AI solutions.”
Better:
“Hi [Name], saw [Company] just hired their first AE — I help early-stage teams build pipeline fast without hiring an SDR.”
Rule: The more specific your message, the higher your reply rate.
2. You’re Selling Too Soon
Don’t pitch in your first message. Start a conversation.
Good cold outreach is like dating:
You don’t open with “Wanna get married?” — you ask a question, share something relevant, and gauge interest.
Start with:
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A compliment
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A relevant insight
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A light CTA like “Open to hearing more?”
3. You Don’t Have a Follow-Up System
80% of replies come after message 2 or 3.
If you send one email and never follow up, you’re wasting your list.
Simple follow-up flow:
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Day 0: First touch
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Day 3: Value add
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Day 6: Light bump
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Day 10: Breakup / opt-out
4. You’re Targeting Everyone
Spray-and-pray lists burn fast.
Start with a small, tight list of 25–50 ideal leads.
Ask:
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Do they look like past clients?
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Have they shown a relevant trigger (hiring, raising, launching)?
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Can I write something personalized in 10 seconds?
The Fix: A Simple, Repeatable System
You don’t need a $1,000/month tech stack to make outbound work.
You need:
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Templates that are tested
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A tracker to manage follow-ups
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A clear ICP
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And a quick-start plan that gets you out of your own head
That’s Why I Built the Comusult Outreach Toolkit
It includes:
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6 cold email templates
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A LinkedIn message sequence
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Personalization framework
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Lead tracker
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And a 1-week launch playbook
All built for founders doing their own sales.
Want to start doing outbound the right way?
Grab the toolkit here
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