One of the few times in life I eagerly await new emails in my inbox is after an outreach campaign.
But that doesn’t always mean they come. And there are fewer things more annoying (contextually speaking) than a failed outreach campaign. Coming up with the concept, writing the pitch and sending endless emails all take considerable time, which is why it can be so disheartening to be met with a wall of silence.
At this point, you may be tempted to cut your losses and move on. With no engagement or feedback it’s hard to know if your idea is a complete no-go, or you just got unlucky. Before you give up, try these five changes.
Ask yourself the brutal question: is this actually a good idea?
To make sure you’re not sinking more time into something that’s never going to work, the first thing to examine is the idea itself.
Many outreach campaigns fail because the underlying concept isn’t compelling enough. If people aren’t responding, ask yourself:
- Does this offer real value?
- What’s unique about it? Is there anything the journalist couldn’t find elsewhere?
- Does this solve a real problem?
- Is it genuinely interesting or useful?
- Would I pay attention to this if someone sent it to me?
This can be uncomfortable because it’s easier to tweak tactics than challenge the core idea. But if the idea isn’t strong enough, no amount of tinkering will fix it.
Try a different hook
Sometimes the idea itself is solid, you just need to find another way to make it relevant. Never underestimate the power of a timely pitch. Give them something they need to use now, or even if they do like it, it’s likely to get forgotten about.
Avoid tenuous links, but if you can naturally tie your idea into something currently happening in your sector or the wider world, you give them a reason to pay attention. This could be Budget changes that impact your industry, a breaking news story, or even a heatwave.
A small change to your opening lines can dramatically improve engagement.
Experiment with the heading
Often the problem isn’t the idea itself, it’s how you’re presenting it.
Getting your email opened is half the battle with outreach, so test the impact of changing your title or email subject line.
What seems like the selling point to you may not be the aspect that resonates with someone else. Instead of leading with one benefit, try another. Instead of focusing on one aspect, shift it to a different one
Try different timing
This comes back to the element of luck I mentioned at the start. Even a great message can fail if it reaches people at the wrong moment.
Timing affects response rates more than many people realise. Your audience may be busy, distracted, or simply drowning in emails they haven’t got to yet.
Consider reaching out again, but on a different day of the week and different time of day. I’ve sometimes had luck with sending an email in the evening for the simple reason that the recipient isn’t trying to juggle five other tasks at once and their inbox has calmed down.
Add something to it
Remember, no reply doesn’t mean that they hated it. You may just need to tip them over the edge.
Adding supporting elements can make your pitch more persuasive for those who might be on the fence. Consider the following:
- A quote from an industry expert
- A relevant case study
- Images or visual examples
It also gives you a reason to follow up without appearing pushy.
If at first you don’t succeed…
Try, try again (as long as you’re confident your idea actually has legs).
Successful outreach is rarely the result of getting everything right on the first attempt. It’s usually the result of making small, thoughtful adjustments until the message connects with the right audience.