Other cookies are configurable.
Networking and soft skills. Business communication for building trust
Outbound messages:
how, whom, and when to write
How, whom, and when to write messages without coming across as spam
How to use email and social media messages to land a large deal
The hardest question in outbound messaging is not “how to write,” but whom to write to and when.
If you don’t have a clear answer — it’s better not to write at all. Because competition in corporate inboxes is no less intense than in paid search.
What works in communication with people? Trigger
Scenario 1. You have a specific event that can be perceived as a trigger.
A trigger is not an abstract piece of news like “a Yandex division received investment.”
It’s an action that directly or indirectly signals: they need what you offer right now.
For example:
— the company has opened a new branch in a city (and you can help there);
— entered a new region;
— rapidly hired employees in a specific department;
— started actively posting job openings;
— appeared in industry rankings or won a tender.
Important:
such actions can be tracked through public databases and parsers. If you have this kind of list, don’t wait. Reach out first. Faster than your competitors. The scenario works if you have an SDR (Sales Development Representative — a person responsible for finding clients through cold calls and emails), or someone who can quickly act on these signals.
We know and understand the client.
Scenario 2. There is no trigger, but we have a clear client profile.
You know who your ideal client is.
For example: tech startups with 10 to 50 employees, growing revenue, and a strong product, but struggling with customer acquisition.
They may not be looking for you — but they should.
What to do?
— segment the market: select similar companies;
— write a short, tailored message for each segment;
— focus only on growing companies with clear momentum.
This approach doesn’t deliver quick results, but it works in the mid-term. It requires consistency. Without it — it’s just another batch of emails sent into the void.
Only one thing will save us… Customer Discovery
Scenario 3. You have no data, no clients, no pattern at all.
This is a startup in a new market. Here, it’s not about “selling,” but about Customer Discovery.
The goal is not to sell, but to find out: who might actually need this?
Write messages not with a product pitch, but with a hypothesis:
“We’ve noticed that many companies like X struggle with Y. We’re building a tool that could simplify this. We’d like to understand how relevant this is for you.”
Honesty matters here: you’re testing, not selling. And often, these messages don’t bring you clients — they bring you insights.
The key point: don’t write to everyone indiscriminately
I urge you: don’t write to everyone indiscriminately — even if you have a “database,” a “stack of business cards,” or a “list of contacts.” That’s exactly what spam is, even if your message is 100% honest.
Remind yourself: not everyone is a fit for your offer. Start with those who feel the pain most acutely right now — and who have the budget for a solution.
Follow Leonid on Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube so you don’t miss new publications. Also take a look at his business training programs on networking, B2B sales and trendwatching, as well as his books and interviews.