Cold outreach
Also called: cold email, cold DM, outbound outreach, cold messaging
Definition
Cold outreach is contacting potential customers who have not asked to hear from you, by email, LinkedIn, phone or direct message, to start a sales conversation. It is regulated by law for email and by platform rules elsewhere.
Cold outreach is reaching out to someone who has not reached out to you. A cold email to a VP of marketing, a LinkedIn connection request with a pitch, a DM to someone who mentioned a competitor. It is the core of outbound sales and it works best when it is narrow, relevant and rare.
How it works
Good cold outreach is the opposite of mass messaging:
- Tight targeting. A clear ideal customer profile and a reason this person, now.
- A trigger. A new role, a funding round, a public post about the problem.
- A short, specific message. What you noticed, why it matters to them, one easy next step.
- Respect for "no". One follow-up, maybe two. Then stop.
The rules for email
In the US, commercial email falls under the CAN-SPAM Act. The FTC's compliance guide lists the core requirements: accurate header and sender information, subject lines that reflect the content, identifying the message as an ad, a valid physical postal address, and a clear way to opt out, honored within 10 business days. The FTC is explicit that there is no exception for business-to-business email, and each separate violating email can bring penalties of up to $53,088. Other countries have stricter consent rules; check where your recipients are.
How it plays out on Reddit
Cold DMs on Reddit are a different and riskier thing. Reddit's spam policy lists "sending large amounts of unsolicited chat or private messages" as a violation, and defines spam as repeated or unsolicited actions, automated or manual, that negatively affect users. Accounts that mass-DM get reported and suspended, and many subreddits ban users who DM other members to sell.
What works instead is making the outreach warm:
- Reply publicly first. When someone posts "looking for a tool that does X", answer in the thread. Everyone reading benefits and nobody feels ambushed.
- DM only on invitation. If the OP asks for DMs ("feel free to message me"), or replies asking for more detail, a direct message is welcome.
- Keep it personal and short. Reference their post, answer their question, no templates.
That is closer to inbound than outbound: the person raised their hand first. Threads with clear buying intent are where this works. See Reddit DM outreach for the details.
Common mistakes
- Buying lists and blasting. Low reply rates, spam complaints and legal exposure.
- Mass DMs on Reddit. Against Reddit's spam policy and the fastest way to lose an account.
- Pitching in the first line. Lead with why you are writing to them specifically.
Frequently asked questions
Is cold outreach legal?
Cold email is legal in the US if it follows CAN-SPAM, including for B2B. Other countries have stricter consent rules. Platform DMs are governed by each platform's rules.
Can I cold DM people on Reddit?
Unsolicited DMs at volume violate Reddit's spam policy. Messaging someone who asked for recommendations and invited DMs is different, but keep it personal and occasional.
What is a good alternative to cold outreach?
Find people already asking for what you sell, for example in Reddit threads, and answer them publicly. It turns cold outreach into a warm conversation.