20 august 2024, 11:38
365
Cold emailing is an effective way to build business relationships, but getting it right is challenging. It involves emailing someone you don’t have a prior relationship with, so you need considerable effort to draw their attention.
We’ve already posted a few articles regarding this sensitive topic. A recent one discusses various aspects of crafting an appealing cold email, focusing on the cold email subject line. Another one outlined the numerous issues related to cold emailing laws. In today’s article, we’ll offer the best templates for your cold emails.
What are email templates?
A template is a predefined layout of an email. Rather than create cold emails from scratch, you can use a professional template as the foundation and edit it to suit your tastes. Templates help ensure your cold emails are up to standard.
Many marketers have created templates based on previous emails that delivered excellent results for them. Instead of reinventing the wheel, you can use these proven templates for your own emails.
How to write effective cold emails
Effective cold emailing requires paying attention to the following steps:
1. Research the recipient
The first step of cold emailing is conducting extensive research about the recipient. This research gives you a complete understanding of the recipient and the right way to connect with them. There’s no place for random spraying and praying in cold emailing; your email must be as personalized as possible to get good results.
Avenues for research include:
- Social media profiles: Check the recipient’s profile on LinkedIn, the most popular business-oriented social platform. What does their bio say? What role do they hold? Do they have posts indicating the type of company they like to work with? These insights help you determine the right approach.
- B2B databases: Check B2B databases like ZoomInfo and SalesIntel for information on your cold emailing target. Suppose you find a relevant target on LinkedIn but don’t know their email address. You can search for their name on ZoomInfo and possibly get their or their colleagues’ email address.
- Websites and blogs: If you’re targeting an employee of a specific company, you can check the company’s website for information about them. Their role and contact information might be listed there, especially if they’re an executive. Some employees also write on corporate blogs, so you can check their articles to understand their preferences.
2. Subject line
The subject line is the first thing your cold email recipient sees, determining whether they open or ignore it. You must be creative to grab their attention, which centers on personalization. Including the recipient’s name in the subject line will grab their attention and improve your open rates. You can also consider the following:
- One-word subject lines usually have higher open rates because they are precise. Even if it can’t be one word, keep the subject line as short as possible.
- The subject line can double as a call-to-action (CTA), directing the recipient to take a specific action.
- Asking questions in a subject line intrigues the recipient, making them more likely to open the message. Examples include “Need help with your online store?”, “Are you ready for the holiday season?” and “Did you find what you are looking for?”.
- Humorous subject lines can amuse the reader and make them open an email.
- Use language that conveys a sense of urgency, e.g., “It’s prime time for this discount”, “Limited time offer”, and “3 days remaining to enroll for this course”.
- Avoid using clickbait in subject lines. Even if the recipient falls for the clickbait, they’ll likely get annoyed when they notice the content doesn’t rhyme with the subject line.
- A/B test your subject lines to see what works best. There’s no perfect formula for subject lines, but A/B testing utilizes trial and error to help you discover what works best.
3. The first two sentences
A good subject line makes the recipient open your email. After that, you’ll need a good first impression to convince the prospect to read through your email. You have the first two sentences to achieve this goal, preferably by personalizing it for the recipient.
Rule out mundane sentences like "I hope all is well" or "I am contacting you because," as the recipient has likely seen them many times. Instead, get personal and address the recipient by name and title. Below is an example:
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Hi Abby, You're a "Sales Executive" at [Company Name], and I’ve read your LinkedIn post about your company's search for a solution to its [Problem Statement]. I have a solution you’ll likely be interested in, and it’s… |
4. Have a value proposition
The point of a cold email is to offer something valuable to the recipient. Why should the recipient respond to an email from someone they haven’t encountered before? They’ll only do that when there’s something tangible to respond to.
After the first few sentences comes the value proposition. How can your product benefit the reader? How can it drive better results for their organization? Below is an example:
| Our product helps sales executives communicate better with customers while freeing time to devote to more complex tasks. On average, companies that use our product report a 30% increase in annual sales and a 20% reduction in deal closing times. |
The above example clearly states the value proposition and provides figures to support it. Figures are crucial because they give the recipient precise data they can work with.
5. Include social proof
You have stated a value proposition, but why should the recipient trust it? After all, anyone can make up figures to support their proposition. That’s where social proof comes into play. You can cite a testimonial or case study from another customer, proving to the recipient that someone else has tried and tested your product. Your value proposition becomes more credible when another person can attest to it.
Below is an example:
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Hi Abby, …. Here’s [Some Company’s] Head of Sales describing how adopting [Product Name] increased annual sales by 35% and reduced deal closing times by 25%: “[Product Name] has been a game changer for our organization and sales team. We’re delighted with it and have committed to long-term usage.” |
The above social proof is from a sales executive, giving Abby evidence from another person with a similar executive position. This way, she’s assured of your value proposition.
6. Add a call-to-action
A cold email is incomplete without a call to action. You must suggest a specific action for the recipient, or else they may be confused. There’s no point in reading a well-crafted cold email and not knowing how to respond. Suggest a specific action, such as “Reply to this email for more information”, “Contact us via this link”, “Sign up for a free trial”, “Visit our website for more information”, etc.
Below is an example:
| Chances are you're interested in this product to boost your company's sales outcomes, so here’s the link to sign up for a 30-day free trial: [Link]. If you have any inquiries, please reply to this email or fill out the contact form on our website. |
Here’s another example where you let the recipient choose a virtual or physical meeting time. This method is convenient for both parties.
| Chances are you're interested in this product to boost your company's sales outcomes. If so, here’s my Calendly link to choose any time you’re comfortable with a video call: [Link]. I look forward to a productive conversation. |
There’s no perfect CTA format, but you can use A/B testing to discover what works best for your prospects.
Cold email templates
We’ve discussed the tips for writing the best cold email templates. But how about seeing examples you can imitate? Below are various cold email templates you can learn from:
1. Asking for an introduction
This cold email template is helpful when asking the recipient for an introduction to someone else. Suppose you’re pitching a software product but don’t know who’s in charge of technical decisions at an organization. You can send a cold email to an employee politely asking for an introduction to the technical team leader.
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Subject line: Can you show me the way? Dear [Recipient's Name], I read your LinkedIn post outlining your organization's challenges in communicating with customers. My name is [Your Name], and I am reaching out from [Your Company], a prominent CRM software provider. We have a solution that’ll help your organization by [your product's key value proposition]. I would love to discuss this further with the right person on your technical team. Could you kindly introduce me to your Technical Head or the appropriate person in charge of technology decisions? I believe this could be a great opportunity to boost your organization’s growth and competitiveness. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Best regards, |
2. Guest post cold email template
This cold call email template will come handy when you want to publish an article on someone else’s website to build an online presence for your company. The key is convincing the recipient that the guest post benefits them, e.g., helping to improve their website’s search engine rankings.
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Subject line: I can help your site rank for [keyword] Hi [Recipient’s Name] I'm an avid reader of [Recipient's Website Name] and I appreciate the content you post regularly. I observed that you aren't ranking for a [relevant keyword], while [the recipient's competitor] does and gets a substantial competitive advantage. This keyword gets [number of monthly searches]. Ranking high for it will significantly boost your traffic and increase ad revenue. I wrote a detailed article about [the keyword] and optimized it with my SEO toolkit. It's ready to publish, and I believe it'll draw sizable traffic to your website. All I ask is that you attribute my author profile. I’m a seasoned author, and you can see previous examples of my articles on this blog: [your blog link]. Please let me know if you’re interested in this guest post. Cheers, [Your Full Name] |
3. Recent event cold email template
Tying your cold email to a recent event is an effective way to get the recipient’s attention. Suppose your recipient’s organization just announced a significant sales milestone. You can congratulate them before stating your value proposition. The recent event gives you an easy way to connect with the recipient.
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Hi [Name] I saw the recent news about your company closing a big sales agreement with aerospace firm Boeing. Congrats on this major milestone! This deal will see [Recipient’s Company Name] drastically increase its headcount to fulfill the massive order volume, and fast-growing companies experience significant setbacks. In that case, let me introduce you to [Your Product’s Name], an employee survey platform that makes it easy to gather feedback from staff. As the HR head of [Recipient’s Company Name], this software will help you get honest feedback and weigh employees’ opinions when making decisions. Growing pains are expected, but [Product Name] makes it manageable. If you'd like to know more, let's set up a quick call. Here's a link to my calendar to choose an appropriate time, or feel free to send yours so I can choose a convenient time. Cheers, |
4. A short sales pitch template
Sometimes, you just need to make a sales pitch to the recipient without diving into too many details. Below is a cold email template for sales pitches:
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Subject line: Transform Your HR Operations with [Your Product Name] Dear [Recipient's Name], Your LinkedIn profile shows you’re the HR lead at [Recipient’s Company Name], and I greatly enjoyed your posts about employee management. I wanted to introduce you to [Your Product Name], a comprehensive HR solution to help your company streamline its employee management processes. Our software offers a robust time management system, in-depth analytics reports, and a seamless employee benefits and compensation management platform. Whether you're looking to optimize workforce productivity or make data-driven decisions, [Your Product Name] has you covered. I'd love to discuss how we can help you elevate your HR operations. Could we schedule a quick call this week? Looking forward to connecting. Best regards, |
5. The quick question template
You can send a cold email to ask a quick question from a time-strapped employee. Below is an ideal template:
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Subject line: Quick question about [Recipient’s Company] Hi [Recipient's Name] My name is [Your Name], and I am the technical lead from [Your Company’s Name]. I noticed [something relevant about the recipient’s website], and I believe we can help you [state a problem and value proposition]. We’ve worked with companies like [Company 1] and [Company 2] and have had overwhelmingly positive reviews. For instance, we helped [Company 1] increase its annual sales by 40% and reduce customer churn by 20%. I'd love to discuss if there's an opportunity for us to work together. Would you be free for a brief call this week? Cheers, |
6. The PAS template
PAS is an acronym for “Problem, Agitate, Solution”, a framework for concise and persuasive cold emails. You start by stating the recipient's problem. Then, you agitate that problem so that the recipient understands it thoroughly. Finally, you offer your product as the solution.
Below is an example of a PAS template for a cold email:
| Hi [Recipient’s Name],
(Problem) We noticed that your portfolio website has been down for over an hour. What if you miss out on that lucrative request because the client can't access your website? The website seems fine, but the issue comes from the domain not resolving.(Agitate) Downtime is expensive because you could lose new clients, and existing clients might sour on your business. Your search engine rankings might also slip because of downtime. Your website needs an urgent solution and a monitoring app that alerts you to downtime.(Solution) The good news is that [Product Name] monitors your website and its critical functions for just $5 monthly. You'll get email and SMS alerts if your website goes down for any second, ensuring you resolve the issue and avoid losing clients. If interested, here’s a 30-day free trial link for [Product Name]. Don’t hesitate to reply to this email with any inquiries. Cheers, |
7. AIDA template
AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is another framework for creating effective cold emails. First, you capture the recipient's attention with a compelling subject line. Then, you state your value proposition to generate interest in your product. The next step is creating desire by demonstrating that value, and the last step is a call to action.
Below is an example of the AIDA cold email template:
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(Attention) Subject line: Save time, Get leads Hi [Recipient’s Name],(Interest) Your LinkedIn profile indicates your role as a salesperson of the Rift Valley social media agency. You’re in a competitive industry where getting clients is challenging, starting with finding the right people to pitch your services to.(Desire) What if I told you about [Product Name], an extensive database of B2B contact information? With [Product Name], you can search for names and email addresses of key decision-makers across numerous companies. Gone are the days of sifting endlessly through the internet to find people to pitch your services to. Toast to the days of having this information available at your fingertips.(Action) You can follow this link to learn more about [Product Name] and sign up for a 30-day free trial. Feel free to reply to this email with any inquiries. Best Regards, |
8. The freebie cold email template
Everyone loves freebies, so including one in your cold email is bound to get the recipient’s attention. For example, you can include a free monthly subscription or a deep discount for your product. It might not even be your product: a voucher or an ebook is enough to draw the recipient’s attention.
Below is an ideal freebie cold email template:
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Subject line: We’ll help you solve [a problem] Hi [Recipient’s Name], I'm [Name] at [Your Company]. Based on my experience working with other businesses in your industry, is it fair to say your organization struggles with [problem statement]? I’ve worked in this sector for a while and built valuable experience tackling this challenge. Our team at [Your Company’s Name] has created a free guide on overcoming this [pain point]. You can download the guide for free via this link: [Link]. I'd appreciate it if you could study this guide and see how our approach compares to that of your organization. If you think our approach is good, feel free to arrange a call for more information. My contact info is [phone number]. Cheers, |
9. No-ask outreach template
You might have a major request from a prospect. But, because you have yet to establish any prior relationship, you'll start with a simple outreach. The hope is to build a formidable commercial relationship and make your request later.
Below is a no-ask cold email template:
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Subject line: Your feature on our website Hello [Recipient's First Name] My content team at [Your Company] recently published a post about the top ten supply chain software platforms, and [Recipient's Company Name] was included. We appreciate the numerous features of [Recipient's Product] that help companies manage their supply chains, and we detailed these features in our review [Link to the blog post]. We’re glad that [Recipient’s Product] was highlighted as the second-best entry. I’d love to hear your thoughts about this feature or any further information we can add to it. Feel free to reply to this email with any information or inquiries. Cheers, |
10. “Making connections” template
You can use cold emails to connect and build relationships with new leads. The aim is to leverage this relationship into a business deal instead of selling something initially and likely getting ignored.
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Subject line - Industry trends for [Recipient’s Company Name] Hi [Recipient’s Name] Have you seen much about how artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting the education sector? Specifically, how AI-powered educational courses provide personalized learning experiences for elementary students. [Recipient’s Company Name] runs a major edtech platform for kids, and it’s crucial to pay attention to these disruptions to avoid getting outcompeted. As the technical lead for [Recipient’s Company Name], I believe you must know these trends and how to keep your company competitive amid this disruption. Are you available to discuss how [Recipient’s Company Name] can remain competitive and serve clients better? We have many insights to offer to help build your business. Cheers, |
11. “Paint a picture” cold email template
This template is about building a narrative. It makes your recipient visualize how things could improve when they adopt your product or service. A good narrative increases the likelihood of getting a response from the prospect.
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Subject line - No more losing great candidates Hi [Recipient’s First Name] As an HR lead, few things are more painful than losing an excellent candidate because you lose track of their resume, interview history, and contact information. Imagine a world where this won't occur again because all relevant information about a candidate is stored and managed in one platform. That world is already here. It’s [Your Product Name], an all-in-one platform to manage all HR functions at [Recipient’s Company Name]. Are you available this week for a quick demo? If so, we can schedule an appointment to discuss further. [Your Product Name] offers a 30-day free trial, so you have enough time to test the features before making a final decision. Cheers, |
12. The third-party connection template
Suppose you want to contact someone at an organization but find it challenging to reach them directly. You can ask another employee at the organization to connect you with the person. Junior employees can connect you to their organizational decision-makers if you play your cards right.
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Hi [Recipient’s First Name] I came across your LinkedIn profile and wanted to know if you could help me out. Your profile indicates you're a software engineer at [Recipient's Company Name]. I have a solution for [industry problem] that your company could benefit from, but I'm having trouble reaching the right person for this pitch. Could you please point me to the person in charge of technical discussions so I can discuss this opportunity? How may I reach this person? I appreciate your time and effort. Cheers, |
13. The “straight to business” template
Sometimes, a direct approach is what is needed to get the required response. The "straight to business" template follows this approach, getting straight to the point without adding any fluff.
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Hi [Recipient’s First Name] Are you satisfied with your customer support system? We've helped large enterprises like yours reduce support costs yet boost productivity by [x%]. All we did was provide an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that scours your internal data to give customers accurate answers to simple questions. Our chatbot is easy to set up and requires no long onboarding process. It will help take care of simple inquiries and free up time for your customer support team to devote to complex tasks. Are you available this week to discuss how [Product Name] can help your organization? Cheers, |
Conclusion
Cold emailing helps businesses build productive relationships if done correctly. You can find long-term customers via cold emailing, but only if you follow expert recommendations to make your emails unique. We’ve dished out tips for writing effective cold emails and templates you can use. Follow these tips, and you’ll likely observe an improvement in your cold email response rates.
Ensure you also choose a reliable email service provider (ESP) like UniOne to send your cold emails. We offer excellent deliverability, speed, and analytics for an affordable price. With our platform, you’re assured that your emails get to the intended recipients and help you build productive business relationships.
