7 Cold Email Template Ideas


cold email template

We all do it. We see a cold email that doesn’t interest us, and we send it to our spam folder, junk folder or recycle bin. This personal knowledge can’t help but dwell in the minds of sales reps creating their own cold emails to contact leads. How do you write a sales email that will entice recipients to open the message, let alone read it until the end?

Sales teams can save time, personalize their contacts and send effective sales emails by developing a cold email template. These repeatable messages allow B2B and B2C to create personalized emails that connect with cold leads. The template will include all the pertinent information for a successful sales email, but leave space for sales reps to customize the recipeients’ name, company name and other known information.

How to Write a Cold Email

What is a cold email, and how do you write an effective one? A cold email is one sent to a prospective client with whom you have no prior connection. An effective cold email campaign can be a challenge, but it’s an essential part of the sales process. Creating a cold email template with the elements of a successful sales email can help in the process.

Unsure how to boost your cold email outreach? Cold emailing doesn’t have to be a chore, just write a cold email template that includes the following important elements:

  1. Intriguing subject line – Subject lines are the first, and sometimes the only, part of an email that is read, so it’s important to make a positive impression. Create a subject line that will entice the prospect to learn more by opening the email.
  2. To and from details – Be sure and edit the “from” details in your email settings so recipients see your name and company. Cold emails with unprofessional from details might go straight to the spam folder. Likewise, be sure your email addresses the recipient so it can be directed to the right person.
  3. Catchy opening line – Your prospects might not spend time reading further into your cold email if you don’t catch their attention in your opening line. Take the opportunity to touch upon a recipient’s pain point here, so they immediately relate to the content of the email.
  4. Value proposition – What can you offer the prospect that will benefit their pain points and small business? What problem can you solve for the prospect, if only they try out your product or service? Every effective cold email must include a value proposition. Why should the prospect’s company care?
  5. Social proof – An effective cold email template also can include social proof, establishing how the product or service has worked for others. This part of the email might include statistics, testimonials or even product demonstrations from a blog post or social media.
  6. Call to action – What does the sales rep hope to accomplish with the cold email? Always remember to ask a prospect and state your call to action, and never assume they know the purpose of the sales pitch. Keep in mind, the goal of most cold emails is not to close a deal, but to establish a further connection or meeting with the prospect.
  7. Personalized details – Cold emails without personalized details are destined to travel from the prospect’s inbox to the recipient’s spam folder. An effective cold email template must include spaces to personalize the recipient’s information, including the appropriate person’s name, the prospect’s company name and any other known details. Some successful cold emails even will include personalized subject lines.
  8. Detailed signature – Who is sending the email, and how can the prospect get in touch with the right person? Effective sales emails should include a professional signature, which includes the closing, the “sincerely” portion, of the email. Include not only the sender’s name, but the company name, website, phone number and even social media contact information.

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Best Cold Email Template Examples

Want to create a cold email template that effectively reaches your target audience? Consider the following cold email template examples when developing a cold email strategy to aid in your business development efforts:

1. Cold Email Template b2b Service Sales

In this thorough example of a cold email template, Selling Signals leaves ample space for personalization, customizing not only the prospect’s name and company, but even customizing their pain points, problems and the benefits offered. The B2B sales service email template can serve as a model for a sales team contacting business prospects.

2. b2b Product Sales Example

In this B2B product sales email template, Leadfeeder offers a short message that seeks to set up a quick call with the prospect. The cold email template leaves space for basic personalization, and its delivery is short, sweet and to the point, the appropriate format when you might be reaching prospects on their mobile devices.

3. Cold Email to Potential Client

A cold email sent to a specific potential client will need less space for personalization. In the above sales email template example, MailShake opens with an intriguing question before transitioning to pain points and a strong value proposition. As far as email templates go, this example hits all the necessary elements for a successful cold email campaign.

4. Website Visitor Cold Email Template

Cold email campaigns often involve contacting prospects who have visited a company website or signed up for a company newsletter. In this email template example from Leadfeeder, the message is directed at those who recently created an online profile. The follow up email is designed to boost sales among a prospect who already expressed interest in the brand… the ideal customer.

5. Unanswered Cold Call Email Template

Sales teams might send cold emails to prospects when a cold call goes unanswered. In such cases, customizable email templates will save time and ensure an effective message relevant to the cold sales call. In this cold email template example, Sales Handy includes important contact information in a short and sweet message that drives straight to the point.

6. First Follow Up Template

A sales manager also can ensure their teams are saving time and sending effective cold emails by creating specific templates for follow up messages. A follow up template should reference the earlier contact and provide space to mention that specific prior meeting. In this example of an effective follow up email template, Hubspot reminds the recipient of an earlier meeting before suggesting a new meeting to further discuss the opportunity.

7. Final Follow Up Template

Successful sales teams will make multiple follow ups when nurturing their leads. It’s important to have a cold email template for each phase of the sales process, including a final follow-up attempt in your cold outreach email. In this example of a final follow up email template, Lemlist reminds the prospect of a prior email and quickly adds a short value proposition.

Cold Email Subject Line Examples

Without a good subject line, there’s a decent chance that the subject line will be the only part of the cold email your prospects will read… before sending the entire message to their spam folders. Therefore, a captivating subject line is vital when creating cold email templates.

Unsure how to write effective subject lines for your cold email templates? The following examples can give you a few ideas:

Let’s talk about (TOPIC)!

Free to talk at (DATE/TIME)?

(NAME), I need your advice.

Do you need help with your (CHALENGE)

A better way to (REACH A GOAL/ACCOMPLISHMENT)!

Are you ready for this?

Ready to remove the guesswork from (ACTIVITY)?

Can you help me out?

Use Our Cold Email Templates to Write Your Own Cold Emails

Did you find a cold email example that helps you write your best cold email template? Perhaps you’ve decided to combine elements from the above cold email examples with your own unique and creative subject line to follow up on your cold calls, phone calls and other sales strategies to boost response rates.

Remember, your prospects are busy people, so it’s important for your cold email templates to be short and direct, only including the necessary details to create an awesome post. You even might invest in cold email software to help facilitate the entire process, improving the unsolicited emails sent and resulting in more satisfied customers.

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Image: Depositphotos



Samantha Lile Samantha Lile is a staff writer for Small Business Trends and has been a member of the team for 3 years. She is also a freelance writer and journalist who contributes to a variety of web publications from her home office in the heart of the Ozarks.