By the Outsquid team · · How we write
Cold email template: the problem-first intro
A short first email that leads with a problem the prospect recognises, not with your product.
When to use it
Your default first email when there's no specific event to point to — you know the kind of company and role, and the problem people in that role tend to have.
The template
Subject{{company|your team}} and [problem in 3 words]
Hi {{firstName|there}},
Most [role, e.g. "heads of sales"] at companies like {{company|yours}} tell us [the problem, in their words — e.g. "half their reps' week goes on building lists by hand"].
We help with that by [what you do, in one line]. [Customer like them] used it to [result with a number].
Is this something you're dealing with at {{company|your company}} too?
Other subject lines
quick question, {{firstName|there}}[problem in 3 words]?
Why it works
- It's about them for two sentences before it's about you.
- The proof is a result, not a feature list.
- The ask is a yes/no question, which is easier to answer than a request for a call.
Make it yours
The template is the frame. These are the parts that earn the reply:
- The problem, phrased the way your customers describe it on calls — not your marketing copy.
- One customer similar to the prospect, and a result with a number.
Before you send
- Fill in every [bracketed] part, and preview the email for a few real prospects — especially ones with missing fields. Writing follow-ups
- Send from a domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up, and check it before the first campaign. Free DNS checker
- Ramp new mailboxes up slowly and keep each one to a modest daily volume. Ramping up a new mailbox
- Say who you are, give people an easy way to opt out, and stop when they ask. Unsubscribes in cold email