i emailed 800+ plumbers and got 0 replies - here's what i learned
hey - itteba here again.
if you read the last post, you know the goal:
→ $25k+ / month
and you know how i’m getting there:
→ ai automations, freelance work, and this very substack
i laid it all out. this past week was my first real swing.
i set up a cold email campaign. i scraped 800+ plumbers using apollo.
i personalized every message. (well, ai did this part)
i wrote and rewrote my email like 10 times, and made sure deliverability was solid (9.5/10 on mailtester) and scheduled it in instantly.
270 emails a day, split across 9 inboxes.
and then i waited.
the result?
400+ opens.
0 replies.
not even a “stop emailing me”
just pure, soul-sucking silence.
so here we are.
this post is a breakdown of:
what email i sent
what i expected
why i think it failed
and what i’m changing next
because this is how it works - especially at the beginning
most people only post the “i closed a $5k client” wins
but this? this is the real stuff.
📨 the email that flopped
here’s exactly what i sent:
subject: Your missed calls = missed jobs?
Hey {{firstName}},
I know this is out of the blue — but I built something that could genuinely help.
It’s a 24/7 AI phone assistant that:
Picks up when you're busy or after-hours
Answers common questions (pricing, availability, etc.)
Books jobs directly into your calendar
I originally made it for a family friend’s plumbing company after they missed a $2K job from a missed call. It’s been saving them hours every week — and booking extra work without them lifting a finger.
Would you be open to testing it for free and seeing if it works for you?
Let me know — happy to send over a quick demo or get you set up.
Cheers,
{{sendingAccountFirstName}}
and to be fair - it wasn’t awful.
open rate was roughly ~45%, which means the subject line at least did something right.
but once they opened it… nothing.
🤔 what i thought would happen
in my mind, it made sense:
plumbers are constantly missing calls - especially if they’re solo or in a small team
they’re busy doing the actual work.
they don’t have time to pick up the phone, let alone talk to 10 people asking “what do you charge for a clogged sink?”
so if i show up with a solution - a literal robot that handles the calls for them - why wouldn’t they be interested?
i expected a few:
“how does it work?”
“what does it cost?”
or even just “maybe. tell me more”
instead, nothing.
so i sat down, re-read the email 10 times, and started tearing it apart.
❌ 4 reasons it flopped (i think)
1. the pain wasn’t real enough
i said “missed calls = missed jobs”, which sounds smart.
but does it feel like a problem?
not really.
i should’ve said something like:
“most plumbing businesses miss 40-60% of their inbound calls.
and for every missed call, you’re losing $200-$800 on average.”
when you name a stat + show a cost = it hurts.
right now, it’s too abstract.
2. it didn’t sound urgent
plumbers aren’t checking their emails looking for AI voice assistants.
they’re thinking:
“i need more jobs this week”
“my receptionist quit”
“i’m booked but people keep calling at night”
“i don’t have time to respond to every call”
so instead of being vague and friendly, i need to start with that:
“tired of missing calls when you're on a job?”
“what if every call booked a job — without you answering?”
hook first. tech second.
3. no proof, no pull
i mentioned a “family friend’s plumbing business,” but gave no:
screenshot
quote
name
or even a short story
people need proof.
and especially plumbers, who have probably been pitched 100 different services they never used.
a simple screenshot of the AI booking a job could’ve gone a long way.
or a loom demo.
or just a 1-line testimonial like:
“it booked 4 jobs last week while i was on-site.” – james, rapidrooter plumbing
even fake screenshots are better than nothing (don’t worry, mine aren’t fake 😅)
4. tone was friendly — maybe too friendly
i like keeping my tone casual and human.
but maybe this one was too soft.
i needed more energy. more clarity. more why now?
if i opened with something sharper, it might’ve hit harder:
“you’re losing $1k/month by not picking up the phone — i built something that fixes that.”
simple. focused. intense.
this stuff matters.
🔁 what i’m changing next
the next version of the campaign is already in motion.
and here’s what i’ve updated:
✅ 1. added a loom demo
i’m building a 1–2 minute loom that shows:
a real call
how the assistant answers
how it books a job
the backend showing the confirmed appointment
this alone could 10x interest.
✅ 2. rewriting the email for clarity + urgency
no fluff.
just a short pitch, a real example, and a clear CTA.
“you’re missing calls. i built an assistant that answers, books the job, and follows up — no receptionist needed. want a free trial?”
✅ 3. adding screenshots + testimonials
i’m pulling together:
1–2 short quotes
a sample transcript of a call
a visual of the booking page or CRM update
just enough to say: this isn’t theory — it’s working.
✅ 4. trying new subject lines
i’m testing:
“this plumber booked 4 jobs without picking up the phone”
“your receptionist, but AI (and cheaper)”
“replace missed calls with paid jobs — here’s how”
hooks that speak directly to the outcome.
✅ 5. follow-up sequence
i didn’t send a single follow-up before.
this time, i’m adding 2–3 short replies over 7 days.
simple stuff like:
“just checking in — worth a shot?”
“free trial still on the table if you want to test it.”
“this is the last one, promise. if you’re ever curious, hit me up.”
📈 why i’m still optimistic
this was just the first run.
and in a weird way, i’m glad it failed.
because if this campaign had worked, i wouldn’t have learned any of this.
but now i have a stronger:
pitch
hook
offer
and reason to keep going
and with a better campaign + proof in place, i feel way more confident reaching out to:
salons
hvac
dentists
auto repair shops
literally anyone who gets too many calls and can’t answer fast enough.
👷♂️ building continues
the best part?
the product is getting better, too.
right now, the voice assistant can:
answer calls
book appointments
sync with calendars + CRMs
soon i’ll test:
reschedule/cancel bookings
send reminders via text
direct CRM updates
this thing is getting smarter every week.
and i’ll keep posting the progress here — honestly, win or fail.
because this is the stuff i wish i saw more of when i started.
if you’re reading this and building too — i’m cheering you on.
cold email might be brutal, but we’re gonna figure it out.
one missed reply at a time 😅
– itteba