Cold DMs, or cold direct messages, are the modern equivalent of cold calling and cold emailing. Instead of picking up the phone or sending an unsolicited email, businesses are now sliding into potential customers’ DMs on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok.

Just like their predecessors, cold DMing aim to start a conversation with someone who hasn’t previously interacted with your brand in hopes of turning them into a customer. The key difference is the medium – social media inboxes have become the new frontier for customer outreach.

Let’s get into why cold DMs might be your secret marketing weapon and how to use them without looking like spam.

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The What, the How, and the Why of Cold DMs

Let’s break down the cold DM.

The What

Cold DMs, short for cold direct messages, represent the evolution of traditional cold outreach methods like cold calling and cold emailing. Instead of reaching out via phone or email, businesses now slide into potential customers’ DMs on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok.

The How

Cold DMs aim to initiate a conversation with someone who hasn’t previously engaged with your brand. The goal is to turn this cold prospect into a warm lead and eventually a paying customer.

It’s as simple as sending a message. Type it up and click send—that’s it. But what you include in that message will make or break your strategy. We’ll get into that later.

The Why

Social media has become the new frontier for customer outreach. With billions of active users across various platforms, it presents a massive opportunity for businesses to connect with their target audience and for lead generation. Cold DMs allow for a more casual and conversational approach compared to traditional methods.

When done right, they can effectively grab attention, build rapport, and convert prospects into customers – all without the formality and friction of a cold call or email.

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Do Cold DMs Actually Work?

Before you start mass messaging everyone that follows you (and even the ones that don’t), let’s look and the pros and cons of cold DMs.

Cold DM Pros

–              Meet customers where they already are – on social media

–              More casual and conversational than cold calls or emails

–              Opportunity to showcase your brand voice and personality

–              Can include elements of personal engagement

Cold DM Cons

–              Can come across as spammy or intrusive if not done well

–              Smaller reach compared to mass email campaigns

–              Many people keep DMs closed to non-followers

–              Potential to get reported or blocked if messages are unwanted

Ultimately, the success of cold DMs depends on the quality and relevance of your messaging. Generic, salesy DMs are likely to flop, while thoughtful, personalized outreach can cultivate genuine connections.

Watch how many cold DMs per day you send and monitor your metrics like open and response rates to make sure you’re not in the spam zone. And in the beginning, don’t try any automation tactics. You need to feel it out first.

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Should Your Business Be Sending Cold DMs?

Whether or not cold DMs make sense for your business depends on several key factors.

Your Target Audience

Consider the demographics and psychographics of your ideal customers. Are they active on social media? Which platforms do they prefer? Younger, digitally-savvy audiences may be more receptive to DMs than older, traditional buyers.

B2C companies often find more success with cold DMs, especially if they have visually-appealing products that lend themselves well to social media. B2B businesses can still leverage DMs, but may need to take a more professional, value-driven approach.

Your Product or Service

Is your offering easily explained in a brief message? Can you quickly communicate the key benefits and capture interest? Products that are highly visual or can be demonstrated through video snippets are well-suited for DM outreach.

More complex services may require additional nurturing through other channels before a prospect is ready to buy. In these cases, cold DMs can still play a role in initial awareness and relationship-building.

Your Brand Voice

Does your brand identity align with the casual, conversational nature of DMs? If your personal brand voice is fun, friendly, and approachable, jumping into someone’s inbox can feel natural. But if you rely on a serious, buttoned-up image, cold DMs may seem out of character.

Consider how you can adapt your brand voice for DMs while staying true to your core values and personality. Strike a balance between professionalism and relatability.

Your Social Media Presence

For cold DMs to work, you need an active, engaging social media presence. Your profiles should be optimized with compelling bios, high-quality visuals, and a consistent posting cadence. Aim to build a loyal following that lends credibility to your outreach.

If you’re not regularly active on a platform, suddenly sliding into DMs can come across as spammy or inauthentic. Focus on providing value to your audience first before you start selling.

Your Resources and Goals

Effective cold DM campaigns require time, effort, and consistency. Do you have the internal bandwidth to commit to this outreach strategy? Can you dedicate someone to researching prospects, crafting personalized messages, and managing follow-up?

Consider your goals for cold DMs as well. Are you looking to drive immediate sales, or playing the long game with brand awareness and relationship-building? Align your approach and expectations with your available resources.

Ultimately, cold DMs are just one tactic in a broader social selling strategy. They work best when paired with other efforts like social listening, content marketing, and community engagement.

Before diving in, honestly assess whether your business has the audience, offering, voice, and commitment to make a cold DM strategy a worthwhile investment. When done right, they can be a uniquely personal way to start conversations and open doors with potential customers.

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Cold DM Templates You Can Copy

Ready to try your hand at cold DMs? Here are customizable cold DM scripts and templates for popular platforms.

Instagram DM Template

“Hey [Name]! Love your [relevant post/Story] about [topic]. We’re also passionate about [topic] at [Your Company]. We know—random message from not-a-person. It’s a bit weird 😅.
But we thought you might be interested in our [product/service] that helps with [pain point]. Let me know if you’d like to learn more – happy to answer any questions!”

Facebook DM Template

“Hi [Name], I noticed you’re a member of [Group Name]. I’m reaching out because I think we have something that could really help with [pain point]. Would you be interested in a quick demo to see how it works? No pressure, just let me know!”

LinkedIn DM Template

“[Name], I came across your profile and am impressed by your work in [industry]. I’m reaching out because I believe [Your Company]’s [product/service] could help you achieve [goal]. If you’re open to it, I’d love to share some ideas on how we could work together. Let me know if you’d like to connect!”

TikTok DM Template

“Hey [Name], your [recent post] blew me away! We’re also in the [industry] space at [Your Company].

Wanted to reach out because our [product/service] can help you [benefit]. Would you be down to collab or cross-promote? Your audience would love it. DM me back if you’re interested!”

The key with all these templates is to personalize them as much as possible. Reference specific posts or pain points to show you’ve done your research. Keep it casual and friendly, not pushy or generic.

With the right approach, cold DMs can be a uniquely effective way to start building relationships with potential customers on social media. The DM is the new cold call – is your business ready to start the conversation?

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