Hey there,
Just wrapped up a podcast with Michael Gardiner from DFY Meetings.
He's worked with over 240 businesses, been doing cold email since he was 15 years old (literally sending campaigns during high school classes in 2014).
Here's the one tactic he shared that I'd never heard before.
Check your clients' inboxes
Michael's advice: Ask your best clients to show you the cold emails they're receiving.
Seriously. Just ask.
"Hey [Client Name], would you mind showing me some of the cold emails you've been getting lately? Trying to see what's landing in your inbox."
Why this is genius:
- You see exactly what your competition is sending
- You know what your ICP is actually reading
- You can steal what works and avoid what doesn't
I've never heard anyone recommend this. It's so obvious, yet nobody does it.
Book a call - we'll build tactics like this into your outreach system
3 more lessons from Michael
1. Volume killed cold email quality
Tools cost $100/month with unlimited sends. Emails cost 10 cents each. So everyone's blasting thousands of garbage emails.
The answer? Go the opposite direction. Smaller lists, better research, actual personalization.
2. Segmentation beats AI personalization
Michael calls AI personalization "overrated and poorly used."
Instead, segment by logical connection points: shared background, same industry experience, common interests.
Example: If you're reaching out to Christian athletes, mention that you're also a Christian athlete. That beats any AI-generated first line.
3. Social proof trumps everything
Even Fortune 1000 companies struggle without visible case studies.
Michael worked with a multi-eight-figure financial services company that couldn't mention any clients due to NDAs. Result? They performed like beginners.
If you don't have logos and testimonials visible, you're invisible.
Why I'm sharing this
Cold email isn't dead. It's just evolving.
The people winning in 2026 aren't sending more emails - they're sending smarter emails to the right people with the right message.
That's exactly what we're building in the Conquer clients cohort:
- How to research and segment (not just blast)
- Building social proof even when you're starting from zero
- Multi-channel systems (email + LinkedIn + personal brand)
- Offer positioning that makes people actually want to reply
Currently 5 spots open (max capacity is 20).
90 days. Weekly workshops + 1-on-1s. Private Slack with moneyback guarantee.
Best,
Divij
P.S. Michael's been doing this for over a decade and still actively runs campaigns. When he says "no one wants your s**t" about failed campaigns, it's because he's analyzed thousands of them. Listen to people who are still in the game, not people selling old playbooks.
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