What is a BASHO Email?

A BASHO email is a personalized, targeted cold email typically used by B2B companies. They are usually sent directly to decision-makers and are meant to be attention-grabbing. BASHO emails are known within the sales industry as garnering impressive response rates, which is what every sales rep is aiming for when conducting cold outreach.

Many people believe “BASHO” stands for something, but it’s not an acronym. The sales technique was developed by MJ Hoffman, a sales expert and entrepreneur, under the brand called Basho.

Why are BASHO Emails Important?

Sales reps rely on engagement to conduct sales. If no one responds to their prospecting efforts, they have no one to sell to.

BASHO emails are incredibly important because they have the potential to boost response rates up to 65%. With more than half of your prospect pool responding to sales pitches, there is ample opportunity to bring in revenue. And if you’re properly targeting decision makers, there are fewer hoops to jump through – your responses instead come directly from those who will decide if your product is worthwhile.

Not only are BASHO emails effective, they’re also relatively easy to write and send. There’s no rigorous training or time spent learning how to use a new platform. Sales reps can use templates and customize them for each prospect they’re contacting. All they need is time, research skills, and an email account.

This method is both productive and simple, so there’s no reason why sales reps shouldn’t use it to their advantage when prospecting.

How to Build Out BASHO Emails

Detailed Research

You need to find out who the decision maker is so you can contact them directly. This will take some sleuthing, but the payoff is worth the investment. And while you’re conducting some detective work, find out what you can about the company’s pain points.

Showing your prospect that you understand their business, what they’re trying to do, and how you can help break down barriers right away will make a good impression.

Personalize Your Email

Work inboxes are a vast void of emails: from meeting reminders to countless sales pitches, there’s a lot to sort through. And if the email isn’t interesting, it probably isn’t being read. This is why it’s incredibly important to personalize your message.

Address the prospect by name, include information you learned from an article they wrote or conference they presented at, or, use a personal hook by mentioning something you saw on their social media accounts. Show that you know who they are and are invested in the work they’re doing.

You can also personalize your emails by embedding a video. Recording your message and customizing a thumbnail is a great way to stand out, and people are more likely to watch and respond to video emails than plain-text messages.

Write a Catchy Subject Line

If your subject line sounds boring, spammy, or includes overused buzzwords, it’s unlikely to be taken seriously. It should be straightforward, personalized, and catchy. There are plenty of tips online for crafting the perfect subject line, so spend time on it instead of quickly typing out whatever comes to mind first.

Talk Up Your Product’s Value

If you’ve done enough research, you’ll know exactly what your prospect’s pain points are and what goals they’re likely trying to achieve. To win them over, show off your product’s value and include examples that illustrate exactly how it will help them.

You can include screenshots, case studies, or reference other customers and include their testimonials. The key is to use these examples to highlight how your product will help, and why it would be a valuable tool for them to utilize.