To send a cold DM with a high probability of success…
Here’s how I’d do it:
Here’s how I’d do it:
One cold DM can change your life—it might land you a mentor, investor, or job.
The problem: larger accounts are inundated with DMs, so it can be difficult to stand out. Conversion tends to be VERY low.
But there’s an embedded trick to meaningfully improve your chances:
The problem: larger accounts are inundated with DMs, so it can be difficult to stand out. Conversion tends to be VERY low.
But there’s an embedded trick to meaningfully improve your chances:
I’ve written about a framework for a great cold email.
The same framework applies to DMs:
• Keep it short
• Make it personalized
• Create value for the person
• Clear CTA
• Leverage social proof
The trick: Twitter has a clever design feature to let you hack social proof…
The same framework applies to DMs:
• Keep it short
• Make it personalized
• Create value for the person
• Clear CTA
• Leverage social proof
The trick: Twitter has a clever design feature to let you hack social proof…
https://twitter.com/SahilBloom/status/1452375554825486336
When someone I don’t follow sends me a cold DM, it looks like this.
Bigger accounts get thousands of these.
When I scan my message requests tab, I’m scanning through a sea of these.
VERY LOW CONVERSION!
Bigger accounts get thousands of these.
When I scan my message requests tab, I’m scanning through a sea of these.
VERY LOW CONVERSION!
But if there is only one degree of separation—i.e. the person is followed by someone I do follow—it looks like this.
There is clear, embedded social proof—this person is followed by my friend @ShaanVP!
It stands out.
The likelihood of my opening and replying is MUCH higher.
There is clear, embedded social proof—this person is followed by my friend @ShaanVP!
It stands out.
The likelihood of my opening and replying is MUCH higher.
So how can you finesse this design feature to make it work for you?
There are probably a few ways, but here’s how I would do it:
There are probably a few ways, but here’s how I would do it:
Before sending an important cold DM, I’d look at who the person follows.
I’d do two things:
(1) Find 5 people they follow that have high following-to-follower ratios. High likelihood follow-backs.
(2) Find 5 people they follow that they interact with. High signal follow-backs.
I’d do two things:
(1) Find 5 people they follow that have high following-to-follower ratios. High likelihood follow-backs.
(2) Find 5 people they follow that they interact with. High signal follow-backs.
Then I’d go follow those 10 people, like a few of their tweets, comment on a few. Engage in good faith.
The goal: get ~2-3 of the 10 people I just interacted with to follow me back.
Manufactured social proof to stand out in a sea of DMs and hopefully get my message opened.
The goal: get ~2-3 of the 10 people I just interacted with to follow me back.
Manufactured social proof to stand out in a sea of DMs and hopefully get my message opened.
The broader point I’m getting at here:
You don’t need to have fancy degrees or credentials to stand out. There are ways to finesse all systems.
Get creative and use the tools at your disposal.
I’ve got a long list of these finesse tricks. Follow me @SahilBloom for more!
You don’t need to have fancy degrees or credentials to stand out. There are ways to finesse all systems.
Get creative and use the tools at your disposal.
I’ve got a long list of these finesse tricks. Follow me @SahilBloom for more!
I failed to anticipate the obvious impact this thread would have on my DMs…
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