What do you think of this cold e-mail?

[Matej Cvetkovski]

Hey there, I am currently 16, trying to get some money as a Web Dev Freelancer.

I've been following a lot of advice given to me from this forum, books like CA$HVERTISING, Rob O'Rourke and some videos I've found online about cold e-mailing.
I've sent about 20 e-mails offering a free website in order to build a portfolio, but I haven't gotten a single response.

Here is the e-mail I tend to use, slightly changed from time to time...

---

[IMPORTANT] - Regarding your website...​

Hey John Doe,

I noticed that your website isn't performing nearly as well as it could be.

Despite your lovely and professional design, your website isn't actually that SEO optimized.

Your organic traffic is only about X visitors per month, while some of your other competitors seem to be averaging Y at least.
Meaning, their website is likely producing 300% more results than yours!

Don't worry though, I might be able to help you for free!

I'm Matej and I am currently building a website agency and I need to build a portfolio.
That's why I am willing to offer my services for free, as long as you give me some feedback and a testimonial.

I could do a complete website redesign or a simple SEO change with little UI improvements, so that your website doesn't just look better, but also:

• Boosts organic traffic - More traffic = More potential buyers
• Builds interest/desire in product/service - The more they think about it, more likely they will pay for it
• Builds trust with customers - If they don't trust you, they won't buy
• Has higher ranking on google - Make sure your business is one of the first results on google, rather than in the back where no one will see it.
• Gives the best first impression
• And much more!

If you're at all interested please just send me an e-mail!
brankomokrio@gmail.com

Here are the statistics:
<PICTURE OF SEMRUSH STATS>

 

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[Timo.]

Hey there, I am currently 16, trying to get some money as a Web Dev Freelancer.

I've been following a lot of advice given to me from this forum, books like CA$HVERTISING, Rob O'Rourke and some videos I've found online about cold e-mailing.
I've sent about 20 e-mails offering a free website in order to build a portfolio, but I haven't gotten a single response.

Here is the e-mail I tend to use, slightly changed from time to time...

---

[IMPORTANT] - Regarding your website...​

Hey John Doe,

I noticed that your website isn't performing nearly as well as it could be.

Despite your lovely and professional design, your website isn't actually that SEO optimized.

Your organic traffic is only about X visitors per month, while some of your other competitors seem to be averaging Y at least.
Meaning, their website is likely producing 300% more results than yours!

Don't worry though, I might be able to help you for free!

I'm Matej and I am currently building a website agency and I need to build a portfolio.
That's why I am willing to offer my services for free, as long as you give me some feedback and a testimonial.

I could do a complete website redesign or a simple SEO change with little UI improvements, so that your website doesn't just look better, but also:

• Boosts organic traffic - More traffic = More potential buyers
• Builds interest/desire in product/service - The more they think about it, more likely they will pay for it
• Builds trust with customers - If they don't trust you, they won't buy
• Has higher ranking on google - Make sure your business is one of the first results on google, rather than in the back where no one will see it.
• Gives the best first impression
• And much more!

If you're at all interested please just send me an e-mail!
brankomokrio@gmail.com

Here are the statistics:
<PICTURE OF SEMRUSH STATS>

Make it more personal.

You can use your age to your advantage. Introduce yourself and say that you're 16 years old, maybe from the area, that you've been doing this for a while and have helped a few businesses.

Then you can tell them what is currently not optimised on their website and that their competition is outranking them. You can show them a screenshot from the Google results where the competition ranking is higher.

Then you can offer them the solution. You will help them for free. No: "I could", but "I will help you for free". Give reasons only if they ask for them.

I also started emailing local businesses some time ago and got no responses. But the little introduction of myself at the beginning changed everything and I got replies every day.


Hope it helps

 

[StrikingViper69]

Hey there, I am currently 16, trying to get some money as a Web Dev Freelancer.

I've been following a lot of advice given to me from this forum, books like CA$HVERTISING, Rob O'Rourke and some videos I've found online about cold e-mailing.
I've sent about 20 e-mails offering a free website in order to build a portfolio, but I haven't gotten a single response.

Here is the e-mail I tend to use, slightly changed from time to time...

---

[IMPORTANT] - Regarding your website...​

Hey John Doe,

I noticed that your website isn't performing nearly as well as it could be.

Despite your lovely and professional design, your website isn't actually that SEO optimized.

Your organic traffic is only about X visitors per month, while some of your other competitors seem to be averaging Y at least.
Meaning, their website is likely producing 300% more results than yours!

Don't worry though, I might be able to help you for free!

I'm Matej and I am currently building a website agency and I need to build a portfolio.
That's why I am willing to offer my services for free, as long as you give me some feedback and a testimonial.

I could do a complete website redesign or a simple SEO change with little UI improvements, so that your website doesn't just look better, but also:

• Boosts organic traffic - More traffic = More potential buyers
• Builds interest/desire in product/service - The more they think about it, more likely they will pay for it
• Builds trust with customers - If they don't trust you, they won't buy
• Has higher ranking on google - Make sure your business is one of the first results on google, rather than in the back where no one will see it.
• Gives the best first impression
• And much more!

If you're at all interested please just send me an e-mail!
brankomokrio@gmail.com

Here are the statistics:
<PICTURE OF SEMRUSH STATS>

I get emails like this every day, and I instantly delete them, they piss me off.

Telling me the free stats from some SEO website is almost insulting, I know all those stats already, or for my particular case, I don’t care.

But that might just be me.

If you want something like this to work, you need to the thinking in 100s-1000s of emails, not 10s.

If you want more success, then do some real research on the people you contact, with a real plan on how you can help them.

If you’re trying to build a portfolio, find local businesses you can talk to in person, it’ll be easier to close a deal, even if that deal is working for free. Then once you get results, use them as case studies for your cold outreach, or better, develop an inbound leads system.