Cold Email Templates

Proven cold email templates for sales outreach, networking, partnerships, and link building. Increase your response rates with personalized, value-focused messaging.

📊 Cold Email Statistics

Average response rate: 8.5% for well-crafted cold emails
Personalization boost: 26% higher open rates with personalized subject lines
Optimal length: 50-125 words get the best response rates
Best send time: Tuesday-Thursday, 10 AM - 11 AM in recipient's timezone
Follow-up impact: 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up, but 80% of sales require 5+ touches

⚠️ Cold Email Best Practices

Legal compliance: Ensure you comply with CAN-SPAM (US), GDPR (EU), and CASL (Canada). Always include an unsubscribe option and your physical address. Research consent requirements in your recipient's jurisdiction.

Avoid spam filters: Don't use all caps, excessive punctuation, or spam trigger words like "FREE!!!", "Act Now", "Guarantee", etc.

Sales Outreach - B2B

Problem-Solution Cold Email

Subject: [Specific Pain Point] at [Company Name]? Hi [First Name], I noticed [Company Name] is [specific observation about their business - recent funding, expansion, hiring, product launch, etc.]. Congrats on the growth! I'm reaching out because many [industry/role] leaders we work with struggle with [specific pain point]. For example, [Company X] was facing [problem], and after implementing [your solution], they [specific result with numbers]. I'd love to share how we helped them [benefit]. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call next week? If now isn't the right time, no worries - just let me know. Best, [Your Name] [Your Title] | [Company] [Phone] | [Calendar Link]

Best for: B2B sales when you can identify a specific pain point
Why it works: Shows research, provides social proof, and offers clear value
Response rate: 10-15% when highly personalized
Tip: Replace [specific observation] with something recent and verifiable (LinkedIn post, news article, website update)

Mutual Connection Introduction

Subject: [Mutual Connection] suggested I reach out Hi [First Name], [Mutual Connection Name] mentioned you're the right person to talk to about [topic/pain point] at [Company Name]. We recently helped [similar company] achieve [specific result - e.g., "reduce customer acquisition cost by 34%"]. [Mutual Connection] thought you might find value in a similar approach. Would you be open to a brief 15-minute conversation? I promise to keep it focused and valuable. Here's my calendar link if you'd like to grab a time: [Calendar Link] Thanks for considering, [Your Name] [Title] | [Company]

Best for: When you have a genuine mutual connection (ask permission first!)
Why it works: Trust transfer from mutual connection dramatically increases response rate
Response rate: 20-30% with strong mutual connection
Tip: Always ask your mutual connection for permission AND insights about the prospect before sending

Content Value First Approach

Subject: Quick resource for [specific initiative] Hi [First Name], I saw your recent [LinkedIn post/article/announcement] about [topic]. Really insightful point about [specific detail they mentioned]. We just published a [case study/guide/research report] on [related topic] that I thought might be useful for [their initiative]. No strings attached - just thought you'd find it valuable. Here's the link: [URL] If you find it helpful and want to discuss how we've helped [similar companies] with [specific challenge], I'm happy to chat. Otherwise, hope you get some value from it! Cheers, [Your Name] [Title] | [Company]

Best for: Building trust before pitching; content-heavy industries
Why it works: Gives before asking; demonstrates expertise
Response rate: 12-18% with high-quality, relevant content
Tip: Make sure the resource is genuinely valuable and highly relevant to their current situation

Networking & Partnerships

Professional Networking

Subject: Fellow [industry] professional in [location/niche] Hi [First Name], I came across your work on [specific project/article/company] and was impressed by [specific detail]. Your approach to [topic] is exactly what the industry needs. I'm [your role] at [company], working on [brief relevant description]. I'd love to connect and learn more about your experience with [topic]. Would you be open to a virtual coffee chat sometime? I'm particularly curious about [specific question related to their expertise]. Looking forward to connecting, [Your Name] [LinkedIn Profile] [Company/Website]

Best for: Genuine networking, learning from industry leaders
Why it works: Focuses on learning, not selling; shows genuine interest
Response rate: 15-25% when personalized
Tip: Be specific about what you admire and what you want to learn

Partnership Proposal

Subject: Partnership opportunity between [Your Company] & [Their Company] Hi [First Name], I've been following [Their Company]'s growth in [market/niche], and I see strong synergy with what we're building at [Your Company]. Our customers often ask for [solution they provide], and I imagine your customers might benefit from [solution you provide]. For example: • We serve [X customers] in [industry] • You serve [Y customers] in [related space] • Together we could offer [combined value proposition] I'd love to explore a potential partnership. Would you be open to a 20-minute exploratory call? Best regards, [Your Name] [Title] | [Company] [Website]

Best for: Strategic partnerships, co-marketing opportunities
Why it works: Clearly articulates mutual benefit; shows you've done research
Response rate: 8-12% for relevant partnerships
Tip: Have specific partnership ideas ready before the call

Link Building & PR

Guest Post Pitch

Subject: Guest post idea for [Website Name] Hi [First Name], I'm a regular reader of [Website Name] - your recent article on [topic] was particularly insightful. I noticed you haven't covered [specific topic] yet, and I'd love to contribute a guest post. I'm thinking something along the lines of: "[Proposed Article Title]: [Subtitle with benefit]" The article would cover: • [Key point 1] • [Key point 2] • [Key point 3] I've written for [other publications], and I can provide unique insights from [your expertise/experience]. Here's a sample of my work: [URL] Would this be a good fit for your audience? Best, [Your Name] [Your Title/Credentials] [Website/LinkedIn]

Best for: SEO link building, brand awareness, thought leadership
Why it works: Shows familiarity with their content; provides clear value to their audience
Response rate: 5-10% for quality sites
Tip: Only pitch topics you can write exceptionally well about; read their contributor guidelines first

Broken Link Building

Subject: Broken link on [Page Title] Hi [First Name], I was researching [topic] and found your excellent article: [Article Title] I noticed one of the links to [resource topic] is returning a 404 error - it's the link in [section/paragraph]. I actually recently published a comprehensive guide on this exact topic that might be a good replacement: [Your URL] It covers: • [Benefit/Topic 1] • [Benefit/Topic 2] • [Benefit/Topic 3] Either way, thought you'd want to know about the broken link. Happy to help keep your content up to date! Cheers, [Your Name] [Website]

Best for: SEO link building with high success rate
Why it works: You're providing value first by reporting the broken link
Response rate: 20-35% when link is genuinely broken and your replacement is quality
Tip: Use tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to find broken links at scale

Job Hunting & Freelance

Freelance Service Pitch

Subject: [Specific service] for [Company Name] Hi [First Name], I noticed [Company Name] recently [launched product/raised funding/expanded to new market]. Congrats! One area that caught my attention: [specific observation about their marketing/website/content]. I specialize in helping [industry] companies improve [specific metric] through [your service]. For example, I helped [Client Name] achieve: • [Specific result with number] • [Specific result with number] • [Timeframe to results] I have a few ideas for [Company Name] that I'd love to share. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call this week? If you'd like to see my work first, here's my portfolio: [URL] Thanks, [Your Name] [Your Service/Specialty] [Website] | [Phone]

Best for: Freelancers, consultants, agencies pitching services
Why it works: Specific observation + proven results = credibility
Response rate: 8-15% with strong portfolio
Tip: Lead with results, not process; they care about outcomes

Cold Email Dos and Don'ts

✅ DO:

Personalize every email: Reference something specific about them or their company
Keep it short: 50-125 words is optimal (3-5 short paragraphs)
Lead with value: What's in it for them? Make it obvious
Use social proof: Mention similar companies you've helped
Make it easy to respond: Ask one clear question, include calendar link
Follow up 3-5 times: Most responses come from follow-ups
A/B test subject lines: Test different approaches to optimize open rates
Send from a real email: Use your name, not noreply@company.com

❌ DON'T:

Use generic templates: "Dear Sir/Madam" = instant delete
Write a novel: Long emails get ignored
Lead with your pitch: Build rapport first
Lie or exaggerate: Trust is everything
Attach files in first email: Spam filters hate attachments
Use hard selling language: "Limited time offer!" triggers spam filters
Ask for too much time: "30-minute call" sounds like a lot; "15 minutes" is easier
Give up after one email: 44% quit after one try, but 80% of sales need 5+ touches

📧 Subject Line Formulas That Work

Question format: "Quick question about [their initiative]"
Personalization: "[Their Company] + [Your Company]"
Mutual connection: "[Name] suggested I reach out"
Specific observation: "Noticed your [recent achievement]"
Value proposition: "[Specific result] for [Their Company]"
Curiosity gap: "Idea for [specific project]" (use sparingly)
Keep it short: 41 characters or less for optimal mobile display

Follow-Up Email Sequence

Most responses come from follow-ups. Here's a proven cadence:

Day 0: Initial cold email
Day 3: Follow-up #1 - "Just bumping this up in your inbox"
Day 7: Follow-up #2 - Add additional value (new insight, article, case study)
Day 14: Follow-up #3 - Different angle or approach
Day 21: Breakup email - "Should I close your file?" (highest response rate!)

Pro tip: Change the subject line on follow-up #2 to start a new thread if they're not responding.

🎯 Personalization Tactics

Recent company news: Funding, product launch, hiring, awards
LinkedIn activity: Their recent posts, comments, or articles
Website updates: New blog posts, case studies, features
Shared interests: Alumni, conference attendees, mutual hobbies
Industry trends: Reference challenges specific to their sector
Competitor mentions: "I noticed [competitor] is doing X..."
Location-based: Local events, news, or market conditions

Rule of thumb: Spend 5-10 minutes researching each prospect. Quality > quantity.

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