Cold email templates for prospecting
A cold email works when it's short, personal and easy to answer. Here's the structure and five templates to get started.
Most cold emails go unanswered because they talk about the sender, not the reader. They're long, generic and ask for too much at once.
Here's the structure of a cold email that works, five templates for different situations and a way to personalize them in seconds without losing the human touch.
The structure of a good cold email
- A short, specific subject line, without all caps or exaggerated promises.
- An opening line about the other person: something you noticed about their company or work.
- One sentence on how you can help, with a concrete result.
- An easy question to answer, like a short call with two day options.
- Under 120 words. If it doesn't fit on a phone screen, it's too long.
5 cold email templates
1. First contact
Subject: An idea for [company] Hi [name], I saw that [company] [something specific you noticed]. We help teams like yours [concrete result]. Would a 15-minute call on Thursday or Friday work for you?
2. Referral
Subject: [referrer's name] suggested I reach out Hi [name], [Person] mentioned you're working on [topic]. We recently helped [similar company] with something similar. Could I tell you how on a short call?
3. After an event
Subject: Your talk at [event] Hi [name], I really enjoyed what you shared at [event] about [topic]. I kept thinking about [specific idea]. That's exactly what we work on with teams like yours. Could we talk for 15 minutes?
4. Follow-up
Subject: Re: An idea for [company] Hi [name], Following up in case my email got buried. I know these weeks are busy. Is this still a priority for you?
5. Breakup email
Subject: Should I close the loop? Hi [name], I haven't heard back, so I imagine now isn't a good time. I won't write about this again. If things change in the future, I'm here. Best of luck with [project]!
Tips to get replies
- Spend two minutes researching before writing: their website, a recent news item, their professional profile.
- Write to a person, not a company. The email should only make sense for them.
- Don't attach files to the first email: many spam filters penalize them.
- Follow up two or three times at most, spaced several days apart.
- Follow your country's rules on commercial communications and always offer a way to opt out.
Personalize them in seconds
The personal part is what makes a cold email work, and it's exactly what takes the most time. With NexoPad you save your template with a shortcut like /cold and mark the name, company and reason for reaching out as variables.
When you type the shortcut in your CRM or email, NexoPad asks for those details and writes the full message. You only add what you researched; the rest is done.
Frequently asked questions
How many words should a cold email have?
Under 120. Ideally it can be read in full without scrolling on a phone.
How many follow-ups should I send?
Two or three, a few days apart, plus a final breakup email. Pushing harder usually hurts your image.
What's the best day to send them?
It depends on the industry, so test it. Avoid times when people rush through their inbox, like first thing Monday morning.
What about after the first reply?
You'll find ideas to keep the conversation going in our sales follow-up templates.
Published on October 11, 20267 min read
Try NexoPad for free
Text shortcuts, notes, links and AI in any tab. Install it in under a minute.