3 Creative Outbound Strategies That Beat Cold Email

Good Morning! Economists are now tracking the "Snack Index" as a recession indicator - turns out people buy fewer Hot Cheetos when they're worried about the economy. Similarly, my personal "Deal Index" (prospects responding to emails) is showing a concerning trend for my bank account’s economic outlook. 😁 

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3 Outbound Strategies That Actually Work, When Cold Email Doesn’t

Let's face facts. Cold email response rates are at an all time low.

Most sales reps are still sending hundreds of AI slop emails, hoping they’ll get at least ONE lonely response.

But while most reps are still copy/pasting the same "hope you're doing well" templates from 2015, a small group of sales killers are absolutely crushing it with outbound.

I sent the intern on a mission this week to find out what's actually working in outbound right now, and today, I’m breaking down 3 outbound strategies that are generating responses.

The best part? None of these require special tools or being a technical genius.

1. The Physical Product Drop

Last week, a software company called Delve dropped 10,000 donuts across San Francisco in a single day.

Their COO nailed the strategy: "At Delve, we sell compliance - not exactly a great conversation starter. So we decided to surprise the city with something sweeter instead."

They announced the drop on LinkedIn, inviting people to comment for a delivery.

The result? Hundreds of comments, new connections, and tons of meetings with prospects who would have ignored their emails.

Here's why this works: physical products have undeniable presence.

An email gets deleted in 0.5 seconds. A call gets sent to voicemail. But a box of donuts sitting on someone's desk demands attention.

The best part? You don't need 10,000 donuts. Even sending 10 thoughtful packages to your dream clients will yield better results than 1,000 generic emails.

2. Custom Video Outreach

AI tools have automated ‘custom’ video outreach. But most of it is garbage.

They scrape the company website for the background, don’t include the prospect or company names, and just feel ‘automated’.

Trust me… they can tell you’re sending that same video to everyone.

The strategy that's working now? Real custom videos that show you've done your homework.

• Record a 30-60 second video with their website, LinkedIn, or custom pitch visible on your screen.

• Say their name, company, and observations that show you did your research.

• Make your ask at the end of the video.

Just like the physical product drop, this strategy uses reciprocity. When a prospect sees you’ve done a lot for them, they’ll feel like they need to return the favor.

3. Ask for an Interview

Here's a psychological truth: People love talking about themselves.

So instead of begging for a "quick 15-minute call" (yawn), try inviting them to be interviewed for your content.

This could be a blog post, newsletter, podcast, or YouTube video. Don’t overthink it.

"We're featuring experts in {their industry} for our upcoming content series. Would you be open to sharing your insights in a 20-minute interview?"

This flips the entire power dynamic.

Suddenly you're not some desperate sales rep - you're a media outlet offering them exposure. You're not taking their time - you're giving them a platform.

People who ignore 50 sales emails will jump at the chance to share their brilliance.

Instead of kicking off your relationship with a sales rep & prospect dynamic, you’ve built a relationship based on bringing value.

And during that conversation, they'll naturally ask what you do. That's when the magic happens.

Game. Changer.

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