Cold outreach.
Two words that can make even a seasoned salesperson suddenly remember they need to organize the supply closet.
You send the email. You leave the voicemail. You connect on LinkedIn. Then you send the “just bubbling this up” follow-up, as though your first message is a submarine experiencing mechanical difficulties.
Maybe it’s time to put something else into the mix.
Something printed.
No, not a 47-page capabilities brochure that requires its own tote bag. Thoughtful, relevant print that gives someone a reason to notice you; and your next email a reason to exist.
Give Your Introduction Something to Stand On
Instead of asking one cold email to do all the heavy lifting, give it a supporting cast.
Try a sharp postcard introducing one useful idea. A short letter addressing a specific business challenge. A small booklet with examples relevant to the recipient’s industry.
The assignment isn’t “tell them everything about us.”
It’s “give them one reason to care.”
Those are very different assignments. Only one requires your company’s origin story, three mission statements, and a photograph of the building.
Personalize Beyond “Hello, First Name”
Putting someone’s name on a generic pitch doesn’t make it personal. It makes it a generic pitch wearing a name tag.
Start with what matters to that prospect. Their industry. Their role. A challenge your business can actually help solve.
Then build the piece around that connection. Variable data printing can tailor more than names: Brooks Litho can customize imagery, graphics, colors, and other elements to create more relevant direct mail.
Think: a retailer receiving a retail-focused example—not a dental practice case study because someone liked the layout.
Relevance is the point. Personalization is how you deliver it.
Give Your Follow-Up an Actual Purpose
“Just checking in” is not a strategy. It’s what you text someone who borrowed your ladder.
Build a simple outreach sequence instead:
- Mail a useful, targeted piece.
- Follow up with an email referencing its specific idea.
- Call with a question connected to the challenge you highlighted.
For example: “I sent you a short piece about getting more mileage from your event marketing. Which is tougher for your team: driving attendance or following up afterward?”
Now you have a conversation starter—not another request for “15 minutes to discuss synergies.”
Please. The synergies have suffered enough.
Make the Next Step Ridiculously Clear
Don’t make prospects solve an escape room to contact you.
Pick one action: scan a QR code, visit a dedicated landing page, request a sample, or book a conversation.
