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Cold Email Templates

Good cold emails are short, specific to the recipient, and ask for something small. Use these as frameworks, not scripts: the personal first line is what gets the reply.

Highlighted [brackets] are the parts to replace. Use “Personalise with AI” to fill them from a short description of your situation.

Problem-first intro

First touch to a prospect with a likely, specific problem.

Subject: quick question about [company]'s [area]

Hi [first name], Noticed [specific observation about their company, e.g. you're hiring three SDRs]. Teams in that spot often run into [specific problem]. We help [type of company] [outcome] without [common trade-off]. Worth a 15-minute chat next week to see if it fits? [your name] [title], [company]

Mutual connection

When someone referred you or you share a contact.

Subject: [mutual contact] suggested I reach out

Hi [first name], [Mutual contact] mentioned you're working on [initiative] and suggested we talk. I help [type of team] with [outcome]; recently [short, true result for a similar client]. Would you be open to a short call on [day] or [day]? Thanks, [your name]

Trigger event

After funding, a launch, a hire or other public news.

Subject: congrats on [event]

Hi [first name], Congrats on [event]. That usually means [what comes next, e.g. scaling the support team fast]. We've helped [similar company] with exactly that stage by [how you help]. If it's useful, I can send a one-page summary of how they did it. Want me to? [your name]

Value-first (give something)

When you can offer a genuinely useful audit, idea or resource.

Subject: an idea for [company]'s [page / process]

Hi [first name], I took a look at [their page / product / process] and had one idea: [specific, concrete suggestion in one or two sentences]. No strings attached. If you'd like more ideas like this, I'm happy to share a few more on a quick call. Cheers, [your name]

Partnership pitch

Reaching out to a company or creator about working together.

Subject: partnership idea: [your brand] x [their brand]

Hi [first name], I run [role] at [your company]. Our audiences overlap: [shared audience]. Idea: [specific collaboration, e.g. a co-hosted webinar on topic]. For you, that means [their benefit]; for us, [your benefit]. Open to exploring it? A reply with “yes” and I'll send a short outline. [your name]

Want a stronger subject line? See cold email subject line examples or write your own with the AI subject line generator.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a cold email be?

Short. Many practitioners aim for under about 125 words: a personal opener, the problem, the offer and a small ask. Long cold emails are skimmed or skipped.

What is the best subject line for a cold email?

Short, lowercase-friendly and specific to the recipient, like “quick question about [company]'s onboarding”. It should read like a colleague wrote it, not a marketer.

Is cold emailing legal?

It depends on where you and the recipient are. In the US, CAN-SPAM allows it with honest headers, a physical address and an opt-out. In the EU and UK, GDPR and PECR impose stricter rules, especially for individuals. Check the rules that apply to you.

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