Definition
Cold email involves sending marketing or sales messages to recipients who have not opted in to receive them. While legal under CAN-SPAM and certain GDPR provisions (legitimate interest for B2B), it requires careful adherence to regulations and best practices to avoid spam complaints and legal risk.
Legal Requirements
- CAN-SPAM: Must include a valid unsubscribe mechanism, physical address, and accurate subject line
- GDPR: Relies on legitimate interest for B2B — requires documented LIA and opt-out at first contact
- CASL: Strictly regulated — implied consent expires after 2 years
Best Practices
- Research recipients thoroughly before reaching out
- Personalise every email — generic blasts are illegal under CASL and ineffective everywhere
- Keep the first email short (3-5 sentences) and value-focused
- Include an easy unsubscribe option
- Limit follow-up to 3-5 emails spaced 3-7 days apart
- Monitor spam complaint rates closely
Related Glossary Terms
A/B Testing
A/B testing in email marketing is the practice of sending two variations of an email to a small sample of your list to determine which version performs better before sending the winner to the remaining subscribers.
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to customers who added items to their online shopping cart but left without completing the purchase. It is one of the highest-converting email types in ecommerce.
AIDA Model for Email
The AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is a classic copywriting framework used to structure email campaigns that guide subscribers from awareness to conversion.
AMP for Email
AMP for Email is a Google-developed framework that allows email messages to include interactive elements like forms, carousels, accordions, and live content. It turns static emails into dynamic, interactive experiences directly inside the inbox.
Anchoring Effect in Email Marketing
The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias where the first piece of information presented (the anchor) influences subsequent decisions, used in email to frame pricing and value perception.
Announcement Email
An announcement email is a dedicated campaign that communicates a specific update, milestone, or change to subscribers, from product launches and feature releases to company news and events.