You sent 50 emails this week. You got two replies. Both said no.
The problem isn't your offer. It's your email. You wrote one version for every buyer. And most buyers read the first two lines, decided it wasn't for them, and deleted it.
Why One Email Doesn't Work
Every buyer reads email through their natural approach. What looks compelling to you looks irrelevant to three-quarters of your prospects.
Gold Mine buyers scan for specifics. If your email opens with vague claims like "we help companies grow," they're gone. They want evidence in the first line. A number. A result. A reference they can check.
Blue Ocean buyers scan for warmth. If your email reads like a template, they feel it immediately. They want to know you've done some homework. A personal detail. A genuine reason for reaching out. Something human.
Green Planet buyers scan for insight. If your email repeats what everyone else is saying, they're bored. They want a new idea. A different angle. Something that makes them stop and think.
Orange Sky buyers scan for brevity. If your email is longer than three paragraphs, they won't read it. They want the point. What do you offer? What's the result? What's the next step?
Four Email Openings That Work
Same offer. Four approaches. Each one designed for the buyer who reads it.
For Gold Mine: "Arla Foods tripled their sales revenue using the approach I'd like to share with you. Here's the case study with specifics."
For Blue Ocean: "I noticed your team recently expanded into new markets. That's exciting. I work with teams in similar transitions and thought this might help."
For Green Planet: "Most sales teams try to fix performance by adding headcount. There's a smarter approach that starts with the conversations your team is already having."
For Orange Sky: "We helped Wharf Hotels grow revenue 173%. Three sentences on how. Interested?"
Each opening pulls the buyer in through their natural approach. The rest of the email can be the same. The opening is what determines whether they keep reading.
How to Choose the Right Opening
If you know your prospect's approach, use it. If you don't, look for clues.
Check their LinkedIn profile. Gold Mine profiles list credentials and certifications. Blue Ocean profiles mention mentoring and relationships. Green Planet profiles emphasize strategy and innovation. Orange Sky profiles highlight results and speed.
Check their email style. Short replies with quick questions signal Orange Sky. Detailed replies with follow-up evidence signal Gold Mine. Warm replies that mention people signal Blue Ocean. Replies that challenge your premise signal Green Planet.
When you have no clues at all, lead with results and keep it short. Results appeal across all four approaches. Length repels three of them.
The Proof
At Bell MTS, the sales team learned to adapt their communication to each buyer's approach. Revenue grew from $800 million to $1.4 billion in one year. Same products. Same market. The reps stopped sending the same message to every buyer and started matching the conversation to the person.
Email is just one version of that same conversation. When you read the buyer's approach and match your message, response rates climb.
Take the free assessment to discover your natural email style. Then explore Sell Naturally to learn how to write and speak in all four approaches. Read next: Why Your Proposal Gets Ghosted