Question about cold email versus a simple referral ask

Ran a test for my side project last month. Sent 100 cold emails, got 2 replies. Then just asked 3 past clients for a referral. Got 5 warm leads from that. The difference was crazy. Cold emails felt like shouting into a void. The referrals had trust built in already. People just listened faster. Anyone else ditch cold outreach for something simpler that worked better?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake_thompson3mo ago

Tried cold emails once, felt like a ghost.

the_miles2mo ago

Wait only two replies out of a hundred, @jake_thompson? That's insane.

jaken233mo ago

Only two replies from a hundred emails? That's brutal.