12.7% reply rate for a branding agency testing cold email.
Naked Marketing wanted to test cold email. Around one in eight prospects replied, and meetings were in the diary within two weeks.
- Client
- Naked Marketing
- Industry
- Branding and marketing
- Target
- Local businesses near Naked Marketing
- Approach
- Location-based copy and local case studies
Real campaign data from Instantly.ai
“The response rate with Open Outbound was an eye opener: 12% of prospects replied, and we had meetings in the diary within two weeks!”
Dan Bradfield, Managing Director, Naked Marketing
Strategy
Naked Marketing had already done a lot of work for businesses in their own part of the country, so the obvious move was to go local. Rather than pitching branding to anyone, anywhere, we reached out to businesses close to home, where Naked could genuinely say they were just up the road.
Every email used the area the business was based in and referenced what that business actually does. The follow-up then pointed to work Naked had already done locally, for businesses in that same area, so the proof was right on the prospect’s doorstep.
List building
- Google Maps scraping to find local businesses and what each one does
- Companies House data to fill out and check the list
- Waterfall enrichment to find prospects’ emails
- MillionVerifier and BounceBan to remove invalid emails
Copy and personalisation
The first email opened with the prospect’s town and a simple, neighbourly line: we’re just up the road. It named the type of business they run and offered to help them become the standout one in their area, with an easy ask – a virtual coffee, or a real one. The second email followed up with examples of Naked’s work for other businesses in the same area. Here’s one first email, exactly as it went out:
Hi Aaron, happy Monday!
You guys are based in Great Yarmouth, right? We’re just up the road - thought I’d say hello, and to ask if you’d like some help with any branding or marketing? Figured we could help you become the standout retail planning consultancy in the area.
We do everything from a full re-brand right down to a single new brochure, so happy to help with whatever you need. Figured I’d reach out now so you could make a splash for 2027.
Let me know if you’d like to get a virtual coffee - or a real one. Happy to have a look over things and share a few thoughts.
Thanks,