How I Found the Decision Maker's Email Using LinkedIn

Cold emailing is the foundation skill for every export professional. Most beginners make the same mistake: they write about themselves. Buyers don't care about you. They care about their own problems. Your first sentence must address a pain point, not introduce your company.

The subject line determines whether your email gets opened or deleted. I've tested several approaches. Straightforward subjects like 'LED lighting manufacturer from China' got a 3% open rate. Question-type subjects like 'Having trouble with supplier quality?' reached 8%. Data-driven subjects hit 12%. Lead with value, not with yourself.

Cold emailing in the buyer's native language is underrated. If a client's English is limited, writing in their language shows respect. Spanish for Latin America, Arabic for the Middle East — the response rate difference is dramatic. Always have a native speaker review.

Combining customs data with cold emailing is remarkably effective. If you can see that a buyer imports your product category from another country, mention your understanding of that market. This positions you as an industry insider, not a random spammer. Personalization at this level gets replies.