What defines cold emailing in a sales context?

Cold emailing in a sales context is defined primarily by contacting new clients without any prior engagement or relationship. This approach is characterized by the initial outreach to potential customers who may not be familiar with the sender or their offerings. The goal of cold emailing is to generate interest, introduce products or services, and ultimately solicit a response or engagement from prospects who have not previously interacted with the salesperson or the company.

This practice contrasts significantly with other sales strategies that rely on prior interactions or established relationships. For instance, reaching out only to existing customers focuses on maintaining and deepening existing relationships rather than creating new ones, and following up on previous discussions implies that there has been some prior communication, which does not fit the cold emailing definition. Similarly, sending emails only to warm leads is aimed at individuals who have shown some level of interest or engagement, departing from the colder approach of reaching out to entirely new contacts.