Templates
Cold email templates that read like a person wrote them.
21 short templates for the reasons people actually write cold emails — and the follow-ups after them. Each one says when to use it, why it works and what you need to fill in.
First emails
The opening email, for the reason you're writing.
- First emailProblem-first introA short first email that leads with a problem the prospect recognises, not with your product.
- First emailThey're hiringA first email triggered by a job posting — the clearest public sign that a team has the problem you solve.
- First emailThey raised fundingA first email after a company announces funding, tied to what the money is for rather than the money itself.
- First emailNew in their roleA first email to someone who started a new job in the last few months, when they're deciding what to change.
- First emailThey launched somethingA first email after a company launches a product or feature, about the work that comes after a launch.
- First emailThey use a related toolA first email to people who use a tool your product integrates with or works alongside.
- First emailAsking for the right personA short email asking who owns a problem, for when you know the company but not the person.
- First emailSomeone referred youA first email that opens with the person who sent you, for when a contact suggested you get in touch.
- First emailThey published somethingA first email that responds to a post, talk or interview the prospect gave.
- First emailAfter an eventA first email to someone who attended, spoke at or exhibited at the same event as you.
- First emailA customer like themA first email that tells a short story about a customer who looks like the prospect.
- First emailAgency pitchA first email for agencies and freelancers, built on a specific observation about the prospect's business.
- First emailPartnership proposalA first email proposing a partnership — co-marketing, an integration or referrals — to a company with the same customers.
- First emailRecruiting a candidateA first email to a potential hire who isn't looking, built on their work and what's interesting about the role.
Follow-ups
What to send when the first email gets no answer.
- Follow-upShort nudgeA two-line follow-up for a few days after the first email, sent in the same thread, with one new thing.
- Follow-upNew angleA third-touch follow-up that tries a different reason to care, for about a week after the first email.
- Follow-upBreakup emailThe last email in a sequence: a clear, friendly close that often gets more replies than the emails before it.
- Follow-upMissed meetingA friendly email for when a prospect doesn't show up to a call they booked, offering two easy ways forward.
- Follow-upAfter a "not now"The email to send months after a prospect said the timing was wrong — with a reason to talk now.
Re-engaging
Picking a conversation back up after it went quiet.
Before you send
A good template can't fix a bad send.
The whole picture is in the cold email sequences guide.
- 01Fill in every [bracketed] part, and preview the email for a few real prospects — especially ones with missing fields. Writing follow-ups
- 02Send from a domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up, and check it before the first campaign. Free DNS checker
- 03Ramp new mailboxes up slowly and keep each one to a modest daily volume. Ramping up a new mailbox
- 04Say who you are, give people an easy way to opt out, and stop when they ask. Unsubscribes in cold email
FAQ
Questions about the templates
Can I send these templates as they are?
No — and you shouldn't want to. Each one has [bracketed] parts only you can write: why you chose this person, a customer like them, a result. Those parts are what earn replies; the structure around them just keeps the email short.
What do {{firstName|there}} and the other variables mean?
They're merge variables: your sending tool fills them in from each prospect's details. The word after the bar is the fallback, used when a prospect has no value — so an email never starts "Hi ,". Outsquid uses this format; other tools have their own, so adjust them if you copy the text elsewhere.
How many follow-ups should I send?
Three or four emails over two to three weeks is a polite default: the first email, a short nudge, a different angle and a clean close. Stop for anyone who replies or asks you to stop.
How long should a cold email be?
Under 100 words for a first email, and shorter for each follow-up. Plain text, no images, at most one link.
Are these templates free to use?
Yes. Copy them into any tool you like. If you use Outsquid, "Use this template" opens one in the editor, ready to edit and save.
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