Writing to someone who ‘knows it all’ (a Professor) is not an idea of an easy task, especially when you are hoping to convince them and get a positive response from him/her. No matter the reason for cold emailing a professor, the approach will always determine what type of response you will get.
This article provides 9 tips for creating an effective cold email to a professor, with the aim to enhance your approach, increase response chances, and help achieve academic and professional goals. It points out the benefits of professionalism when writing cold emails to professors.
Tips To Write An Effective Cold Email To A Professor
- Personalize your email but maintain professionalism: Make your email as personal as possible by adding a little information about the Professor, this will come in very handy because it will prove that you have done a little research of your own and this could open up the heart of the professor towards you as professors are research people themselves. Although, you are trying to make it personal also maintain professionalism in your approach so as not to lose the attention of your recipient.
- Write a descriptive/informative subject line: Properly and clearly describe why you are reaching out to the Professor through the email and give the necessary information needed in the subject line.
- Keep your emails short and polite: When writing a cold email to a professor consider making short as seeing a lengthy email may put him or her off. Yes, they are professors and do a lot of writing themselves but may not be too trilled to read lengthy ones. Also be very polite and use the titles attached with their names.
- Mentions your qualifications in your Email: Give a brief summary of your academic background and attach relevant documents to back-up your claim. Do not just just attach the documents also mention in your email that you have attach documents and mention the documents you attached.
- Add sincere flatteries to buttress your interest: You can pick somethings from from the professor’s work, especially the one related to your area of interest, and say great things about his/her work. This has proven to hit a soft spot in the minds of scholars.
- Mention your unique qualities: Include in your cold email what makes you different from others that are reaching out to the professor and why and why you are deserve their time.
- Send in your Email at the appropriate time: Make sure you send in your email at the right time. Most professors would not appreciate such professional email during the weekends, during holidays, or late at night. To get a good response find out the time that works best for the professor you are cold emailing and send in your email at that time.
- End on a thankful note: Thank the professor for his/her consideration and time in advance.
- Proofread and edit your email: Considering the personality you are sending the cold email to, you can not afford to send an email filled with typographical or grammatical errors. In order to avoid this you should properly proofread and edit your email to eliminate all errors embedded in it.
Pitfalls Of Writing Cold Emails To Professors
- Using Excessive Flattering: Avoid excessive flattery, be genuine in your compliments and keep them brief and relevant. Excessive flattery may be considered dubious and just a means to get the attention of the professor.
- Employing Casual Tone: in the bid to personalize your email do not drop the professional tone for a casual tone. Avoid the use of slangs or other casual tone that may be considered inappropriate to your recipients.
- Avoid Unnecessary Follow-up: Yes follow-up is sometimes necessary especially when the response is not forth coming but make sure you do not over do it as that could be considered stalking and this could in turn be irritating to your recipient.
Cold emailing professors can be a valuable way to connect and communicate with them. Although it may not have a 100% success rate, by refining and improving messages, you can achieve results.
To create an effective cold email, follow the nine tips outlined in this article and it will go a long way in helping you get the desired result you have always hoped for. Remember you can always add or take out whatever that does not work for you depending on who you are writing to at the time.
