A cold email is an unsolicited email sent to someone you haven’t contacted before and don’t have an existing relationship with. It’s “cold” because you are starting from scratch to form a new connection.
Benefits of Using Cold Email Templates
- Save time - Email templates allow you to reuse content instead of crafting new messages every time. You can personalize bulk emails easily while keeping subject lines and messaging consistent.
- Increase opens & responses - Well-designed templates look more professional and are optimized to avoid spam filters compared to drafting each email individually.
- Improve tracking - Email marketing platforms make it easy to track open rates and engagement with template-based emails sent in bulk.
Types of Cold Email Templates
There are templates optimized for different cold email goals:
Outreach - Introduce yourself and start a relationship. Example: Reaching out to potential new clients.
Sales - Make a pitch or proposal. Example: Following up after a sales call.
Partnerships - Explore collaborations with another company.
Guest Posting - Pitch article ideas to publishers.
Job Inquiries - Express interest and follow up on job listings.
Events - Coordinate meetings, calls, or other events.
Key Elements of Effective Cold Emails
Subject Line - Get opened by indicating relevancy, urgency, social proof, curiosity, or value.
Personalization - Refer to specifics on why you’re reaching out to this particular prospect to stand out.
Relevance - Quickly establish common ground and reasons why it makes sense to connect.
Value Proposition - Demonstrate you can add value, not just request something.
Call-to-Action - Provide next steps to continue the conversation.
Cold Email Templates by Type
Now let’s explore cold email template examples for different use cases:
Outreach Cold Email Template
Use this template to introduce yourself and start forming a relationship:
Subject: Quick introduction - [Common Ground Fact]
Dear [First Name],
[Personalization - How you discovered them, why you want to connect, common ground fact, etc.]
I wanted to reach out because [Relevance - Reasons it makes sense to connect]
[Value Proposition - Quick background on you and/or offer of value]
I'm hoping to [Call-to-Action - Request for connection, offer to help, next step, etc.]
Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Company]
Sales Cold Email Template
Use this template to follow up after initial contact with a sales prospect:
Subject: Following up on [Product] discussion
Hi [First Name],
I enjoyed our conversation last week about [Relevance - Topic discussed]. As discussed, [Product] can help address your challenges with [Summary of Pain Points].
Specifically, here is how [Product] would benefit your organization:
-[Value Prop 1] -[Value Prop 2] -[Value Prop 3]
Please find more details in the attached product sheet. [CTA - Let me know if you would like to schedule a demo or have any other questions.]
Best, [Your name]
Job Application Cold Email Template
Use this template to follow up after applying for a job:
Subject: [Your Name] - Follow Up on [Job Title] Application
Dear [Hiring Manager Name],
I recently applied for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name] and wanted to reiterate my strong interest in this opportunity. As outlined in my resume, [Personalization - Summary of your relevant qualifications and experience.]
I believe my skills in [Key Skill 1], [Key Skill 2], and [Key Skill 3] would enable me to add value to your team. [Optional Value Proposition - Example of relevant work output or measurable accomplishments].
Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide to demonstrate why I am an excellent fit for this role. I welcome the opportunity to speak further about the position and how my background aligns with your needs. [Optional CTA if there is a specific next step you want them to take].
Thank you for your consideration, [Your Name]
Cold Email Templates By Industry
Email templates can also be tailored to different industries and niche professional roles. Here are examples:
Consulting Cold Email
Introduce experience and offer free consultation.
Real Estate Cold Email
Provide market updates to prospects.
Recruiting Cold Email
Inquire about open positions.
PR Cold Email
Pitch story ideas to journalists.
Marketing Cold Email
Propose lead generation partnership.
The core messaging can remain similar across templates, while customizing specifics to each industry and individual prospect. Personalize every email as much as possible.
Cold Email Template Best Practices
Crafting effective cold email templates takes strategy and finesse. Follow these best practices:
Know the rules - Be aware of anti-spam laws and email regulations when acquiring email lists and sending bulk messages. Ensure opt-out compliance.
Personalize - Customize each email with the recipient's name, company, position, interests etc. Segment and tailor messaging to key customer groups.
Emphasize value - Clearly communicate how you can help solve a problem or meet a need rather than only stating what you want.
Make it skimmable - Use short paragraphs and bullet points so readers can quickly grasp key info.
Catch attention quickly - Compelling subject lines drive opens. Highlight common ground, social proof, benefits, or curiosity hooks.
Follow up persistently - Send 2-3 follow-ups spaced 3-5 days apart to non-responders before removing them from your active list.
Test and optimize - Try different subject lines, content, designs, timing etc. and track open & reply rates to guide improvements.
Integrate into nurture campaigns - Combine cold email outreach with lead nurturing sequences through your email service, CRM, or marketing automation platform.
Sync with sales - Share email templates and contact/response data with sales teams to coordinate follow-up discussions.
Comply with regulations - Review anti-spam, email marketing, and data privacy laws in the geographies you are emailing to avoid issues. Segment accordingly.
Following cold email best practices takes work but generates better results over scattershot messaging.
Key Takeaways
- Effective cold email templates save time, increase engagement, and enable tracking compared to drafting custom messages.
- Personalize each email with specific details on the prospect's company, role, interests, and incentives to connect.
- Optimize templates for different goals - outreach, sales, events, partnerships, hiring, guest posting, etc.
- Use A/B testing to improve email subject lines, content, and calls to action.
- Automate sequences combining cold emails with follow-up messages based on reply rates.
With planning, personalization, testing, and automation, cold email templates can become an efficient tool for business development, recruiting, PR, and marketing campaigns.
Create a personalized opening email with Relevance AI
This tutorial shows how you can use Relevance AI to generate a personalized opening email that is unique to your prospect. Signup for free and use the template.
