The Craziest Client Requests I've Received

Send timing matters more than most people think. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between 10-11 AM buyer local time have the highest open rates. Emails sent on Friday afternoon almost always go to spam. Always schedule according to the buyer's time zone, not yours.

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.

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.