5 Cold Email Examples To Teach You To Write Your Own

KEY POINTS

• How to write an effective cold email to get responses
• 5 cold email examples to try today, and 8 best practices to keep in mind
• How to set up cold email campaigns with email templates effectively

Cold emails are the tool used by marketers who want to take control of their lead generation. It puts you in charge of outreach and making meaningful connections with prospective customers. And it’s proven effective for building client relationships. But cold emails aren’t always easy to write. They require a lot of research and preparation before sending them out. In fact, if you’re new to cold emailing, you may struggle with creating one that yields results. So we put together a list of five cold email examples and templates you can use to write good cold sales emails.

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Tips on How to Write an Effective Cold Email for Sales (and Get Responses)

You found an ideal client and want to reach out. So you decide to send an email to introduce yourself. What should you say?

If you come off too strong, you may run them away. This is why it’s critical to take a strategic approach to your cold email outreach. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while crafting your cold emails:

Tip 1: Be Genuine

The goal is to make your cold email as warm as possible. This means going in with the intention of helping (without asking for something in return). For example, you met the prospect at an event and learned they have issues with a problem your product helps resolve.

But rather than selling your product, you offer a free tip to provide quick relief. This opens the door to a budding friendship.

Tip 2: Keep it Short and Simple

No one likes being pitched to by strangers. So refrain from selling too early. People usually won’t respond well to sales pitches unless there’s something genuinely valuable to offer. So instead, focus on building rapport. Make it clear what value you could bring to their business and ask questions to find out whether they need help.

Tip 3: Personalize it

Never start your cold email with Dear Sir/Madam or another impersonal introduction. If you don’t know their first name, then you’re not ready to make contact.

This can happen if you’re searching for people working in a role in a specific industry. You may find their email address, which only shows the initial of their first name. In this case, take time to search for their name online. If you’re using Sendoso, your research may even give you inspiration on door-openers to send in return for booking a meeting.

Tip 4: Include a Call-to-Action

You crafted the perfect introductory email. It’s personalized with their name, and provides value.

But don’t just end it off with a “bye” or “talk later” (or worse, a link to a blog post). Be proactive in getting the lead to take the next step that moves them closer to becoming a client. Adding a CTA at the end of your email should give them all the info needed (without making them click through to another page).

For example, “Do you have time to chat Thursday around noon? If so, click here* to book a call (or choose a day and time that works for you.)”

*For clients of Sendoso who definitively book more cold outreach meetings by  incentivizing their recipients with eGifts, you can book meetings with our Meeting Scheduler feature.

This link in your cold email will send your prospects to this time-saving feature. It automates the process of requiring your recipient to schedule a meeting with you before their eGift can be redeemed. Meetings can be booked through our software integration with Calendly, and you can track meetings booked to measure the success of your outreach.

How NOT to Write a Cold Email

You found the perfect lead for your company and know they’ll love your solution. But don’t get ahead of yourself.

Tame your eagerness to convert the prospect. Remember cold emailing best practices. And most importantly, don’t do the following mistakes:

• Being pushy with your offer or next steps
• Being vague in why you’re reaching out
• Selling too soon
• Not personalizing the email and its offer/value
• Including irrelevant information
• Forgetting grammar rules
• Not proofreading before hitting send
• Overusing the exclamation point
• Relying solely on autoresponders

Cold emails are called that for a reason—there’s no real connection between you and the recipient. So you have to warm up the message by making it sound like a real person.

5 Cold Email Examples to Try Today

These five cold email examples should inspire you to create your own unique copywriting masterpiece. Let’s review the different types of cold emails and why they work.

1. The “Congrats On the New Role” Cold Email

Subject Line: Congrats on becoming the Director of Marketing Operations!

Body: Hi “Name,”

I wanted to congratulate you on being promoted to Director of Marketing Operations. You must be thrilled with this opportunity. As we discussed last week, I would love to meet with you next month to discuss ways to leverage your marketing skills into my organization. Please reach out to me directly via phone or text (phone number).

Why it works:

• This message shows how much thought went into crafting their initial outreach. By starting off strong, they establish rapport quickly.
• The first sentence also toots the horn of the recipient. And by mentioning a specific job title, you position yourself as someone who’s in the know.
• It starts off friendly before getting down to business.
• It ends with a call to action.

2. The “Quote Request” Cold Email

Subject Line: Looking for your expertise on X

Body: Hello “Name,”

I’m working on a report about X and see you’re an expert in this field. I would love to include a quote from you to help my audience to Y.

Do you have time for a 10-minute call on Wednesday?

Why it works:

This email is friendly, but straight to the point. It avoids fluff and strokes the ego of the recipient by considering them to be an expert.

3. The “Partnership Request”

Subject Line: Let’s partner together…

Body: Hi “Name,”

I was recently introduced to your company/their “Company Name” through another client and I’m impressed with everything I’ve seen so far. I believe you’d be a great addition to a project we’re working on and wanted to see if you’re open to working together.

We often collaborate with other agencies when building campaigns for our customers. And right now, we need someone with your expertise in XYZ. If this is something you’d be interested in, schedule a 20-minute discovery call at the link below.

Why it works

• This pitch comes from a trusted source, so it has credibility.
• The offer is something that benefits both parties.
• It positions the recipient as an “expert.”
• It asks for help rather than demanding it.

4. The “Shared Goals” Cold Email

Subject Line: Like you, I’m looking to XYZ

Body: Hey “Name,”

It looks like we have similar goals. I’m trying to improve my XYZ and see you’re already having success in this area. Would you mind sharing your story? Maybe we can talk over coffee sometime.

Why it works:

• It shares your goal upfront. Then, follows up with an easy question.
• The opening line piques interest and shows a common interest.
• It doesn’t ask for too much information.

5. The “Shared Connection” Cold Email

Subject Line: Hi “Name,”

Body: It looks like we both know Mary Gonzales. She’s one of my favorite people at work. She told me you do XYZ and thought it’d be a great idea for us to connect since I also work in XYZ field. Would you consider meeting up on a Zoom call? My schedule is pretty open during the weekdays. What about Tuesday afternoon?

Why it works:

• It keeps things lighthearted.
• It provides context.
• It adds a personal connection.
• It ends with a simple invitation.
• It references their common interests.

8 Cold email best practices

Cold emails are a great way to reach out to people who might be interested in your product or service. However, cold emails are often ignored because they are perceived as spammy. Here are eight things you can do to prevent your emails from being marked as spam:

1. Be specific.

Don’t send generic emails. Instead, use relevant details such as location or job title. You want to connect quickly by being helpful and showing interest.

2. Keep it brief.

Your subject lines are only three words long at most. And don’t forget to proofread before hitting “send.”

3. Use a personalized greeting.

Personalized greetings make recipients feel special and valued.

4. Include a call to action (CTA).

A CTA directs readers toward what action you want them to take next. For example, include links in your messages that lead to landing pages or web forms.

5. Follow up promptly.

After sending out a message, wait 24 hours before following up again. Doing this allows prospects to process your initial outreach and reply accordingly.

6. Send multiple messages.

Sending several follow-ups increases your chances of getting responses. It also helps build relationships between you and potential clients (just don’t overdo it—send a follow-up after the first day, two days later, and then after 4-5 days, then call it quits).

7. Ask questions.

When reaching out via email, start by asking questions. These allow you to learn more about your contacts while establishing rapport. Questions also give prospects confidence you’re interested in working together.

8. Make yourself memorable.

People remember those who approach them first. To stand apart from others, create unique content that stands out among all the rest. Try clever puns like “It’s sweet to meet you,” along with a coffee eGift card in exchange for their time.

8 Steps to Set Up Cold Emailing Campaigns

Cold emailing campaigns are an effective way to generate leads and sales. However, setting up cold emailing campaigns can be tricky.

If you’re new to cold emailing, then you might find yourself overwhelmed with the process. So let’s walk through the steps of creating a successful cold email campaign with a high open-rate:

1. Create a list of qualified leads.

Start building your database of qualified leads now so you’ll have plenty of names to target (and to ensure you reach the right person or decision maker). This will ensure you get better results instead of spammy sales pitches.

2. Identify which channels work best for you.

If you sell products, then focus on social media marketing campaigns. But if you offer services, then opt for direct mailers (such as corporate gifting). The key is finding the right mix of tactics that fit your business model. Whatever you decide, make sure your value proposition is clear in your letter.

3. Decide whether you want to do an automated campaign or not.

Some companies choose to automate everything because it’s easier than manually creating every single email. Others prefer doing manual tasks like writing the copy themselves. Either way works fine but make sure you understand the pros and cons of both methods.

4. Choose an email platform.

There are many email platforms available today including Gmail, Mailchimp, Convert Kit, and Klaviyo. Each has its advantages and disadvantages depending on your needs and budget, but a good email platform can report back on open rates, click-through-rates, and share findings from your efforts.

5. Write your subject line.

Subject lines play a huge role in determining whether someone opens your email or deletes it before reading. Spend time thinking of ways to pique their interest while tieing into your product/service offering.

6. Craft your body text.

Writing good body text takes practice. Try starting with one sentence per paragraph followed by bullet points. Then try adding another sentence after each point.

7. Test your email with A/B campaigns.

Split test various versions of your emails until you find something that performs well. You can use tools such as Litmus to quickly compare two variations side-by-side.

8. Schedule autoresponders.

Autoresponder software automatically sends prewritten sales emails at certain times. They’re great ways to engage cold leads and potentially nurture them into a paying customer.

How to Use Cold Email Templates Effectively

Templates are a marketer’s best friend, especially if they struggle to come up with ideas. And the same is true for developing cold emailing campaigns.

But there are a few things you should keep in mind when using cold email templates.

Let’s review the three things to consider: 1) Your objective, 2) How to pitch, 3) What to say.

Here’s a look at each step:

1. Objective

Goals are the key to delivering results. So if you attempt to send cold emails without establishing them first, then odds are you’ll miss the mark.

So what are you trying to do? Close deals? Get referrals? Or just engage people? Once you know, you can craft your entire message around achieving that specific outcome.

For example, let’s assume you’re looking to generate new leads. To achieve this, you may send messages asking questions like “What challenges does your company face?” or “Are you interested in learning more?” These open-ended questions allow prospects to share their story while giving you insight into their pain points. It also gives you a chance to show off your knowledge and expertise.

2. Pitch

Once you’ve determined your objective, now comes the fun part—pitching. This means coming up with creative ideas that’ll get your prospect’s attention. Think outside the box when brainstorming. Don’t worry too much about grammar or spelling since you’ll handle all of those details later. Instead, focus on making your idea sound natural and engaging.

3. What to Say

Here are some tips to help for generating unique pitches:

• Focus on benefits instead of features
• Once you’ve determined your objective, you need to decide exactly how you’ll approach potential clients. This will depend largely on your industry so we recommend researching similar businesses within yours. However, even when pitching outside of your niche, you still have options. Here are some common approaches used by successful salespeople:

• Ask a question
• Asking a simple question gently forces people to engage. Just make sure you understand who they are and what problems they’re facing, so you’re asking relevant questions.

• Tell a personal story
• Personal stories work because they give prospects an opportunity to connect emotionally. The key is finding a way to relate to them. To do this, start by sharing a little bit about yourself. Then, tell them about a time when you overcame adversity. Finally, end by saying thank you for taking the time out of their day to read your message.

• Offer a solution
• Another effective method is offering a solution to their problem. This demonstrates empathy and understanding which makes prospects feel valued. After reading your letter, if they realize you genuinely care about their situation, they may be more likely to buy from you.

• Use humor
• Humor works well as long as it doesn’t offend anyone. You want to use something lighthearted but not overly inappropriate. A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything sexual or vulgar. Also, try to keep jokes relevant to your audience. For instance, if you’re writing to a group of business owners, you wouldn’t tell a dirty joke. On the other hand, if you’re targeting moms, you’d probably find success telling a funny mommy joke.

Deliver Cold Emails that Convert

At the end of the day, cold emails are all about converting your lead. The best cold email is warm, human, and likable (like an old friend). But it’s hard to do this when you’re talking to complete strangers. This is what makes using cold email templates a great starting point. You’ll also find offering something for free can pique interest and engagement. This is what makes sending gifts to prospects a great option. Not convinced?  Learn how sales development teams are getting 4x the response rate using Sendoso.

This article was originally published on September 14, 2021. It has been updated for relevance.