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This is a story on how I convinced @AliAbdaal, a popular productivity YouTuber, to "give" me $749.
You'll find lessons on getting what you want, taking risks and how to send a good cold email.
A THREAD
You'll find lessons on getting what you want, taking risks and how to send a good cold email.
A THREAD
1/ Two weeks ago, I made a $749 mistake.
Instead of browsing Twitter, I decided to work on my weekly newsletter and missed @AliAbdaal's announcement that the prices for his YouTube course would double.
By the time I saw it, it was already too late. https://twitter.com/AliAbdaal/status/1321214143974776832
Instead of browsing Twitter, I decided to work on my weekly newsletter and missed @AliAbdaal's announcement that the prices for his YouTube course would double.
By the time I saw it, it was already too late. https://twitter.com/AliAbdaal/status/1321214143974776832
2/ So I reluctantly purchased the essential edition of his course at the same price ($749) I would have paid for the premium edition (now at $1498), had I seen the announcement a few hours earlier.
But I didn't want to abandon getting the premium edition.
But I didn't want to abandon getting the premium edition.
3/ And that's when it hit me.
I can put my copywriting learnings into practice and craft one hell of an email to grab his attention and make him bump me to the premium membership!
I can put my copywriting learnings into practice and craft one hell of an email to grab his attention and make him bump me to the premium membership!
4/ So how do we create a cold email that will get people to respond?
There are core four components when writing a good cold email:
1. The email title
2. The lead
3. The value
4. The ask
Let's deep dive into each
There are core four components when writing a good cold email:
1. The email title
2. The lead
3. The value
4. The ask
Let's deep dive into each
5/ The email title
If Ali doesn't bother to open the email, it's game over.
This is why email titles are so important.
Here are some titles I wrote down, but eventually settled on the bolded one because it represented exactly the purpose of the email.
If Ali doesn't bother to open the email, it's game over.
This is why email titles are so important.
Here are some titles I wrote down, but eventually settled on the bolded one because it represented exactly the purpose of the email.
6/ The lead
I decided to start the email with "Last Tuesday, I made a $749 mistake."
Someone who opens the email and sees this right away will be like "Oh, how did he lose $749?" and will want to continue reading.
Using a big $ amount also invokes curiosity in the reader.
I decided to start the email with "Last Tuesday, I made a $749 mistake."
Someone who opens the email and sees this right away will be like "Oh, how did he lose $749?" and will want to continue reading.
Using a big $ amount also invokes curiosity in the reader.
7/ The value
This is where you convince the person that this email was worth their time.
I knew that Ali valued feedback for his course (from another tweet).
So I wrote a Notion (because he loves Notion) document containing 5 different ideas on how to improve his class.
This is where you convince the person that this email was worth their time.
I knew that Ali valued feedback for his course (from another tweet).
So I wrote a Notion (because he loves Notion) document containing 5 different ideas on how to improve his class.
8/ The ask
If the value >>> the ask, then it should be an easy yes.
This is how I phrased it:
"My only ask is if you believe that this document provided you with good enough value, that I can be bumped up to the premium membership."
Now the stressful part...
If the value >>> the ask, then it should be an easy yes.
This is how I phrased it:
"My only ask is if you believe that this document provided you with good enough value, that I can be bumped up to the premium membership."
Now the stressful part...
9/ Pressing send.
So after sending it to myself twice to make sure I didn't make any stupid mistakes, I pressed "send".
Deep breath
Then, I waited…
So after sending it to myself twice to make sure I didn't make any stupid mistakes, I pressed "send".
Deep breath
Then, I waited…
10/ After refreshing my inbox at least 100 times.
I see this pop-up in my inbox.
I couldn't believe it.
@AliAbdaal "gave" me $749 by bumping me to the premium edition of his course!
I see this pop-up in my inbox.
I couldn't believe it.
@AliAbdaal "gave" me $749 by bumping me to the premium edition of his course!
11/ I'll be honest, I thought I would be a lot more ecstatic after going through all this work.
But, I have to say that I was pretty confident that I would get it in the end.
Why?
But, I have to say that I was pretty confident that I would get it in the end.
Why?
12/ I asked my girlfriend to let me know her thoughts.
And this is what she responded: "I would never have the balls to send this!"
I grinned because that's when I knew the email was good.
And this is what she responded: "I would never have the balls to send this!"
I grinned because that's when I knew the email was good.
13/ What I learned from sending this cold email was the following:
If you want to stand out, you can't do what everyone else does.
You have to take risks.
If you want to stand out, you can't do what everyone else does.
You have to take risks.
14/ If you enjoyed this story, then you might want to subscribe to my newsletter, The Kaizen Newsletter, where I share a new story about lessons I learned (like this one) every Tuesday. https://alexhughsam.substack.com/
