Many cold emails fail for the same few reasons: they are about the sender, they ask for too much, and they could have been sent to anyone. The templates below are built the other way round. Each one starts from a situation at the reader's company, keeps to one ask, and fits on a phone screen.
01
What makes a cold email work
- A reason about them. Something specific and recent at their company, such as a trigger event, not a fact about you.
- One ask. A question they can answer in a word, or a short call. Never three options.
- Short. Under about 100 words for a first email. If it needs scrolling on a phone, it is too long.
- Plain text. No images, no links and no tracking in the first email, especially from a new domain.
- From a person. A real name, a real signature, and a tone you would use with a colleague.
02
The anatomy of a cold email
| Part | Its job | Keep it to |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Get the email opened without sounding like marketing | 3 to 6 words, often about them |
| Opening line | Show you know something specific about them | One sentence |
| Bridge | Connect that fact to a problem you solve | One or two sentences |
| Ask | Give them one easy next step | One question |
| Sign off | Make it clear a person wrote it | Your name, no long footer |
03
Nine cold email templates, by situation
All of these are invented examples. Replace everything in square brackets, and delete any line you cannot fill in truthfully.
1. A trigger event
Use when something dated just happened at the company: a new site, a new system, a new market.
Template 1 · invented example
Subject: [the event, in 3 or 4 words] Hi [First name], Saw [Company] [the event, e.g. opened a second warehouse in Leeds] last month. Teams at that stage usually hit [the problem you solve, e.g. stock split across two sites] within a few months. Is that something you are planning for this quarter? [Your name]
Why it works. It leads with a fact about them that is recent and true, connects it to one problem, and asks a question they can answer in a word.
2. A new leader
Use when someone new has started in the role you sell to.
Template 2 · invented example
Subject: your first 90 days at [Company] Hi [First name], Congrats on the new role at [Company]. New [role, e.g. heads of operations] often spend the first months [the common task, e.g. reviewing which tools stay and which go]. If [the problem you solve] is on that list, I can share how [type of company] handled it. Worth a short call? [Your name]
Why it works. New leaders are reviewing things anyway. It respects that they are busy and offers something useful for the review they are already doing.
3. A referral
Use when a colleague or customer pointed you to this person.
Template 3 · invented example
Subject: [Referrer's name] suggested I reach out Hi [First name], [Referrer's name] mentioned you are the person who looks after [area] at [Company]. We helped [Referrer's company or "a team like yours"] with [result, in plain words]. Would it be worth 15 minutes to see if it applies to you? [Your name]
Why it works. A name they know does most of the work. Keep it short and let the referral carry the trust.
4. A competitor's customer
Use when you know the company uses a competing product and something has changed.
Template 4 · invented example
Subject: [Company] and [problem area] Hi [First name], I understand [Company] uses [type of tool, not the brand] for [job]. Teams that [the change, e.g. add a second country] often find [the limit you solve, e.g. it does not handle more than one currency]. If that has come up, I'd be glad to show how others handled the switch. [Your name]
Why it works. It names a real limit tied to a real change, without attacking the competitor. To find these accounts, use a competitor analysis. Switches often happen when something changes, not when a rival emails.
5. Their own content
Use when the person wrote or spoke about the problem you solve.
Template 5 · invented example
Subject: your post on [topic] Hi [First name], Read your post on [topic]. The point about [specific point] matched what we keep hearing from [type of team]. We put together [a short resource, e.g. a one-page checklist] on exactly that. Want me to send it over? [Your name]
Why it works. It proves you read their work, and the ask is tiny: yes or no to a free resource.
6. A problem question
Use when you have no event, but you know a common problem for this kind of company.
Template 6 · invented example
Subject: question about [problem area] Hi [First name], Quick question: how is [Company] handling [the problem, e.g. month end with stock in three places]? Most [type of company] we speak to [what they do today, e.g. reconcile it by hand in spreadsheets], which takes [the cost, e.g. most of the first week]. If that sounds familiar, happy to share what has worked for others. [Your name]
Why it works. When there is no trigger, a sharp, specific question about a common pain is the next best reason. Keep it to one problem.
7. An event they attended
Use when you both attended, or they spoke at, an event.
Template 7 · invented example
Subject: [Event name] Hi [First name], I was at [Event name] too. Your comment on [topic] stuck with me. We work with [type of company] on [problem]. Would it be useful to compare notes over a short call? [Your name]
Why it works. A shared context makes the email feel less cold, and the ask is framed as two peers comparing notes.
8. A follow up
Use 2 to 3 days after the first email, in the same thread.
Template 8 · invented example
Hi [First name], Following up with one more thing that might help: [a new reason, e.g. a two-line example of what changed for a similar team]. If now is not the right time, no problem at all. [Your name]
Why it works. It adds something new instead of "just bumping this", and makes saying no easy.
9. A last email
Use as the final email in a sequence.
Template 9 · invented example
Subject: closing the loop Hi [First name], I have not heard back, so I will assume [problem area] is not a priority right now. If that changes, reply to this email and I will pick it up from there. [Your name]
Why it works. A clean exit is respectful, and it often gets a reply from people who meant to answer earlier.
04
Adding one true line to a template
You do not need a paragraph of personal detail. You need one true, specific line. Spend two or three minutes per person: check the company's news, its job posts and the person's recent posts, and pick the single most relevant fact.
If you cannot find one, use the problem question template rather than a generic compliment. "Love what you're doing at [Company]" tells the reader you did not look. For the full method, from choosing how deep to go to doing it at scale, see cold email personalization.
05
Common cold email mistakes
Opening with yourself. "My name is" and "we are a leading" are skipped by every reader.
Too many asks. A call, a demo and a case study in one email means none of them happen.
Fake personalisation. A merged first name and company name is not a reason.
Links and images in the first email. They hurt deliverability and look like marketing.
A template sent unchanged. Templates are a structure, not a script. Fill every bracket with something true.
06
The cold email checklist
Before you send
- The first line is a specific, true fact about them.
- The email has one ask, and it is easy to answer.
- It reads in under 30 seconds on a phone.
- There are no links, images or tracking in the first email.
- Every bracket is filled with something true, or the line is deleted.
- The follow ups are planned, each with a new reason.
07
Where to go next
A template is only one step. Plan the follow ups with cold email follow up timing, and check your sending setup with how many cold emails per day per domain.
For the whole system, from the list to the replies, read outbound lead generation, explained. Reaching the same people on LinkedIn? Use these LinkedIn outreach templates.