How to Write a Survey Request Email With 17 Samples From Experts

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

If you’re struggling to get people to take your survey, chances are, the problem lies within your survey request email. No matter how perfect your survey is, it won’t matter if people don’t open the invitation email to begin with.

All the data you need is out there, in the minds of your target audience (whether that means your customers, employees, or business stakeholders); you just need to ask the right questions in the right way. And that’s what we are here to help you with. 

We’ll teach you how to craft an irresistible survey invitation email that gets opened, read, and acted upon. You’ll also find 17 survey request email samples and survey email examples that’ll easily get you started based on why you need it. 

Let’s get started.

How to write a survey request email: Key elements to include and survey email format

In business, feedback is power. That’s how you adapt, innovate, and respond to the changing needs and preferences of your customers and business stakeholders alike. And that’s the very reason why survey emails are so darn important. 

The main purpose of your survey email is to engage recipients and prompt them to complete your survey. It’s not just a simple invitation; it’s your first (and sometimes only) opportunity to persuade someone to share their opinions, experiences, or insights with you.

But how do you do it and get a response? Well, writing a survey request email is like piecing together a two-cog engine. The first cog is knowing what to include in the email, and the second cog is how to structure the email so that it stands out and engages the recipient. 

That said, let’s start by finding out the key elements you need to include in your survey request email. 

What to say in a survey request email?

Inviting people to a survey via email and getting a positive response or engagement to your survey is all about asking the right thing the right way, and it starts with knowing what to include in the survey email.  

Once you know and understand what to include in the email, all the components naturally fit together. Here are some tips for things you should include in your survey request email:

Purpose of the survey

Right off the bat, recipients should understand why they’re being asked to take part in the survey. So, why? Are you launching a new product? Seeking feedback on a recent event? Aiming to improve customer service? 

By clarifying the objective, you show transparency and respect for the respondent’s time, and they will be more likely to grant your request and take a few minutes out of their schedule to take the survey. 

Value for the respondents

This is one most survey emails miss. Every survey should offer some form of value to those taking the time to respond. 

Even if it’s just the satisfaction of contributing to a bigger cause or improving a product they care about, make sure this value proposition is clearly articulated. Position it as an opportunity for their voice to be heard and help improve the experience they get from your business.

Estimated completion time

Let’s face it, nobody likes drawn-out, endless surveys. Also, you don’t want people to start the survey, find it too long, and decide not to complete it. So, be upfront about how long it will take. Whether it’s “a quick 5-minute survey” or “a detailed 15-minute questionnaire”, give them a clear idea so they can decide when it’s best to proceed.

Embedded survey form

There are a lot of survey tools like SurveyMonkey or TypeForm that allow you to directly embed the survey form into your email. That means that, if possible, your respondents won’t have to click a link to land on another page; they can take the survey right inside the email.

So, if it makes sense for the type of survey you’re inviting them to, make it easy on them and embed the survey form directly within the email. It’ll also help boost your engagement rate. 

Confidentiality or anonymity assurances

Data privacy concerns are more significant than ever. If your survey is collecting any form of personal data, or even if it isn’t, it’s essential to reassure respondents. Clearly state how the information will be used, stored, and if applicable, how their anonymity will be preserved.

Incentives or rewards (if feasible)

People love incentives. Whether it’s a discount, a gift card, or entry into a prize draw, incentives can significantly boost response rates. If you’re offering one, make sure it’s relevant and enticing.

A clear call to action (CTA)

Your email should naturally end with your CTA. It’s the prompt, the nudge, the ‘go-ahead’. Whether it’s “Take the Survey” or “Share Your Thoughts,” it should be prominent, ideally with a contrasting button or hyperlink.

An opt-out option

While we all want high participation, it’s also crucial to respect preferences. Always provide a clear and straightforward way for recipients to opt out of future survey requests or communications, ensuring you comply with email marketing laws and best practices.

Now that we have all the key elements sorted out, let’s discuss how you should weave them together to format your email. 

Survey request email format

The survey request email format is more than a container for your message; it’s a framework for engagement, designed to facilitate the smooth flow of information and encourage a positive response. 

Pretty much, as with most business emails, you need to keep formal and adopt a professional email format. That means your email must contain the following:

  • A subject line
  • An email body
  • An email ending

Now, here is how to write each to ensure they’re effectively set up to drive the most engagement for your survey request. 

Survey invitation email subject line

How do you write the best survey invitation email subject lines?

Well, your email subject line needs to be compelling enough to entice your recipient to click and also transparent enough to set proper expectations. As you write it, be specific, use action verbs to let them know you want some action from them, and keep it short. 

Here are some survey email subject line examples you can use or learn from:

  • “Help us improve your shopping experience.”
  • “Quick survey: How are we doing?”
  • “Got 5 minutes? We’d love your feedback!”
  • “Your opinion matters: Help shape our new product line”

Survey request email body

The body of your email serves to expand upon what the subject line promises. It should provide more details and lead your recipient towards the desired action. 

It should address the key elements we discussed earlier: the purpose of the survey, value for the respondents, estimated time for completion, and so on. Here is how to shape it.

  • Step 1: Start with a greeting: Personalize the email with the recipient’s name if possible. Hello [name] or Dear [name] are both excellent for this. 
  • Step 2: Introduce the purpose: Explain why the survey is essential, not just for you but for the recipient as well.
  • Step 3: Highlight value proposition: What’s in it for them? Make this clear.
  • Step 4: Give details about the completion time: Mention how long it will take and what kind of questions will be asked.
  • Step 5: Offer privacy assurance: If you’re collecting sensitive or personal information, assure respondents that their data will be secure.
  • Step 6: Offer incentives: If available, mention the reward or incentive for participating.
  • Step 7: Call-to-action: Use a bold, contrasting button or a hyperlink to make it obvious what they should do next.

How to end a survey request email

The closing of your survey email should thank the recipient for their time and also include an opt-out option for future communications. Here are the key elements you need to include here:

  1. Gratitude-based email closing line: Always thank the respondent in advance for their time and effort.
  2. Opt-out option: Make it clear how recipients can avoid future survey emails if they wish to.
  3. Email sign-off: Add a professional or formal email sign-off. Good examples include “Best,”; “Best regards,”; “Cheers,”
  4. Contact information or Signature: End it all with a professional email signature. 

17 survey request email samples and examples 

Here, we’ll walk you through different survey invitation emails, each catering to a specific purpose, to help you gather the valuable feedback you’re seeking. These are effective survey invitation emails that’ll ensure you get excellent survey response rates for your campaigns.

Generic business feedback survey email sample

A generic business feedback survey email typically gauges the overall sentiment and experience of customers or stakeholders with a company or brand. It provides a broader perspective, touching on various aspects of the business, from products to customer service.

Here is an email sample to get survey responses for this:

Post-event feedback survey email sample

A post-event feedback survey email aims to gather insights on a particular event hosted by the company or organization. This feedback can touch on topics like the event’s content, organization, venue, and overall experience. Here is a survey email example you can use:

Product development survey email sample

A product development survey email is designed to capture customer feedback concerning a potential new product or feature. The survey data here serves to gauge interest, gather suggestions, or identify potential areas of improvement before the full-fledged launch. Here is an email sample for this:

Employee satisfaction survey email sample

An employee satisfaction survey email helps you target your company’s workforce. It assesses the overall work environment, job satisfaction, growth opportunities, and more, aiming to improve workplace culture and productivity. Here is the perfect email sample for this:

Customer satisfaction survey email sample

The customer feedback survey email has pretty much the same spirit as the employee survey email. So, these are shot email surveys directed at clients to understand their satisfaction levels with your company’s products or services. This feedback is critical for continuous improvement and maintaining brand loyalty.

Here is a survey email template you can emulate here:

Online shopping experience survey email sample

An online shopping experience survey helps sellers understand a customer’s experience during their online shopping journey. It covers elements like site navigation, product assortment, payment process, and more. 

The survey results here will help you optimize the eCommerce platform based on real user feedback for a seamless shopping experience. Here is an email sample for this:

Educational course feedback survey email sample

An educational course feedback survey is designed to gather insights from students about a specific course or program. It can touch upon the curriculum, teaching methods, resources provided, and overall learning experience. 

This feedback helps teachers or coaches collect valuable data to refine their course content and delivery. Here is an example of a compelling survey invitation email you can learn from: 

Website user experience survey email sample

A website user experience survey helps collect feedback about a user’s experience navigating and using a website. It can cover website design, speed, content quality, and overall user-friendliness. The insights from this survey help in refining and optimizing the website.

Here is a survey email template for this:

Brand perception survey email sample

A brand perception survey helps businesses understand how consumers view a particular brand. It gauges brand awareness, sentiments, values associated with the brand, and more. This feedback can help in shaping brand strategy and communication. Here is a survey email template for this:

Post-purchase review request email sample

Post-purchase review requests are sent after a customer has purchased and received a product. The aim is to gather authentic reviews that can help potential customers make informed decisions and also help the business in quality control.

Here is a sample email for this:

Market research survey email sample

Market research surveys help businesses understand market trends, identify customer preferences, and gauge competitive positioning. They can be about a potential product, a market trend, or the brand itself. 

Writing this email requires clarity about what specific information is sought and ensuring participants that their input will be valuable and impactful. Here is an email template you can use for this: 

Annual company review survey email sample

The annual company review survey is an internal check to gauge employee sentiments regarding the company’s policies, culture, and overall work environment during the past year. It helps in identifying areas of improvement and celebrating successes. The email should emphasize the importance of employee feedback and assure anonymity. Here is a template for this:

Post-service feedback survey email sample

Post-service feedback surveys help service providers gauge the quality and satisfaction levels of the service rendered from the viewpoint of their customers. Whether it’s for a spa, car maintenance, or legal consultation, this feedback is critical for service improvement. 

Here is an email sample for this:

Software user experience survey email sample

Software user experience surveys are designed to understand users’ experiences with a particular software or application, from ease of use to bug reporting. This feedback helps developers improve the software and fix any issues. Here is an email sample you can use to write this survey email: 

Newsletter feedback survey email sample

Newsletters are an effective medium for brands, institutions, or individuals to share updates, articles, and other curated content with their audience. However, to ensure that the content remains relevant and engaging, it’s essential to regularly gather feedback from subscribers. 

When crafting a newsletter feedback survey email, it’s important to emphasize how the recipients’ insights will guide the content and structure of future newsletters, making it more tailored and valuable for them. Here is an example email for this:

Content preference survey email sample

Understanding audience content preferences gives you a competitive advantage. This survey tells you what types of content resonate most with the audience, whether it’s in terms of format (e.g., video, articles, infographics) or topic. 

When writing this email, make it clear that you’re seeking their preferences and that the audience will receive more of the content they enjoy. Here is an email template you can use to write this:

Community/social issue survey email sample

Surveys centered around community or social issues help gather insights and opinions or evaluate awareness on specific societal topics. This could be about local community projects, national policy changes, or global social issues. 

Crafting such an email requires sensitivity, ensuring the topic is approached with respect and underlining the importance of the respondents’ opinions in creating meaningful change. Here is an email sample you can use for this:

Key takeaways

  • Starting your survey request email with the purpose of the survey not only establishes trust with the recipient but also underscores the importance of their input, making them more likely to participate.
  • Always highlight the value for respondents. Whether it’s to improve a product they use, influence community decisions, or refine content they consume, explaining how their feedback will serve your business can enhance participation rates.
  • Including an opt-out or unsubscribe option shows respect for the recipient’s preferences and can help in maintaining a positive relationship, even if they choose not to participate in the survey. Also, some recipients will be silent, and your survey answers suffer from this. You can consider a survey invitation reminder email or follow-up to give them a nudge.
  • Need help with email marketing and lead generation? We are ready to help. Nerdy Joe can help you get stellar results from our sophisticated email marketing efforts. Talk with us today. 

How to Write An Email to Boss With 45 Examples From Experts

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

The thought of sending an email to your boss can make you nervous. We’ve all experienced that moment of doubt, wondering if our message will come across as professional and respectful. That fear of making a mistake or leaving a wrong impression can be daunting.

But whether it’s sharing important updates, seeking approvals, or simply requesting a meeting, crafting a message and emailing your superiors shouldn’t be hard. You just need to be rock solid on a good reason to reach out to them and do it respectfully and professionally. 

In this article, you will learn how to write a great email to your boss and get the attention you deserve for it. You’ll learn how to address your boss or manager, what to say in the email so that it is meaningful and worth their time, and how to format the email. 

We’ve also added 45 emails to boss examples and samples you can use as templates for any situation so that you can learn from them to write the email you need. 

So, let’s get started. 

How to write an email to your boss: Key elements to include your email and how to format it:

When writing an email to your boss, you need to ensure that your email is not only respectful but also clear and purposeful. To achieve this, you need to pay attention to key elements and formatting. Let’s break down the crucial elements and formatting guidelines step by step:

How to address your boss in an email, and what to say? 

This is one of the main reasons emailing your boss can sometimes appear to be stressful. You need to make sure you’re addressing them right, with the right tone and a writing style that respects their stature. 

Here are the 06 boxes you need to check to ensure you’re doing this right. 

  1. Use their formal titles: If your boss has a formal title, such as “Dr.,” “Prof.,” “Mr.,” “Ms.,” “Mrs.,” or “Miss,” use it appropriately. For example: “Dear Mr. Smith,” or “Hello Dr. Johnson.” Make this a rule of thumb — always go for this. 
  2. Use their preferred name: Although not always likely, if your boss prefers to be addressed by their first name, use it. For example: “Dear John,” or “Hi Sarah.”
  3. Use professional titles: If your boss doesn’t have a formal title or prefers not to use it, you can use professional titles like “Sir,” “Ma’am,” or “Madam” to show respect. For example: “Dear Sir,” or “Hello Madam.”
  4. Follow company culture: Pay attention to your company’s culture and any specific guidelines for addressing superiors. Some organizations have specific conventions for addressing higher-ups in emails.
  5. Use a professional yet friendly tone (don’t be too formal): Balancing professionalism with a friendly tone is key. Also, understand there may be other parties reading the email. So, you need to maintain everything formal and professional.While maintaining a level of formality, strive to make your email approachable and personable. Avoid being overly rigid or robotic in your language. Aim for a tone that reflects respect and friendliness simultaneously. 
  6. Have a writing style that’s direct and easy to understand: Clarity is key when emailing superiors. Your boss likely has a busy schedule, so make it easy for them to understand your message. Use concise sentences and straightforward language.

Now, the next part. What do you say in an email when reaching out to your boss? 

Admittedly, this will depend on the “why” of your outreach to them. But ideally, you need to ensure your email is coherent, concise, and purposeful. That’s why you need to be clear on what to say, — and here are a few tips to help you nail this perfectly. 

  1. Have a clear purpose: Before you start writing, have a clear understanding of why you’re sending the email. Is it for an update, a request, or to share information? Knowing your purpose will help you structure your email effectively.
  2. Explain who you are: This only applies if the two of you don’t communicate much or if you’re not a familiar name/face. In the opening of your email, introduce yourself briefly. Mention your name, your position, and any relevant context that helps your boss identify you.
  3. Quickly tell them why you’re emailing: Provide a concise summary of the reason you’re emailing your boss. This should be a brief, one-sentence explanation that sets the stage for the rest of the email.
  4. Provide more information or details: After the initial explanation, elaborate on the topic. Provide any necessary details, background information, or context that your boss needs to understand the issue or request fully.
  5. Make your ask (if any): If your email includes a specific request or action you’d like your boss to take, clearly state it. Be direct and specific about what you need or expect from them.
  6. Have a clear and direct call to action: In the closing of your email, reiterate your main point and provide a clear call to action. If there are specific actions you’d like your boss to take, suggest what those actions could be. This ensures that your email ends with a clear understanding of what needs to be done next.
  7. Always end by thanking them for their time: This is simply a polite way to wrap up your email. Thank them for taking the time to read your message and take your desired action.

How to format an email when addressing your boss?

When writing an email to your boss, it’s crucial to format it professionally and clearly. As you can tell, your email will have three main parts: the subject line, the email body, and the email closing. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write each part and format your email:

Subject line: How to write the best email to boss subject lines

Your subject line is the first thing your boss will see, so it has to be informative and relevant. Use it to briefly summarize the content or purpose of your email. For instance:

  • “Project update: Q3 sales report”
  • “Meeting request for monday’s team review”

Email body: How to write an email body when addressing your boss

This is where you address your boss and convey your message. It’s where you apply everything we discussed earlier. 

The formatting here should be simple and straightforward to make your email easy to read. Here are the steps you should follow to write this:

  1. Start with a polite greeting: Use their professional titles or preferred names as we discussed. 
  2.  Write a clear and purposeful opening line: If they don’t know you, use this section to introduce yourself, then state the purpose of your email. If they do know who you are, go straight to the purpose of your email. Make it clear why you’re reaching out and what you hope to achieve.
  3. Provide context or details: If your email involves a request, project status update, or any complex issue, provide sufficient context and details. This helps your boss understand the situation better.
  4. Ask for input or action: If your email requires your boss’s input or action, make it explicit. Use polite language to request what you need.
  5. Include a call to action: Include a way for them to rapidly complete what you’re asking. This can be through a CTA button or links. 

Email closing: How to end an email to your boss

Here is how to end an email to your boss. 

  1. In the closing line, express gratitude: If applicable, express gratitude for your boss’s time, support, or guidance. A simple “Thank you for your attention to this matter” or “I appreciate your assistance” can convey your appreciation.
  2. Professional sign-off: Use a professional sign-off phrase, such as “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” or “Yours faithfully.” Follow it with a comma. For example:
    • “Sincerely,”
    • “Best regards,”
    • “Yours faithfully,”
  3. Signature: Include a professional email signature with your full name, job title, contact information, and any relevant organizational affiliations. For example:
    John Smith
    Project Manager
    ABC Company
    Phone: (123) 456-7890
    Email: john.smith@email.com

45 samples and examples of emails to boss

Here are 45 samples and examples of emails to your boss covering various scenarios and communication needs. You can use them as email templates to get started easily. 

Sample email to boss 1: Requesting a meeting 

When requesting a meeting with your boss to discuss a specific topic or project, it’s essential to approach this request professionally and respectfully. Begin your email with a polite greeting, addressing your boss by their preferred title or name. Clearly state the purpose of the meeting and why it is crucial. Here is a template for this. 

Sample email to boss 2: Providing an update on a project 

Regular project updates are essential for maintaining effective communication with your boss. In such emails, start with a polite greeting, addressing your boss professionally. Summarize the current status of the project in a concise manner. Highlight key achievements or milestones that have been reached. Here is a sample to get you started. 

Sample email to boss 3: Asking for feedback 

Seeking feedback or input from your boss on a particular issue or proposal requires a well-crafted email. Your email should provide context or background information related to the topic, ensuring your boss understands the context fully. Show that you’re open to suggestions and feedback. Here is a sample email to your boss for this:

Sample email to boss 4: Reporting an issue or problem 

When you need to inform your boss about a problem or issue that demands attention, your email should clearly state the problem or issue, offering specific details such as when it was discovered and its potential impact. If any actions have been taken or if you have suggestions for resolution, let them know. Here is an email sample for this:

Sample email to boss 5: Requesting time off 

Requesting time off from work, whether for vacation, personal reasons, or medical leave, necessitates a well-structured and courteous email. 

State the purpose of your email upfront, which is to request time off. Specify the dates or duration of your requested leave. If you’ve made any arrangements or suggested solutions to handle your workload during your absence, include this information. 

Here is a sample email for this:

Sample email to boss 6: Requesting guidance or clarification on a task

In this email, clearly state the task or project you’re seeking guidance on and the specific areas where you need clarification. Be precise in your questions, so your boss can provide targeted assistance. Here is an email sample you can use for this:

Sample email to boss 7: Presenting an idea or proposal/Making a recommendation 

When you want to present a new idea, a project proposal, or recommendation to your boss, you have to do it in a structured and persuasive manner. Your email must clearly present your idea, proposal, or recommendation and emphasize its benefits and potential impact. 

Back your proposal with evidence or data when relevant. Express your eagerness to discuss the idea further or to receive feedback. Here is an email sample for this:

Sample email to boss 8: Apologizing for a mistake 

Here, you have to clearly acknowledge the mistake and take full responsibility without making excuses. Express your sincere apologies and, if applicable, mention any steps you’ve taken to rectify the situation or prevent similar errors in the future. Show your commitment to improving and preventing such occurrences in the future. Here is an email sample to write this:

Sample email to boss 9: Requesting a raise or promotion

It’s essential to approach this matter professionally and respectfully. Start by clearly stating the purpose of your email. Provide a concise overview of your accomplishments, contributions, and reasons why you believe you deserve it. 

Mention any relevant data or evidence that supports your request. Show that you are open to discussion and highlight your commitment to the organization. Here is an example email to boss for this:

Sample email to boss 10: Saying thank you

This email needs to come across as courteous and appreciative. Start with a polite greeting, addressing your boss respectfully. Express your gratitude and specify what you are thankful for. If relevant, mention the positive impact of their support. Conclude the email with a polite closing, emphasizing your appreciation for their continued support. Here is a sample for it:

Sample email to boss 11: Submitting a report

In the body of the email, specify the purpose of the email, which is to submit a report. Mention the report’s title or topic and any relevant details, such as the date it covers or any key findings. 

Attach the report or provide a link for your boss to access it. Here is an email template you can use to write this:

Sample email to boss 12: Requesting additional resources or support

Start with a polite greeting, addressing your boss respectfully. Then, let them know that you’re writing to request additional resources or support. Clearly outline the specific resources or support you need and the reasons for your request. 

Provide any relevant data or information that justifies the need. Here is an email sample you can copy to write this:

Sample email to boss 13: Scheduling a performance review

Here, let them know what you’re writing about, which is to schedule a performance review. Suggest a few date and time options for the review. You should express your willingness to prepare for the review and your commitment to professional development. 

Here is a sample for this:

Sample email to boss 14: Handling a workplace conflict

Addressing a workplace conflict with your boss requires a delicate approach. Start by detailing the issue or conflict you are facing and the parties involved. Provide a concise overview of the situation, highlighting any actions you’ve taken to resolve it independently. 

Call your boss’s guidance or intervention and express your commitment to finding a constructive resolution. Here is a sample for this:

Sample email to boss 15: Requesting training or development opportunities

After greeting your boss respectfully. Let them know the purpose of the email. Next, clearly outline the specific training or development area you are interested in and why it is beneficial to your role or the organization. Provide a concise rationale and any supporting information. 

Here is an email sample to help you write this: 

Sample email to boss 16: Providing feedback on a company policy

The best way to provide feedback on company policy is to do so professionally and constructively. Begin your email with a polite greeting, then provide a concise overview of your feedback, focusing on its potential impact and any suggestions for improvement. Express your commitment to contributing positively to the organization. 

Here is an email sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 17: Notifying about an upcoming leave

Here, state your intentions from the beginning and be sure to specify the leave dates, duration, and any relevant details. Mention any arrangements you’ve made for workload coverage during your absence. Here is a sample for this:

Sample email to boss 18: Requesting flexibility in work schedule

Say “hello” to your boss respectfully. Then, state the purpose of your email. Provide a clear explanation of why this flexibility is needed and how it can benefit both you and the organization. Mention any potential solutions or arrangements that can maintain productivity. 

Here is a sample email to your boss for this:

Sample email to boss 19: Expressing concerns about workload

When expressing concerns about your workload to your boss, you have to choose your words carefully. 

Provide specific details about the challenges you’re facing, such as an excessive workload or tight deadlines. Offer potential solutions or suggestions for workload management. Here is a sample email you can learn from:

Sample email to boss 20: Acknowledging receipt of important information

Writing this email should be simple. Start with a formal greeting. Let them know that you got the information, tell them how it impacts your work or whatever its purpose is, and close. You don’t need to provide too much detail for this. Here is an email template for this:

Sample email to boss 21: Seeking advice or mentorship

Start by letting your boss know that you’re seeking advice or mentorship in a specific area or situation. Be clear about the guidance you are seeking and why you believe your boss’s insights would be valuable. Let them know that you are willing to learn and your gratitude for their support. Here is a sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 22: Confirming meeting details

If you are confirming meeting details with your boss, your email should be concise and clear. Summarize the meeting’s date, time, location (if applicable), and any agenda items. Here is a template for this: 

Sample email to boss 23: Rescheduling a meeting

Start by providing a clear reason for the rescheduling and propose a new date and time that works for you. Tell them your regret for any inconvenience caused and your commitment to ensuring a productive meeting. Here is an email sample for this:

Sample email to boss 24: Requesting a letter of recommendation

Here, your email should be respectful and provide the necessary context. Begin with a polite greeting. Next, state its purpose. Provide context, such as the specific opportunity or purpose for which you need the recommendation. Include any relevant information that will help your boss write a compelling letter. Also, thank them for their support and willingness to provide the recommendation. Here is an email template for this: 

Sample email to boss 25: Announcing a personal or professional milestone

This email should be brief and celebratory. Provide a concise description of the milestone and its significance. Express your gratitude for your boss’s support and your commitment to continued success. Here is an email template for this: 

Sample email to boss 26: Requesting a workspace or equipment upgrade

Start with the purpose of your email, which is to request an upgrade for your workspace or equipment. Clearly outline the reasons for the upgrade. Specify any budget or resource requirements if applicable. Here is an email template you can use here:

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Sample email to boss 27: Reporting an IT or technical issue

When reporting an IT or technical issue, it’s crucial to provide clear information about the problem. Begin with a polite greeting and provide a detailed description of the issue, including any error messages or symptoms you’ve observed. 

Mention the impact of the issue on your work or projects. Here is an email example for this:

Sample email to boss 28: Requesting support for a charity or community event

Here, be sure to provide an overview of the event, its goals, and how their support can make a difference. Mention any specific ways they can contribute, whether through sponsorship, participation, or endorsement. Mention that you appreciate their consideration and commitment to making a positive impact. Here is an email template for this: 

Sample email to boss 29: Seeking approval for a business trip

Your email should outline the trip’s purpose, including the destination, dates, and any relevant details. Start with a relevant subject line. Provide a justification for the trip, emphasizing its importance to your role or the organization. Mention any budget or logistical considerations. 

Here is an email sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 30: Requesting permission for a creative project

Here, provide a clear and concise overview of the project, including its objectives, scope, and potential benefits to the organization. Mention any resources or support you may require. Be sure to sound enthusiastic about the project and be willing to discuss it further. 

Here is an example for this:

Sample email to boss 31: Announcing a team achievement

Describe the purpose of your email — announcement of a significant team achievement. Next, provide details about the achievement, such as the project’s name, the team’s efforts, and the impact of the achievement. Show gratitude for your boss’s support and leadership. 

Here is an email sample for this:

Sample email to boss 32: Providing notice of a resignation

This is no good news for your boss. So, start with a polite greeting, addressing your boss respectfully. Thank them for the opportunities and experiences gained during your tenure. 

Mention your last working day and any relevant notice period as per your employment contract. Offer your commitment to a smooth transition and cooperation during the notice period. Here is an email sample you can emulate here: 

Sample email to boss 33: Requesting a reference check for a new job

Provide context about the new job opportunity, including the position title, company name, and any relevant details. Thank them for their willingness to provide a reference and offer to provide any additional information they may need. Here is an email sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 34: Notifying about a sick day

If you need to notify your boss about a sick day, make sure your email is straightforward and informative. Mention the specific date(s) you will be absent and any anticipated duration. Provide a brief description of your symptoms, if desired. 

Highlight your commitment to following company protocols for sick leave and your readiness to assist with any necessary workload adjustments. Here is an email sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 35: Acknowledging a bonus or incentive

Here, you want to sound appreciative yet professional. Express your gratitude for the recognition and any accompanying message or note. Mention your commitment to continuing to contribute to the organization’s success.  Here is an email example for this: 

Sample email to boss 36: Sharing industry news or trends

Your email should be concise and informative when sharing industry news or trends with your boss. Round up the news or trend and its potential impact on your work or the organization. Let them know you want to discuss the topic further or explore any necessary actions. Here is an example of an email to your boss for this: 

Sample email to boss 37: Requesting a budget approval

Budget approval emails should be clear and detailed. So, provide a comprehensive overview of the project, including its objectives, scope, costs, and benefits. Outline the budget requirements and the allocation of funds. Here is an example of an email for this: 

Sample email to boss 38: Announcing a new employee joining the team

Start by letting them know that you want to announce the arrival of a new team member. Provide essential details about the new employee, such as their name, position, start date, and a brief introduction. Here is an email sample for this:

Sample email to boss 39: Confirming attendance at a conference or training

Here you have to be direct and not waste their time. Provide essential details, such as the event name, dates, location, and any relevant agenda items. Express your gratitude for the opportunity and your commitment to representing the organization effectively.

Here is an email sample you can use for this: 

Sample email to boss 40: Reporting safety concerns in the workplace

You should provide relevant details in your email to your boss when reporting safety concerns. Describe the specific safety issue or hazard, providing details such as location and potential risks. Offer any suggestions or recommendations for addressing the concern. Here is an email sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 41: Requesting input on a decision

Start by letting them know that you’re seeking their input on a specific decision or matter. Provide background information and context to help them understand the situation. Ask for their opinion, suggestions, or guidance on the matter. Here is an example for this: 

Sample email to boss 42: Sharing marketing or sales updates

Your manager should receive concise and informative emails when you share marketing or sales updates. Include a brief summary of the updates, including key metrics, achievements, or challenges. Highlight any significant insights or trends. Here is an email sample for this: 

Sample email to boss 43: Acknowledging a team member’s efforts

If you’re acknowledging the efforts of a team member to your boss, your email should be appreciative and highlight their accomplishments. So, include specific details about their contributions, such as accomplishments, dedication, or teamwork. Here is a sample:

Sample email to boss 44: Requesting support for a work-related event

Open with details about the event, including its objectives, date, location, and any relevant information. Clearly outline how their support, whether financial, logistical, or promotional, can contribute to the event’s success. Here is a sample to help you write it:

Sample email to boss 45: Offering to take on additional responsibilities

Your email here should convey your willingness and capability. Highlight your qualifications, skills, or capacity that make you suitable for the extra workload. Offer specific ways you can contribute or mention the areas where you can assist. 

Here is a template to help you get started:

Key takeaways

  • When emailing your boss, always ensure your email has a clear purpose. State the reason for your email with all the details in the opening paragraph, whether it’s to request information, provide an update, or seek approval. Make your message concise and to the point. Also, reach out in a timely manner to get a positive response.
  • Proper email formatting is essential. Use a clear subject line that summarizes the email’s content. In the body of the email, start with a polite greeting, maintain a professional tone throughout, and structure your message logically with paragraphs for easy readability. Also, be sure to write an error free email with a specific subject line.
  • Express gratitude when appropriate, whether it’s for your boss’s time, support, or guidance. Use professional closing phrases, and always include a well-crafted email signature with your full name, job title, and contact information.
  • Need help with email marketing and lead generation? We are ready to help. Nerdy Joe can help you get stellar results from our sophisticated email marketing efforts. Talk with us today. 

How to Write An Invoice Email With 7 Templates From Experts

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

Every business owner, employee, freelancer, and professional has been there – that moment when you need to ask a client or an employer for payment. Or, you just need to reach out to the finance department with an invoice so that they complete your payment. 

Well, it can be a daunting task, especially if you’re unsure about the right way to frame your request. That’s where invoice emails come in. Invoice emails perfectly blend professionalism and courtesy, making this process smoother for both parties. 

In this article, we will assist you and help you take the uncertainty out of the equation, offering insights on crafting the perfect invoice email. Plus, we’ve included seven templates to ensure you always hit the right note.

Let’s get started.

What is an invoice email?

An invoice email is an email sent to a client or customer detailing the amount they owe for products or services they’ve purchased. It can also be an email letter you send to your employer or the right department in your company to get them to complete payment. 

Unlike a traditional paper invoice or an electronic invoice attached as a PDF, an invoice email contains the billing details directly within the email body, making it easy for the recipient to view and take action immediately.

The primary aim of an invoice email is to inform the recipient about a pending payment and guide them toward settling it. However, beyond its transactional nature, an invoice email also serves several other purposes:

  1. Official record: It acts as a formal transaction record, aiding in both parties’ accounting and tax processes.
  2. Transparency: It offers clients or companies a clear breakdown of what they’re being billed for, ensuring no ambiguities or surprises exist.
  3. Trust building: A well-structured, professionally crafted invoice email reinforces your brand’s credibility and fosters trust in business relationships.
  4. Prompt action: With direct CTAs and easy-to-follow payment instructions, invoice emails can hasten the payment process, improving cash flow for businesses.

Keep in mind that, unlike popular misconceptions, an invoice email is not the same as a quotation email. 

A quotation email provides an estimated price for potential goods or services, presenting a proposal or offer that typically isn’t legally binding, sent before any agreement is reached. It might say, “We propose” or “This quotation is valid until.” 

On the other hand, an invoice email bills a customer or a company for goods or services they’ve already received or agreed to purchase. It’s a legally binding request for payment sent after the delivery of the goods or services. 

It details the exact price due and often contains phrases like “Amount due” or “Invoice number”. In essence, while a quotation gives potential costs, an invoice specifies the actual costs and requests payment.

Invoice email format: Key components of an effective invoice email

Crafting a good invoice email is both an art and a science. You need to nail the structure or format and ensure your message is clear and compelling. 

Now, let’s break down the essential components that should be present in every invoice email:

How to write an invoice email subject line 

Invoice email subject lines are one of the simplest types of email subject lines you’ll ever have to write. You are writing your email to ask for a payment or hasten one, so you don’t have to sweat it. Simply make the subject line about the invoice. 

That’s the best way to grab your recipient’s attention and immediately convey the email’s purpose. Here is an example you can use or emulate:

Example: “Invoice #1234 from [company name] due on [date]”

How to write an invoice email body

Here is how to craft the body of your invoice email.

Professional greeting 

As we always like to say, the first line of your email sets the tone. So, start your invoice email with an appropriate email salutation to get things started. Depending on the recipient, you can choose between “Hello, Hi, and Dear”. 

Note that addressing the recipient by their name, when possible, lends a personal touch and establishes respect.

Detailed invoice information 

This is the core of your email. This section will likely depend on the type of invoice you are writing. 

For example, if you are an employee writing an email invoice to get your monthly payment, you won’t have to break down your work. A couple of sentences reminding/requesting payment for the given period and a bill with instructions to get paid will do just fine.

But if you’re a freelancer or a seller, you’ll have to provide a breakdown of the products or services rendered, their individual costs, and the total amount due. This section should be well-structured, ensuring your client can easily understand each charge.

Here are some elements you may include here:

  • Description of service/product: A brief, clear description of what you’re charging for.
  • Date of service/product delivery: This helps the client remember and verify the transaction.
  • Quantity (if applicable): The number of products or hours of service.
  • Unit price: The cost per item or service hour.
  • Total amount due: The overall sum the client owes.

You can look up an email invoice template to learn how to include the right contact details and request payment more effectively.

As you write this, it can also be a great idea to include this information in a spreadsheet table, as it makes it easy for the client to go through everything and complete the payment quickly. 

Payment instructions 

This section answers the question: how do you want to be paid? It is about informing and facilitating the payment. So, what you write here should provide a clear, specific answer to that question to make it as straightforward as possible for the recipient to process the payment. 

So, you can add details about your bank account where you want to get paid or provide a link to an online platform like PayPal or Wise where you’d like to get paid. Or, if they purchased goods or products from your company, you can formulate something as follows: 

“We kindly request you to process this payment via our secure online portal [Link to Portal]. We gladly accept Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal.”

While you’re at it, keep in mind that clear instructions facilitate prompt payment and reduce potential back-and-forth communications. 

How to end an invoice email

Here’s a breakdown of how to end your invoice email professionally and politely:

Polite email closing line

Always express appreciation. Remember, you’re thanking them for the payment and the trust and business relationship. Also, add a sentence that indicates the conversation is still on, whatever they need to ask you to complete the payment, or any other information.

Professional email sign-off

Your sign-off sets the tone for your closing. Opt for a professional yet warm sign-off.

Examples:

  • Warm regards,
  • Kind regards,
  • Best wishes,
  • Sincerely,

Email signature/Contact information 

An email signature not only offers another chance for the client to reach out with any questions but also reaffirms the professional nature of your communication. Your signature should typically include the following: 

  • Your full name
  • Your position or title
  • Company name
  • Contact phone number
  • Email address
  • (Optional) Company logo or your professional image
  • (Optional) Links to company website or social profiles

Example:

Warm regards,

John Doe

Senior Account Manager, XYZ Solutions

Phone: (123) 456-7890

Email: john.doe@xyzsolutions.com

[Company Logo]

www.xyzsolutions.com | LinkedIn | Twitter

7 invoice email templates to get you started 

Here’s a rundown of seven different types of invoice emails you might find yourself sending and some tips for how to handle each one excellently.

Template 1: Standard invoice email 

The standard invoice email is a straightforward payment request email with an embedded document that provides essential billing details and payment information. 

Here, you should use a subject line that immediately identifies the email as an invoice and includes a due date, making it easy for the client to know what action is needed. Here is a template for this: 

Template 2: Past due invoice email 

This type of invoice email is a reminder to the client that a payment is overdue. It needs to be courteous yet firm, maintaining a professional relationship while clearly stating the importance of settling the unpaid bill.

Also, while you need to be firm about the need for payment, avoid sounding aggressive or confrontational, which could harm your business relationship. Here is a template for this: 

Template 3: Payment reminder/follow-up invoice email

Sometimes clients need a gentle reminder that a payment is coming up but isn’t overdue yet. This type of email should be friendly and polite, serving as a courtesy to avoid delay payment. Here is an invoice email message for this: 

Template 4: Payment confirmation email 

Upon receiving payment, it’s good practice to send a payment confirmation email. This email confirms that the transaction has been completed and often serves to thank the client. Businesses typically automate this type of invoice email.

This is a great opportunity to express gratitude and reinforce a positive working relationship, so be sure to include appreciative language.

Template 5: Disputed invoice email 

When a client disputes an invoice, this email serves as the formal communication to resolve the issue. It should be professional, open to dialogue, and willing to resolve the dispute amicably.

As you write this, you need to maintain an open and receptive tone, inviting the client to clarify their concerns while reassuring them that your primary aim is to resolve the issue to everyone’s satisfaction. Here is an invoice email message example for this:

Template 6: Final notice email 

Final notice invoice email is the last step before taking more severe measures for an unpaid invoice. 

Here, you want to sound clear and unequivocal to signify the severity of the situation. But still, remember to provide an avenue for the client to discuss any concerns or difficulties they may have.

Template 7: Employee invoice email to the finance department

This is the invoice email template you need if you want to send an invoice email to request your salary. Such emails are internal, so they can be straightforward but still require clarity to ensure the Finance Department has all the information they need.

4 best practices for writing good invoice emails

An effective invoice email is not just about stating what’s due but doing so in a manner that respects and values the business relationship. Here are four best practices that elevate the quality and effectiveness of your invoice emails:

Be polite and professional.

Courtesy goes a long way. While the essence of your email is transactional, a friendly and professional tone can make the process feel more collaborative than demanding.

Tip: Avoid using overly aggressive or intimidating language, even if you’re sending a reminder for a late payment. Instead, opt for phrases like “Kindly note,” “We would appreciate,” or “Please review.”

Include your terms and conditions.

Clearly state the terms associated with the invoice. This might include late payment fees, discounts for early payments, or other specifics related to the service or product.

Tip: If your terms and conditions are extensive, consider providing a summary within the email and attaching a detailed document or linking to a web page where the client can review the full terms.

State when and how you want the payment.

Being ambiguous about payment details can lead to unnecessary delays and back-and-forth. Clearly specify the due date and your preferred payment methods.

Tip: Highlight the due date in a way that it stands out. For instance: “Payment Due Date: [Date]”. Plus, if there are multiple payment options, list them so that the client can choose the most convenient one.

Make it easy to complete the payment. 

The simpler the payment process, the quicker you’re likely to get paid. If you’re using an online payment system, include direct links. If you’re expecting a bank transfer, succinctly provide all the necessary details.

Tip: Consider integrating payment portals that allow clients to pay directly from the email with a simple click. Moreover, ensure that the payment portals you use are recognized and trusted to alleviate any security concerns the client might have.

Understanding invoice automation: How to automate your entire invoicing process 

As your business scales and operations grow more complex, manual invoicing can become time-consuming. Automation helps you streamline this process, ensuring that invoices are sent promptly and that no client is overlooked. Here is how you can do it:

Benefits of automation in invoicing

Here are some benefits of automating your invoicing:

  • Time savings: Manual invoicing can be tedious. Automating the process saves significant time, allowing businesses to focus on other important tasks.
  • Error reduction: Human errors, such as sending the wrong invoice amount or forgetting to invoice a client, can be minimized.
  • Consistency: Ensure that every client receives an invoice that adheres to a standard format, boosting your brand’s professionalism.
  • Timely reminders: Automated systems can send out reminders for unpaid invoices, enhancing the likelihood of prompt payments.
  • Integrated record-keeping: Most automation tools integrate with accounting software, ensuring that records are updated in real-time.

Popular tools for invoice email automation 

Invoice automation tools offer you invoice automation, time tracking, and other finance-related functionalities. They make it easy for you to automate billing, payment reminders, and payment tracking. Here are some tools you can consider for this:

  • FreshBooks
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Zoho Invoice
  • Wave

7 steps to set up automated invoice emails

Here is how to automate your invoice emails.

  • Step 1: Choose an invoice automation tool based on your business’s size and needs; select a tool that aligns with your requirements.
  • Step 2: Integrate with your client database. Link your chosen tool to your CRM or client database to ensure seamless data flow.
  • Step 3: Customize templates: Design invoice email templates that reflect your brand’s voice and aesthetics. Ensure they have placeholders for dynamic data (e.g., client name, amount due).
  • Step 4: Set triggers: Determine what actions will trigger an invoice. This could be a product purchase, a service completion date, or a specific time of the month for recurring bills.
  • Step 5: Determine follow-up actions: Decide if you want to send reminders for unpaid invoices. Set intervals (e.g., one week after the due date) and customize the reminder email’s tone and content.
  • Step 6: Test the automation: Before going live, run tests to ensure invoices are generated correctly, the content is accurate, and reminders work as intended.
  • Step 7: Monitor and optimize: Regularly review the system to ensure there are no glitches. Based on feedback and payment rates, tweak the content or frequency as needed.

Key takeaways:

  • Whether you’re sending a standard invoice, a reminder, or even addressing a dispute, the purpose of each invoice email should be crystal clear. This clarity, combined with all the necessary details presented in a structured manner, ensures that the recipient knows exactly what is expected and can act accordingly.
  • As you know, email templates provide a strong foundation for your invoice emails, but personal touches are crucial. Tailoring your emails to the specific scenario or individual will enhance professionalism and ensure smoother transactions.
  • Leveraging automation tools not only saves time but also ensures consistency in your invoicing process. By automating your invoice emails, you can minimize human error, enhance efficiency, and maintain a regular invoicing schedule that benefits both parties.
  • Need help with email marketing and lead generation? We are ready to help. Nerdy Joe can help you get stellar results from our sophisticated email marketing efforts. Talk with us today. 

Cleverly Vs Lead Cookie: Which LinkedIn Lead Gen Service is Best?

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

Cleverly and Lead Cookie are renowned agencies in the realm of LinkedIn lead generation. Each of them provides exceptional LinkedIn lead generation services with distinct methodologies. 

Cleverly combines a proprietary LinkedIn outreach tool and done-for-you lead generation services to help businesses tap into a vast network of LinkedIn offers and generate leads to grow their business. 

Lead Cookie, on the other hand, is primarily a LinkedIn lead generation agency. Their service is completely done-for-you, and they also leverage LinkedIn’s powerful networking platform to drive lead generation, increase website traffic, and increase brand awareness. 

Before discussing how each of these LinkedIn lead generation services is special, we want to clarify the lead generation elements you need to concentrate on. 

We believe these are key elements that tell you what you should look out for to know whether they can help you achieve your lead gen and growth needs. 

So, here we go.

  1. A comprehensive, hands-off approach: You want to generate leads without lead generation. So, the agency should handle all aspects of lead generation and outreach for you (completely done-for-you), allowing you to focus on other areas of your business, like having one-on-one meetings with the leads and closing deals.
  2. Clear and focused service offering: By “focused,” we mean that they don’t offer a thousand lead generation services. Instead, they’re super focused on a single lead generation service (i.e., LinkedIn lead generation), master it very well, and achieve results with excellence. 
  3. A proven strategy for consistent lead acquisition: One of the essential reasons you’re considering an agency is because of their specialized knowledge. The agency needs to have a tried-and-tested approach to generating leads consistently for your business.
  4. Quality over quantity framework: A team that understands the level of accuracy it takes to design successful lead generation campaigns. And thus, they put in the brain juice to do good work and don’t care about volume or rely on AI tools to do most of the work. Also, lead generation can sometimes be daunting but fuels growth, so even though you can’t afford to waste time on it, you don’t want to hand it off to an agency that’ll hand off most of the work to AI. 
  5. Deep understanding of your ICP: They must demonstrate a clear mechanism for achieving this. The agency needs to be able fully comprehend your target audience and their unique needs. They should craft LinkedIn outreach messages that address your ICP’s pain points and create content that engages, persuades, and incites them to buy. 
  6. Leads that convert: You’ll read on their website that they’ve generated trillions of leads for millions of companies. But nowhere will they tell you how many of those leads actually became clients. The most crucial factor in any lead generation service is the quality of leads generated. You want a service that generates high-quality leads that have a high likelihood of converting, not just a large number of poor-quality leads.
  7. Fast results: If you are looking to hire a LinkedIn lead generation agency, it means that you are tight on funds and not growing at the rate you wish, so you want to fill your sales pipeline and grow fast. Because of that, you want an agency that can deliver quality leads promptly. You don’t have months to wait, and you can’t afford it.
  8. Customized and impactful outreach: The agency needs to personalize its outreach strategies and communications for each potential lead to optimize outcomes. You want to avoid agencies that send out generic messages to a random list of leads gathered from Sales Navigator. Your brand’s reputation and image are crucial, and you require an agency that maintains high-quality work standards. 
  9. Cost-effectiveness and scalability: The agency should provide budget-friendly and scalable services, aligning with your business growth. Their pricing model should be transparent, detailing exactly what you can expect from the service.
  10. Well-established fundamentals: First, you want to know how much you’ll be paying and how many leads you’ll get — with exactitude. You want to make sure their ethics and marketing standards align with yours. You want to ensure they abide by data privacy laws, et cetera. 

With these elements in mind, Cleverly and Lead Cookie both barely pass the average when we compare them. Still, both companies are great at what they do and have extensive portfolios of hundreds of B2B companies to prove this. 

So, this article will explore the different services each lead generation company offers, the different strategies and methodologies, tools, and all the different features they offer their customers, and how these contribute to their client’s overall success. 

We’ll also introduce you to our own LinkedIn lead generation agency, Nerdy Joe, to discuss why we might be better suited for your current needs. 

So, let’s get started.

Lead Cookie vs. Cleverly: Which of these services is best for your LinkedIn lead generation needs?

This will be a comparative study of the two LinkedIn lead generation agencies, and our appreciation will be based on the key elements mentioned in the introduction. 

By the end of this thread, you can tell which of these two LinkedIn lead generation services is more packed to do the work you need and generate great results. 

Lead generation service range: What are the different types of lead generation services that Cleverly and Lead Cookie offer?

Let’s start with Lead Cookie. 

Lead Cookie

Lead Cookie’s website has very little to tell visitors. On one of their pages, we found that the company offers a comprehensive outbound outreach service, including LinkedIn outreach, Email marketing and outreach, and phone outreach or cold calling. 

Let’s detail each of the services.

  • LinkedIn Marketing: LinkedIn outreach is only a slice of the LinkedIn services they offer their customers. Lead Cookie offers all types of marketing services related to LinkedIn profile optimization, LinkedIn content creation, and LinkedIn lead generation campaigns, which include sending personalized connection requests and follow-up messages to your target audience, thereby helping to convert them into leads. 
  • Email outreach: Think of this as cold email campaigns. So, based on the ICP you agree on, Lead Cookie will research your target audience, build a list, and reach out to them via personalized cold emails. Interestingly, they don’t detail in any way whether or not they do data enrichment, lead research, etc. 
  • Cold calls: Lead Cookie also includes a cold calling service in its range of offerings. This includes all the services from list building, script development, call execution, follow-ups, etc. Understand that cold calling is a traditional method, and cold calls easily set people off.  

Cleverly

Cleverly has more in its service bag than Lead Cookie. Even with their lead generation tool aside, Cleverly is more than just a lead generation company. Their services also include inbound marketing services and much more. 

Let’s detail their main services. 

  • LinkedIn Marketing: Cleverly also offers a comprehensive LinkedIn marketing service with a list more extensive than Lead Cookie. On top of lead generation, LinkedIn marketing services include paid ads, LinkedIn recruiting, profile optimization, LinkedIn content creation and ghostwriting, and more. Cleverly also owns a proprietary outreach tool that they use for their service.
  • Cold email lead generation: Like Lead Cookie, they also offer a done-for-you cold email service for lead generation. It’s almost the same service as what you get with Lead Cookie, except they own a proprietary tool they also use to run their campaigns.  
  • Google Ads: You can also hire Cleverly for Google Ad services. They can assist your business in setting up, managing, and optimizing your Google Ads campaigns to drive traffic, increase brand visibility, and generate high-quality leads. They handle all the heavy-lifting work, ranging from keyword research, ad creation, and optimization, bid management, landing page optimization, etc. 
  • SEO content and Blog writing: On top of their primary LinkedIn outreach services, they now also offer SEO content and blog writing services. They have a team of professional content writers who can produce SEO-optimized content for your website that engages your audience and improves your website’s search engine rankings. 

With all their many services and tools, Cleverly can be your one-stop shop for everything digital marketing. But we’ve found that they do not do any sales enablement. You’ll have to further nurture your leads by yourself if you want to close them. Which is not ideal (it is ironic).

Because if you are hiring a lead generation company, it means that you want leads you can close fast and increase your sales revenue. Otherwise, you might as well hire someone from Upwork to build lists and hand over the leads to your team to do the outreach.  

Bringing it back to both Lead Cookie and Cleverly, the latter clearly has the edge for the services they offer. Although this might seem like a great score on which of them is better, keep in mind that offering a lot of services typically means that you are a master of none. 

LinkedIn lead generation strategies: Comparing strategies for finding your ICP, building lists, reaching out to prospects, etc. 

Here, we will discuss how each company actually does their lead generation. The idea is to shed light on their approaches and strategies based on information we read on their website. 

We also want to appreciate this so that you can understand how this affects the results you’ll get and your potential for positive ROI.

ICP identification and lead research

According to Cleverly’s guide to LinkedIn lead generation, their first step in the strategy is to use LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator tool to build dream prospect lists. 

At first glance, that might seem like an excellent strategy. But this means compromising on quality from the get-go, which in turn will affect the quality of the leads you receive and their potential for conversion. Here is what we mean.

You can’t target people based on a couple of features from Sales Navigator. You need to understand their pain points, why they’d want your product or service, and how it can help them. 

Until you can figure this out and install a proper mechanism to achieve it for all your LinkedIn outreach campaigns, your outreach messaging will simply be generic and based on guesses from your gut. Let’s see how Lead Cookie does it. 

Interestingly, Lead Cookie’s website tells you nothing about their ICP identification process. There are only a couple of posts mentioning the importance of targeting the right people as well as targeting small segments of prospects from specific niches.

It seems interesting, but we can all agree that the very fact that they are talking about “Hand-qualifying leads” implies building a list by relying on data intelligence tools like Crunchbase, ZoomInfo, and Sales Navigator”. 

Another way of looking at this is that they don’t target people based on their customers’ ICP. Rather, they cast a wide net by targeting random people within the industry (even when they target small segments of them) and cross their fingers for results. 

Pretty much the same as Cleverly, and both results will be a subpar lead quality that you can’t convert. Based on the data at hand, our verdict is that both companies’ lead generation system does not set them up to bring you the best customers ready and eager to buy. 

A better approach here is for the lead gen teams to have a sit down with you or your sales team to discuss your ideal customer profile. Who should they target and why? They need to gain clear insights as to who they need to target and why your product makes sense for this specific audience. 

Why did you create a product or service? What pain points were you trying to solve? They need to understand the different use cases of your product and who they serve best. They need to find people with genuine issues or needs that your product can solve. 

That’s the only way they can create outreach messages that are compelling and hook the audience to read and take action. Jumping on Sales Navigator to build a list based on a couple of technographic and demographic filters tells you nothing about people’s pain points or why they should care. 

Sending them messages like that rhymes with purchasing a lead list and starting to blast them with generic messages that have very little to do with them or their needs. In the best-case scenario, the results will be leads that take months to convert (and we are being optimistic). 

Strategy for lead identification and list building

The next key elements in the lead generation operation are how the company finds the leads it targets for you and how they build the lists prior to the campaign launch. 

As stated before, Lead Cookie primarily relies on tools like LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator or data intelligence platforms such as Crunchbase, ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, and Lusha for list building.

Essentially, they leverage these tools, apply a few filters relevant to your industry or target market, and quickly compile lists comprising thousands of individuals. These lists are then refined by account managers and used for outreach campaigns.

This method could indeed be effective (as it works for them). Plus, we acknowledge that these tools can significantly reduce the time spent on list building, sparing the outreach specialists the painstaking process of manually building the lists.

The thing is that list building is the most difficult aspect of lead generation. But it’s also the most crucial for your success, and that’s why we at Nerdy Joe prefer not to rely on any tools for building our lists. Here is why. 

To begin with, using Sales Navigator comes with its own set of limitations, with data accuracy issues being a major concern for us. Let me explain further with some scenarios so you understand better. 

  • A lot of LinkedIn users (the largest majority) don’t regularly update their profiles. That means outdated information regarding job roles and company associations. Sales Navigator doesn’t know that and spits out what you ask as it has it. 
  • We live in a fast-paced world, especially in the tech industry, and Sales Navigator might fail to accurately distinguish between those laid off and those still employed. This can result in unreliable data for prospecting campaigns. 
  • More importantly, this approach lacks a deep understanding of the prospect’s pain points and motivations, as neither Sales Navigator nor any other tool tells you. This makes it difficult to craft personalized and effective messages.

Moreover, when it comes to tools like Crunchbase or ZoomInfo, the data you obtain is typically generic technographic and demographic information about the company. 

  • Tech companies
  • Companies that raised series A funding
  • Companies that had an IPO
  • Companies that use HubSpot
  • Companies with a workforce of between 50 and 500

The information they provide about each company is very basic. Also, this data can help you compile a list of 1000 companies to contact within seconds, but it provides no insight into their specific pain points, objectives, or why they might require your service. 

The truth is that you can’t possibly know whether or not a company you see on these platforms has the pain point your product or service solves, so it becomes a guessing game of sending LinkedIn outreach messages to random people and seeing who responds. That’s not good.

As we said before, leads generated like this are the hardest to convert. You’ll need a lot of time and content to educate them, which is not ideal because hiring lead gen services means you want to fill your sales pipeline with sales-qualified leads and grow fast.

Cleverly does almost the same as Lead Cookie here. They also rely on Sales Navigator and data intelligence tools to build lists of leads and reach out to them. 

The main difference we see here is that Lead Cookie, as per their website, targets small segments of individuals while Cleverly targets huge lists, which takes us to how they run their campaigns.

Campaign outreach and copywriting approach

Here, you’ll understand how each agency operates its campaigns, how they create the content or copy that’s sent to potential leads, and how these aspects influence the results you achieve.

LinkedIn outreach campaign

Cleverly targets large lists of prospects. NOT GOOD. 

Take, for instance, Cleverly’s Gold plan. Under this plan, they aim to reach out to 500 prospects, sending as many LinkedIn messages or cold emails as they can. 

This means they’ll connect with up to 500 people within the specified timeframe. That’s just an excessive number of individuals to engage with.

Based on our experience, here’s what targeting large lists might imply:

  • Mass outreach with very little personalization: Reaching out to such a large volume of people suggests that you aren’t investing time to thoroughly research your prospects and personalize your emails for each individual.

    You’re likely to resort to broad, market-level personalizations that fail to differentiate between the unique characteristics of all the individuals on your list.
  • Subpar lead quality: Due to the lack of in-depth personalization, you’ll come off as a spammy marketer. Even when you do find success, the quality of leads you’ll receive is likely below average. These leads may not easily or quickly convert.
  • Disgruntled prospects: Some prospects may respond negatively, with remarks such as “Remove me from your list”, “Don’t ever email/message me again”, or even harsher, “Your connection request message sucks”. 
  • Risk to your brand reputation: Sending generic emails to a wide audience can tarnish your company’s reputation. This could be particularly harmful if your industry is highly competitive or if your business heavily relies on word-of-mouth referrals. Moreover, we’re certain this isn’t how you’d want your business to be perceived.

These are only to say the very least. Also, understand that we are not claiming that this is indicative of the quality of work you get from Cleverly. We know for a fact that it takes a significant amount of work and time to create effective outreach campaigns.

There is no shortcut to it, and targeting a vast number of prospects you rapidly whipped up from a tool is not an effective approach to it. 

Lead Cookie does a better job here. Instead of creating huge lists and targeting prospects in a single batch, they build small segments of prospects based on clear niches within your target audience. 

Doing so makes their approach much more specific as to who they target. Their campaigns are much more streamlined and much more value-packed, given that their target audience is very linear, and they are much more likely to bring you better results. 

Copywriting approach

Cleverly relies on its LinkedIn outreach tool and AI for its copywriting and personalization. 

Unless you’re living under a rock, you sure know that AI tools have become increasingly popular recently, and they’ve shown capability in accomplishing impressive feats. 

Our understanding of AI-powered personalization is that Cleverly utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to gather data and analyze customer preferences, enabling the delivery of personalized emails and LinkedIn messages.

In theory, the process involves defining the target audience and establishing specific details about this audience. AI then learns which content is most effective for that audience and delivers it automatically.

Also, as campaigns progress and given that Cleverly targets large lists of up to 500 prospects, handling personalization at such a scale, especially with the massive amount of data involved, can quickly become a daunting task.

For instance, they might need to examine the prospects’ social media (LinkedIn) posts, interactions with customer support, and so on.

Here, once again, AI-powered personalization proves to be useful. It can assist in gathering, processing, and analyzing large volumes of behavioral data, generating personalized messages in real-time.

However, let us explain why we prefer to conduct our research manually and write our personalized cold emails or LinkedIn messages by hand.

  • Human connection: One of the main reasons we support human-led research and personalization is the element of human touch.

    A skilled researcher or salesperson can empathize with potential clients, understand their needs and motivations, connect with them, and deliver a personalized experience that a non-breathing organism simply can’t replicate.

    Moreover, this human connection goes beyond merely understanding your target audience and gathering data to tailor personalized messages. It involves weaving stories that stir emotions, crafting content that spurs actions, and more. AI tools can try to emulate this, but they can’t quite match the human touch.
  • Creativity: Another crucial reason we shy away from AI-driven personalization is the repetitiveness embedded in AI tools. For example, once they identify a successful pattern for personalizing messages, you’ll likely see the same pattern across all their generated emails.

    On the other hand, creative thinking is vital in prospect research and personalization. Discovering unique and personalized solutions for each client makes a significant difference – something AI is constrained by due to its training data and inability to generate truly creative solutions – quality humans possess naturally.
  • Understanding and adaptability: We humans can adapt to market shifts or specific changes in our circumstances more easily than AI. In essence, experienced researchers can modify their approach or strategy based on new information or feedback, a capability that AI might find challenging.

More on the AI and ML front, the tools and their many software platforms provide the data, and that’s cool. But when it becomes a campaign of scale —as they do— the information becomes generic for lack of specificity or individualism. 

Also, here is what a customer has to say about Cleverly’s copywriting.

For us, the mere fact that Lead Cookie manually creates its LinkedIn outreach messages strongly indicates a better approach to creating messages than Cleverly. They also do an excellent job of researching their small niche prospects and creating messages that align with them on a personal level.

Outreach and sales enablement tech stack included

Lead Cookie has no proprietary lead generation tool. All they offer is the service. They rely on other third-party tools like Mailshake and Sales Navigator to research prospects and dispatch their messages. 

Cleverly, on the other hand, has a proprietary LinkedIn lead generation tool that helps them run outreach campaigns both for LinkedIn and cold email. The tool helps with anything from creating AI-driven messages to dispatching outreach campaigns. 

We believe their primary service is the lead generation tool, and you have to do most of the heavy-lifting work by yourself. That’s why they always have to specify or label their lead generation services as done for you. 

Expenses: Pricing model, refund policy, average deal size, minimum commitment period, and contracts. 

Pricing/average deal size

Lead Cookie’s website does not provide any information about their pricing, making it challenging for businesses to determine if their services fit their budget and requirements. 

However, according to a Lead Cookie review on Cience and the reputable client review website Clutch, the average hourly rate for their services is typically between $25 and $49. We also note from Clutch that their average project size is around $10.000. 

Cleverly offers a way less expensive, below-industry average pricing. Their most expensive LinkedIn lead generation package is $697.

You need to understand that their primary offering is their lead generation tool. Not the lead generation service — as we explained earlier. So, the pricing makes sense. What’s concerning is that none of the companies tells you what results you should expect from their service. 

How many leads will you get? N/A.

That’s the main problem. You’ll pay them without even knowing how many leads you’ll get and whether or not you can reliably turn them into paying customers. 

While we’re at it, Lead Cookie’s pricing is way too expensive. Also, the pricing model seems to prioritize the amount paid to the agency over the actual results obtained, making the service less focused on achieving results for the client.

Minimum commitment period and contracts

Cleverly typically asks its clients to stay with them for a minimum of 3 months because they believe that’s the average time period it takes to see significant results from their LinkedIn lead generation service. Keep in mind that this is optional and not compulsory. 

Lead Cookie, surprisingly, doesn’t mention this anywhere on their website. 

Refund policy

Lead Cookie has a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, if their services fail to meet your target goals, you’ll get your money back. This somehow protects you from investing without receiving any positive results. 

Cleverly doesn’t discuss a refund policy for their services.

Nerdy Joe vs. Cleverly and Lead Cookie: Why we are a better option for LinkedIn lead generation than Lead Cookie and Cleverly

We’re a B2B lead generation company that exclusively provides email marketing and outbound lead generation services (precisely, cold email and LinkedIn outreach).

Our primary goal is to help businesses build a sales pipeline that ensures a steady influx of leads. Our mission is to help businesses and sales teams consistently secure sales-ready leads without worrying about the lead-generation process. 

It frees up your sales team to concentrate on what they do best — having meetings with the leads we bring for you and selling to these leads — with little to no friction.

So, why choose Nerdy Joe?

At Nerdy Joe, we offer a superior alternative to both Cleverly and Lead Cookie. We believe this because we feel both these companies overlook critical aspects of LinkedIn lead generation — aspects that we deem fundamental.

Let’s recap the comparison and highlight the important lead generation boxes that both companies fail to tick. More importantly, let’s discuss why hiring them may not be as beneficial as you might think. Here we go:

  • Cleverly’s service is not a done-for-you lead generation. It registers more as a done-with-you service — and you’ll have to do most of the heavy lifting. 
  • While Cleverly doesn’t have one, Lead Cookie’s ICP identification isn’t clear and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. 
  • Both companies generate leads lists by scraping data from sales and intelligence tools without referencing specific ICPs. This diminishes the precision of their targeting.
  • The outreach campaigns from both companies are not designed to bring you top-tier leads. Their strategy of targeting extensive lists results in mediocre campaign performance and a drawn-out lead conversion process.
  • Neither Lead Cookie nor Cleverly offer true, deep-level personalization in their outreach messages. They deliver basic, industry- or niche-specific personalizations that are largely template-driven.
  • Cleverly’s AI-powered personalization raises questions about accuracy, quality, and overall effectiveness.
  • Cleverly does not offer refunds, and they don’t provide any guarantees on results.
  • Lead Cookie’s pricing structure is high and is primarily based on the tools they use and the work they carry out rather than the results they deliver.
  • Much of the information provided by Cleverly on its website is vague and lacks essential details.
  • Cleverly doesn’t deliver leads ready for conversion, pretty much like most outsourced lead generation services. They label every individual who responds as a ‘lead’ and immediately pass them on to you without any further sales enablement or qualifying steps.

In conclusion, you are seeing that these companies mostly don’t check most of the key features you want in your LinkedIn lead generation company — remember the key elements we aligned in the introduction?

Now here is why you really should work with us at Nerdy Joe. 

Service value: Unlike Cleverly and Lead Cookie, who bill you based on the work they carry out and the extensive (albeit not always effective) tech stack they use, our pricing is result-oriented. 

We’re strong advocates for the idea that when you engage a lead generation company, the only result that truly counts is the number of sales leads you will receive at the month’s end. That’s the only promise they should make and the sole outcome for which you should be charged.

As you may have noticed, both Cleverly and Lead Cookie structure their pricing around factors like the number of LinkedIn messages they send, the size of the list they compile, the number of contacts they add to your list, and their tech stack.

Unfortunately, this pricing model doesn’t account for the actual results they should deliver to your sales team, which feels unfair to you. It’s basically like you’re paying them to try things with no expected results at the end. 

At Nerdy Joe, we make it clear from the start that our clients need not worry about the prospect list we construct or the number of LinkedIn connection requests we send — don’t worry; we keep it all healthy. 

This is mainly because we understand that the principal pain point for a company seeking lead generation support is their struggle to grow; they want to boost sales and get more revenue, and thus their need for SALES READY LEADS. It’s as simple as that.

Hence, our LinkedIn lead generation specialists concentrate solely on the metrics that genuinely impact your business and return on investment (ROI), not superficial metrics such as open rates or the number of LinkedIn accounts we send connection requests to. 

Instead, we report on metrics like:

  • Positive responses
  • Meetings booked
  • Appointments set
  • New sign-ups
  • Demo requests
  • Lead to close rate

We customized our reporting based on your company’s product or service and your broader objectives. We determine the most crucial outcomes for you, and these are the goals we strive to achieve.

For instance, if your goal in hiring us is to increase the number of guest posts your team produces each month, we’ll provide reports on the following:

  • The number of affirmative responses we receive from editors
  • The number of positive replies we get

LinkedIn outreach approach: Belkins and Cience approach lead generation as a number game; We take a meticulous approach to lead generation, build our lists manually, and only engage in effective targeting.

The fact that Cleverly and Lead Cookie rely on Sales Navigator to conduct their LinkedIn lead-generation campaigns is not a surprising revelation; it’s an industry norm. It’s the same approach many self-proclaimed LinkedIn lead generation experts and companies adopt.

These agencies view lead generation as a game of numbers. They build extensive lists via Sales Navigator and send out connection requests in hopes of closing a small percentage of these leads. This method could work to some extent, and they might indeed acquire some leads.

However, the real issue lies in the fact that they overlook the meticulous work that is integral to successful lead generation. There are numerous problems that arise from targeting massive lead lists built from data intelligence tools like Sales Navigator:

  • Unprofessionalism and targeting people based on outdated data
  • Inadequate research and mediocre lead data enrichment
  • Lack of time and space for personalization
  • Poor and generic outreach messages that resonate with no one
  • Below average lead quality, with no tangible conversions to justify your investment
  • Potential damage to your company’s reputation
  • Issues related to deliverability, spam, and LinkedIn restrictions

We aren’t saying this is what you get from Cleverly or Lead Cookie. We only need you to understand that considerable work and time is necessary to research and create effective outreach campaigns — and sending outreach messages to thousands of individuals discovered via Sales Navigator does not contribute to that.

Also, as marketers who take pride in our work, we don’t consider reaching out to 500 people without a firm commitment to the number of leads we can deliver to our clients as an achievement worth boasting about. 

We prefer to send personalized messages to a curated list of prospects compiled after rigorous research and analysis. 

Our typical outreach scenario is to build a list of 20 highly-qualified prospects, send them thoughtfully composed LinkedIn messages, get in 15 replies, 10 positive responses, and ultimately, 6 sales-qualified leads or appointments for our clients.

Now, let’s clear any misunderstandings. By personalization, we mean that we craft each outreach message to be individually relevant and timely for each recipient on our list. We don’t merely insert [[First name]] or other variables into the outreach message and call it a day.

We strive to give each recipient the impression that you understand them well and their needs. We want the messages to make them feel a personal connection with you and take your offer seriously, even if they don’t eventually subscribe to your offer.

We accomplish this by investing significant time in understanding and researching your ideal customer profile (ICP) before initiating any connection request or LinkedIn message.

We collaborate closely with you to shape the ICP, study each prospect individually, and gather data points that help us create distinctive outreach messages and leave a lasting impression. And unlike Cleverly, we don’t depend on any tool to construct your ICP or research them.

The first thing we do when we onboard a new client is ask questions about their ICP. We ask questions such as:

  • Why did they start their business?
  • What pain points are they trying to solve?
  • Which category of clients brings the most lifetime value? 
  • Which client type is the easiest to convert? 
  • Which type of client experiences the quickest churn rate? 
  • What are the top 3 objections you encounter from prospective clients during sales discussions?
  • What motivated you to establish your company? 
  • What problems were you aiming to solve? 
  • And so on.

The responses to these questions give us an accurate understanding of whom to target and why. It’s this kind of data that distinguishes between:

“We’re targeting Series A tech companies OR we are targeting companies that use ClickUp”

And

“Our ICP is a VP of Sales at a B2B software company catering to HR professionals, whose primary challenges are lack of organization, time management, and team collaboration. He often listens to XYZ podcasts to gain insights on efficient team management.”

Once we have a comprehensive understanding of the ICP, we proceed to construct our prospect list manually. This list forms the basis for our lead-generation campaigns.

Research and copywriting: Unlike Lead Cookie and Cleverly, who offer basic, generically personalized emails, we dedicate time to individually research each prospect and craft truly personalized LinkedIn messages.

  • We choose not to use templates for crafting outreach messages. This is because we firmly believe that if a message is born out of a template, it can no longer be truly personalized to reflect the unique characteristics of each recipient. Essentially, it becomes a form of mass personalization, which is often ineffective.
  • Unlike Cleverly, we also do not depend on AI tools. We are confident in our ability to craft superior emails and messages without the need for such tools. The smaller scale of our campaigns allows us the luxury of time to ensure each message is meticulously tailored and impactful.

In our approach, we place a significant emphasis on researching each of our prospects individually. This process enables us to gather essential information, leading to personalized messages that truly resonate with each recipient. We refer to this process as data enrichment.

Contrary to the common practice, we don’t simply lean on Sales Navigator for basic details like job title, location, tech stack, or company size.

We seek psychographic data, insights that reveal your potential customers’ thoughts, values, and interests. We direct our resources toward gathering this information because we believe it makes a difference. 

For a bit of context, here are some of the activities we undertake:

  • Listening to podcasts that feature your potential customers.
  • Reading blog posts authored by them.
  • Reviewing their posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Mastodon.
  • Engaging in forum discussions they participate in.
  • etc.

By aggregating this collected data, we are able to identify unique angles. We use these insights to craft personalized introductions, icebreakers, offers, and unique touch points in our outreach messages, ensuring each communication feels highly tailored and relevant.

Pricing: With us, you get the best bang for your buck, you get affordability and the option to scale without burning a hole in your bank account. 

Lead Cookie is way too expensive. They have an unclear pricing model. Cleverly charges for things and confusing features you don’t need. Know what the worst part is? None of them guarantees any results for you. 

We believe that pricing is way too expensive and not sustainable for your business on a budget. If you’re paying for lead gen, it should be a flat fee for a specific number of leads or appointments booked for you. And you want a company that keeps it all transparent. 

That’s us.

    • DeLorean: It costs $1799/month and gives you 10 leads or meetings with high-quality leads.
    • Batmobile: This is the plan we recommend, as it gives you the biggest bang for your buck. It costs $2199/month and gives you 15 hot and sales-qualified appointments or LEADS.
    • Millennium Falcon: It costs $3099. This plan is good for mid-level to enterprise companies willing to fuel their sales team with up to 25 sales-ready leads on a monthly basis.
    • Starship Enterprise: This is the enterprise-level plan, and it comes at $5099. We added it for large organizations and enterprise-level businesses willing to fuel their sales team with a huge flow (50+) of meetings with sales-ready leads on a monthly basis.
    What’s interesting with us is that you know what you’re getting upfront and know exactly how much you’ll have to pay for it. We don’t play hide and seek or get you on long sales calls to discuss pricing with you. 

Work with Nerdy Joe to start generating sales-ready leads from LinkedIn today

While Cleverly and Lead Cookie have proven their effectiveness as lead generation companies, with robust portfolios and industry popularity, they might not be the perfect fit for everyone. That’s where we, Nerdy Joe, come into play.

Lead Cookie stands out for its expertise and lead generation work, while Cleverly is recognized primarily for its lead generation tool. But if you’re seeking a service that goes beyond the standard, you might want to consider partnering with us.

We are not just an agency but a partner who puts quality work at the forefront. Here’s what sets us apart:

  • We are an agency dedicated to quality work. Our team does not blast out generic messages to massive lists but crafts custom, effective outreach campaigns tailored to your unique needs.
  • We value the importance of deep research and spend the time needed to ensure our strategies are effective and efficient. We don’t take shortcuts – we delve deep.
  • Unlike many agencies, we don’t charge you for tasks but for tangible results. Our success is tied directly to yours, creating a partnership truly invested in your growth.
  • With Nerdy Joe, you don’t have to worry about paying for unnecessary tools or services. We provide exactly what you need and nothing you don’t.
  • We understand the importance of flexibility, so we don’t require long-term contracts. We want to earn your business each month, not lock you into a lengthy commitment.
  • We respect your time, always working efficiently to deliver results without unnecessary delays. Furthermore, we provide our expert services at an affordable rate.
  • Our team genuinely cares about your company’s reputation and the relationships you build with your prospects. We are your partners, and your success is our success.

We are the lead generation agency you’re looking for. We do the market research, identify leads, do the lead research, lead management, and bring you qualified leads; we are part of your team.

How To Write Reminder Emails (Templates That Drive Response)

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

The people you’re sending emails to are busy and receive a ton of emails on a daily basis. So, we can’t think of all the reasons your emails might go unanswered. 

However, the best way to rekindle the conversation is to send your recipient a reminder email or follow up on your past email.

This article will teach you how to write a gentle reminder email and give you access to many templates you can use. 

30 reminder email templates and samples for every use case

Need to send a reminder email? Here you will find all the reminder email templates you need to re-engage your recipients and get your emails answered. 

Follow-up email reminder templates

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Reminder email to boss

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Reminder email to a professor

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Link-building reminder email templates

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Event reminder email templates

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Gentle reminder email template for meeting

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Friendly payment reminder email to client (overdue reminder email)

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Sales reminder emails

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Humble break-up reminder email template

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Collaboration reminder emails

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What is a reminder email?

A reminder email is:

  • An email you send to remind someone of an upcoming event.
  • An email you send to remind someone to act on something they should have done.
  • An email you send when something needs to be done in a given timeframe.

How to write your reminder emails

Let’s discuss the different elements that go into an effective reminder email and how you should structure them together.

This will also inform you on how to edit the templates to maximize your results. 

1 – Add contextual reminder email subject lines

Start writing your reminder emails by providing contextual reminder email subject lines.

If you do it right, the subject line lets the reader what the email is about upfront, and they’ll immediately know what is being expected from them.

You will need to be straightforward and specific. Here is an example of a late payment reminder email. 

2 – Start with a courteous and polite greeting

Start your reminder message politely by greeting your recipient. That’s a mandatory step for ensuring a polite reminder email. Anything like “Hey, Ernest” or “Dear, Ernest” will do just fine. 

3 – Provide context

Thin about it; reminder messages without context can be vague.

So, quick question. 

Why are you writing a reminder email to your recipient? Why do you need to send a reminder email?

  • Because they forgot to reply to your email.
  • Because the due date has passed and you need to bring their attention to the missed deadline in your follow-up email.
  • Because you need to remind them that the payment has not gone through.
  • Because you need to remind them of the upcoming meeting or an upcoming event, so they don’t forget.
  • Because they didn’t appear in the call, so you send them an appointment reminder or an event reminder email.
  • Etc.

So, your reason for sending the email reminder is what is being demanded of you here. Including is important to give the reader context about why you are emailing them and what they need to do to satisfy you.  

Whatever the situation is, you need to explain it with as many details and references to paint the full picture to your recipients.

You can include it directly in the email subject line to make it clear for the recipients as they open the email, so they know it’s just a reminder email.

Also, make sure to include dates (if need be) and keep it concise and be unequivocal. Here is an excellent sample example. 

4 – Provide the solution

Your goal here is to provide recommendations or suggestions appropriate to the situation as you send a reminder email.

For example, if you are sending an appointment reminder email or event reminder emails, you can schedule a new appointment or event and specify it in a gentle reminder.

So, depending on the purpose of your reminder email, this may seem easy and obvious to you. But keep in mind that your ability to be polite, professional, and friendly play here. 

The reason for this is that you don’t know why your prior email has gone unanswered. So, being polite and professional is your best bet. 

5 – Specify the next steps

This boils down to including a clearly defined call to action (CTA) inside your email. The purpose of the reminder email is to get the recipient to act.

And so, you should include the action you want them to take as the next steps they need to take after reading your email.

Also, since your reminder email will be circling the CTA (because you want the reader to act), it can be a good idea to include the CTA twice inside the email.

6 – Include a polite email sign-off 

By this stage, you have already written your reminder email and are ready to click send. All that’s left is for you to add a polite sign-off to your email. 

Reminder email creation best practice

Now that you know the different elements that go into a reminder email and how to properly write and structure them let’s discuss a few tips you need to know before sending your reminder emails. 

1 – Be direct

Your email should clarify why you’re sending it. Keep in mind that you are writing a reminder email. There is no need to beat around the bush. Be specific and get to the point of your email.

If you intend to remind them about the time of the meeting, just do that and sign off the email. Also, don’t forget to be courteous. 

2 – Be polite and friendly

Getting an answer out of busy people may be hard and take way more time than you’d expect. You need to understand that there are a lot of reasons people might not be replying back to your email.

And whatever the reason, you need to keep your reminder polite and friendly. Also, you need to be patient and not come across as pushy. 

3 – Don’t be passive

Chances are, you are in their inbox for doing business, and you need to mean it. No need to be apologetic or sound passive in your reminder email.

Also, being passive will make you sound unconfident, and it can influence how the prospect views you negatively. 

So, be direct and sound firm. Keep in mind that if the recipient is not interested, they’ll let you know.

4 – Include a clear CTA

It makes no sense to send a reminder email to someone without clarifying the call to action. It’s the most important element in your reminder email because (in most cases) it is the action you’re trying to remind them to take. 

So, always make sure that you clearly explain what you want your recipient to do. Clearly defining the goal is important, so your prospect knows where to go next.

Also, if you can, provide with the necessary to ensure they take action easily without too much effort. So, instead of simply telling them to book a meeting with you on your website, it’s more advisable to include a calendar link in your email and let them do it straight from there. 

5 – Encourage communication

This is especially important if you are writing a reminder email to someone in order to get a response from them.

You don’t want them to read the reminder email and treat it like the previous email. So, you need to lay the groundwork and push for communication. 

Ideally, you’ll need to figure out the potential reasons your recipients might not be responding to your email.

Next, on the basis of those reasons, you can try to include question prompts and opportunities to get them to reply.

Key takeaways

  • Reminder emails are meant to get your recipients to act. So, don’t be afraid to write a demanding email with a clear call to action. Always remember that your email’s ability to drive answers is what makes it effective and successful. 
  • The first rule with reminder emails is to make sure you have a good enough reason before writing a reminder email to someone. 
  • As much as we love our reminder email templates, we cannot advise you to simply copy and paste the templates. Templates are meant to inspire you to write your actual email. So, always make sure you edit them into the email you want. 

How to Introduce Yourself in an Email With 7 Templates

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

Whether you’re networking with potential clients, establishing rapport with new colleagues, or even applying for jobs, one of the most common tools you’ll use is email. 

The first point of contact always sets the tone of your relationship with the other party, making it crucial to get it right. Among these, the self-introduction email stands tall as an invaluable instrument.

But how do you introduce yourself in an email? How do you strike a balance between professionalism and personal charm? And more importantly, how do you make your introduction stand out among the plethora of emails that flood a typical inbox every day?

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of crafting an impactful self-introduction email. We’ll break down the key components, offer tips for making it memorable, and even provide you with ten ready-to-use templates to simplify the process.

What is a self-introduction email, and why do email introductions matter?

A self-introduction email is an email that serves to introduce oneself to another person or group, typically for professional or formal reasons. The goal is to let the recipient know who you are and establish a connection with them. 

The self-introduction email is commonly used in business and professional settings. It serves as the initial point of contact in many situations, such as networking, job applications, or when starting a new job or project.

So, why does a self-introduction email matter? In many ways, you can think of it as your digital handshake, your chance to make a strong first impression. It’s an opportunity to convey your professionalism, competence, and intentions right from the get-go.

It’s no secret that work-related communication today largely happens through screens, and in this context, the self-introduction email plays a crucial role in establishing your identity and building relationships.

Not only does an effective self-introduction email set the stage for future communication, but it can also open doors for opportunities, create positive associations with your name, and lay the groundwork for a fruitful working relationship. 

Therefore, you need to know how to create a compelling self-introduction email and use it to your advantage.

Self-introduction email format: 8 steps to write an excellent email introduction for yourself

Writing an excellent self-introduction email can be tricky. With these eight steps, you can write an excellent self-introduction email. 

The self-introduction email subject line

Step 1: Write an engaging and informative subject line

The subject line is the first thing your recipient will see in their inbox and will determine whether they open and read your email or ignore it. After all, 47% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line. 

Let your subject line make a difference. Keep it simple, let them know why you’re sending the email, and incite curiosity in the mind of your recipient so that they want to know who you are. Here are a few examples of subject lines you can mirror to write yours.

  • Job application or open position inquiry subject line
    • “Prospective [job title]: [your name]”
    • “[your name]’s application for [job title]”
  • New job or role
    • “Greetings from [your name], the new [your position]”
    • “Hello from [your name], your new [role]”
  • Business proposals or collaboration
    • “[your name] seeking collaboration opportunities”
    • “Exploring synergies with [your name] from [your company]”
  • Cold emailing
    • “[mutual connection’s name] thinks we should talk”
    • “A quick intro: [your name]”

The email body

Step 2: Start the email body with a nice salutation note

Start the email body with a salutation tailored to the recipient. If you’re emailing someone in a traditionally formal industry, such as government, law, or finance, you can use the word “Dear” alongside their first name. 

But if you’re emailing in a relaxed industry such as technology, fashion, travel, music, or media, you can use “Hello” or “Hi” together with their first name. To make sure that your greeting is appropriate, try and research the person and their company online to let you know the right word to use. 

Step 3: Add a compelling icebreaker or a fun opening line

Your email opening line is another section that gives your recipient a reason to further engage with your email. You can do this by personalizing the opening line. 

Try to establish a connection with your recipient. For instance, you can mention something they’ve accomplished, whether you attended the same school or club, or maybe they’re a great guest speaker at an event you attended. Here are some examples:

  • Mentioning an accomplishment: “I was incredibly inspired by your recent talk on sustainable business practices at the Global Innovation Summit…”
  • Common school/club: “I noticed that we both were part of the Toastmasters club during our respective time at Harvard. Your journey from there to becoming…”
  • Attending the same event: “It was a pleasure hearing your perspective on digital marketing strategies at the Social Media Week conference…”
  • Commenting on their role or work: “Your leadership at [company name] and the remarkable growth it has seen under your guidance is something I greatly admire…”
  • Personal ties/recommendation: “Seeing as we both share a passion for conservation biology, as recommended by [mutual contact name], I wanted to introduce myself…”

Step 4: Describe who you are and what you do

After the email opener, introduce who you are and why you’re emailing the recipient. Ensure you state the purpose and what you hope to achieve from it. Here is an example:

“My name is Alex Thompson, a Sustainability Manager at EcoFriendly Corp. Like you, I’m extremely passionate about the integration of sustainable practices in business. For the past five years, I’ve been helping companies transition towards more eco-friendly operations without compromising their productivity or profitability.”

Step 5: Build rapport or establish a link between you and the recipient

The goal here is to make your message relevant to them. You want them to feel special. Let them know how you know them or maybe how they came under your radar. You can also let them know the value you offer or how you can help them solve their problem. 

Here is an example:

“Our mutual friend, Sarah, suggested that I reach out to you. I’m currently working on a project aimed at developing a comprehensive guide for small businesses seeking to adopt sustainable practices.”

Step 6: Encourage the recipient to respond with a good call to action

The final puzzle is to persuade your recipient to perform your desired action. You are writing a formal introduction email, so whether you want a meeting request or want someone to write you a cover letter, ensure that the call-to-action is a polite request. 

Statistics revealed that using CTAs in your emails increases the response rate by 371%. Also, be specific and clear about what you want them to do. Here is an example. 

“I strongly believe that your input would greatly enrich the content of our guide and inspire more small businesses to take significant steps toward sustainability.

Please let me know if you’d be open to this, and we can arrange a time to chat that suits your schedule. I look forward to potentially working with you on this important initiative.” 

The email ending

Step 7: Thank them, keep it professional, and end with a good tone

Appreciate your recipient’s time before you end the email. Avoid including unnecessary details or extra information that can deter them from reading your email. End the email body with a simple “thanks” or “thank you.”

Step 8: Add a good P.S and your professional email signature

Use a professional closing such as “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” “Cheers,” or more to close your email professionally. You can also include a professional email signature to let your recipient know who sent the email. A professional email signature includes your full name, job title, and company. 

Bonus: Ensure to leave contact information

Make sure you include your contact information as well. Leave your phone number, professional profile, website, or work portfolio to allow your recipient to get in touch with you. 

5 ideas to personalize your self-introduction emails

Need to personalize your self-introduction emails? Here are five email tips you should consider. 

  • Make it about the recipient’s needs and interests

Although there is a reason why you’re sending an email, don’t make it all about yourself. Mention something about your recipient that can spark a deeper interest in you. You may express admiration for their work or refer to something they’ve achieved in the past. 

You can also mention their pain points or, more importantly, how you can be of value to them. This helps build rapport between both of you. 

  • Showcase your personality without excessive self-promotion

You should reveal your personality when writing your email. This doesn’t mean you should focus on yourself alone. Instead, avoid sounding stilted and robotic in your message. Address them in a manner that makes you seem friendly and courteous. 

  • Balance professionalism and friendliness

When you are writing your self-introduction email, ensure you adjust your tone to professionally suit your recipient. Think about the word you want to use. 

Don’t use sarcasm, abbreviations, smiley face, or other emoticons that will change the tone of the conversation. 

  • Avoid using too much jargon

Nobody wants a message that will require more than one read before they understand you. If your message contains too much jargon, you could discourage your recipient from engaging further with your email. That includes using fancy vocabulary your recipient finds difficult to interpret.

  • Don’t get too personal or share unnecessary details

The last thing you want to do is to get too personal in your email. Don’t get us wrong. You should explain the purpose of writing in your email. But you should avoid sharing unnecessary details or extra information that aren’t relevant to your audience. Such details will only make your email unnecessarily lengthy. 

7 self-introduction email templates

Having learned how to write a self-introduction email, it’s time to put it into practice. We have 7 email templates for you, with each having a unique situation you can apply them. Let’s check them out. 

  • How to introduce yourself in an email for a job application

This is the email you want to send when you are applying for a job or expressing interest in a potential job opportunity. It’s a way of introducing yourself, your qualifications, skills, and experience to a potential employer and explaining why you’re a good fit for the specific role described in the job posting.

  • How to write a professional introduction email for a business proposal

A self-introduction email for a business proposal should focus on the details of the project or contract. Be specific about what you want and encourage them to contact you. In this introduction email sample, we will show you how to write a self-introductory business proposal that resonates with your recipient. 

  • How to write a personal introduction email for a networking opportunity

A self-introduction email for a networking opportunity should show your ability to confidently connect with others. Present yourself appropriately to create a good impression. Here is a sample that can help you. 

  • How to introduce yourself in an email as a new team member

Recently joined a new team and feel like you have to introduce yourself via email? This is the casual introduction email you need to kickstart and maintain an ongoing relationship with the team members at your new company.

Since you’ll be working with them daily, you should give them more information about who you are and how you will be contributing to the team. Below is an example employee self-introduction email sample you can use.

  • How to write a self-introduction for a sales pitch

A sales pitch self-introduction email, as the name implies, helps you pitch your product or service to the recipient. Although this kind of email can be regarded as a cold email, you may want to do some research on your clients to personalize the email before pitching your product. Here is an example that can work for you. 

  • How to write an email introducing yourself for a social event or seminar

A self-introduction email for a social event or seminar is a great way to solicit an invitation from your recipient. You don’t know them, but you want them to come to your event because their presence matters. So, you can send a self-introduction email to make them feel valued while giving them reasons to come to your event. This sample can help you out. 

  • How to write a business email introducing yourself to a client

An introductory email to a client is crucial to the success of your professional relationship. It helps to give a solid start to your relationship. When introducing yourself, try to be polite and keep your message short while giving them reasons to continue the professional relationship with you.  

  • How to write an email introducing yourself to request information

If you want to request information, a self-introduction can put you forward. With this type of email, you can bring up a conversation with the recipient and request information they have access to. Write an engaging information request subject line along with a casual greeting to get them interested.

This sample can show you how to do that. 

Key takeaways 

  • A self-introduction email introduces yourself to a person or group via email. It allows the recipient to know who you are and establishes a connection with them. 
  • Create a compelling opening line to establish a connection with your readers and further engage them. You can do this by mentioning their accomplishments or try to make them feel special.
  • Make your message relevant to your recipient by offering them value or letting them know how you can solve their problems. Build a rapport with them so that they can feel special. 
  • Need help with email marketing and lead generation? We are here to help. Nerdy Joe can help you get highly-stellar results from our sophisticated email marketing efforts. Give us a response today. 

Belkins.io vs CIENCE: Which is Right for Your Appointment Setting Needs?

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

It’s hard to have a conversation about lead generation and not have CIENCE and Belkins.io’s names pop up.

Fun fact, in almost all of our sales calls, we’d hear prospects — mostly before coming back to sign up with us or go missing — say they’ll talk to Belkins or CIENCE and get back to us.

So, how do you choose between these two companies? 

Well, we know for a fact that looking at their expertise and experience won’t help. Both agencies are well-established and have strong portfolios, and it makes little sense to look at those when comparing them. 

We firmly believe when it comes to lead generation and appointment-setting services, there are only a couple of features or key elements you should care about in a company, and we will start by discussing them and then compare CIENCE and Belkins.io in light of those. 

So, before we get into the article and discuss the two agencies and the different ways in which they are special, here are the specific features of lead generation services you should care about. 

  1. A proactive, outbound approach: The agency should actively reach out to potential leads rather than wait for them to come. That’s because you don’t have months to wait or millions to invest in long-term, inbound strategies. You want an approach that’s time-bound and can provide predictable results. 
  2. Fast results: If you are looking to hire a lead generation agency, it means that you are not growing at the rate you wish, so you want to fill your sales pipeline and grow fast. Because of that, you want an agency that can deliver quality leads promptly. You don’t have months to wait and can’t afford it.
  3. A reliable strategy to continuously attract and acquire leads: That’s basically the expertise you’re lacking and part of why you’re here. So, the agency needs to demonstrate a proven, systematic method for generating leads that will work consistently for your business. 
  4. A team that can understand your ICP and their challenges inside out: The agency should deeply understand your target audience and their specific needs or pain points. They should demonstrate the ability to produce cold emails or outreach messages that speak to your ICP and their pain points. They should be able to produce content that engages, convinces, and makes them want to buy. 
  5. Effective and personalized outreach: The agency should tailor their outreach methods and messages to each potential lead for the best results. You don’t want an agency that sends generic emails to random people they acquired from ZoomInfo. Your reputation and your brand image matter, so you need an agency that does quality work that people will respect even if they don’t buy from you. 
  6. Completely done-for-you: You want to generate leads without the lead generation. So, the agency should handle all aspects of lead generation and outreach for you (completely done for you), allowing you to focus on other areas of your business, like having one-on-one meetings with the leads and closing deals.
  7. Affordability and scalability: Last but not least, the agency’s services should be cost-effective and able to grow with your business. More importantly, they should have a clear pricing structure or model with offers that detail what you can get or expect from the service. 

That said, each of the companies takes a unique approach to lead generation and sales development, providing clients with a range of services to choose from based on their specific needs. 

So, we’ll discuss the different services each lead generation company offers, the different strategies and methodologies, tools, and all the different features they offer their customers, and how these contribute to their client’s overall success. 

We’ll also introduce you to our own lead generation agency, Nerdy Joe. We’ll discuss why we might be better suited for your lead generation and appointment-setting needs. We’ll also discuss our services and our strategies for generating high-quality leads.

So, let’s get started. 

CIENCE v. Belkins: which company should you hire for lead generation and appointment setting?

Let’s start by comparing their scope of service and what they promise you.

Scope of service: Comparing what they do and how your business can benefit from it.

Here is an overview of the different lead generation and appointment-setting services you can get from each company and how these can help your business. 

CIENCE’s service overview

CIENCE is a top-rated B2B lead generation outsourcing company, operational since 2015. They provide a mix of managed services and software for comprehensive lead generation. Here is a quick detail of their main services.

  • ​​Research services: CIENCE offers to help you understand your ideal customer profiles (ICP) so that you can generate high-quality, sales-ready leads. It typically involves demographic research, industry trend analysis, and exploring customer pain points.
  • Sales engagement: This typically involves creating personalized email sequences, cold calls, social touches, and targeted follow-ups. Their strategies here aim to engage potential leads, build strong relationships, and ultimately convert these leads into customers. 
  • Data enrichment: They offer to enrich your existing customer data with additional, valuable information. This could involve updating missing fields, verifying data accuracy, or appending new data that could help your sales team close deals faster.
  • People-as-a-Service (Outbound and Inbound SDR): If need be, CIENCE can provide highly trained sales reps who can integrate into your existing sales team. These professionals handle the task of lead generation, outreach, appointment setting, and initial qualification stages, allowing your sales team to focus on closing deals.

That’s pretty much it for the services CIENCE offers. Of course, they also offer tools you can leverage for your lead generation (more on the tools later). 

Belkins.io’s service overview

Belkins.io, founded in 2015, is a leading global B2B lead generation and appointment-setting company. They serve a diverse clientele, offering services that pretty much align with what you get from CIENCE. 

Here is a breakdown of their main services.

  • Lead research: Pretty much like the Sales research from CIENCE, Belkins’ lead research service involves identifying prospective customers who are the most likely to convert. That’s basically all about finding your ICP and building lists. This involves demographic analysis, competitor analysis, industry trends, and the business needs of potential leads.
  • Lead outreach: Belkins.io helps in reaching out to potential leads through personalized email marketing campaigns. (More on that in their strategies and methodologies).
  • LinkedIn marketing: First, they can help boost a company’s LinkedIn presence by increasing connections and posting relevant content. They can also help you run outreach campaigns, generate leads, or set appointments from LinkedIn.
  • Appointment setting: Belkins will connect with your potential leads and set up appointments on your behalf. This could involve cold calling, email outreach, or social media engagement. In general, this service is the same as lead generation. 
  • Email marketing/deliverability services: Email marketing is a key part of Belkins.io’s strategy. They’ll help you improve your email deliverability rates by crafting compelling email content, optimizing email sending times, and ensuring that the emails adhere to all spam regulations to prevent them from landing in the recipient’s spam folder, and more.

The immediate conclusion is that both companies offer comprehensive lead generation services. 

That’s because it takes the lead/sales research, data enrichment (Belkins does this through research), outreach (or sales enablement, as per CIENCE’s words), and people-as-a-service to generate leads. 

The services (as seen on their website) are separated in case businesses have internal teams and only need some services. Otherwise, when you hire them for lead generation, all these services will be in the package they offer you. 

Remember that services like LinkedIn marketing, appointment setting, and email marketing are different lead generation service models you should choose based on your product, its intended target audience, and other factors. 

Approach to lead generation: Comparing strategies for finding your ICP, building lists, reaching out to prospects, etc. 

Your lead generation company will work on your behalf. The outcomes of their service will directly impact your business. You need to understand their strategies, techniques and make sure the way they do things aligns with your standards and how you want to be perceived. 

That said, when it comes to lead generation or appointment-setting service strategies, we’ve found there are only three (03) things you should care about. These are mainly about their process of finding your ICP, how they build lists or where they find the people they reach out to, and how they reach out to them — the compellingness and the effectiveness of those.

Now let’s look at how each of the companies approaches lead generation. 

ICP identification and lead research

You might wonder why their process of finding your ideal customer profile is important. 

That’s because this process’ effectiveness is indicative of the quality of the leads you get. In other words, it takes a lead generation company with a precise and encompassing understanding of your ICP to get you the highest quality leads. 

So, how does Belkins do it?

In a nutshell, the team starts by working with your sales team, and together they get to what constitutes an ideal client profile from your sales department. The image below details it a little more. 

In a nutshell, the team starts by working with your sales team and together they get to what constitutes an ideal client profile from your sales department. The image below details it a little more. 

This is a good approach. And the sample test they run allows them to get even more precise on who they should reach out to. We can say that their technique for finding and nailing your ICP before running the campaign is top-notch. 

CIENCE, on the other hand, uses human-powered plus machine learning and AI sales lead research. They offer bespoke sales research that helps businesses nail hard-to-find target audiences with pinpoint precision. 

To be honest, the few details they leave about their process for finding your ICP are unclear and make it hard to even understand how they know who to target. But we can say for a fact that they primarily rely on their AI- and ML-powered tools.

The issue here is that it’s always a guessing game for a lead generation company to know who they should target until they sit down and discuss your ICP with you or your sales team. Even the preliminary data or filters they’ll feed their tools have to be aligned with your IC, and they can’t guess it.

Using AI and ML for lead research means very little if you can’t paint an accurate picture of your ideal customer profile before even using those tools. I mean, how else would you know if the outputs from these tools are right or wrong? 

Also (without casting aspersions on the CIENCE’s AI and ML tools), in most cases, AI and ML tools only provide surface-level data like technographic, firmographic, and demographic. They tell you very little about the customers’ needs, their pain points, and why your product can help. 

By asking your sales team questions and testing, Belkins gain direct insight into psychographic data pertaining to your ICP. Subsequently, your product will make more sense to them; they can relate to its unique use cases or the problems it solves and sell it better. 

Lead pickup and list building

The next step after finding your ICP is to research, identify potential customers matching that ICP, and build a list for the outreach campaign. 

As stated on their website, Belkins.io leverages openly available data from platforms such as Google, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Glassodor, and Xing, among others, to find potential leads for your business. 

Another way of saying this is that the company scrapes a list of potential buyers from these platforms, and then their research team sits down to ensure that the potential buyers they identified are accurate and match your ICP. This seems excellent on the surface. 

The issue that arises here pertains to the accuracy of the leads generated — or the individuals targeted and how well they align with your ICP. With such data sources, applying filters and rapidly compiling lists of thousands of businesses is quite straightforward. 

Yet, whether these leads truly reflect your desired customer profile remains. These sources usually only include basic information. I mean, using these sources, it’s easy to find companies to target by applying non-specific, generalized filters. 

You can easily find the following:

  • Tech companies
  • Companies that raised series A funding
  • Companies that had an IPO
  • Companies that use HubSpot
  • Companies that have a headcount between 50 and 500

See? The information they provide about every company is basic. Plus, while this data can form a strong foundation for sending cold emails, it offers no insight into the company’s specific needs and why you should even target them. 

The reality is that even if you’re marketing a product like Nextiva, the mere fact that a company uses RingCentral doesn’t automatically make them a suitable prospect. 

Remember how you built your ICP based on their needs and pain points that your product solves? Now, you’re targeting random people off the internet based on technographic and firmographic data — it’ll be hard to see substantial results and get leads that’ll actually buy. 

You can’t possibly know whether or not a company you see on these platforms has the pain point your product or service solves, so it becomes a guessing game of sending cold emails to random people and seeing who responds. That’s not good.

Plus, even when you do achieve success and get a couple of interested people, leads generated in this way are the most challenging to convert. It’ll take considerable informational content and time to educate them and get them to be sales-ready. 

This is not an ideal scenario for your business, especially when you’re investing in lead generation services with the intent to promptly fill your sales pipeline with sales-qualified leads and expedite growth. (You’ll see how we do it better at Nerdy Joe later)

CIENCE, here, leverages its proprietary Go Platform. They do the same thing as Belkins, except they only rely on their platform. Still, the same accuracy, efficacy issues, and consequences remain for your business.  

And compared to Belkins.io, they cover even less ground (while this is not really what it should be about) to find potential customers. 

Lead targeting and outreach approach

For the sake of being thorough, we’ll separate this section into two, campaign-level and copy-level approaches. This’ll help you understand how they run campaigns, how they create the content or copy they send to the prospects, and how these impact the outcomes you get.

Campaign-level 

Let’s start with Belkins. 

Belkins offers varied targeting strategies based on the plan you select. Essentially, you’ll have three options.

For each, they will build a custom-made list of leads based on the plan you opt for, establish sending domains and mailboxes to ensure email deliverability and send out emails to book a specified number of meetings by month-end — all of which sounds promising.

This approach is similar to what most lead gen agencies employ. The problem here is the scale of targeting, specifically, the number of people. Take the “Growth Plus” plan, for instance. It offers a lead list of up to 30,000 personally curated leads and guarantees over 220 meetings.

This implies that they’ll engage with as many as 30,000 individuals within the agreed timeframe. That’s an incredibly large number of people to reach out to, even over a six-month period. It raises the question of whether this approach ensures a high quality of meetings or a good conversion rate of leads.

Granted, they’ll create new sending domains and mailboxes, warm up the domains, and try on a sample to find the go-to-market approach, etc., before unfolding the campaign. But here is what it could mean if you are targeting huge lists: 

  • Mass emailing: When you’re reaching out to such a vast number of people, it indicates a lack of good prospect research and strong personalization, leading to a ‘one-size-fits-all’ outreach strategy. Such blanket cold emails come across as self-serving and lackadaisical. 
  • Substandard lead quality: The lack of hyper-personalization means that the leads, and consequently, the meetings you secure, are likely to be of lower quality. This means that conversions, especially quick ones, are less likely.
  • Disgruntled prospects: Some prospects may respond negatively, with remarks such as “Remove me from your list”, “Don’t ever email me again”, or even harsher, “Your cold email sucks”. 
  • Brand reputation at stake: Sending generic emails to a broad audience will affect your reputation. This can be particularly detrimental in a highly competitive industry or if your business relies significantly on word-of-mouth referrals. It’s unlikely this is the image you’d want for your business.

Hopefully, our viewpoint is clear. We’re not implying that this critique reflects the service you’ll get from Belkins. Our point is simply that quality outreach requires substantial effort and time, and targeting enormous lists does not facilitate that. 

CIENCE does not leave any detail about the way they conduct their outreach campaigns. They only mention some of their features but don’t actually mention the scale of their campaign or anything about their way of doing it. 

But as we look at the outcomes, they promise. We can tell for a fact that they operate pretty much in the same way as Belkins — running a campaign of scale, reaching out to a large number of people — and so the same quality and conversion concerns apply.  

Copy-level

Both companies demonstrate a strong commitment to thorough customer research before the campaign launch. The insights gleaned from this research are vital as they guide your actions and your approach to crafting content that resonates with your target demographic.

These companies recognize this importance, which is why they strive to create personalized content at every opportunity. However, we have some reservations regarding their interpretation of personalization. Let’s consider CIENCE as an example.

CIENCE uses AI to generate personalized content. They use AI and Machine Learning (ML) tools to collect, enrich their lead data, and incorporate personalization into their emails, LinkedIn InMails, or web content before dispatching them to their clients’ potential customers.

We acknowledge that AI and ML can facilitate data collection and analysis by examining prospects’ social media (LinkedIn) posts, customer support interactions, etc. Consequently, AI can learn which content resonates with each customer and deliver it autonomously.

We also recognize that AI-fueled personalization can indeed be effective. However, here’s why we believe human research and manual creation of content is superior. 

  • Human connection

One of the primary reasons we advocate for human-conducted research and personalization lies in the human element. 

A proficient researcher or salesperson can empathize with a potential client, comprehend their needs and motivations, relate to them and deliver a personalized experience that AI simply can’t replicate. 

Moreover, this human connection we are talking about is more than simply understanding your target audience and gathering data to tailor personalized messages. 

It’s about telling stories that elicit emotions, content that inspires actions, and more. AI tools can mimic it, but they can’t do it the way humans do. 

  • Creativity

Another significant reason we resist the notion of AI-driven personalization is the repetitiveness inherent in AI tools. For instance, once they discover a successful framework for personalizing messages, you’ll likely notice the same framework across all their generated emails. 

Meanwhile, innovative thinking is essential in prospect research and personalization. Uncovering unique and personalized solutions for each client makes a substantial difference, and it’s something AI is limited in due to its training data and its incapacity to generate truly innovative solutions — a feat humans take for granted.

  • Contextual understanding and adaptability

We have the ability to adapt to market shifts or specific changes in your situation more effortlessly than AI. In essence, skilled researchers can adjust their tactics or strategy based on new information or feedback, a capability AI might struggle with.

More on the AI and ML front, the tools and their many software platforms provide the data and that’s cool. But when it becomes a campaign of scale —as they do— the information becomes generic for lack of specificity or individualism. 

As for Belkins, as we’ve found before, the company engages in mass outreach, targeting huge lists of customers. Again, as we said before, this leaves little room for excellent research and create individually-personalized messages that align with each prospect. 

Confirming our theory, it reads on their website that the company develops and delivers outreach messages using templates.  

Because they are targeting a huge list of prospects, they can’t create individually-personalized emails for each recipient. It has to be mass, general personalization, which, when you think about it, should no longer be called personalization because it isn’t. 

Basically, this means that they’ll create a single email they’ll send to the entire (huge) list they built while changing some generic variables (like company name, job title, first name, etc) within the email. 

That’s poor personalization, and even when they generate leads with such strategies, you’ll have difficulty converting them. 

Lead outreach channels included

There is not much to say here. Both companies use multichannel outreach. 

“We use AI-enabled research, multi-channel outreach, and our proprietary software platform to start sales conversations with your next, best customers.”..“Our comprehensive AI powered lead generation approach includes the GO software platform — sales and intent data, targeted ads, chat, scheduling, web ID, CDP, and multi-channel prospecting to help you build your enterprise!”

CIENCE uses multi-channel approaches (Email, Phone, Social Media, Web) for outbound sales and offers a mix of human intelligence and machine learning to drive its operations. 

Note that CIENCE also offers inbound marketing services, and so does Belkins. Belkins also offers multi-channel outreach, including email, LinkedIn, phone, and more. They have some data intelligence tools, proprietary outreach tools, and expertise that they use to drive their operations. 

But we at Nerdy Joe are not a fan of reaching out to prospects on this many channels. We will tell you more about that later. 

Lead generation and sales enablement tech stack included

We believe this is one of the unique reasons you can consider working with CIENCE and its unfair advantage to most lead generation companies. 

CIENCE offers all types of lead generation tools. You won’t have to pay for any third-party tools to generate leads. They have all the tools for lead research platforms, data mining, and analysis platforms, a CRM, an email automation platform, reporting and analytics, and much more. 

Belkins also has its fair share of lead-generation enablement tools. We are seeing an email delivery tool named Folderly, a proprietary platform to write emails and get ready-made templates named Wordstir, an appointment scheduling platform, and more. 

Keep in mind unlike CIENCE, Belkins.io has to rely on a couple of third-party tools. For example, they don’t have a tool that provides a B2B database of companies (like Apollo.io and ZoomInfo, but CIENCE does), they don’t have a data enrichment platform like CIENCE GO, and more. 

Investments: Pricing model, refund policy, average deal size, minimum commitment period, and contracts. 

Here, we’ll help you understand everything that comes inside the deal as you sign up with either and what it means for your pocket — or your company’s bank account. 

None of the two companies leaves a clear pricing detail on its website. In most cases, you’ll have to reach out to them to get custom pricing. That said, we’ve looked on Clutch to see the average deal size of the two companies. 

Pricing/average deal size

We found that the most common project size for both companies typically costs anywhere from $10,000 to $49,000. That means that hiring these companies will certainly cost you a minimum of $10,000. You’ll have to invest AT LEAST 10K in lead generation.

While we were there, we also took a glance at their ratings and reviews, and we noted that Belkins (4.9)  is well ahead of CIENCE (4.5). This might have to do with the fact that CIENCE is primarily a technology as a service company. 

Minimum commitment period and contracts

When working with Belkins, the typical subscription period is 12 months. You have to commit to working with them for 12 months.

CIENCE also has something similar for their managed outbound lead generation service. Except their minimum commitment period is 6 months.

That means that you will have to pay or agree to pay them for a year or 6 months before you can start working together. This might not be ideal for you, especially if you are a small business or a startup, and here is why.

This system obliges you to pay them for months while they simply try stuff, and you MIGHT have no results to show for your investments. Think about it, that’s a $60,000 minimum for CIENCE, and for Belkins, it can go up to $120,000. How do you explain that to your manager? 

Even more importantly, committing to a long-term contract or subscription can limit your flexibility to adjust your lead generation strategy or switch to a different provider. This can be problematic if your business needs change or you are unsatisfied with the results. 

Whether or not you’re satisfied with the service is irrelevant; you’ll still have to pay them and honor the contract. 

Refund policy

Belkins offers no refund, and they are not shy about it.

CIENCE, on the other hand, wouldn’t simply answer the question and has to get their lawyer to write their Terms of Services. So, no. They don’t offer any refund. 

What this implies is that if you invest in their services and they fail to deliver the desired results, you’ll be left with no option but to accept the situation and move forward. 

Nerdy Joe vs. CIENCE and Belkins.io: Why we are a better option for lead generation than Belkins and CIENCE

We are a B2B lead generation that only offers email marketing and outbound lead generation services (i.e., cold emailing and LinkedIn outreach).

We help you build a sales pipeline that guarantees a consistent flow of leads. For your business and your sales team, it allows you to get leads without worrying about lead generation. And your sales team gets to focus on what they do best — having meetings and selling to the leads. 

So, why Nerdy Joe?

At Nerdy Joe, we present an attractive or possibly superior alternative to both CIENCE and Belkins.io. We believe this because both of these companies overlook the most crucial aspects of lead generation, elements we consider fundamental.

Let’s recap the comparison and clarify the important lead generation boxes that both companies fail to check and, above all, why recruiting them might not be such a great idea as you think. Here we go:

  • Belkins’ outreach messages aren’t truly personalized to the core level. They offer basic personalization, which is largely template-driven and only specific to the industry level — that’s basically a single message for everyone in the industry, no personalization.
  • CIENCE’s ICP identification isn’t clear and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. 
  • Both companies scrape leads lists from sales and data intelligence tools. This cuts the seriousness of the targeting, and the outreach basically becomes a game of sending emails to random people and seeing who responds. It is so because they’re not targeting people based on their needs and pain points.  
  • Both companies’ outreach campaigns aren’t rock solid or designed to bring you the best leads. That owes to their approach targeting huge lists, the campaign performance will be subpar, and converting leads will take ages. 
  • CIENCE AI-powered personalization sounds sexy but comes with many concerns about accuracy, quality, and effectiveness. You are better off with human-researched lead data and human-crafted content. 
  • Both companies are jack-of-trades offering every kind of service and using way too many channels. It’s best when you work with a team that has expertise in only one or two channels and masters them excellently. 
  • You won’t get any refund from the two companies. What’s interesting is that they don’t guarantee results. 
  • You’ll have to commit to a 6-month or 12-month period. That basically means that you have to have the budget for these periods before getting started, and they don’t guarantee any results. 
  • Both companies charge a lot, and the prices are basically based on the tools they use (as for CIENCE) and the work they do, not the results they bring (which isn’t specific BTW), and this is not ideal. 

In conclusion, you are seeing that these companies mostly don’t check most of the key features you want in your lead generation company — remember the key elements we mentioned in the introduction?

Now here is why you really should work with us at Nerdy Joe. 

Outreach services: Belkins and CIENCE are jacks of all trades; we are deeply focused on email marketing, cold email outreach, and LinkedIn outreach.

This is an issue we see with most lead generation companies. Entities like CIENCE and Belkins showcase an extensive menu, ranging from LinkedIn marketing, sales enablement, cold calling, inbound marketing, demand generation, and social media ads to technology as a service. 

They market themselves as all-encompassing solutions, jacks of all trades in the lead generation landscape. The thing is that being a master of everything often means being a master of none. That’s where Nerdy Joe breaks the mold. 

We don’t claim to be jacks of all trades; rather, we pride ourselves on being masters of two very specific ones — cold email and LinkedIn outreach. Our philosophy is grounded in honing and perfecting these two channels to deliver unparalleled results.

For our clients, this means a laser-focused approach that carries significant benefits all the time. Our strategy is simple yet highly effective: we concentrate on developing sophisticated cold email and LinkedIn outreach techniques that entice and engage potential customers. 

Our dedicated team works intimately with each client. We take into account your unique needs and objectives and then tailor our methodologies to align with them.

For us, lead generation is just a fragment of the bigger picture. The ultimate success marker? Converting leads into faithful, long-term customers. Our focus, therefore, is not just to generate leads but to generate high-quality leads — leads with strong conversion potential.

Whether you’re a budding startup or an established enterprise, you’ll get the tailored, high-quality lead generation solution you need. Our strength lies in our commitment to not just understand your business but to invest our expertise and resources to help it grow. 

We are not the jacks of all trades, but we certainly are masters of the ones that count.

Service value: Belkins and CIENCE charge you for the work they do and their vast (not-so-useful) tech stack; We charge only for the results we bring you.

We firmly believe that when you engage a company for lead generation, the only result that truly matters is the number of sales leads that you receive at the end of the month. That’s the only promise they should make and the only result you should be paying for.

As you’ve observed, both CIENCE and Belkins levy substantial charges for their services, with pricing structured around the number of emails they send or the number of contacts they add to your list, as well as their tech stack. 

This doesn’t factor in the actual results they deliver to your sales team, which is arguably unfair to you.

At Nerdy Joe, we ensure that our clients understand from the onset that they need not concern themselves with the prospect list we build or the number of emails we send. 

This is primarily because we recognize that the main challenge for a company seeking lead generation assistance is their inability to grow at the desired pace and their need for LEADS. It’s as straightforward as that.

Therefore, our lead generation experts only focus on the metrics that truly matter to your business and ROI, not vanity metrics such as the open rate or the number of emails sent. The metrics we focus on include:

  • Number of positive replies
  • Number of meetings booked
  • Number of new sign-ups
  • Number of demo requests
  • Lead to close rate

For example, if you engage us to increase the number of guest posts your team produces each month, we’ll report on: 

  • The number of affirmative responses we receive from editors
  • The number of positive replies we get

Our services are tailored based on your company’s product or service and your overarching goals. That’s how we figure out the outcomes that matter most to you, and that’s what we set out to achieve.

Outreach approach: Belkins and CIENCE approach lead generation as a number game; We take a meticulous approach to lead generation, build our lists manually, and only engage in effective targeting.

We don’t blame Belkins or CIENCE for the way they run their campaigns. In fact, that approach is industry-standard. That’s how most lead generation companies and the gurus on Twitter and LinkedIn do it. 

They see lead generation as a number game. So they build huge lists off of data intelligence tools and send them cold emails in the hopes of closing a small percentage of that number. And we do believe that it could work; they can get some leads that way. 

The real issue is that in the quest for that small percentage, most agencies leave behind the quality work that makes lead generation successful. There are a lot of issues that stem from targeting huge lead lists:

  • Poor research and mediocre lead data enrichment
  • No room or time for personalizations
  • Poor generic emails or messages
  • Subpar lead quality, no conversion to show for your investment
  • Company reputation at stake
  • Deliverability and spam issues 

Again, we are not saying that this is the quality of service provided by CIENCE and Belkins. Instead, we want you to understand the significant amount of work and time required to create effective outreach campaigns.

Also, as proud marketers, we don’t believe reaching out to 30000 people only to win 50 of them as leads (who might not convert) is something to write home about. We prefer to send personalized messages to a select few prospects after thorough research and analysis. 

Our ideal scenario is to send 20 carefully crafted cold emails or LinkedIn emails to well-researched prospects, resulting in 15 replies, 10 positive responses, and ultimately 6 sales-qualified leads or appointments. 

Now, don’t get this wrong. By personalization, we mean we make each email individually relatable and timely for each recipient on our list. We don’t just add [[first name]] and other variables to the email subject lines and call it quits. 

This is because we want each recipient to feel like you know them and wonder why you didn’t cross their paths months ago. Our goal is to create emails that make each recipient feel personally connected to you and take your offer seriously, even if they don’t ultimately sign up.

We achieve this by investing significant time in learning and researching your ideal customer profile (ICP) before sending any emails. 

We work closely with you to develop the ICP, research each prospect individually, and collect data points to create cold emails that stand out and make a lasting impression. And unlike CIENCE, we don’t rely on any tool to build your ICP or research them. 

One of the first things we like to do when we sign a new client is to ask our clients questions about their ICP.

We ask questions like:

  • Which type of clients have the highest lifetime value?
  • Which type of clients is easiest to close?
  • Which type of clients churns the fastest?
  • What are the top 3 objections you hear from prospective clients during sales calls?
  • Why did you start your company? 
  • What pain points were you trying to solve?
  • Etc.

Your answers to these questions help us know precisely who to target and why. And this type of information makes the difference between:

“We’re targeting series A tech companies OR we are targeting companies that ClickUp” 

And 

“Our ICP is a VP of Sales at a b2b software company selling to HR professionals, and his main pain points are lack of organization, time management, and team collaboration. He often refers to XYZ podcasts to get insights as to how to manage his team efficiently.” 

Once we have a clear understanding of who the ICP is, we proceed to build our list manually, and that’s what we use to run our lead generation campaigns.

Research and copywriting: CIENCE and Belkins provide basic, generically personalized emails; we research each prospect individually and create truly personalized cold emails and LinkedIn messages.

  • We don’t rely on templates to create emails like Belkins. That’s because we believe that if it’s created from a template, then it’s no longer personalized, at least not to the unique traits of each of the recipients. It’s mass, ineffective personalization. 
  • We also don’t rely on AI or ML tools like CIENCE. We are still at the dawn of AI tools. Their output is repetitive and robotic. We are confident we can create better emails and messages. We can take our sweet time anyway, as we are not running a campaign of scale.

So, we start by researching each of our prospects individually to collect data about them we use to create cold emails that align with them. That’s how we do data enrichment. 

And no, we don’t rely on a tool to simply tell us job titles, where they are based, their tech stack, or how many people work at their company. 

What we need is psychographic data. And we put all of our resources forward to go out and collect that data because it makes all the difference. Just for some context, here are a few things we do. 

  • We listen to podcasts your potential customers have been on.
  • We read the blog posts they wrote. 
  • We read their LinkedIn, Twitter, and Mastodon posts.
  • We read discussions on forums they’re in.
  • We call their mom if it makes sense for the outreach. 

Using this aggregated data, we find unique angles that we use to craft personalized first lines or icebreakers.

Here’s what it looks like in real life. We pitched CoSchedule’s Head of Content, Ben Sailer, and asked him if we could write for them.

Here’s what he replied 1 hour later.

Here is another successful example from a similar strategy.

As you can see from both screenshots, the cold emails sent to the prospects were so compelling that they couldn’t help but acknowledge it before offering to hire us.

Contracts: CIENCE and Belkins both require you to sign longer-term contracts; We don’t — you’re free to renew or stop your subscription based on satisfaction.

Contrary to CIENCE and Belkins, who require you to commit to a 6 to 12-month contract where you pay them a lot of money even when they bring no results to prove your investments, we at Nerdy Joe operate on a subscription basis.

Collaborating with us guarantees results starting from the first month. Moreover, your subscription renewal depends on your satisfaction with our services and your budget considerations.

Our pricing is transparent, which likely contributes to our standing as one of the top lead-generation agencies. You choose a plan based on your budget and requirements, and you’re assured of what you’ll receive at the end of the month.

  • No vague assertions like “it depends on many factors.”
  • No excuses, such as “Your account manager couldn’t work because he accidentally swallowed the office key.”

If your product has a good market fit and addresses a common problem, that’s essentially all we need to produce results for you. However, if you’re still determining the ideal audience for your solution, we may not be able to assist effectively.

Nerdy Joe Pricing: Belkins and CIENCE are downright expensive; With us, you get the best bang for your buck, the affordability, and the option to scale without burning a hole in your bank account. 

  • CIENCE and Belkins are expensive, way too much, to be fair. 
  • They do not provide any refund.
  • They have an unclear pricing model and charge for things you don’t need.

We believe that pricing is way too expensive and not sustainable for the average business on a budget. 

So unlike Belkins and CIENCE, we offer a flat fee for a specific number of leads or appointments booked for you and keep it all transparent on our site. 

    • DeLorean: It costs $1799/month and gives you 10 leads or meetings with high-quality leads.
    • Batmobile: This is the plan we recommend, as it gives you the biggest bang for your buck. It costs $2199/month and gives you 15 hot and sales-qualified appointments or LEADS.
    • Millennium Falcon: It costs $3099. This plan is good for mid-level to enterprise companies willing to fuel their sales team with up to 25 sales-ready leads on a monthly basis.
    • Starship Enterprise: This is the enterprise-level plan, and it comes at $5099. We added it for large organizations and enterprise-level businesses willing to fuel their sales team with a huge flow (50+) of meetings with sales-ready leads on a monthly basis.
    What’s interesting with us is that you know what you’re getting upfront and know exactly how much you’ll have to pay for it. We don’t play hide and seek or get you on long sales calls to discuss pricing with you. 

Partner with Nerdy Joe and start generating sales-ready leads today

Both Belkins and CIENCE are excellent lead-generation companies. They have a strong portfolio to back this up and are very popular in the industry. Chances are, this post can help you find the lead generation company you need for your business. 

We believe Belkins is most celebrated for its expertise and lead generation work, while CIENCE is firstly known for its lead generation tools. But if you want an even better company to take care of your lead generation, you should talk to us. We are an agency that does quality work.

  • An agency that doesn’t blast huge lists and runs custom, effective outreach campaigns.
  • An agency that takes the time to do the research and ensure efficiency manually.
  • An agency that charges you for results, not tasks.
  • An agency that won’t make you pay for tools you don’t need.
  • An agency that doesn’t require you to commit to a contract.
  • An agency that does not waste your time and that’s affordable.
  • A group of experts that care about your company’s reputation and relationship with prospects.

Nerdy Joe is the lead generation agency you’re looking for. We do the market research, identify leads, do the lead research, lead management, and bring you qualified leads; we are part of your team.

How to Write a Quotation Email With 7 Samples to Inspire You

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

A quotation email can be a game-changer, keeping your business at the forefront of sales success as it acts as the bridge between your offerings and your potential clients.

In this article, we will take you through a detailed journey of crafting an effective quotation email that gets your prospects to sit up and take notice.

Plus, we’ve added 7 inspirational samples that will help you write compelling quotation emails for your business.

What is a quotation email? 

A quotation email is a business email sent by an individual service provider or a business to a potential customer to provide details on the price for certain goods, products, or services. It’s generally a response to a quote request from a potential client.

So, as per the client’s requirements, it typically includes specific details such as the nature of the goods or services, quantity, fixed price per unit, total cost, payment terms, delivery details for the entire process, and other relevant information.

Why and when to use quotation emails? 

A quotation email is not just important because it helps you detail your pricing and service terms for your customers. There are key business reasons why you should always use quotation emails in business procedures. 

Here are some of the main reasons you should always use them:

  • Providing clarity and transparency: Quotation emails help you give your customers a clear understanding of what they’ll get and how much it will cost them. It clarifies everything from hidden or upfront fees down to the reasons for these fees. They help you avoid any potential misunderstandings or disputes down the line.
  • Professionalism: Providing a formal quote demonstrates professionalism and helps you or your business stand out from competitors who may be less thorough. After all, 59% of respondents say that email marketing influences their purchases. Providing a quote via email shows that you care and mean serious business. 
  • Record keeping: Quotation emails also serve as a written record of the proposed deal, which can be useful for accounting, legal, and customer relationship purposes. Here again, quotation emails can help you rapidly resolve issues down the line or avoid them altogether. 
  • Encourage commitment: If a customer is comparing prices or considering different providers, a clear, detailed, and prompt quote can encourage them to commit to your business over the competition.

That said, you probably have a pricing page on your website. So, you’re probably thinking that you can’t just keep whipping up quotation emails whenever somebody stops by your business; you’re right. Here are some situations that demand a quotation email:

  • Creative service provision: If your company provides services, such as consultancy, marketing, content creation, design, software development, etc., it’ll be an excellent idea to send a quotation email to give your potential clients an idea of your pricing structure as well as your terms.
  • Custom orders: If a customer requests a custom order that’s not part of your standard product or service range, you can send them a quotation email to give them an understanding of the cost and timeframe.
  • Bulk purchases: If you’re a wholesaler or own a company selling goods, you can send quotation emails to your customers for large or bulk orders. This is a good idea since bulk purchases typically come with discounts or special terms. 
  • Complex projects: For projects that involve multiple stages, materials, or other complexities, a quotation email can break down the costs involved. It lets you give the customer a clear understanding of what they’re paying for each part of the project. This is particularly useful for carpenters, bricklayers, and other parallel services. 
  • Negotiations: In some business scenarios, virtual meetings aren’t possible, and pricing isn’t fixed and needs to be negotiated. A quotation email in these contexts can form part of this negotiation, setting out your initial pricing position. 

Quotation email format: How to write a quotation email (the anatomy of a successful quotation email) 

These are the key components of an excellent quotation email. Keep in mind that they’ll also serve as the stages you’ll have to go through as you write your quotation email. 

  • The quotation email subject line 

The subject line is what the recipient sees first in the inbox. This is not an email to sell. So, you need to make your intentions in the subject line clear and simple so that your recipient understands that you are coming to them with a quote. 

For instance, your subject line could be “Request for a quote” or “Quote for [service or product’s name].”

  • Initial greeting and introduction

Start the email with a professional and polite greeting such as “Hello + name” or “Good morning + name.” 

You’ll most likely know their name. If it happens that you don’t know the person’s name, omit the name, but still greet them politely. A simple “Hello” or “Good morning” can help to set a friendly tone for the email.

  • Detailed description of products/services

The next thing to do is to give a vivid description of the products or services (to be) purchased. It enables your client to identify what they want to purchase. A detailed description can be the product name, a picture if need be, and a product identification code or something similar — based on the system of identification you have at your company. 

  • Pricing breakdown

Ensure you list the products or services you’re quoting as line items. Include a vivid description of the items, quantities, unit price, and total price per item. You can separate the products and services’ pricing details. 

Furthermore, make sure to differentiate the labor from the material cost. Also, state what the cost doesn’t cover. You should also indicate details about shipping and delivery fees. This helps you to stay organized when breaking down the cost in the email.

  • Terms and conditions (including payment terms, delivery dates, etc.)

This is where you state the possible variations in your business. Whatever terms or conditions you have at your business that might influence the costs mention it. Or add a link to a page that covers them very well. You should detail things like:

  • The delivery of the project depends on location or good weather. 
  • Additional work hours will require extra cost. 
  • Late payments include 1% penalties.
  • Etc.

In addition, let them know about the payment option and when you want to be paid. Whether it is through direct deposit, checks, credit cards, or full or installment payments, let them know to avoid confusion.

  • Include add-ons, VAT, interdependencies, and clauses

You should let your client know the different variations that can affect the cost. For instance, they should know the amount of value-added tax they are paying on a specific item. Or you can let them know if any discounts apply to them and any other disclaimers associated with your business. 

  • Closing statement 

Just as the greeting, you must end your email politely. Closing statements such as “We’re looking forward to hearing from you” can help your recipient understand that you expect a reply within a specific timeframe. 

  • Contact information or a professional email signature

Ensure you include your details in the email. This enables your recipient to reach out to you if they have inquiries or want to clarify the details to you. Your contact information can include business name, address, phone number, email address, and job title.

Five tips for proofreading and refining your email

Here are some email tips you can consider for the proofreading and refining process.

  • Make it about your client’s needs 

Every quotation email must address their client’s needs. Think of it like a guide to enable them to make an informed purchasing decision. 

So, as a foundational step, take the time to map out everything you should include in the email but, more importantly, what they’ll need to know. 

Things like:

  • The value for their money
  • The ROI for them
  • The costs and the drivers
  • Terms and conditions
  • Delivery fees
  • Preferred payment options
  • Payment deadlines
  • Service or delivery turnaround time
  • Etc. 

Keep in mind that it will all depend on your service or product and the needs of the customer in your particular context. 

  • Use a formal writing style

A quotation email is professional. Be sure to be polite and friendly throughout your correspondence.

  • Use an item list

Write a detailed list of each item. You can use bullet points to help you stay organized and list the quote for each item.

  • Talk about the fees

You should break down the cost of each item to your recipient. You must also let them know about any additional fees such as VAT, shipping and delivery fees, discount, and everything else. 

  • Payment option

Inform your recipients about the payment options as well as the time of payment. Is it direct deposit, check, or credit card? One-time payment or installment payment? This will enable the client to know if the options match the form of payment. 

07 sample quotation emails to inspire you

Here, you’ll find 7 samples of quotation emails you can use to answer your client’s requests. Simply copy, paste, and edit them in a way that suits your needs and your branding styles. 

  • Sample quotation email for price

The price quotation email is the simplest quotation email. It provides two simple things — the price and details for your prospective clients. You can do this by outlining the items first and then the price. Or you can outline the price and make a comparison with your competitors. Here is a template that can work out for you. 

  • Quotation with a discount offer

If one of your clients is loyal or is buying in bulk from you, this is a good reason to send a quotation email. A quotation email with a discount informs your clients about a special discount. 

When writing this type of email, ensure you use the right tone and be clear. An effective quotation email must be easy to read and find information quickly (discount code/coupon).

  • Revised quotation email

A revised quotation email is written by a company that has quoted a price for an order and is revising it. When sending a revised quotation email, ensure you precisely state what your clients need. Here is a template that can help.

  • Quotation email for additional services/products

If you have some additional services or products that weren’t listed in the initial email, you can send another quotation email. Ensure that the tone and language are appropriate when communicating with the client. Here is a template that can guide you. 

  • Quotation following a meeting/discussion

After having a discussion or meeting with your clients about your products or services, you can send them a quotation email. 

Your email shows you’re interested in doing business with them and also acts as a follow-up email or even a reminder email to give them a nudge, taking them a step closer to purchase. Here is a template that can work for you. 

  • Follow-up quotation email

If you have sent a previous email to your client, but they are yet to respond, you can send a follow-up quotation to hear from them. Here is a sample that can help you out. 

Bonus: Sample email to request a quotation from a supplier/vendor

Wanna write an email to request a quote from a business but know where to get started? Here is the perfect template for a client email requesting a quotation. See it as a formal letter to a sales rep to request all the details about products you’re interested in.

Key takeaways

  • A quotation email typically includes specific details such as the nature of the goods or services, quantity, cost per unit, total cost, payment terms, delivery details, and other relevant information.
  • Ensure you consider your client’s need and incorporate it within the body of the email in a professional tone. You should also prepare follow-up emails or even an entire follow-up sequence to re-engage your prospective client who request for quotation in case they go silent on you.
  • You can write a quotation email when your client requests it, when you’re planning a budget, or when you need to revise the initial email you send. 
  • Need help with email marketing and lead generation? We are here to help. Nerdy Joe can help you get highly-stellar results from our sophisticated email marketing efforts. Give us a response today.

How to Write Onboarding Emails With 6 Email Samples

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

Whenever a customer completes a purchase, or you hire someone new into your organization, an onboarding email is the first item they will look out for. That’s the initial point of contact to get them started.

In this article, you will learn what onboarding emails mean, their benefits, and different templates you can use for your business. 

What is an onboarding email? 

Generally speaking, an onboarding email is a business email you send to someone to onboard them as they join your business. It serves as a welcome message (or as part of the welcome sequence) for both new customers as they purchase your product or sign up for your SaaS tool and new employees as they join your company.

  • Onboarding email for new customers

As known as user onboarding emails, for new customers, the primary goal of an onboarding email is to guide them through the initial setup process, help them understand how to use the service or product, share some resources and tutorials (if any and if applicable) and set them up for an excellent customer experience. 

It’s the first point of contact that aims to familiarize new users with the key features and interface of the product. Its goal is to make the new customer feel valued, create a good mood for customer relationships and ensure that the customer continues to use your products for a long time. 

  • Onboarding email for new employees

As for new employees, the onboarding emails help make them feel welcome and provide them with the necessary materials, contact details, and tools to get started smoothly in their new roles. This may include information about their direct teammates, department, or the company as a whole. 

Some companies share their mission statement, values, SOPs, training materials, or important cultural aspects. It can also include logistical information covering work hours, dress code, who they will be reporting to, how they will be evaluated, important dates, etc.

Why do you need an onboarding email for your business? 

Onboarding emails are a great way to show your employees and customers that they’re greatly valued. They’re crucial to any business seeking long-term success. Here are various reasons why you need one for your business. 

1. It boosts customer engagement

A new customer is similar to a first-time visitor in a city. They’re new and need help on how and where to begin their journey. 

In this context, the onboarding sequence serves as a non-invasive starter that serves as a guide and can walk your customers through each step of what you have to offer them. It opens the door for valuable interactions that boost engagement and promote customer success. 

2. It influences customer retention and satisfaction

A study by Wyzowl shows that 86% of people are more likely to become loyal to a business that invests in onboarding content and welcomes and educates them after they’ve bought. 

This shows that if your customers have a good experience in the initial stage of the customer’s lifetime, it can help in customer satisfaction and retention. Customer retention helps to reduce churn rate and is even less expensive than customer acquisition. In short, your onboarding emails foster long-term relationships with your customers.

3. It helps with customer success

Onboarding emails are vital to show your customers how your products or service can make their lives better. 

For example, if you’re a B2B SaaS brand, many of your customers may not be familiar with your tool as they’re new to it. Creating onboarding email sequences helps you anticipate potential challenges they might have and proactively help them solve them. 

4. It helps new employees get started

Employee onboarding is crucial in any organization. A study by Glassdoor shows that employees who feel welcomed and valued are more likely to be more productive and stay in the organization. 

Onboarding helps employees get rapidly familiar with the company and access all the documents and information they need to perform their job well. 

5. It describes the different SOPs, company culture, tutorials, and more. 

The first impression of a company is also a real thing. You want to show the culture and professionalism of your company to the new employees. 

You can do that through onboarding emails. Onboarding emails offer your employee educational content about the company’s culture, different SOPs, and tutorials, or keep them updated about any company news. 

Different scenarios where onboarding emails are used 

There are different scenarios where you can use onboarding emails. Some of these include:

1. New user sign-up

When a new user sign-up for your products or services, you’ll need engaging content to walk them through the cycle. An onboarding email can help to provide value to these subscribers and nurture them. 

2. Users in a trial period

Every business’ goal is to convert its lead into paying customers. A great way to achieve this is by providing an onboarding process for your potential customers in a trial period. An onboarding email can help keep your customers interested in your products or services and show them how they can get more if they use a paid version. 

3. New employee 

An onboarding email is a good way to welcome and get new employees started in your company. With different emails that show support and make them inclusive and enthusiastic about their new job, they’d feel welcomed and valued. Plus, it can help to get them to be more productive and improve their retention rate. 

4. Changes in company directives 

If there is a change in a company’s directives, an onboarding email can introduce the employees to the new goals and mission. It can help them to feel at ease and let them know what’s expected from them.

Onboarding email format: How to write successful onboarding emails

Here is the email format you need to follow to create effective onboarding emails.

The onboarding email subject line

If your onboarding email subject line doesn’t catch the attention of your recipient, you’ve failed the task. The best way to draw your readers to open and read your email is by crafting an actionable and compelling subject line. 

Include what you want to promote and how it’ll benefit your recipients. Also, remember to keep your sentence short. Your reader will only see a few words in the preview. 

Here’s an example of some subject lines you can use for your new employees:

  • Welcome, [first name]
  • Yay! You’ve joined the team
  • A message from the CEO
  • Nervous about your first day? 

Here’s another example of some subject lines you can use for your customers:

  • Welcome, [first name]
  • Getting started with [product name]
  • We’re glad you’re here.
  • Explore the features of [product/service]
  • Ready, set, go: Begin your journey with [company name]

The onboarding email body

A personalized greeting

The salutation in the email often depends on the recipient. Be it for an employee or a customer, you have to use a formal salutation that makes you sound respectful and professional. You should also personalize the greeting so that it can resonate with the recipient. 

Some examples include:

“Dear + name,” “Hello + name,” or “Hi + name.”

We’ve found that personalizing the greeting is a great way to forge a relationship with your customers. It can make them feel valued and encourage them to further engage with your brand. 

The warm welcome

After greeting your recipient, you should start your email with a warm welcome that catches your reader’s attention and lures them to read on. 

We recommend that you weave the email opening line around the purpose of the onboarding email so that your recipient will want to know what you have for them. 

Rather than the usual “I hope this email finds you well” phrase, you can creatively craft the opening line to intrigue your audience. 

Here are some examples you can learn from for a new hire.

  • Genuine and professional: “Welcome aboard, [employee’s name]! We are thrilled to have you in our team. Your experience and skills will be a great addition and we can’t wait to see the heights we will reach together.”
  • Friendly and enthusiastic: “Welcome to the team, [employee’s name]! We’ve been eagerly waiting for you and we’re so excited that the day has finally come. We’re confident you’re going to bring something special to our workplace.”

Some examples for new customers: 

  • Formal and professional: “We are delighted to welcome you to [company name]. We appreciate your decision to choose our services and are committed to ensuring your utmost satisfaction.”
  • Enthusiastic and energetic: “Welcome aboard! You’re in for a great journey with us at [company name]. We’re thrilled to have you!”
  • Friendly and casual: “Hey there! We’re so excited to have you on board. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”

The purpose of the email (let them know why they are receiving the email)

Once you’ve established a connection with your recipient, you should focus on the reason why you’re sending the email. Is it to solve their problem? Walk them through the company’s policy. Let them know how the email will benefit them. 

For instance, let’s say you’re welcoming a potential customer into your brand community. 

Thanks for joining the [brand’s name] family – It’s great to have you onboard. 

We’re proud to have you be a part of our community of customers who appreciate having a long-lasting [product/service]. We look forward to bringing you our favorite products and our special promotions. Please enjoy 15% off your first order with [code] at checkout. The code expires in 72 hours.

It clarifies the main point of the message. Your recipient knows that you’re welcoming them, and they can receive the latest information relating to your brand. Plus, they also get an incentive they have to redeem within a specific timeframe. 

Also, make sure that the body of the email is short and quick to read. Nobody has time to read a lengthy email. The average person sends and receives 121 emails every day. 

Moreover, you should format your email well. Avoid lumping up blocks of text together. Keep your paragraphs between 3-4 sentences and include lots of whitespace. This makes it easy for your recipient to skim through the information and pick what they need. 

Helpful resources (guides, tutorials, or customer service contacts)

You may want to provide extra help, especially if your product is complex or if there are things about your company that need clarification. For instance, your customers may need help installing your product or they could use some guidance on troubleshooting.

What you need to do is to provide them with helpful content that can help them with the task. You can include a link to a tutorial video, helpful blog posts, or an FAQ page to help them with their troubles. 

As for new employees, you should also provide helpful content on how they will navigate around. You can send them the company culture, tutorials, SOPs, training materials, or other useful content that they will need to become productive in their work activities. 

Offer to answer questions

Even though you provided them with helpful content, your recipient may still need to clarify some issues. You can’t foresee every problem they may encounter during the onboarding process. This is why you should let them know that you’re available to answer their questions. 

Avoid sending them on a treasure hunt when they need to communicate with you. To do this, you can say something like, “If you have any questions, do reach out to us via email.”

Clear CTA (What they need to do next)

End your onboarding email with a clear call-to-action (CTA). Make things easier for them through a button that prompts them to take the next step.

You should also make the button visible, eye-catchy, and hard to ignore. Don’t forget to personalize the CTA. A personalized CTA converts at a whopping 202% rather than basic ones. 

For instance, if you want your customer to create an account, you should state it in your email clearly. Also, if you want your employees to visit a specific page on your website, you can inform them through email and add a link that will direct them to the page. 

The onboarding email closing line

The closing line of an onboarding email is also an important element, as it often includes a call to action and sets the tone for ongoing engagement. Here are a few examples of closing lines:

  1. “If you have any questions or need further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Welcome again, and we look forward to serving you!”
  2. “We’re thrilled to have you on board. Let’s make great things happen together. Reach out anytime if you need help.”
  3. “Thank you for choosing [company]. We’re just an email or phone call away if you need any assistance. Welcome to our community!”
  4. “Feel free to explore, experiment, and get comfortable with our platform. We’re here for you every step of the way. Welcome aboard!”
  5. “Remember, our team is always ready to assist you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. Welcome to [company]!”
  6. “We’re excited to see how our [product/service] can contribute to your success. Welcome to the family, and remember, we’re here to support you!”

After your closing line, remember to include your name and relevant contact information. 

Your contact information

Including this piece of information can build trust and reassure your recipient that you’re available when needed. You should include your full name, job title, company name, phone number, and link to your social profile to facilitate communication. 

4 tips for writing an engaging onboarding email 

Here are some email writing tips you can keep in mind to encourage your recipient to open your onboarding emails and read through them. 

  • Use clear, concise, and friendly language.

Your primary goal is to communicate and persuade your recipient to take a specific action, not impress them with fancy jargon. 

A great way to achieve this is by writing at an eighth-grade level. It helps the recipient to understand what you’re saying.

They don’t misinterpret what you’re saying and have better clarity of the information you’re passing across. With this, you enhance your brand’s image and show professionalism through email. 

  • Use visuals: (incorporate images, infographics, and videos)

Need to grab your recipient’s attention? Then, use visuals. Humans process visual elements 60,000 times faster than text. They are a great way to engage your audience, improve readability, and encourage click-through rates. 

Incorporate visuals within the body of your onboarding emails to connect with your recipients. Add icons, emojis, images, infographics, and even videos to highlight your text and make them more clear and readable to your recipient. 

  • Ensure consistency in brand voice and design.

Your onboarding email should connect your recipient to your brand right from the start. A brand is more than just a beautiful logo or catchy slogan.

It’s about how you talk to your audience in the right voice. Your tone may be formal or relaxed, depending on your relationship with your recipient. You can also incite happy emotions to create a positive brand reputation. 

If it’s the case of a new employee, you may want to sound official and pleasant to give them a warm welcome into your company.

But, if you are onboarding a customer, you may want to sound more relaxed and respectful to avoid getting misinterpreted. 

Messages such as “You’re in!,” “Get the latest fashion tip,” or “Let the fun begin” are a great way to make your customers enthusiastic about your email. Remember, it’s not what you say but how you say it.

  • Automate your onboarding process

Part of creating effective onboarding emails is also automating the sending of onboarding emails. You can possibly handle and send an onboarding email campaign manually.

Set up a system that helps you automatically track new sign-ups and ensures your new customers receive automated onboarding emails right from the first phase of their customer journey.

3 samples of onboarding emails for new users and achieving customer success

Here are some onboarding email samples you can use as inspiration. 

1. The welcome email template

Your first email in the onboarding sequence is the welcome email. 80% of people will open a welcome email as it generates 4x more opens and 10x more clicks than other emails. This implies that a welcome email can keep your customers excited to learn about and engage with your product. 

You need to show genuine appreciation to your customers for choosing your brand first. Connect with them by making them feel at home. If you want to, you can offer them a discount to get them started. Here is a template for this. 

2. The how-to onboarding email template

How-to emails are your customer’s guide and usually come after the welcome email. Sometimes when customers sign up to use your product, they may not understand something or even know what to do.

To avoid having your customers put calls through every time they’re faced with a challenge, your customer success team can work on an onboarding email sequence right at the beginning of the customer lifecycle. It helps your new users get started easily, eliminates customer bouncing, and increases customer loyalty. 

If your onboarding strategy requires that you make it a single email, you can include a step-by-step guide that details the common questions you think they may ask.

You can also include a video link to walk them through the process. Below is a how-to onboarding email example that explains how a product works. 

3. The cross-sell/up-sell onboarding email template

Your customer may have only signed up for one product or service, but you can still offer them. This is where you cross-sell, or up-sell appears in the picture. 

With this email, you can show your customers how you can further address their needs through the other products or services your company offers. If you succeed with this, you’ll not only increase revenue but also increase customer satisfaction and retention. 

Here is a sample that can serve as an inspiration for you. 

3 samples of emails to onboard new employees to guide you

In this collection, we have provided you with five onboarding email templates you can send to your employees.

1. Pre-onboarding email template

You don’t want to keep your new hire waiting, especially when you’ve tried so hard to find the right talent for your job. The pre-onboarding email template congratulates your new hire. It keeps them prepped and informs them if they need to provide any documents to complete the recruitment process. 

It also states who will contact them next and when. Here is a template that can walk you through the process. 

2. Onboarding welcome email template

The onboarding welcome email ensures your new hire has a roadmap for their onboarding journey. 

Some information you may want to include here are the start date, working hours, dress code, contact information, local transportation information, reporting sickness, vacation policy, and more. Here’s an onboarding welcome email template for a new employee. 

3. Onboarding follow-up email

The onboarding follow-up email is another critical part of the process. After you’ve provided everything to your new employee, you can send a follow-up email to check if they still need anything. Perhaps they have a question or need help with something; the follow-up email can help. 

Here is an example that you can use.

Key Takeaways

  • An onboarding email for new customers is the first point of contact that guides them through the initial setup process and helps them to better understand your product or service. 
  • An onboarding email for new employees helps make them feel welcome and provides them with the necessary materials and tools to get started smoothly in their new role.
  • An onboarding email must consist of an intriguing subject line,  a detailed email body, and a remarkable closing statement. 
  • Need help with email marketing and lead generation? We are ready to help. Nerdy Joe can help you get highly-stellar results from our sophisticated email marketing efforts. Give us a response today.

Martal Group vs Belkins.io: Which Should You Hire for Lead Gen?

Lovey Dhillon on June 27, 2024

The Martal Group and Belkins.io are both big names in the world of B2B lead generation and sales development. Both companies are known across the industry and are typically the go-to agencies for businesses looking to hire for lead generation and sales enablement services. 

Selecting the right lead generation company between these two can be complex. Typically, people will look at their service range, team size, tech tools, etc. Well, that’s not always the best approach, especially if you care about getting sales-ready leads. 

The truth is that these elements or features don’t tell much about the way they actually approach the work and what result quality it’ll bring for your company. 

So, we take our analysis beyond surface-level features, focusing instead on the essential elements that set a truly effective lead generation service apart from the rest. 

To do this, we go from the principle that if you are hiring a lead generation company, it means that you want to fuel growth for your company by getting high-quality leads you and your sales team can sell to — to increase revenue without worrying about the lead generation. 

Based on that, there are clear specific features you need to care about in a lead generation company, and that’s how we will help you choose between Belkins.io and the Martal Group. 

Here we go:

  1. Proactive engagement: The firm should take the initiative to connect with potential prospects instead of employing strategies that would require the leads to come to the company.

    So, outbound over inbound, with a focus on rapid and well-defined outcomes, you can’t afford the luxury of time or massive investment associated with drawn-out strategies.
  2. Concentrated expertise: Avoid firms offering a plethora of services that have very little to do with your growth objectives. By “concentrated,” we imply that they don’t dabble in countless lead generation services.

    Instead, they concentrate their expertise on a single service (e.g., LinkedIn lead generation), mastering it to deliver exceptional results.
  3. Prompt outcomes: Employing a lead generation agency implies a need for rapid growth and a promptly filled sales funnel. You need an agency that can deliver high-quality leads expeditiously, as long delays are not affordable or desirable.

    You need to be sure you’ll start getting results from Month 1 and that they won’t bury you into lead generation banalities. 
  4. Dependable and respectable outreach platforms: Depending on your business’s nature and offers, you should be able to easily identify the appropriate outreach platform.

    These should be platforms that your clients are at ease with, professional mediums that uphold engagement and respect your prospects.

    You don’t want a company that relies on outdated outreach channels or those that will piss off your prospects.
  5. Steady lead attraction and generation strategy: The primary reason you hire a professional lead gen agency is to compensate for the knowledge and skill gaps in capturing and converting leads.

    So, your target agency should demonstrate a proven, systematic lead generation method that consistently brings in high-quality leads and benefits your business.
  6. Deep understanding of your ICP or excellent mechanisms to achieve it: The agency should have an in-depth understanding of your target market and their unique challenges or exhibit a clear process for achieving this.

    They should be skilled at crafting tailored outreach messages or cold emails that address your ideal customers’ needs, creating content that elicits their emotions and motivates them to purchase.
  7. Meaningful, personalized, impactful outreach: You don’t want a firm that sends generic emails to random lists obtained from databases such as ZoomInfo or Apollo.io.

    The agency’s approach should be uniquely tailored to each prospective lead to maximize results.

    Their work should command respect, even from those who don’t make a purchase, to maintain your reputation and brand image — or at least avoid hurting them.
  8. All-inclusive, done-for-you service: The ideal agency should handle all lead generation and outreach activities, freeing you up to focus on other aspects of your business, like personal meetings with leads and finalizing deals.
  9. Service over technology: While lead generation tools can be beneficial for outreach campaigns, some companies include them in their package without adding real value.

    You should opt for a firm that’s more focused on doing the actual work and executing creative strategies rather than heavily relying on AI and other tools.
  10. Affordable and scalable solutions: Finally, the agency’s services should be cost-effective and designed to grow with your business.

    Clear pricing structures detailing exactly what you’ll receive and transparency about potential lead numbers before you engage their services.

That’s essentially it. These are the pivotal factors to focus on when selecting a lead generation agency.

Here’s a revelation, upon evaluating these fundamental elements, very few of the supposedly remarkable lead generation companies meet the criteria of “what’s an excellent lead generation company for your needs”, and this includes Belkins.io and the Martal Group.

Thus, we will delve deeper into the specifics of Belkins.io and the Martal Group, revealing their methods, strategies, services, and how they integrate these critical elements into their operations.

Without any further delay, let’s get started.

Martal Group vs Belkins.io: which company should you hire for your lead generation and appointment setting needs?

So, here is how the two companies compare, starting with their different services. 

Scope of service: Comparing what they do and how your business can benefit from it.

Here, we’ll give you an overview of both companies’ service ranges and what these actually mean, pertaining to your need for generating leads and setting appointments. 

Belkins.io’s service overview

Belkins.io has positioned itself as an international company for B2B lead generation and appointment setting, offering a service spectrum that helps them find, and reach out to generate leads for their clients. Let’s delve into the key services they provide.

  • Lead research: Belkins.io conducts extensive lead research. Their primary goal is to pinpoint potential clients who exhibit a high probability of conversion. The process is comprehensive and entails identifying your ICP, curating target lists, analyzing demographics, evaluating industry trends, studying competitors, and understanding the business requirements of possible leads.
  • Lead outreach: The team at Belkins.io assists in initiating contact with potential leads via bespoke email marketing campaigns, LinkedIn outreach, social media, and other channels. You can find more details about their strategies and methodologies on their website.
  • Lead qualification: This involves evaluating the potential leads generated to determine their level of interest, relevance, and fit for your products or services. By assessing various criteria, such as the lead’s demographics, industry, pain points, and budget, Belkins.io prioritizes the most promising leads for their client’s sales team.
  • LinkedIn marketing: Belkins.io helps businesses increase their LinkedIn visibility by increasing your connection requests and content distribution. Plus, they can manage outreach campaigns on your behalf, generating leads or setting appointments on LinkedIn.
  • Lead management: Once leads are identified and qualified, effective lead management becomes crucial to handle and nurture these prospects throughout the buyer’s journey. Belkins.io uses a CRM tool to keep track of interactions, appointments, and other important details related to each lead. This helps ensure that no potential opportunity falls through the cracks, and your sales team can follow up with prospects at the right time.
  • Appointment setting: Belkins.io reaches out to your potential leads and sets appointments on your behalf. This could mean employing cold calls, email outreach, or social media engagement. 
  • Email marketing/deliverability services: They work diligently to boost your email deliverability rates by devising engaging email content, optimizing send times, ensuring full compliance with spam regulations to dodge spam filters, and more.

That’s pretty much it for Belkins.io. Now, let’s move to the Martal Group.

Martal Group’s range of services

The Martal Group is primarily a team of sales reps and lead generation experts who serve its wide clientele by generating leads, setting up appointments, and driving conversions. They focus on serving companies that offer tech, software, and innovative products or services. Here is a breakdown of their main services as per their website.

  • Sales development: Martal Group offers sales development services. The service is designed to help businesses broaden their sales activities and get more clients. Their seasoned professionals help businesses run the entire sales enablement process, from spotting potential leads to reaching out to the leads and setting meetings.
  • Outbound lead generation: Martal Group employs a blend of outbound marketing tactics and unique tools to generate premium leads for its clients. These tactics generally include targeted cold emailing campaigns, outreach via LinkedIn, and cold calling, among others. Interestingly, they offer three tiers for outbound lead generation.
  • Outbound lead generation
  • Outbound lead generation + sales and customer onboarding
  • Outbound lead generation + customer onboarding + account management
  • Inbound lead generation: This tactic involves attracting potential clients to your enterprise through strategies like content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and branding. The objective here is to attract customer attention rather than the marketers reaching out to the prospects.
  • Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Martal Group also offers ABM services, which concentrate on a more tailored approach to B2B marketing. They pinpoint high-potential accounts and create customized marketing tactics to convert these into customers.
  • Outsourced sales team (People-as-a-Service): For businesses that may lack the necessary resources or expertise to establish and manage their own sales team, Martal Group can provide a full, outsourced sales force. This service lets businesses concentrate on their fundamental capabilities while Martal Group oversees their sales procedures.
  • Consultation services: The company also offers sales consultation services that help businesses get counseled and improve sales and marketing endeavors. This could include sales process optimization, increasing lead conversion rates, or upgrading your overarching marketing strategy.

That’s about it for their services. Martal Group takes great pride in their skilled team of seasoned sales professionals, niche industry experts, and adept account managers, all of whom are well-versed in the B2B tech market.

Further, they possess three B2B databases, which combined with their know-how, facilitate their work. Essentially, they offer an exceptional, all-inclusive lead generation service. 

On the other hand, Belkins does not have any client database of their own. Their tech arsenal is limited to a few proprietary tools that help them run email campaigns. 

Here is our verdict on their services:

The many services both companies offer are structured into siloed marketing offerings to accommodate businesses that might already possess internal teams and only need specific offerings. 

However, when you hire them for “lead generation”, you can be sure that all these services (if not most of them) are bundled into the package they provide. 

Taking Belkins.io as an example, if you hire them for lead generation, lead research, lead outreach, lead qualification, etc, will all be part of the service you get. 

Bear in mind that services like LinkedIn marketing, inbound marketing, appointment setting, and email marketing are different forms of lead-gen services. You should choose based on the characteristics of your product, your target audience, and other considerations.

Moreover, we also note that Martal Group leans more towards being a sales outsourcing firm rather than purely a lead generation service provider. Conversely, Belkins resonates more as a lead generation company because they concentrate more on the service itself rather than providing people-as-a-service.

Last but not least, both firms offer a plethora of services, arguably too many. They lack a single area of specialized focus. This implies numerous teams and self-proclaimed expert individuals performing diverse tasks under the same banner — the company name.

While this may not be a critical issue, it could hint at a lack of unequivocal focus on the lead generation service you’re most interested in. As the old adage suggests, a jack of all trades is a master of none.

The process of lead generation: Comparing strategies for identifying your ideal client profile, building lists, and approaching prospects.

This is where things start to become very interesting. We will discuss how these companies go about the real business of lead generation and how their techniques and strategies shape the results you get. 

Also, you will get a good understanding of their different lead generation workflows and frameworks and see whether or not the way they do things aligns with your standards and how you want your brand to be perceived by your target audience. 

Spoiler alert, it does not. Well, we might be biased. You should see for yourself.

That cleared, we’ve found there are three (03) things you should care about when it comes to a company’s lead generation strategy. These are:

  • how they research and find your ICP, 
  • how they build lists and where they find the people they reach out to, and 
  • how they reach out to them.

Now let’s look at how each of the companies approaches lead generation. 

Identifying and researching ICPs

Here is a truth you should know if you have to choose between lead generation companies. 

“When you have to choose between two lead generation companies, the one that has the best approach or system to nailing your ideal customer profile is the one that can bring you the best results, aka real leads who are ready to buy.”

We are sure most lead generation experts can confirm this.  

So, that means the effectiveness of the target company’s process here directly shapes the quality of leads they provide you with. Basically, securing high-quality leads requires a lead generation company with an accurate and comprehensive way to identify your ideal customers.

So, how does Belkins approach this?

We took a tour of their website. In a nutshell, the team starts by working with your existing sales team, and together they get to the bedrock of what constitutes an ideal client profile from your sales department. The image below details it a little more. 

This is a good approach. And the sample test they run allows them to get even more precise on who they should reach out to. We can say that their technique for finding and nailing your ICP before running the campaign is top-notch. But we can’t say the same about the Martal Group. 

The Martal Group relies on data intelligence databases and tools to find your ICP. 

So, unlike Belkins, the Martal Group relies more on their tools rather than real insights from you or your sales team to clearly understand your ICP. 

The reason we believe this is bad is because it’s always a guessing game for a lead generation company to identify the right targets without in-depth discussions about your ICP with you or your sales team.

The thing is that even the preliminary data or filters fed into their tools need to be aligned with your ICP, which they can’t merely guess. That’s the main reason most companies’ lead generation processes are broken. No ICP can even be found on a database or devised by a tool. 

It’s as if they’re bypassing the most crucial step in lead generation: understanding your ICP. This understanding involves discussions, posing queries, and running A/B tests to gather direct psychographic data relevant to your ICP (who they are, their pain points, what product features they value, and so on).

If your lead gen company can’t discuss and nail your ICP, your product can’t make sense to them. They cannot relate to its unique use cases or the problems it solves, and subsequently, they cannot sell your product better than a company that understands your ICP at a deeper level — the way Belkins does. 

Picking up leads and building lists

Following the identification of your ICP, the next step involves conducting research to locate potential customers who align with that profile and building a list for outreach campaigns. So, this section will delve into that specific procedure, beginning with Martal Group.

The company’s website mentions that they generate a curated list of pre-qualified prospects each week, which they use for their outreach campaigns.

Moreover, the website reads that they build a monthly list of up to 3000 – 5000 prospects. Considering that they build these lists and target prospects on a weekly basis, this translates into creating a list of approximately 750 – 1250 prospects every week.

It’s safe to assume that manually building outreach lists of this magnitude would be impossible. As a result, they probably employ a data intelligence tool (of which they possess three in-house) to rapidly compile prospect lists and then curate them.

With B2B contact information databases, it’s easy to rapidly build lists by applying several filters. Plus, building lists this way effectively accelerates the list-building process, thereby enabling them to seamlessly target thousands of prospects without breaking a sweat. 

We take issues with that.

Our first concern is that data intelligence tools, while convenient, only provide generic information that are useless for outreach campaigns. Sure, you can apply filters to narrow down the lists and focus on particular audiences. Still, the resulting data remains generic.

In most cases, you’ll only see data in the range of:

  • IPO companies
  • Companies that have 500-1000 employees
  • Companies that use Salesforce
  • Companies that are in the UK
  • Companies that are Serie A funded
  • Etc. 

As you can tell, this data provides no insights about your ICP, their problems, or any distinctive attributes they might possess. While it may form a decent groundwork for cold emailing, it doesn’t shed light on the specific needs and reasons to target a company.

This implies that you can’t definitively tell whether a company listed on these platforms actually faces the challenges that your product or service seeks to solve. 

Consequently, it devolves into a game of speculative outreach, where you send cold emails to random individuals hoping to receive a response. This is far from ideal.

Plus, even when you achieve success and get a couple of interested people, leads generated in this way are the most challenging to convert. It’ll require considerable informational content and time to educate them and get them to be sales-ready. 

This is not ideal for your business, especially since you’re investing in lead generation services with the intent to promptly fill your sales pipeline with sales-qualified leads and accelerate growth. (You’ll see how we do it better at Nerdy Joe later)

Interestingly, Belkins operates pretty much in the same way as the Martal Group here. According to their website, they rely on openly available data from platforms such as Google, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Glassodor, and Xing, among others, to find potential leads for your business.

In other words, the company extracts a list of potential buyers from these platforms, after which their research team dedicates time to validate that the identified potential buyers are indeed accurate and align with your ICP. See? Same as Martal Group. 

Remember how you should build your ICP based on the needs and pain points that your product solves? Now, you’re targeting random people off the internet based on technographic and firmographic data — it’ll be hard to get leads that’ll actually buy. 

The thing is that there is no filter you can ever apply on a data intelligence platform to pinpoint people who match your ICP. These platforms only register companies based on technographic, firmographic, and demographic data. 

But you need to understand that even if you’re selling Nextiva, the mere fact that a company uses RingCentral and has a team of 100 doesn’t make them a suitable prospect. So here, both Belkins and Martal Group’s processes don’t guarantee the best outcome for you.

Reaching out and targeting leads

To ensure you get a comprehensive understanding, we’ll divide this section into two parts: campaign-level and copy-level approaches. 

This will help you understand how they conduct campaigns, create the content or copy they send to prospects, and how these factors influence the results you receive.

Campaign-level 

We’ll start with Belkins. 

Belkins offers varied targeting strategies. Essentially, you’ll have three options. Based on your chosen plan, you’ll have a distinctive campaign scale. 

For each package, they will curate a custom list of leads based on your chosen plan, set up sending domains and mailboxes to ensure email deliverability and send emails to book a certain number of meetings by the end of the month — ALL GOOD.

This strategy is akin to the modus operandi of most lead generation agencies. The issue here, however, lies in the scale of targeting, specifically, the volume of individuals contacted. 

For instance, consider the “Growth Plus” plan. It promises a lead list of up to 30,000 curated leads and guarantees over 220 meetings. This suggests that they’ll interact with as many as 30,000 individuals within the agreed-upon timeframe. 

That’s a staggering number of people to reach out to, even over a span of six months. It leads one to question whether this method guarantees high-quality meetings or a favorable conversion rate for these leads.

Admittedly, they’ll establish new sending domains and mailboxes, warm up the domains, and run a test sample to determine the optimal go-to-market approach before fully launching the campaign. But here is what it could mean if you are targeting huge lists: 

  • Mass outreach: If you are sending emails to this many people, you can possibly have the time to properly research your prospects and tailor your email to each individual. So, it means you’re blasting people with generic cold emails and pushing for action. They might say you’re selfish and lazy. 
  • Substandard lead quality: Since there is no super personalization, the quality of the leads you get will be subpar, and you can’t convert, at least not easily or in a short timeframe. 
  • Pissed prospects: Some prospects can be mean to you, saying things like “Remove me from your list”, “Don’t ever email me again”, or worse, “Your cold email sucks”. 
  • Bad rap on socials: Targeting people with generic emails can negatively impact your company’s reputation. This can be particularly damaging if you are in a competitive industry or rely heavily on word-of-mouth referrals. Also, we are sure that’s not how you want your business to be represented.

Hopefully, our perspective is clear. We’re not suggesting that our critique is indicative of the service you’ll receive from Belkins. Our argument is simply that quality outreach necessitates significant effort and time, and targeting gargantuan lists (30.000) does not necessarily support this.

Interestingly, the Martal Group does the very same thing. Well, slightly differently. Here it is.

Understand that we are only focusing on the 1st tier of the service, outbound lead generation, as it aligns with your current needs the most.

As part of their outbound lead generation campaign, Martal Group targets between 3,000 – 5,000 potential leads and sends a range of 9,000 – 12,000 emails EACH MONTH.

Within the same period, they also establish connections with prospects on LinkedIn, sending between 600 – 700 LinkedIn messages.

The package further includes call follow-ups with potential leads. You can expect to receive 20 – 30 qualified leads from the campaign at the end. They guarantee that you can convert between 5 to 15 of these leads into customers. 

Integrating these three outreach channels can efficiently reach prospects across various platforms and ensure actual engagement and responses from potential leads. However, it’s worth noting that people are generally averse to cold calls.

Putting that aside, the actual concern is that Martal Group also reaches out to AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF PROSPECTS and SENDS AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF EMAILS. Therefore, the same issues we identified with Belkins are also prevalent here.

  • Mass outreach: You’re selfish and lazy. 
  • Substandard lead quality: You can’t convert the leads, at least not rapidly. 
  • Pissed prospects: People will be mad because your campaigns suck. 
  • Bad rap on socials: That’s not how you want your business to be represented. 
Copy-level

The companies also do the same thing at the copy-level as well. And the way both approach copy creation leaves much to desire. Let’s start with the Martal Group. 

Like we said before, mass outreach chips away the time and brain power you should normally invest into crafting compelling copies. So, here is what they do.

While creating templates might seem efficient on the surface, it essentially implies that they’re using one successful example as the foundation for all their content across the entire campaign.

Given the large volume of prospects they target, they can’t create or tailor their emails to each individual. So, they have to engage in wide-ranging, generic personalization, which, as you look closer, isn’t truly personalized at all.

Essentially, they’ll create email templates for every campaign and send them to the vast list of prospects they’ve compiled from a data intelligence tool, altering only some generic variables (like company name, job title, first name, etc.) within the email.

This sort of superficial personalization is far from ideal. Your engagement will be crickets. Fun fact, it explains why they must send thousands of emails before getting substantial results. Belkins also employs the very same approach.

As we’ve found before, the company engages in mass outreach, targeting huge lists of customers. Again, as we said before, this leaves little room to do excellent research and create individually-personalized messages that align with each prospect individually. 

So, confirming our theory, it reads on their website that the company develops and delivers personalized outreach messages using templates.  

Proper outreach requires excellent research and creating a personalized email for each of your prospects. No two prospects are the same and shall thus never receive the same outreach emails or messages. (More on that later as we detail how we do it). 

Lead outreach channels included

Belkins deploys a multi-channel outreach strategy that incorporates email, LinkedIn, phone, and more. They employ data intelligence tools, proprietary outreach tools, and their expertise to drive their operations.

Similarly, Martal Group also executes a multi-channel outreach approach, including email, LinkedIn, phone, and more. They make use of data intelligence tools, proprietary outreach tools, and their expertise to steer their operations.

However, at Nerdy Joe, we take a different stance. We believe reaching out to prospects on so many channels can be overwhelming and, sometimes, counterproductive. We’ll explain more about our unique approach later.

Lead generation and sales enablement tech stack included

Belkins is not particularly famous for having an extensive list of lead generation tools, but it does possess a notable selection of its own lead generation facilitation tools. 

These include an email delivery tool known as Folderly, a proprietary platform named Wordstir that assists in crafting emails and provides ready-made templates, and an appointment scheduling platform, among others.

It’s worth mentioning, however, that, unlike Martal Group, Belkins has to rely entirely on a few third-party tools for research and outreach. For instance, they lack a tool offering a comprehensive B2B database of companies like Apollo.io and ZoomInfo, as Martal Group does. 

Remember that these factors can influence their pricing model as they have to invest in these tools.

On the other hand, Martal Group presents a collection of lead generation tools, including databases for B2B contact information and dashboards for outreach analytics and reporting. Interestingly, despite this, Martal Group also uses several third-party tools.

This could imply that Martal Group’s clients might have to invest in additional tools to achieve their lead generation objectives. It’s crucial to remember this when comparing the services offered by these two companies.

Service pricing: Pricing model, refund policy, average deal size, minimum commitment period, and contracts. 

As you are probably aware that most lead generation companies do, none of the two companies leaves a clear pricing detail on its website. 

That means you’ll have to reach out to them to get custom pricing. That said, we’ve looked on Clutch to see the average deal size of the two companies. 

Pricing/average deal size

According to Clutch, Belkins.io and the Martal Group have an average deal size of between $10,000 and $50,000.

That’s a significant financial commitment, especially for small to medium-sized enterprises. They can both justify this pricing with the extensive reach of their campaigns, their ambitious prospect targeting, and the plethora of tools they use.

However, when we factor in all the possible issues related to lead quality and conversion efficiency, as mentioned previously, the return on investment won’t be the most advantageous for your business.

Minimum commitment period and contracts

When working with Belkins, the typical subscription period is 12 months. You must commit to working with them for 12 months before starting.

As for the Martal Group, the typical subscription period is 3 months.

This implies that you’re required to commit to paying them for a period of either a year or three months before initiating a working relationship. This arrangement might not be the best fit for your needs, particularly if you’re a small business or a startup, and here’s why.

This system makes you pay for several months while they experiment with different approaches, potentially leaving you with no tangible returns on your investments. 

To put it into perspective, the minimum outlay for the Martal Group is $30,000, while for Belkins, it could skyrocket to a staggering $120,000.

What’s even more critical to understand is that being locked into a long-term contract or subscription can considerably hamper your ability to modify your lead generation tactics or transition to another provider. 

This could pose significant challenges if your business requirements evolve or the outcomes do not meet your expectations. But regardless of your level of satisfaction with the services provided, you’re still obligated to pay them and abide by the contractual terms.

Refund policy

Belkins offers no refund, and they are not shy about it. 

On the other hand, the Martal Group doesn’t mention any refund policy anywhere on their website. 

What this implies is that if you invest in their services and they fail to deliver the desired results, you’ll be left with no option but to accept the situation and move forward. 

Nerdy Joe vs. Martal Group and Belkins: Why we are a better option for lead generation than the Martal Group and Belkins.io

Our expertise here at Nerdy Joe lies in B2B lead generation, with a specialized focus on email marketing and outbound lead generation strategies, including cold emailing and LinkedIn outreach.

Our dedicated service guarantees a steady flow of leads for your enterprise, eliminating the burden of lead gen for you and your sales team. Outsourcing your lead gen to us allows your sales team to focus on what they do best – having sales meetings and closing deals.

We position ourselves as a much better alternative to Belkins and the Martal Group on the grounds that these organizations, in our view, neglect the most crucial elements of lead generation.

To give you a clearer picture, let’s talk about the key components of lead generation that, in our opinion, Belkins.io and the Martal Group seem to lack.

Here we go:

  • Both Belkins and the Martal Group fall short in personalizing outreach messages to their maximum potential. They lean heavily on templates, tweaking only for industry specifics, resulting in a one-size-fits-all messaging strategy.
  • Martal Group’s process for ICP identification is rather ambiguous and leaves many questions unanswered. They lean more on technological tools than discussing to get direct insights from your sales team. The campaign is doomed from the start.
  • Both organizations rely on sales and data intelligence tools for lead sourcing. This implies a lack of precise targeting. Their outreach campaigns essentially boil down to a numbers game — broadcasting mass emails to a random audience and passively waiting for responses. 
  • Neither of these companies prioritizes researching and addressing individuals in your target audience based on their unique needs and challenges. Instead, they scrape huge lists from data intelligence tools and start to blast them with poor emails. 
  • Both companies are “jack-of-all-trades”. They offer a broad spectrum of services across multiple channels. You’re better off working with a team that excels at mastering a few channels. 
  • The outreach campaigns from both firms won’t bring you the highest quality leads. This is primarily due to their mass-targeting strategy, leading to subpar campaign performance. As well, it’ll take time and more educational materials to convert leads.
  • Neither Belkins nor Martal Group offers refunds; even more concerning, they fail to provide a results guarantee. This uncertainty, coupled with their commitment periods of three or twelve months, forces you to allocate budgets for these durations with no promise of successful outcomes.
  • Lastly, their pricing is on the higher end and appears to be based on the tools they employ and the effort they put in rather than the actual results delivered. This pricing structure might not be the most beneficial for your business.

Both Belkins and the Martal Group fall short in several critical areas for a lead generation company. They fail to align with the key elements we initially discussed, which you would ideally want from a service to ensure they can really fuel your business growth. 

From personalization to targeting, campaign strategy to pricing structure, both companies show significant limitations in delivering an optimal lead generation service.

Now here is why you really should work with us at Nerdy Joe. 

Outreach services: Belkins and Martal Group are jacks of all trades; our team is dedicated to only cold email outreach and LinkedIn outreach.

A significant issue with both the Martal Group and Belkins is their tendency to overextend themselves. Their team is spread too thin trying to offer a range of services, from LinkedIn marketing and sales enablement to inbound marketing and even technology services.

They market themselves as all-in-one solutions in the lead generation sector, which can make them less effective because it becomes a team of self-acclaimed experts trying different things at the same time instead of professionals who are sure of their work and can promise you clear outcomes.

Instead of attempting to be a universal fix, we at Nerdy Joe take immense pride in specializing in only two core lead generation areas — cold email and LinkedIn outreach. Our strategy focuses on reaching out to leads via these two channels to deliver unparalleled results.

Our concentrated approach provides significant advantages to our clients. We maintain a straightforward yet powerful strategy: focusing on developing compelling cold email and LinkedIn outreach campaigns that captivate and draw in potential leads.

For us, lead generation is only a segment of the broader picture. The true indicator of success is converting leads into long-term customers. Therefore, our goal is not simply to bring you leads but to generate high-quality ones with a substantial probability of conversion.

Service value: The Martal Group and Belkins charge you for the work they do and their vast (not-so-useful) tech stack; We charge only for the results we bring you.

For us at Nerdy Joe, when you hire a lead generation company, the only important outcome for you is the number of sales leads generated by the end of the month. That should be the only thing they promise and the only performance you get billed for.

Both Belkins and the Martal Group charge hefty fees for their services, with costs tied to the outreach volume, the number of contacts they add to your list, and their fancy tech tools. 

This pricing model is not beneficial to you since it does not take into account the number of leads to your sales team. It’s more about what they do rather than the results they bring you. 

At Nerdy Joe, we clarify from the get-go that clients need not fret about the list of prospects we build or the email volume we send — don’t worry, we don’t do mass outreach.

This is because we understand the core struggle for companies seeking lead generation help revolves around their need for LEADS. It’s that simple.

So, our lead generation specialists concentrate only on metrics that truly reflect your outreach performance and ROI. We focus on metrics like:

  • Number of positive responses
  • Number of meetings scheduled
  • Count of new sign-ups
  • Number of demo requests
  • Lead to close rate

Our reports are customized to align with your company’s product or service and your broader objectives. This enables us to discern the results that hold the most importance for you, and those become our primary targets for achievement.

For instance, if you task us with getting more guest posting opportunities for you, we’ll report on the following:

  • The count of positive replies from editors
  • The volume of affirmative responses we receive from webmasters

Outreach strategy: The Martal Group and Belkins approach lead generation as a number game; We at Nerdy Joe adopt a careful and systematic approach to lead generation. We manually build our lists and prioritize strategic targeting.

Many firms in the lead generation sector, including Belkins and the Martal Group, commonly approach lead generation as a numbers game. Truth be told, it’s a widespread industry practice.

These companies build vast lists off of data intelligence tools like Apollo.io and ZoomInfo. Next, they launch cold email campaigns, blasting them with generic emails, hoping to get a few replies and handing over anyone that replies to you as a lead. 

While this approach can generate some leads, it lacks the meticulous groundwork that truly drives success in lead generation.

Targeting extensive lead lists brings about numerous issues:

  • Poor research and subpar lead data enrichment
  • Lack of room or time for personalization
  • Generic, ineffective emails or messages
  • Low-quality leads, resulting in little to no return on investment
  • Risk to company reputation
  • Email deliverability and spam issues

We are not suggesting that the service quality of Belkins and the Martal Group is any less than stellar. What we’re telling you is that it takes considerable effort and time to build efficient outreach campaigns. Mere mass emailing of individuals found on databases like ZoomInfo is not ideal for this.

Furthermore, as dedicated marketers, we believe it’s hardly impressive to connect with 30,000 individuals only to generate engagement from 200 leads, many of whom may not even convert — and charge you thousands of dollars for it. 

That’s why we at Nerdy Joe prioritize personalized messages. We like the idea of doing extensive research and analysis it takes to find the right people to reach out and create effective messages that engage them. That’s one key difference between us and most agencies.

In a typical scenario, we build a concise list of 20 prospects, study them in-depth, understand their pain points, and craft personalized cold emails or LinkedIn messages. This approach can often result in 15 responses, 10 of which are positive, leading to 6 sales-qualified leads or meetings for our clients.

Our personalization is about ensuring each email is genuinely relevant, timely, and uniquely tailored to every recipient. It goes beyond merely inserting [[First name]] or similar variables into the subject line and considering the job done.

We aim to make each recipient feel understood and pique their interest. Our goal is to create emails that foster a sense of personal connection, compelling the recipients to take your proposal seriously, whether they decide to sign up for your offer or not.

Achieving this involves investing substantial time in understanding and researching your ICP before launching any email campaign. This is a feat you cannot achieve with mass list targeting.

We work closely with you to formulate the ICP, analyze each prospect individually, and gather data points to create impactful cold emails. Contrary to the Martal Group, we don’t depend on any tool to shape your ICP or conduct research. 

As soon as we onboard a new client, our initial step is to inquire about their ICP through a set of probing questions.

We might ask:

  • Who are your highest-value clients? 
  • Which client category is the easiest to convert? 
  • Which type of clients shows the fastest turnover? 
  • What are the main objections that come up during sales calls? 
  • What was your motivation for starting the company? 
  • What issues were you aiming to address? 
  • And so forth.

Your responses to these inquiries equip us with precise target demographics and their associated reasons. This granularity of information helps distinguish between:

“We’re reaching out to series A tech companies OR companies that use ClickUp”

And

“Our ICP is a VP of Sales at a B2B software company, catering to HR professionals, who is struggling with organization, time management, and team collaboration. They frequently resort to XYZ podcasts for insights on efficient team management.”

After gaining a clear comprehension of the ICP, we move forward to manually compile our list, which becomes the foundation for our lead generation campaigns.

Research and copywriting: CIENCE and the Martal Group provide basic, generically personalized emails; we research each prospect individually and create truly personalized cold emails and LinkedIn messages.

Unlike the Martal Group and Belkins, we don’t rely on email templates to run our cold outreach campaigns. 

For us, using template-based messages is mass customization which strips away the unique personal touch that connects with each recipient’s distinctive characteristics. 

So, what do we do?

Our process begins with individualized research of each prospect to gather useful information. That’s how we enrich our data.

We don’t rely on software to just feed us with basic information like job titles, geographical location, the technology they use, or the size of their company.

Instead, we seek psychographic data — insights into their personalities, values, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles. 

We deploy all our resources to acquire this data, and it makes a remarkable difference. To give you an idea, here are some things we do:

  • We listen to podcasts featuring your potential customers. 
  • We read their blog posts. 
  • We examine their posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Mastodon. 
  • We analyze discussions in forums they participate in. 
  • Etc.

Leveraging this compiled data, we identify unique angles that enable us to formulate personalized introductions or icebreakers.

Here’s what it looks like in real life. We pitched CoSchedule’s Head of Content, Ben Sailer, and asked him if we could write for them.

Here’s what he replied 1 hour later.

Here is another successful example from a similar strategy.

As you can see from both screenshots, the cold emails sent to the prospects were so compelling that they couldn’t help but acknowledge it before offering to hire us.

Contracts and signup implications: Belkins and the Martal Group both require you to sign longer-term contracts; We don’t — you’re free to renew or stop your subscription based on satisfaction.

Unlike the Martal Group and Belkins, who require long-term commitments ranging from 3 to 12 months, potentially leading to significant investments for your business without assured results, we at Nerdy Joe operate on a subscription-based model.

If you sign up with us, you can be sure you’ll see tangible outcomes from the very first month of our collaboration. The decision to maintain your subscription hinges entirely on your satisfaction with our services and your financial considerations.

Our pricing structure is transparent and straightforward, potentially making us one of the top contenders in the lead generation industry. You choose a plan that suits your budget and requirements, and you’re fully aware of what you’ll receive by the end of the month.

You won’t be faced with vague responses like 

  • “The results depend on various factors.” 
  • “Your account manager was unable to work because he inadvertently swallowed the office key.”

As long as your product fits the market well and addresses a common problem, that’s essentially all we need to generate results for you. However, if you’re still in the process of finding your product market fit, we might not be able to offer effective support.

Nerdy Joe Pricing: Unlike Martal Group and Belkins, we offer affordability and scalability without burning a hole in your wallet.

Belkins and the Martal Group are notably pricey, excessively so for most reasonable measures. Moreover, they do not offer refunds, and their pricing models are convoluted, often charging for services that you might not require.

We believe that their pricing structure is overly expensive and unsustainable for the average business operating within a budget.

So unlike the Martal Group and Belkins, we offer a flat fee for a specific number of leads or appointments booked for you and keep it all transparent on our site. 

  • DeLorean: It costs $1799/month and gives you 10 leads or meetings with high-quality leads.
  • Batmobile: This is the plan we recommend, as it gives you the biggest bang for your buck. It costs $2199/month and gives you 15 hot and sales-qualified appointments or LEADS.
  • Millennium Falcon: It costs $3099. This plan is good for mid-level to enterprise companies willing to fuel their sales team with up to 25 sales-ready leads on a monthly basis.
  • Starship Enterprise: This is the enterprise-level plan, and it comes at $5099. We added it for large organizations and enterprise-level businesses willing to fuel their sales team with a huge flow (50+) of meetings with sales-ready leads on a monthly basis.

What’s interesting with us is that you know what you’re getting upfront and know exactly how much you’ll have to pay for it. We don’t play hide and seek or get you on long sales calls to discuss pricing with you. 

Hire Nerdy Joe and start generating sales-ready leads today

The Martal Group and Belkins are both highly respected in the field of lead generation, backed by robust portfolios and a strong industry presence. This post could potentially guide you to the lead generation company that best fits your business needs.

Our verdict is that the Martal Group is mainly fit to be a sales outsourcing company, while Belkins and knee-deep into lead generation for their customers. 

However, if you’re in search of a superior lead generation partner, we encourage you to engage with us. We are an agency that prides itself on delivering high-quality service.

As an agency, we:

  • Execute tailored and effective outreach campaigns rather than mass-blasting lists.
  • Undertake meticulous research to ensure efficiency.
  • Charge for results, not individual tasks.
  • Don’t burden you with unnecessary tools or costs.
  • Don’t compel you to sign a binding contract.
  • Value your time, delivering our services affordably and efficiently.
  • Care deeply about your company’s reputation and the relationships with your prospects.

Nerdy Joe is the lead generation agency you need. We conduct market research, identify leads, manage these leads, and deliver you qualified prospects. Consider us an extension of your team.

#1 Lead Generation Agency for B2B Companies
Email us on:

info@nerdyjoe.com

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