In cold outreach, leading with ROI usually backfires. Our analysis of 300,000+ sales emails shows that using ROI language in cold emails actually decreases success rates by 15%.

The reason: buyers don’t yet understand the context behind your ROI claim, so it feels unproven or generic. Instead of promising a specific return, focus on:

• Highlighting a clear pain or challenge they’re likely facing
• Connecting that pain to a business objective they care about
• Offering a short, low-pressure conversation to explore fit

For example, instead of saying, “We deliver 300% ROI in 6 months,” try:

• “How is [PAIN] preventing you from hitting [BUSINESS OBJECTIVE] this quarter?”
• “Does it make sense to explore how we can help you achieve [POSITIVE OUTCOME]?”

This reimagines your cold email from a hard ROI pitch into a relevant, problem-focused message that prospects are more likely to engage with.

Cold outreach and in-pipeline emails perform best with different CTAs.

For cold emails: use an Interest CTA instead of asking for time.

• Confirming interest before asking to set a meeting is 2x more effective than a standard “Can we get 30 minutes?” ask.
• Examples:
  • “Would achieving [OUTCOME] help your team deliver on [INITIATIVE]?”
  • “Are you interested in learning how [COMPETITOR 1] and [COMPETITOR 2] are achieving [OUTCOME]?”
  • “Interested in unpacking how we can help with [PAIN]?”

For in-pipeline opportunities: once a buyer is already in your sales cycle, switch to a Specific CTA that asks for time.

• Suggesting a specific date and time delivers a 37% success rate for in-pipeline emails, compared with 28% for other CTAs.
• Examples:
  • “Are you available to discuss this on [DAY] at [TIME]?”
  • “How’s your calendar look on [DAY] at [TIME] to cover everything you want to know about [TOPIC]?”

In short: in cold outreach, sell the conversation. In active deals, remove friction by proposing a specific time.

Email engagement is a strong signal of deal health, and it can reshape how you forecast and follow up.

Use email volume as a forecasting signal:

• Healthy deals see a 753% increase in email exchanges as both sides move toward signature, compared with closed-lost deals.
• Track the number of emails exchanged per deal over time; a rising volume often indicates active evaluation and alignment.

Rethink how you follow up after group calls:

• Response rates are highest when there are 2 recipients on an email, then they decline.
• Once a thread has 3+ participants, move to single-threaded follow-ups with each stakeholder.
• In each 1:1 follow-up, highlight the topics and next steps that matter specifically to that person.

Make your emails about them, not you:

• Top reps use “you,” “your,” and “your team” 29% more often than average and underperforming peers.
• Use everyday “words that sell” in your calls, decks, and emails, such as:
  • “Users maximize their time…”
  • “You’ll be more efficient with this workflow.”
  • “You’ll improve competitive win rates with these insights.”

By watching engagement patterns and personalizing your follow-ups, you can reimagine email as both a forecasting tool and a way to keep deals moving forward.