8 Cold Email Templates And Strategies For Lead Generation

Writing compelling cold emails is hard. As experts in lead generation, we know it better than anyone. Every line is important, so it takes forever to get everything right. Fortunately, you can save time by using B2B cold email templates that have already proven successful.

In this article, you’ll find templates for cold email sales along with best practices to elevate your lead generation strategy.

Let’s dive in!

What is cold emailing

Cold emailing is sending a message to the recipient without prior contact. In marketing and sales, this term is used to distinguish the initial emails sent to potential customers. Their purpose is to start building a relationship with a person or business for further cooperation.

🔎 Pro-tip: Watch the video below to learn more about what cold emailing is – and what it’s not.

What is a cold email template?

Writing a message that converts takes time and creative energy. It makes sense that many sales and marketing professionals use cold email templates to streamline the process.

A template provides the outline and the general idea for your letter. It also leaves space for customization so you can personalize each message to the particular recipient. We don’t recommend using a mail template without customizing it for different audiences. If your prospect spots the generic message, your chances for a reply will plummet.

🔎 Pro-tip: Ensure your email automation software has a dynamic content feature that allows you to personalize your outreach message. For example, with the Snov.io Cold Email Tool, you can diversify the same template to appeal to six different recipient groups simultaneously.

Benefits of using cold email templates

Is saving time the only benefit of using templates? Definitely not! Let’s look at other advantages of utilizing a pre-made copy instead of writing one from scratch.

1. You can focus on the message. Instead of thinking through the phrasing of the entire letter, you can focus on the main points you want to convey to your prospect.
2. You can reach more people. This goes hand in hand with the benefit of saving time and effort. Instead of painstakingly crafting a message that will convert a dozen leads max, you’ll be able to widen your reach and convert ten times more.
3. You can easily maintain your brand’s unique voice. If marketing and sales are an everyday part of your business, you’re probably sending many letters written at different times by different people. This can cause your messages to sound disjointed. Using a pre-made copy as a starting point for each email helps preserve the uniformity of the brand voice in all of them.
4. You can be confident in your campaign’s effectiveness. Once you see which templates work for your audience, you can keep them as a backup. When you can’t come up with a fresh idea, you can re-use the successful template to avoid jeopardizing your campaign.

🔎 Pro-tip: Assessing the effectiveness of your templates is vital for improving your campaign’s return on investment (ROI). Snov.io Cold Email Tool offers you detailed reports and insights to help you analyze your campaign performance: Need more insights? We’ve got you covered! The Sentiment analysis feature helps you score prospects based on the tone of their replies with the help of AI. The interest level falls into three categories: 🙂 Interested (positive sentiment): The prospect is willing to continue the conversation. 😐 Maybe (neutral sentiment): The prospect is uncertain but still open to a positive response. ☹️ Not interested (negative sentiment): The prospect’s mood shows that the offer isn’t a good fit for them.

8 best cold email templates

1. “Hey, I get it”
2. “Straight to the point”
3. “Asking for referral”
4. “Building trust”
5. “Event attendee”
6. “Quick question”
7. “Additional value”
8. “Giving praise”

1. “Hey, I get it,” or AIDA cold email template

Let’s start with probably the most common cold email template for sales – AIDA. The name of this framework stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. A letter based on the AIDA framework should feel less like a cold outreach email and more like a friendly message from one fellow professional to another.

Use the example below to write the AIDA-based message.

Subject line: Ready to [Achieve A Goal]? Hi [Prospect’s First Name], I know how challenging it can be to get ahead of the competitors in [Prospect’s Industry]. What if I told you there’s an easy way to do this? Our [Your Product/Service] is specifically designed to help professionals like you take their business to the next level. We do this by by providing the following benefits to our clients: [Benefit/Feature #1], [Benefit/Feature #2], [Benefit/Feature #3]. Our customers have experienced [Impressive Statistic/Result], and I’d love to discuss how we can do the same for you. Are you available for a quick chat this week to explore this potential? Warm regards, [Your Signature]

Notice how brief this message is. That’s because making your letter as short as possible increases the chances of the recipient reading it in full. Speaking of brevity, let’s check out the next short business email example.

2. “Straight to the point” cold email template

People appreciate brevity and simplicity. Don’t ask for an appointment or beat around the bush. Leave out all the unnecessary adjectives, and don’t use overly elaborate words or sentence constructions. The best cold outreach emails are usually the most personalized and shortest ones because every word has value.

Use the example below to write a short and sweet message.

Subject line: The solution to [n Issue] Hi [Prospect’s First Name], Are you having trouble with [An Issue]? Let [Your Company Name] fix that for you. Our [Your Product/Service] offers [Benefit/Feature #1], [Benefit/Feature #2], [Benefit/Feature #3], and so much more.  Let’s discuss it! Warm regards, [Your Signature]

3. “Asking for referral” cold email template

Sometimes, you’re not sure if you’re reaching out to the right person. Maybe you gathered your prospective company’s employee contacts from the website. Maybe you found someone from the company on LinkedIn or other social media.

It’s best to clarify that they are decision-makers from the outset to avoid wasting your and your recipient’s time.

Use the following cold emailing template to ask for the right person’s contact information.

Subject line: [Recipient’s First Name], could you help me? Hi [Recipient’s First Name], I came across your profile on [Source] and was hoping that you could help me out. I represent [Your Company Name], which serves businesses in [Prospect’s Industry]. Our clients achieve [Impressive Statistic/Result], and we would love to do the same for you.  Could you point me toward the member of your team who handles the decisions regarding [Your Product’s/Service’s Core Functionality]? Thanks and best regards, [Your Signature]

🔎 Pro-tip: If you find your prospects’ contacts on social media, it’s best to interact with them right there. This way, your leads can check out your profile and verify your credibility, which increases your chances of getting a response.  Use the Snov.io LinkedIn Automation Tool to enrich your outreach campaign: Collect high-quality leads from LinkedIn. Set up multichannel campaigns with LinkedIn touches, such as profile views, connection requests, and InMails, to attract your prospect’s attention. Manage your pending connection requests and automatically delete unanswered ones. Automation works within smart safety limits that mimic human behavior to avoid being flagged by LinkedIn. Get a dedicated location-based proxy for each LinkedIn account you connect for maximum safety.

4. “Building trust” or data-heavy cold email template

B2B decision-makers often rely on data to select one product over another. This is especially true for high-priced products and companies with long decision cycles. In such cases, your message should contain data that piques your prospect’s interest.

Use the following cold email example to craft a message that proves your product’s value.

Subject line: Are you interested in [Benefit #1]? Hi [Prospect’s First Name], We help businesses in [Prospect’s Industry] effectively solve [A Problem]. [Your Product] already helped [Competitor #1] and [Competitor #2] gain [Benefit #1] and [Benefit #2].  To give you a better idea of what [Your Product] can do for your business, I’ve attached a case study highlighting the real results our clients have achieved [Download Link]. I’d love to discuss how we can do the same for you. Are you available for a quick chat this week to explore this potential? Warm regards, [Your Signature]

5. “Event attendee” cold email template

According to the PFL report, 82% of marketers consider events an effective channel for a B2B company to market their product. The best part is that event attendees can usually download a list of other participants’ emails. You can save time by feeding this data to your email automation software.

Use the following cold email sample to reach out to fellow event attendees.

Subject line: Hello from [Your Name] ([Event Name]) Hi [Prospect’s First Name], I was hoping we’d have the chance to meet at [Event Name]. Our company has been helping clients in [Your Prospect’s Industry] to [Achieve A Goal] for a long time, and I believe we can take your business to new heights. Our [Your Product/Service] offers  [Benefit/Feature #1], [Benefit/Feature #2], [Benefit/Feature #3], and many other advantages to companies in your line of business. Are you available for a quick chat this week to discuss this potential? Warm regards, [Your Signature]

6. “Quick question” cold email template

Did you know that including a question in your subject line helps attract the recipient’s attention?

Indeed, such emails get opened more frequently. But don’t just insert a question mark into your subject line and continue with a completely unrelated text. Choose a question that’s personalized to your prospect’s goals and pain points. 

Use the following cold email sample to grab your prospect’s attention by asking them an important question.

Subject line: Your thoughts on the current state of [Your Prospect’s Industry]? Hi [Prospect’s First Name], I represent [Your Company’s Name], an expert in [Your Prospect’s Industry]. Our [Your Product/Service] helps professionals like you to successfully navigate any industry changes with the following methods: [Benefit/Feature #1], [Benefit/Feature #2], [Benefit/Feature #3]. I would love to discuss your thoughts on the [Your Prospect’s Industry] trends and explore how we can help your business grow in the current market conditions. Let me know what time works best for you to have a quick chat this week. Best regards, [Your Signature]

7. “Additional value” cold email template

There’s a stark possibility that your prospect is already getting a lot of sales and marketing messages. Most senders are asking for something, so you can stand out by offering value instead. 

Include relevant research, a case study, or a guide that your recipient can download. Make your message sound like a no-strings-attached gesture to win over your lead.

Use the following mail example with a download link to start building a relationship with your prospect.

Subject line: Ideas for [Your Prospect’s Company] Hi [Prospect’s First Name], Would you like to learn how to [Achieve A Goal] quickly? I’m with [Your Company’s Name], a trusted partner to many companies in [Your Prospect’s Industry]. Below, I’ve attached a free guide our company developed for professionals like you. You can use it to get [Benefit/Feature #1], [Benefit/Feature #2], and [Benefit/Feature #3]. [Download Link] Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss other ways we can help your business. Warm regards, [Your Signature]

8. “Giving praise” cold email template

It’s a great time to contact your leads when their company has won an award, achieved an important milestone, or had positive news coverage. Referencing your prospect’s achievements makes an opening line work as a hook to grab their attention. 

It’s essential to keep your message balanced. Highlight a real, specific, and significant achievement. Don’t overpraise, either. Point out just one or two things that make your prospect stand out to keep the human touch without sounding too salesy.

🔎 Pro-tip: Prospects rarely reply to the first letter. But don’t despair—if you value your product, you should feel confident promoting it multiple times. We recommend scheduling personalized follow-up messages to your campaign.  For example, with Snov.io, you can set up sending schedules for cold emails and LinkedIn actions. Timing is key to boosting email engagement and making sure your messages land when recipients are most likely to respond.

Use the example below to deliver a message referencing a recent announcement from your prospect’s company.

Subject line: Congrats on [Achievement]! Hi [Prospect’s First Name], It’s amazing to see the innovation in [Your Prospect’s Industry]. Kudos to you, and congratulations on your [Achievement]. We at [Your Company’s Name] also strive to help companies in [Your Prospect’s Industry] innovate and grow their business. We developed [Your Product/Service] specifically to enable professionals like you to achieve [Impressive Statistic/Result]. Do you have time this week to discuss the opportunities our collaboration can open for [Your Prospect’s Industry]? Congratulations again, [Your Signature]

How to write a cold email to increase open rates

Good email templates don’t guarantee that your prospects will read them. So here are some additional cold email tips that will ensure high open rates for your campaign!

1. Verify your contact list

Sending messages to the wrong people or inactive addresses will diminish your open and response rate and hurt your outreach. Ensure that your mailing list is full of qualified leads with active emails.

🔎 Pro-tip: Use the Snov.io Email Finder to find the potential leads and Email Verifier to verify their addresses. Then, approach leads whose addresses are valid.

2. Personalize your subject line

A study done by Klenty proves that people become more interested in opening messages with a personalized subject line.

Just configure your marketing automation tool to insert your lead’s name into the subject line. It takes virtually no time and massively boosts your open rates.

3. Craft a compelling introduction

Many mail clients show the opening line of your message along with the subject line. This means your introduction can make or break your open rates. 

To craft the opening line that will hook your recipient, use the following strategy:

• Personalize your introduction by including your recipient’s first name.
• Research your prospect’s pain points and reference them in the opening paragraph.
• Reference a shared experience if you have any.
• Keep the introduction concise.
• Offer value.

4. Don’t bombard your prospects with messages

Follow-up messages are a must in a marketing campaign but be careful not to overdo it. Personalize the follow-up letters. Send more useful resources that your recipients can download. Configure your marketing automation software to have a delay of at least 2-3 days between sending emails.

Pay attention to the response rate

Now, let’s say you’re putting all those cool email templates to good use. You write letters that land in your prospects’ inboxes, and most recipients open them. But are you getting the desired results?

A successful email marketing strategy usually includes getting responses from your prospects. Otherwise, building a relationship with and converting them is impossible. Monitor your campaigns’ response rate to understand how well they engage your prospects.

🔎 Pro-tip: Even the best email templates won’t work if your emails don’t land in the recipient’s inbox. Download our free guide on Email Deliverability and make sure all of your cold outreach emails reach their destination.

Your next steps

Writing cold emails that work is a rather complicated task, but now you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Include email template examples from this article in your outreach strategy to generate leads and build stronger relationships with prospects.

Want to learn more about building email campaigns that sell? Join our free course to explore more advanced emailing techniques for B2B sales.