Spam is sent in bulk to random, irrelevant audiences; the sender is unclear, there is no working way to opt out, and subject lines mislead.
Cold email is written to the right person at a specific business that may fit you, with an offer relevant to their work; it is clear who you are, and the recipient can opt out easily.
In Outfound:
- Recipients are chosen by researching whether they match the buyer profile you described.
- Each email is written separately for that company and person, and sent with your approval.
- Every email carries your company details and an unsubscribe link; people who opt out are never emailed again.
- Bounce and spam complaint rates are monitored; if thresholds are crossed, the campaign pauses.
Still, what separates spam from cold email in the recipient's eyes is relevance: write to the right company with a short, concrete value proposition.