Cold email is an incredible channel to start conversations with potential clients, future business partners, or other professionals in your industry.
One of the hardest parts of cold emailing is writing your email templates. They can make or break a campaign, so getting them right is essential.
If you’re wondering how you can create or improve your templates, you're in the right place.
We'll show you the key ingredients in an effective cold email and look at seven cold email examples for different situations that you can adapt to your business. By the end, you’ll be ready to hit Send on your campaign with confidence and know that you’ll get replies.
Let’s dive in.
What Makes a Good Cold Email?
1. Build Relationships Instead of Optimizing for Clicks
The first similarity that all of the cold email examples we’ll look at have is that they avoid focusing on generating clicks.
The focus is always on building rapport, increasing trust, and starting a conversation, all of which are vital if you want to start the relationship with your recipient on a high note.
For most cold emailers, the easiest way to do this is by including a personalized opening line in your email template.
Suppose you received a cold email from two people.
The first is a generic template that looks like it was sent to thousands of people.
The second one started with a genuine compliment on a recent article you published or a podcast you hosted. After that, they wrote a relevant pitch.
It’s obvious which one you’d reply to.
Your opening line can be anything, as long as it’s highly relevant to your recipient. For example:
“Enjoyed your podcast with [guest], interesting how {{company.name}} changed your approach to sales when you launched your enterprise offering.”
Saw that you’re from {{city}} - have you been to one of the CEO networking events at [location]?
“Loved your YouTube series on how you grew your marketing team at {{company.name}}. Always interesting to see different approaches.
The easiest way to do this is by spending five minutes researching each prospect as you create your prospect list.
Look for company news, personal updates on LinkedIn, or content they recently published.
All of these make excellent information snippets to include in your opening line.
Write out every opening line in a column in your spreadsheet, and when you send your emails in your cold email software, you can automatically include these for every prospect.
This approach ensures that every recipient can see you care about building a relationship rather than trying for a quick sale.
2. Show Proof of Results to Build Trust
The hardest part of cold email is that you’re a stranger to your prospects.
It’s vital to include social proof in the form of case studies, testimonials, or past results in your templates. This shows your recipients you’re someone worth listening to.
You don’t need to go into detail when it comes to your past projects or work history.
For example, in this cold email example from RepurposeHouse, they name-drop several high-profile clients:
Even if your prospect isn’t familiar with the clients, they’ll still see that you’re working with businesses like theirs and trust you more.
Some examples of similar sentences you could include in your emails for different situations include:
“We work with 200+ other marketing agencies like yours and have generated $2M+ in revenue for them this year.”
“Our revenue optimization platform is used by decision-makers from Salesforce, Google, and Meta.
“Our team helped [similar company] generate 400% more conversions from their paid ad campaigns.
As you can see, all of these are simple. But, they’re effective at quickly building trust and standing out from the other cold emails in your recipient’s inbox.
3. Use a Simple Call-to-Action for More Replies
You only have a short window to get a reply from your prospects.
When they open your email, they’re giving you around thirty seconds of their attention. At that time, they’ll decide whether to reply or not.
To make it easy for them, use a simple call-to-action (CTA).
For example, this email template from AppSumo keeps it to just one word: Interested?
If the offer is good enough, people will respond.
Here are some example CTAs you can steal:
Let me know if this is of interest.
Does that sound like something of interest to you?
What’s the best way to reach you for a quick demo?
What will it take to get 25 minutes on your calendar next week?
I was wondering if {{prospect.custom.topic}} played a role in your growth this year?
If your recipient is interested in what you have to offer, they’ll respond.
As well as that, consider using CTAs that allow your prospect to respond with more than just a “yes” or “no”. These can make it hard to continue the engagement naturally. If a prospect elaborates from the start, the conversation will flow more easily.
7 Cold Email Examples You Can Steal to Get More Replies
1. Sales Outreach Emails
Cold email is one of the best lead generation channels for sales teams. You get direct access to your prospect’s inbox without having to go through gatekeepers or pay for expensive ads.
Here’s a cold email example for sales that you can use to get replies from qualified prospects:
Subject: Solving [pain point] for {{company.name}}
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Noticed your team has been publishing podcasts for over a year now, looks like a fantastic resource for your customers.
I run a podcast re-purposing service. We take your podcast and re-purpose snippets into short-form videos for social media. Our client, [client name], saw a 508% jump in social media engagement in the first 30 days of working with us.
Would you be interested in getting a free video made?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Why it works:
This cold email example works for a few reasons:
It uses a personalized opening line to show we’ve done our research on the prospect
It doesn’t waste the recipient’s time and gets straight to the point
There’s social proof in the form of past client results
The CTA offers direct value and makes it simple to respond
The best part of this example is that you could edit it for almost any product or service.
2. Agency Outreach Emails
Cold email is an excellent channel for agencies. You handpick your ideal prospects and reach out with a personal message. It’s the best way to start conversations with decision-makers.
Whether you run a lead generation, SEO, or recruitment agency, here’s a template that you can use to book meetings with future clients:
Subject: Helping {{company.name}} with [pain point]
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Love the new landing page your team shipped last week - great way to show off the benefits of your product, we might need to test out the tool in our business.
Our team helps SaaS companies like {{company.name}} generate leads on LinkedIn. Our process generates an average of 30-40 new demo bookings every month for our clients such as [client name] and [another client name].
Interested in seeing our process?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Why it works:
This template is simple but effective. There’s a personalized opening line, and it then introduces what your agency helps with.
There’s a clear benefit to the recipient: 30-40 new demo bookings per month.
After that, there’s a low-commitment CTA which most potential clients would be happy to respond to.
See more of our email templates for agencies here.
3. SEO Outreach Emails
SEO outreach can help you secure new guest post opportunities and generate new backlinks to grow your site authority. Many website owners are desensitized to SEO outreach due to an abundance of low-quality emails in their inbox.
However, you can still cut through the noise and use cold email to land new opportunities for your business if you focus on quality. Here’s an email example for SEO that you can use in your next campaign:
Subject: Writing content for {{company.name}}
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Saw that you published new content on a weekly schedule and wanted to check if you’d like some help.
I’ve worked in [industry] for six years with a focus on [your area of expertise]. Would love to write a guest post for your website and share my learnings with your audience.
Can I share some potential topic ideas with you?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Why it works:
Website owners don’t want to share low-quality content with their audience. This template focuses on showing off your background and the level of expertise someone can expect from your guest post. If a website owner accepts guest posts, there’s no reason why they won’t agree to you sending over your content ideas.
The CTA here is compelling, too. It incites curiosity from the website owner, as they will want to hear what ideas you have in mind.
If you want to see more relevant SEO email examples to help with your backlinks and guest post campaigns, check out our two guides below:
4. Web Design Outreach Emails
Web design agencies and freelancers have an abundance of competition. You need to stand out and show potential clients what they can expect working with you: a partner focused on helping their business grow, rather than completing low-impact tasks.
Here’s an email example that will help you get replies:
Subject: Quick wins for {{company.name}}
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Great work winning [award] last month, your whole team must be thrilled.
As I was checking out {{company.name}}’s website I took a few notes on small changes that could make a significant impact on your growth:
Moving your impressive case studies nearer the top of the page so they get seen by more prospective clients.
Your contact form has seven fields, and our data shows that reducing that down to five can improve completion rates by 45%.
A photo of you on your demo booking page would be an excellent way to build trust and improve booking rates.
We recently worked on a website audit for [similar company] and they’ve seen a 165% improvement in website conversions since then.
What would it take to get 15 minutes on your calendar to discuss this?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Why it works:
This template is longer than others we’ve looked at, but it’s for a good reason.
You provide a massive amount of value upfront, showing that you have the skills and knowledge to help their business grow.
If a prospect agrees and is considering making these changes, it will be an easy decision to book a call with you and agree to let you work with them.
See more web design email templates and examples in this guide.
5. Networking Email Example
Networking is an amazing use case for cold email. You can build your network by sending highly personalized emails to people you admire or relevant contacts in your industry.
Subject: Virtual coffee next week?
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Enjoyed your talk at [conference] last week. I was inspired by how you solved the growth challenges in your business last year.
I went through some similar challenges at [your current company] and took a different approach, but with similar results to you.
Would love to share thoughts on how I’m approaching our growth strategy this year. Would you have 20 minutes for a virtual coffee next week?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
What it works:
Most people are willing to connect with others in similar roles, particularly if there’s a potential for them to benefit.
This template works because you show that you’ve researched them before reaching out, meaning you’re confident that your email is relevant. You also promise to make it worth their time by sharing valuable information.
When sending networking email templates, keep your sending volume low and ensure every email is entirely unique to the recipient.
Want more examples? Check out more of our proven networking email templates in this guide.
6. Real Estate Email Example
Realtors need an email strategy. It’s the primary means of communication between you and your clients, so it’s vital that you have a set of reliable templates you can customize to each situation in your day-to-day work.
Your emails need to be clear, concise, and empathetic. Your clients, whether they are selling or buying, will have a lot on their mind. They want you to be a trusted partner to guide them through the process.
Here’s an example template you can get inspired by:
Subject: Helping you sell [house address]
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
I just received your email regarding your plans to sell your property at [address].
We’ve helped hundreds of homeowners in this city over the last 14 years – you can check out some of our reviews here: [link to testimonials]
Our first step with every homeowner we help is to book a 30-minute introductory appointment.
Are you available on {{=day+2}} or {{=day+3}} for a virtual or in-person meeting?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Why it works:
This email template is simple but professional. Firstly, it shows you’ve acknowledged their specific request by mentioning their property address. The other realtors they contact will use impersonal autoresponders, so you’ll immediately stand out.
Next, you encourage them to view your testimonials to build trust. Finally, the CTA is simple and clear, but you do give them options.
If the property owner is interested in taking the next step, they’ll be sure to reply.
To see email templates you can put to work in your real estate agency, check out our guide here.
7. Recruitment Email Example
Recruiters need to be cold email experts. You can use the channel to contact both candidates and potential clients.
For this cold email example, we’ll look at a template used for reaching out to a potential client who could be interested in your recruitment services.
Subject: Hiring at {{company.name}}
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Awesome news that you just opened your new office in {{prospect.custom.Location}}.
Also noticed that you’re hiring for four engineering roles. I run a recruitment firm specializing in the tech industry. We recently helped [your client] fill three similar roles.
Worth a conversation to see if we can help?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Why it works:
This email template is straightforward but effective. In just three short paragraphs, you’ve:
Demonstrated that you’ve spent time researching the recipient
Introduced your offer
Mentioned another client for social proof
Used a simple CTA to encourage a reply
For more examples of recruitment email templates, check out this guide.
Using QuickMail to Send Personalized Emails at Scale
Sending email templates by hand is effective when it comes to personalization. But, you don’t have time to spend all day writing emails by hand.
To speed up the process, use QuickMail.
QuickMail’s cold email software enables you to send multiple emails at once to different recipients but keep your personalization for every recipient.
1. Importing Prospects and Using Attributes
First, you’ll need your prospect list spreadsheet that contains all of your recipients’ key details, which you may want to include in your templates:
First and last name
Company name
Job title
Location
A personalized opening line
Once that’s ready, import your prospects into QuickMail and verify that the data is labeled correctly.
Next, it’s time to create your email campaign.
First, you’ll write your cold email.
As you’re writing it you can pick attributes to include, which will automatically fill based on data from your prospect list.
When you write out your whole email template, it will include multiple attributes.
As soon as a prospect receives your email, they’ll know you’ve personalized it specifically for them.
2. Following Up to Boost Response Rates
55% of cold email replies come from a follow-up email. Always include 3-5 follow-up emails in your campaign to get the most responses.
In QuickMail, add a ‘Wait’ step.
Then, add a new Email step, and write your follow-up template.
In your follow-up, repeat the benefits of your product/service and continue to use social proof or examples to build trust. You can also test a higher or lower commitment CTA to see if it affects your response rate.
Here’s a good follow-up example from RePurposeHouse:
They repeat the benefits and attach a new PDF case study to the email. The CTA is simple.
If the recipient was interested in the service, they’d be happy to reply or book a call.
3. Tracking Your Cold Email Results
When sending email campaigns, you need to know if your templates are working.
The best way to do that is by tracking your key email metrics such as open rate and reply rate.
QuickMail automatically tracks these for you and displays the metrics in a dashboard.
You can identify useful information such as:
Which emails in your sequence get opened the most
What your reply rate is
Which prospects haven’t opened or replied to your emails
You can use your data to report back to your team and inform future campaigns.
You’ll also have access to a shared team Opportunities inbox.
This shows you every prospect who has replied to your outreach and ensures you can keep track of each conversation.
It’ll save your team hours every week switching between inboxes and browser tabs as all of their messages are stored in one place.
When you’re ready to start sending cold emails that start conversations, start your free 14-day trial of QuickMail.
Wrapping Up
The cold email examples we’ve looked at give you an excellent starting point when crafting your campaigns.
As always, make sure you edit the templates we’ve provided to fit your business and your recipients.
When you see a template working, you can double down on it. If the results aren’t at the level you want, you can continue to edit and perfect your templates until you’re hitting the reply rate you need.
The easiest way to send personalized emails at scale is with QuickMail – you can get started with your free trial today.
