What’s Distinctive About the BASHO Framework

BASHO stands out for its precision in targeting high-level prospects with deeply personalized content. It is best applied when contacting individuals who have a high threshold for engagement and are not easily swayed by generic outreach.

Developed by: Jeff Hoffman

Research

Reference a relevant detail to show your knowledge of the prospect.

Pain Point

Identify a specific challenge, framed as a question to create urgency.

Value

Present your solution, highlighting how it addresses their pain point.

Engagement

End with a concise, non-pushy call to action.

AI Prompt - BASHO Framework

Write a BASHO Style cold email to {{Fullname}} from {{Company}}.

These are inputs about my company which I'm trying to sell:

Ideal Customer: {ICP}

What does my product do? {Description}

The value we provide for the user: {Value Proposition}

What pain points do we solve? {Painpoints}

Competitor Advantage: {Competitor Advantage}

How we have helped people: {Case Study}

This is the input about the prospect: {Prospect Research}

Write the subject in the following format:

Keep it simple, stating the main topic of the email. Avoid being overly creative or fancy. Limit it to 3-4 words max.

Write the email in the following format:

Research: Start with a personalized statement based on what you know about the prospect. This could be a recent podcast appearance, a blog post, company growth, new product launch, an industry event they attended, or something relevant. This helps show you’ve done your homework and makes the email feel tailored. Do not try to link this with the pain point unless it actually connects. Make sure this statement is from a professional capacity, strictly NOT from a personal capacity.

Pain Point: Address a specific challenge the prospect may be facing. This could stem from their role, industry, or something observed in their recent activities. Ask it in question format.

Value: Introduce our product as the solution, making it clear how it addresses their specific pain point. Be specific about the benefits it offers.

Engagement: End with a CTA - either “Worth a chat?” or “Worth exploring?”

Guidelines:

Keep the email under 80 words.

Use a friendly, direct tone.

Make sure to bring forth all the mentioned elements of formatting.

Avoid vague terms like "streamline," "optimize," "maximize," etc.

Be as specific as possible without making assumptions about the prospect.