Episode #334: Don't Do This In Sales

Why do most cold emails get ignored — even when you send hundreds?

Most cold emails fail for one simple reason: they give the reader no compelling reason to care right now. Busy executives delete generic outreach automatically because it feels like “someone selling me something.” If you’re sending volume without relevance, effort turns into wasted time.

Mini-summary: Quantity doesn’t create results. Relevance and a clear hook do.

A hook is the specific business issue or competitive trend that makes a reader think, “Wait… this might be about me.”
If your email only introduces you and your company, you’re asking the reader to do the hard work of finding a reason to respond. They won’t.

Better approach:

• Identify common problems in the reader’s industry.

• Lead with a trend their competitors are reacting to.

• Make it easy for them to connect the dots.

Mini-summary: A hook ties your message to the reader’s real business pressure.

Use a short, cause-and-effect flow that feels relevant, credible, and low-pressure.

A high-response structure:

1. Personalized subject line
   Put the buyer’s name in the subject line to trigger curiosity.

   • Example: “Greg”

   • Japan version: “Suzuki-san (Mr./Ms. Suzuki)”
     This is both polite and culturally appropriate for first contact.

2. Smart send timing
   Send around 1:00pm.
   After lunch, inbox traffic dips and your email floats near the top again.

3. Brief credibility statement
   Keep it simple and specific. Example:
   “Dale Carnegie is a global company specializing in soft skills training. In Japan, we’ve been doing that for 60 years.”
   This signals scale, focus, and proven longevity.

4. Trend-based hook
   “Lately, we’ve had many inquiries from companies looking for solutions to ‘X’ problem.”
   The reader instantly sees what competitors are doing.

5. Evidence with a similar client story
   “A client similar to you faced ‘X’ issue. Using our ‘Y’ solution, they saw strong results within three months.”
   If you have concrete numbers, use them — only if true.
   If not, say the client was delighted with the outcome.

6. Soft, specific call to action
   Don’t hard sell. Invite dialogue.
   “Maybe we could do the same for you. I’m not sure yet — but to find out, let’s meet. Is next Tuesday better, or next Friday?”

Mini-summary: The winning structure is personal → credible → relevant → proven → easy to respond to.

What does a finished example look like?

Visually light, easy to scan, and spaced for fast reading:

“The Sakura blooms will be early this year and are a nice signal of the warmer weather arriving.
Dale Carnegie is a global company specializing in soft skills training.

In Japan, we have been doing that for the last 60 years.
Lately we have had a lot of enquiries from companies looking for solutions for ‘X’ problem.

A client similar to you had this ‘X’ issue and we worked with them using our ‘Y’ solution.
Within three months, they saw a 45% rise in quality and an 80% reduction in customer complaints.

Maybe we could do the same for you.
I am not sure, but in order for me to understand whether that is possible or not, let’s get together.
How is next Tuesday or is next Friday better?”

Spacing matters because executives are time-poor. Dense paragraphs trigger deletes.

Mini-summary: Layout supports trust and speed — two things buyers need.

Across 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies), the decision pattern is the same:

• Buyers respond to relevance.

• They trust proof.

• They avoid pressure.

This method fits outreach in 東京 (Tokyo) and beyond because it’s based on universal executive behavior, adapted with cultural etiquette (e.g., using “-san”).

Mini-summary: The psychology is global; the polish is local.

• Cold emails fail when they lack a specific, industry-relevant hook.

• Personalization (name in subject) and timing (around 1:00pm) boost opens.

• Lead with a competitor trend + real client evidence to create urgency.

• Use a soft alternative-choice CTA to start dialogue, not force a sale.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.