[tarminian]

This is called Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE), which by definition is spam. If you are sending someone email with hopes to sell them something, it doesn't matter how nice you are, it is still spam. Cold emails are spam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_spam

[paulhauggis]

right from the page you linked: "Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk"

If you carefully select the people you are going to email and the message is tailored to that person, it's no longer considered spam (or in bulk).

[tarminian]

"usually include", but not always.