B2B Selling – The ‘Godfather’ approach to successful cold email outreach
Secure more first sales meetings with senior decision makers.
Cold email prospecting the Don Corleone way
Case study 1
When Don Corleone, head of the Mafia family in the film ‘The Godfather’, failed to get someone’s attention he famously said, ‘I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.’
Let’s use a similar approach, but in a nice way, to compel busy senior decision makers to read and respond to your sales prospecting emails?
How to write compelling outreach emails
Imagine you sell manufacturing production planning software. Let’s call it OptiPlan. The software has already helped a number of major manufacturers and fabricators to increase the production output from their current manufacturing plant. You now plan to cold email senior decision makers of other manufacturers to get appointments to pitch your software.
Step 1 – Target for the greatest success
Don’t waste your energy searching out new customer segments or markets. Save that for later. Start by narrowing your focus to segments that are most likely to buy. Here’s the logical way to prioritise.
Profile your current customers that have improved their business by using your software. Now identify potential prospects that mirror those customers’ business or operational characteristics. Target prospects that would similarly improve their business by using your software.
For example, if several of your best customers manufacture complex, one-off products, then identify prospective customers that manufacture in a similar way. It doesn’t matter if they are in different industries. The important thing is that they can gain in a similar way from using your software.
(How you target prospective customers is detailed in the Sales Planning and Strategy course I ran for several UK Chambers of Commerce, supported by a Government grant. Check out the first three lesson free.
Does it work? After three years of declining sales, a leading global ship management company increased its new sales by 50% in the year after implementing this sales planning approach, adding £11.5M to their annual sales revenue)
Step 2 – Email the right person
Who in a target prospect has the most to gain from increased production and reduced costs? And does that person have the authority to buy or influence a purchase? The most logical targets for this software are Chief Executives and Heads of Finance. Be wary about approaching Heads of Production. Many may be reluctant to change their production methods or the existing software they may have installed, nurtured and know how to use. You can convert them after the top boss is on board.
Step 3 – Don’t promote what you physically sell
Don’t sell or explain your software. Senior decision makers aren’t interested in software. Your software is a tool that achieves something far more important for them. So sell them how users of your software achieve higher production output (increased revenue) with lower production costs (higher profit margin and a sales advantage). All manufacturers are desperate to achieve these important outcomes.
Step 4 – Write a ‘Godfather’ email subject line ‘they can’t refuse to read’
The following email example assumes that one of your best customers, AX Automotive (an invented name), has given you permission to tell other, non-competing manufacturers, about how your software has improved their production output through higher efficiency. Getting permission shouldn’t be a problem if you offer them an incentive and you undertake not to give away sensitive information to their competitors.
If you can’t get permission from any of your current customers, use a generic approach that doesn’t refer to a specific customer by name, ‘A major UK automotive parts manufacturer’ for example. It’s not as effective but it still works.
The only function of your subject line is to grab attention and compel the senior decision maker to read what comes next. Imagine your subject line is the headline in Manufacturing Times or Business Week magazine. Use envy, curiosity or financial self-interest to seduce decision makers to read. Here’s are two examples of a subject line for the software company – short and to the point.
A subject line should have no more than 56 characters, including spaces, or you risk running off the email preview plane.
- “New software boosts production 23% for AX Automotive” (52 characters)
If you can’t name your customer, take a generic approach:
- “23%production boost for UK components manufacturer” (51 characters)
What chief executive isn’t curious to know how another, comparable business, especially one they probably know or have heard of, achieved a key business advantage that could also benefit them. Is this an offer they can’t refuse
The body of the email then builds compelling reasons for a prospect to contact you.
Dear Mr Jones
Production output for AX Automotive Components of Bristol increased by 23% when they changed to Optiplan production software just over a year ago. They predict that production efficiency and output will continue to improve over the next year without the need to invest in additional plant, equipment or production staff.
Optional) I have attached a brief case study.
Please can we discuss?
Call me on 01234 123456.
Alternatively, please reply to this email with a convenient time for me to call you, or your secretary, to diary a brief 20 minute exploratory meeting at your offices.
Kind regard
Jane Foster
Senior Account Manager.
* Generic version: ‘for a leading UK automotive component manufacturer’
- If you were the Chief Executive or Chief Financial Officer, would you be curious to find out more? At the very least visit your website. (Where the Home page should be focused on the outcomes your product or service delivers. You may want to check that out.)
- If you were the secretary or PA to these decision makers, would you delete the email or show it to the boss?
- If your email doesn’t get an immediate response, make a follow-up call a few days later.
Step 5 – It helps to exploit a connection
The most effective email is one that references an existing customer your target prospect knows or recognises. Of course, you’ll need several reference customers to cover different market sectors and geographic areas. And do make sure to get your referral customer’s approval to use their name and information. If necessary, offer an incentive to persuade them to agree. It’s what many large companies do.
Also, ask your referral customer if you can write a case study that you can print, to attach to the email and include in sales information packs and sales quotations. Publish them on your website as well. But don’t write about what you sell, focus on all the important outcomes the customer achieved. If people are curious to know how your product or service works, they will call you.
Here’s another connection tip
Senior decision makers in a region are often members of the same Chamber of Commerce, Industry or Business Leaders Association. Here’s how you can exploit these connections.
Choose a target selling area and create a target list of the potential prospects you want to approach. Include the names of senior decision makers on the list. When you visit decision makers of your own customers in that area, explain that you are approaching other local companies. Show them your target list and ask if the know any of the people on the list. Curiosity should make them review the names. Don’t include their competitors on the list.
They may surprise you with who they know. They may also suggest others you could approach. Then ask permission to refer to them, “When I approach Mr. Jones, would it be okay to mention that you use our software and how it has helped you to improve your production output?” If you don’t ask….
Here’s how you start you outreach email using a referrer’s name:
Subject line:
Ref: James Adams and production increase at AX Automotive
Start your email:
‘James has used our production software…
(Use the first name James in the email body only if that is how you usually address James Adams personally.. Otherwise use Mr. Adams or James Adams.
If your target prospects is aware of or personally knows James Adams then he or she should be curious to read more. And I dare a secretary or gatekeeper to block you.
Step 6 – Three additional case-studies
Checkout the three additional cold email case studies:
Case study 2: AB Seals, a supplier of premium pump and valve seals
Case study 3: An accountancy practice targeting small business
Case study 4: A digital marketing agency targeting service companies
© Mike Kingston 2026
Want to read future b2b sales articles?
In the coming months my new articles will cover:
- Why every b2b salesperson must fear a buyer’s objections – And how to avoid objections killing your sale.
- Until you give these three reassurances no prospective customer listens to your sales pitch – And you risk leaving with nothing.
- How you stop buyers nibbling and squeezing your price – And without ever risking an order.
