To boost cold email responses, keep the writing at a third-grade reading level

Getting someone to read your cold email is hard enough; don't add friction with fancy words. Keep it simple instead. Like, third-grade simple.

No one wants to comb through a densely written email from someone they don't know. Keep cold emails simple and short. Emails written at 3rd-grade reading levels get 17% more responses than those written at high school reading levels. And by shooting for between 50 and 125 words, you can up your response rate as well. Not sure how your writing stacks up against a third-grader? Head over to the Hemingway App and paste it into the editor to find out.

More 30-second growth tips?


  1. 4

    I'm picturing:


    Hey little buddy!

    Does someone have a data problem? Awwww, that's too bad isn't it, it really sucks when your data's spread all over the place. That must make you really upset huh.

    I'll tell you what little buddy, if you do me a favour and clean up your data, dump it in your own data lake, then we can get fish & chips for lunch. How does that sound?

    OK! High five little buddy, I'm proud of you for communicating your feelings rather than throwing a temper tantrum.


    Is that 3rd grade enough?

    1. 3


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    This comment was deleted a year ago.

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