As a CEO of a small business, I am inundated with over a few dozen cold outreach attempts daily. This isn’t just my experience right?

My day often starts with a barrage of cold calls, many of which are from spammers. LinkedIn has become a hub for BDRs sending long-winded pitches, and my Gmail inboxes, both primary and office, are overflowing with sales-driven emails. It’s overwhelming and frankly, quite irritating.

I once experimented with gated com, which asked cold emailers to donate a few bucks to my chosen charity for a response. Sadly, very few took this step, showing a lack of seriousness. Downside of using app was that even my known contacts were getting these automated messages.

Now, I’m exploring several options to manage this situation better:
- Creating extensive filters in Gmail to automatically direct such emails to spam (especially using spam words like “book with me”, “just following up”, “wanted to reach out to you”, etc)

- Considering sanebox, which smartly categorizes emails and identifies cold outreach emails.

- Looking into marketplaces like fozzie io and leaderpro, where individuals would compensate for my time. I’m thinking of setting a rate, say $200 for a 30-minute slot, and directing all cold outreach to these platforms. So alteast these spammers pay for my time at the very least and i could then take them serious (b2b meetings are $1000 upwards, so why not i get my share lol)

- Still left with cold calls and linkedin though

Thoughts or strategies on managing this menace?

  • vulcangod08@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I typically email back and say, “What day would you be available to buy my lunch? There is an amazing Italian place around the corner where I prefer to discuss business.”

    There are too many spammees and scammers these days with automated emails.

    • Jdornigan@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      I am sure that eliminates 99.5% of the people as they are overseas. A few might be in the same country but still too far away, and then there will be a few that are actually local or local enough to reply back with possible dates.

      I love how they think they know where my business is, but they clearly haven’t done any research as it is just a lawyer’s office and not my actual place of business.

      • vulcangod08@alien.topBEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        I have had a handful that actually carry through. Usually, it’s an insurance agent, truck leasing company, or a janitorial sales rep.

        It worked out for an insurance agent and truck lease person. I eventually spent money with them.

        But yea, 99.9% of cold calls are outside the US.

        My dad told me he used to ask every cold call person if they saw the game last night. Then, based on their response, he either ended the call or kept talking.