How to write cold emails to importers that get replies

Finding the right importers

A good list matters more than a good email. Write to companies that already buy what you sell, in markets you can serve. Common sources:

• Trade show exhibitor and visitor lists for shows in your sector.
• Trade directories and association member lists in your target markets.
• Import data services that show which companies import your product under its HS code.
• Your trade promotion agency or embassy, which often publish buyer lists or organise buyer meetings.
• Company websites and LinkedIn, to find the person who buys your category. Avoid generic info@ addresses where you can.

Note for each company why they are a fit: they import cashews from Vietnam, they supply bakeries in Germany, they exhibited at SIAL. That note becomes the first line of your email.

Set up your mailbox first

• Send from your company domain, not a free address.
• Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for the domain. Your email provider's help pages explain how; it takes an afternoon.
• Use a real person's name as the sender, with a signature that has your company, website and phone or WhatsApp.
• If you plan to send a lot, spread it across a few colleagues' mailboxes rather than pushing everything through one.
• Start slowly and increase volume over several weeks.

What importers look for in a first email

An importer reading your email is asking: is this relevant, is this supplier credible, and is it worth replying? Answer those in a few lines:

• The product, precisely. "Cashew kernels W320 and W240", not "high-quality nuts".
• Origin and who you are. Producer, processor or trader, and where you ship from.
• Why them. One sentence that shows you know their business.
• Proof. Certifications that matter in their market, markets you already ship to, capacity.
• One next step. A question they can answer in one line.

Subject lines

Plain and specific beats clever. A buyer should know what the email is about before opening it.

• Cashew kernels W320 from Vietnam for [Company]
• [Product] supplier: [certification], [origin]
• Question about your [product] sourcing for [season]
• Following our meeting at [Show]

Avoid capital letters, exclamation marks and words like "offer" or "best price" in the subject; they look like spam to people and filters alike.

The first email

Hi [First name],

I saw that [Company] [imports / distributes / supplies] [category] in [market]. [The detail that told you so.]

We're [producer / processor / exporter] of [product] in [origin], shipping to [markets] with [certifications]. Our range, with specifications, packing and MOQ, is here: [product sheet link]

Would it be useful if I sent a price for [product] [Incoterm] [their port]?

Best regards,
[Name]
[Title], [Company] · [website] · [phone / WhatsApp]

Follow-up schedule and templates

Many replies come after a follow-up rather than the first email. Send follow-ups in the same thread so the buyer sees the context, and add something new each time.

Hi [First name], a quick follow-up. We have [new crop / stock] of [product] available from [month]. If you're sourcing for [season], I can send a sample or a price for your port.

Hi [First name], in case it's useful: our [certification] certificate and full specification for [product] are on our product sheet here: [link]. Who at [Company] would be the right person to speak to about [category]?

Hi [First name], I'll stop here so I don't crowd your inbox. If [product] becomes relevant, just reply to this email and I'll quote the same day.

Stop the sequence for anyone who replies, asks you to stop, or whose address bounces.

What to avoid

• Attachments in the first email. They raise spam scores and many buyers won't open files from strangers. Send a link.
• "Dear Sir/Madam". Find a name. If you can't, write to the role: "Hi, I'm writing to whoever buys dried fruit at [Company]".
• Many recipients in one email. Each buyer should get their own email.
• Long company histories. One line about who you are is enough.
• Several questions at once. Ask one.

Rules and consent

Rules on unsolicited business email differ between countries. Some allow business-to-business outreach if you identify yourself and make it easy to opt out; others, especially in parts of Europe and Canada, set stricter conditions on consent. Check the rules for the countries you write to, include your company details, and stop writing to anyone who asks. This guide isn't legal advice.

Measuring what works

Track replies, not opens: open tracking is unreliable because many email apps block or pre-load images. For each list or market, note how many emails were delivered, how many buyers replied, and how many asked for a price or sample. Change one thing at a time, such as the subject, the first line or the offer, and compare.

Doing it in Abanro