The Complete Guide to Using BASHO Emails for Sales Outreach

Cold email is dead. Long live the BASHO! In this complete guide, we’ll explore how ultra-personalized BASHO emails can grab the attention of even the most unreachable executives and decision makers.

Learn how to craft captivating sequences that generate 6X higher response rates. We’ll breakdown real examples, templates to model, and tips for continual optimization. Stop spamming and start connecting with strategic BASHO messaging!

What Are BASHO Emails and Why Are They Effective?

BASHO emails have become an essential tool in the sales outreach arsenal. But what exactly are they, and why does personalizing your cold outreach generate such better results? Let’s start from the beginning.

What Is a BASHO Email?

BASHO is an acronym that stands for Brief, Absence of gimmicks, Specific solutions, Human to human, One purpose. It was coined by sales trainer Jeff Hoffman, founder of Basho Technologies.

In short, a BASHO email is a highly personalized cold email typically sent to an influential decision maker like a CEO or CMO. The goal is to demonstrate that you deeply understand their problems, and position your solution as the perfect fix.

Unlike a typical cold email blast, a BASHO email reads like it was specially crafted just for the recipient. Instead of generic copy about your product, it speaks directly to the prospect’s needs and pain points.

According to Hoffman, an effective BASHO email has 5 key elements:

• Brief – Get to the point fast. Aim for 3-4 sentences max.
• Absence of gimmicks – No over-the-top offers, discounts, or pressure tactics. Focus on value.
• Specific solutions – Tailor your message to the recipient’s unique situation.
• Human to human – Write conversationally, not like a sleazy sales pitch.
• One purpose – Every sentence should support your goal of booking a meeting.

When done right, BASHO emails can grab the attention of even the busiest executives – which brings us to why they’re so effective.

The Power of Personalized Email

Multiple studies have shown that personalization can dramatically increase email engagement and conversion rates.

According to Dynamic Yield, personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates. But shockingly, only 30% of brands are personalizing their email content.

So what makes personal outreach so powerful?

It Demonstrates You Understand Your Prospects

Prospects can instantly tell when an email is personalized versus bulk spam. A tailored message shows you’ve taken time to understand their company, role, and pain points.

According to TOPO, great sales emails reflect deep knowledge of who the prospect is and what they care about. BASHO emails take this to the next level.

It Positions You as the Perfect Solution

By spotlighting the prospect’s unique challenges, you can position your product or service as the ideal fix for them specifically. This level of relevance is far more compelling than generic branding claims.

It Sparks Curiosity and Intrigue

An ultra-targeted message stands out in a crowded inbox.Recipients can’t help but wonder – who is this person and how do they know so much about me? This feeling of intrigue entices them to open and engage.

According to SaaStock founder Alex Theuma, his BASHO email approach consistently achieves over 50% open rates. The personal touch simply works.

When Are BASHO Emails Appropriate?

Given the time required to research and craft a truly personalized message, BASHO emails are best reserved for high-value accounts and contacts.

Here are the main situations where sending a tailored BASHO sequence makes sense:

Account-Based Sales

For strategic account-based approaches, BASHO emails are the perfect way to grab the attention of key decision makers. Tailoring messages to each stakeholder shows your dedication to that account.

Targeting C-Level and VP Contacts

Executives are challenging to reach by phone. A well-crafted BASHO email can cut through the noise and get a meeting booked right in their calendar.

Following Up on Stalled Opportunities

If you’re struggling to connect with a prospect through traditional channels, a series of BASHO emails may revive the conversation.

After Social Outreach Goes Cold

If you’ve engaged with a prospect on LinkedIn or Twitter without getting a response, a personalized email could restart the dialogue.

The common thread is identifying high-value contacts worth the extra effort of crafting customized outreach. For enterprise sales scenarios, BASHO messaging is a proven strategy.

Now that you know the power of personalized emails, let’s look at how to actually write an effective BASHO sequence.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a BASHO Email

Now that you know the power of ultra-personalized BASHO outreach, let’s break down the process for crafting these winning emails from start to finish.

Follow these steps, and you’ll have an effective BASHO sequence ready to engage your highest-value prospects.

Step 1: Research the Prospect’s Pain Points and Background

The very first step is gathering intel on who you’re emailing and what challenges they face.

Spend 5-10 minutes researching their LinkedIn profile, company website, social media, and any other sources you can find. Focus on uncovering:

• Role – Their position, responsibilities, and decision-making power.
• Goals – Revenue targets, growth plans, or key initiatives for their role.
• Pain points – Biggest challenges related to their job function.
• Background – Companies, education, interests, or affiliations.

Look for any problems they or their company are facing that your product or service can fix. Identify 2-3 key issues to focus the email on.

For example, the VP of Sales at a SaaS startup may be struggling to hit revenue goals. Or a marketing director may need help improving campaign performance. Find something specific you can help with.

Also note any personal details you can weave in to make the message more human—like a college they attended or city they worked in.

Step 2: Write a Compelling, Benefit-Focused Subject Line with the Prospect’s Name

Every BASHO email needs an irresistible subject line focused squarely on what you can do for the prospect.

Include their first name to immediately catch their eye. Then say what problem you can solve or goal you can help accomplish.

Here are some examples:

• Hey [First Name], struggling to hit your Q3 revenue goals?
• [First Name], how to retain customers as you scale
• Need help reaching in-store shoppers, [First Name]?

The subject line should align with the pain point or goal you identified in your research. Make it clear you understand their specific issues.

Step 3: Create a Personalized Hook Tying Their Needs to Your Solution

The opening sentence, or “hook”, pulls the prospect into your email by calling out something unique about their situation.

Reference a recent promotion, big company milestone, or even a post you saw them share on social media. Then tie it back to the problem you can help with.

Some examples:

• Loved seeing XYZ Company hit 1,000 employees last month. As you continue growing, retaining top talent gets harder. We’ve helped companies hire and retain their dream team as they scale.
• Just read your Twitter thread on the Shopify update affecting sales. We worked with brands like yours to turn around declining revenue after the update.
• Congrats on the new VP of Marketing role! Driving growth as a new marketing leader can be tough. We help new marketing VPs define strategy and hit the ground running.

The key is instantly showing your message wasn’t blasted out to a general list—it was crafted specifically for them.

Step 4: Explain How You Can Help Solve the Prospect’s Problem

After grabbing their attention, explain how your product or service can fix the issues outlined in your hook and subject line.

Keep it concise – 1-2 sentences at most. Focus on their likely thought process:

• How specifically does your offering address their pain points?
• What results have you driven for similar companies?
• Why are you uniquely positioned to solve this problem?

Back up your claims with quick facts, figures, or evidence for added credibility.

Step 5: Wrap Up with a Clear CTA and Next Steps

End your BASHO email with a clear call-to-action (CTA) presenting the next steps you want the prospect to take.

Request a short meeting or call when they have time. Give 2-3 specific date/time options to make it effortless to say yes.

Here are some examples:

• Want to discuss conquering this together? I have time to jump on a 15-min call on Tues at 2pm or Weds at 10am.
• Let me know if you’d like to grab coffee next week to explore possible solutions. I’m free Mon afternoon or Friday morning.
• If you’re interested in strategizing, I can share some ideas on a quick call. Does Thursday at 3pm or Friday at 11am work better?

Giving the prospect easy next actions facilitates a response and progresses the sale.

Step 6: Make the Email Feel Like a Human Conversation

Throughout the process, read back what you’ve written and ask yourself:

Does this sound like a casual person-to-person email, or a robotic sales pitch?

Strive to achieve a conversational tone using natural language. Avoid overused sales lingo and keep it friendly. The recipient should feel like they’re emailing with a helpful peer, not getting a form letter.

With these steps, you can craft BASHO emails that get opened, read, and generate responses from your highest-priority prospects. Now let’s look at structuring a full outreach sequence.

Ideal Structure for a Winning BASHO Sequence

Getting a prospect’s attention with an initial BASHO email is just the first step.

To convert that interest into real results, you need to follow up and nurture the lead through a structured sequence.

Here are the 4 essential emails to include in an effective BASHO outreach cadence:

1. Initial Personalized Email

This is the main BASHO email you craft using the steps we covered earlier. Spend time researching the prospect, create a catchy subject line, write a compelling hook, explain your value, and end with a strong CTA.

The goal is grabbing their attention and interest so they reply asking for more information or to schedule a call.

2. Value-Add Follow-Up

If the prospect doesn’t respond to your first email, follow up in 2-3 days with new information or resources of value to them.

For example:

• A case study showing results with a similar company
• A free guide, checklist, or template relevant to their role
• A sample analysis or audit of their website, campaigns, etc.
• Data on trends in their industry they may find useful

The purpose is demonstrating you’re invested in helping them, not just pitching your services. Sending valuable content builds trust and keeps you top of mind.

3. Use a 1-2-3 Email to Re-Engage

Still no response after the value-add? Use a simple 1-2-3 email to re-engage the prospect.

1. Restate their biggest challenge or goal
2. Remind them of 2-3 ways you can help
3. Provide an easy call-to-action to move forward

The 1-2-3 email structures the value prop for them instead of you pushing a product. This concise format makes it easy for busy prospects to quickly grasp why they should talk to you.

4. Send a Breakup Email

If you still don’t hear back after 3 emails, it’s time for a breakup email. This is your last outreach effort before moving on.

Let the prospect know you’ll stop reaching out, but wanted to make one final attempt to share your ideas, as you’re confident you could help them. Then restate the value you provide.

This flips the script and applies some positive pressure for them to engage. If there’s no response after that, it’s time to put the lead on hold and focus your efforts elsewhere.

Following this 4-email BASHO sequence covers the full spectrum of outreach, from warm personalization to more direct sales messaging. Now let’s look at some sample templates you can swipe.

10 Sample BASHO Email Templates

Let’s look at some real-life BASHO email templates you can model your own outreach after.

I’ve included examples for different scenarios – feel free to tweak and customize them for your specific needs.

For Outreaching to CXOs at SaaS Startups

Template #1

Template #2

Template #3

Template #4

Template #5

For Connecting With Enterprise Company VPs

Template #6

Template #7

Template #8

For Influencer Outreach

Template #9

Template #10

Feel free to modify and repurpose any of these email templates for your own outreach needs. The key is personalization – fill in details that are specific to each recipient’s situation.

Now let’s look at some real examples of effective BASHO emails in action.

Real-Life BASHO Email Examples

Let’s look at some successful examples of BASHO emails in action from experts in the sales field.

Analyzing real outreach helps us reverse engineer what works and apply those lessons to our own messaging.

Example #1 – John Barrow’s BASHO Email

John Barrow pioneered the BASHO framework, so it’s no surprise his emails are perfectly executed. Here’s an example he shared:

Key Takeaways:

• Crafts a compelling subject line focused on enabling sales reps
• Demonstrates familiarity with the prospect’s company and mission
• Explains his experience helping similar companies/use cases
• Conversational tone feels like one sales leader speaking with another
• Clear call-to-action requesting a meeting

This friendly, value-focused style comes across as far more human than a typical spammy sales email. Those subtleties are what make BASHO outreach so effective.

Example #2 – Alex Theuma’s BASHO Email

Next, here’s the winning BASHO email that SaaStock Founder Alexander Theuma used to get my attention:

Key Takeaways:

• Opens with a personalized compliment on my podcast interview
• Provides context on his thesis and desire to interview HubSpot
• Highlights his struggles to reach them as a student
• Asks for advice networking with top executives
• Offers to share study results as incentive for helping
• Polite tone and flair of humor humanize the outreach

This approach instantly intrigued me – I had to respond to help and learn more. Flawless execution by Alex!

Example #3 – Mike Kiser’s BASHO Email

Here’s another BASHO email example from entrepreneur Mike Kiser:

Key Takeaways:

• Grabs attention with subject line about his new product
• Demonstrates familiarity by quoting the prospect’s own language
• Quickly explains his experience with similar use cases
• Moves to simple CTA asking for a meeting
• No overselling, just gets right to the point

Mike won the prospect’s interest by showing he understood the product and use case. The casual tone also makes it feel like a peer conversation instead of a sales call.

Recommended Tools and Software

To scale your BASHO outreach efforts, leverage tools like:

CRM Software

• Close – Build automated BASHO email sequences
• Outreach – Schedule and track BASHO outreach cadences
• HubSpot – Manage contacts and personalize at scale

Contact Data Sources

• ZoomInfo – Research prospect background and pain points
• Clearbit – Enrich contact records with useful intel
• Seamless.AI – Verify and update prospect email addresses

Email Personalization

• MailMerge – Personalize email outreach using CSVs
• Mystrika – #1 Cold Email software with Email Warmup and Dynamic Variables for personalization

Email Testing and Analytics

• Mystrika – A/B test BASHO email subject lines, content, along with, open, click and reply tracking.
• Mailshake – Track opens, clicks, and replies to optimize
• Mailchimp – Analyze campaign metrics to improve sequences

Leveraging tools strategically gives you an advantage executing systematic BASHO outreach at scale while still maintaining personalization.

Now that we’ve covered examples and software tips, let’s discuss how to analyze and refine your messaging.

How to Analyze and Optimize Your BASHO Emails

Getting prospects to open and engage with your BASHO outreach is just the first battle.

To continually improve results, you need to closely analyze performance and make data-driven tweaks to your messaging and sequences.

Here are key steps for optimizing your email campaigns:

Track Open and Click-Through Rates

The most basic metrics to monitor are:

• Open rate – Percentage of recipients who open your email
• Click-through rate (CTR) – Percentage who click links within the email

Benchmark your open rates against industry averages. For sales prospecting emails, open rates above 20-25% are solid.

For click-through rate, strive for at least 5-10% on your call-to-action links.

If your open or CTR rates fall below those benchmarks, tweak your subject lines and email content to boost engagement.

Monitor Unsubscribe and Bounce Rates

Two other key metrics that indicate issues:

• Unsubscribe rate – Percentage who opt out of your emails altogether. Aim for less than 0.2%.
• Bounce rate – Percentage of emails that fail to deliver due to addresses. Look for less than 2%.

High unsubscribe or bounce rates mean your messaging is turning recipients off and/or you have poor quality contact data.

Fine tune your value prop and target persona. Also scrub your lists to fix invalid email addresses.

Track Message Responses

Ultimately, the goal is driving prospects to respond asking for meetings or calls.

Analyze two key rates:

• Response rate – Percentage who reply to your outreach
• Meeting rate – Percentage who ultimately schedule a meeting

Ideally, aim for at least a 10-15% response rate and 5-10% meeting rate per campaign.

Segment out response rates by recipient persona, company size, industry, etc. Identify which targets convert best and double down on those segments.

Continue Tracking Beyond the Initial Email

Don’t just measure the first email – track engagement across your whole sequence.

Analyze metrics email-by-email to see where recipients fall off or lose interest. Use this to refine your follow up messaging and cadence for better results.

You can also gauge sequence effectiveness based on:

• Time to first response
• Number of emails needed to book a meeting
• Meetings scheduled from late stage breakup emails

Run A/B Testing

To further optimize, routinely A/B test different elements of your outreach.

Try different subject lines, email copy, calls-to-action, sender names, and other variables.

Tools like Mystrika and Mixmax make it easy to set up split tests and determine statistical significance.

Testing allows you to continually refine what works based on real data from recipients. You can also validate that changes intended to improve metrics actually have a positive impact.

Study Qualitative Prospect Engagement

Don’t just rely on open and click rates – also study qualitative signals from recipients.

Look for replies where the prospect:

• Asks follow up questions
• Requests more information
• Expresses specific interest or excitement

These are signs you really resonated and hit the mark with your outreach. Look for patterns in those high quality responses to replicate.

Continually Refine Based on Learnings

Treat every BASHO email and sequence as an opportunity to get a little better.

Apply learnings across new campaigns and continually refine subject lines, targeted hooks, email copy, and sequences.

With time, you will discover which approaches work for grabbing attention from your ideal prospects.

Now that we’ve covered analysis and optimization, let’s briefly touch on following up.

Following Up After Initial Outreach

Sending the first BASHO email is just the opening play. Effective follow up is crucial for converting initial interest into closed deals.

Here are some tips for driving continued engagement:

Personalize Follow Up Messaging

Resist the temptation to blast generic “checking in” messages after your first outreach.

Review the prospect’s specific situation then tailor your follow up accordingly:

• If they opened but didn’t respond – Send new information or make the CTA more enticing. “Thought you may find this case study helpful…”
• If they clicked a link – Follow up on the content they engaged with. “Glad the checklist resonated…”
• No open or click – Consider a new angle tied to current events/news related to them.
• Replied but no meeting set – Address concerns raised and re-propose meeting times.

Personalized follow ups demonstrate you’re closely engaged with each lead.

Use a Structured Cadence

While each message itself requires personalization, use a consistent systematic cadence when spacing out your follow ups.

Common B2B sales cadences include:

• 7-3-7 – Follow up 3 days after initial outreach, then again 7 days after that.
• 10-10 – Follow up 10 days after the first and second emails.
• 14-7-4 – Follow up 14 days after initial email, 7 days after 2nd, and 4 days after 3rd.

Tailor your exact spacing based on prospect type and typical sales cycle length. Avoid bombarding recipients with constant daily emails.

When to Give Up on a Lead

At what point should you stop following up and move on?

If a recipient doesn’t respond after 4-5 personalized outreach attempts, the odds of conversion fall dramatically. Any more messages will only annoy them.

Use the following checklist before abandoning a lead:

• Sent initial highly personalized BASHO email
• Followed up with relevant value adds
• Attempted to re-engage with a 1-2-3 email
• Sent a final “breakup email”

If you still don’t hear back after that, it’s time to cut your losses.

Consider a Final ‘Last Chance’ Email

However, depending on situation, you may consider one final “Hail Mary” outreach a few months later.

Sometimes new events create a change in priorities. Or key stakeholders at their company may have shifted.

Here’s a template to try:

Sometimes the timing just wasn’t right before. A quick check-in gives you one more chance to restart dialogue when prospects are more receptive.

Misconceptions About BASHO

Let’s tackle some frequently asked questions and clear up misunderstandings people have around personalized BASHO outreach.

Isn’t This Just Spam?

A common reaction upon hearing about BASHO cold email tactics is to call it spam. However, there are clear differences:

• Highly targeted – Each email is researched and customized for the individual recipient, unlike blasting the same generic message.
• Personalized value – The focus is on helping solve a specific pain point for them rather than promoting a product.
• Conversational – Messages aim to engage recipients with humor, personal details, and a casual tone.
• Transparent CTA – Goals are stated upfront rather than hidden. Recipients know exactly what you want.
• Relatively infrequent – Cadences space emails out days or weeks apart, avoiding bombarding someone.
• Recipient focused – Content provides value focused on helping recipients rather than benefiting the sender.

So while BASHO emails are unsolicited outreach, the custom personalization and perceived value separate them from the negative perception of spam.

Don’t Gatekeepers Make This Impossible?

Another common pushback is that executive gatekeepers make BASHO outreach pointless for reaching top-level decision makers.

However, savvy senders combine tactics to cut through:

• Direct dialing – Use services like ZoomInfo to uncover direct phone numbers and dial executives rather than central offices.
• Executive engagement – Book meetings by engaging EVPs, VPs, directors that report to C-level execs and work laterally.
• Using social channels – Connect via LinkedIn, Twitter, and other networks where execs manage their own accounts.
• Securing referrals – Get introduced by existing contacts at the company that can refer you.
• Double opt-in – Send a connection request on LinkedIn prior to emailing to show the exec you’re already aligned.

The key is finding channels controlled by the executive to ensure your message gets to them directly without going through a gatekeeper.

Doesn’t This Take Too Much Time?

It’s true that researching and custom crafting personalized cold emails takes significant work. However, there are some ways to scale and maintain efficiency:

• Leverage organizing tools – Use spreadsheets to build research on multiple prospects in one place and use mail merge tools to customize outreach.
• Take a template approach – Create a menu of effective templates proven to work that you can tailor to each recipient.
• Automate sequences – Use CRM tools like Close to build a pre-defined BASHO sequence you can trigger automatically.
• Focus on highest priority targets – Reserve ultra-personalized BASHO tactics only for ideal buyers at high-value accounts.
• Work strategically in batches – Block time on your calendar to research and craft messages in focused batches.

The investment required to execute BASHO emails well means they are best reserved for ideal prospects rather than blasting your entire database.

Key Takeaways

BASHO emails can deliver tremendous results, but they require strategy and effort to execute effectively. Here are the key lessons to help you succeed:

• Reserve for high-value targets – Only invest the time when outreaching to decision-makers and accounts with serious revenue potential.
• Research pain points – Identify each prospect’s challenges to position your solution as the perfect fix.
• Make the subject compelling – Use the prospect’s name and focus on their goals for high open rates.
• Personalize your hook – Demonstrate you understand their situation with a tailored opening sentence.
• Explain your value – Succinctly convey how you can help solve the problem highlighted.
• Close with a clear CTA – Make it easy for prospects to take the next step like scheduling a call.
• Structure effective follow-ups – Add value, re-engage non-responders, and send a final ‘breakup’ email.
• Leverage sales tools – Use CRMs, email tools, and contact databases to scale outreach efficiently.
• Continually optimize – Analyze open rates, click rates, and meetings booked to keep improving.

With a strategic, metrics-driven approach, BASHO emails can break through to even the busiest executives and deliver dramatic results. The investment of extra effort is well worth the game-changing connections and pipeline growth.

Now you have a complete playbook to make these personalized emails a key part of your outbound sales arsenal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a BASHO email?

A: A BASHO email is a highly personalized cold outreach email targeted to a decision-maker. The goal is to demonstrate understanding of their needs and position your solution as the ideal fix.

Q: When should you use BASHO emails?

A: Use BASHO emails when prospecting high-value accounts and contacts, like executives and decision-makers. The personalization requires more effort, so focus on ideal targets.

Q: How is a BASHO email different from a regular cold email?

A: Unlike general cold emails, BASHO messages are extensively customized to each recipient. They aim to engage on a peer-to-peer level versus a salesy promotional email.

Q: What makes BASHO emails so effective?

A: Ultra-personalization grabs attention and proves you understand prospects’ pain points. This results in higher open rates, engagement, and meeting booking compared to generic outreach.

Q: What is the ideal structure for a BASHO sequence?

A: Send an initial personalized email, follow up with value adds for non-responders, attempt to re-engage using a 1-2-3 email, and finish with a “breakup email” as a last attempt.

Q: How do you write an effective BASHO email?

A: Research the prospect’s pains, make a compelling subject line, open with a personalized hook, explain your value, and end with a clear CTA. Maintain a conversational human tone.

Q: What tools can you use to scale and automate BASHO sequences?

A: Leverage CRM tools like Close to set up automated sequences. Use data providers like ZoomInfo to research prospects. Test subject lines and copy with tools like Mixmax.

Q: How do you analyze and optimize BASHO messaging?

A: Track open rates, click rates, and meetings booked. A/B test your emails. Study prospect engagement quality. Continually refine based on learnings.

Q: When should you stop following up with a prospect?

A: If no response after 4-5 personalized outreach attempts spanning 2-3 weeks, it’s usually time to move on. But you can send occasional check-in messages.