How to Write a Cold Email That Works: Proven Strategies and Tips

Dan Mowinski

Oct 1, 2024

14 minutes read

Most industry benchmarks put cold email response rates between 0.5%and 5%.

Yet many outbound sales teams fail to achieve a response rate of even 0.5%. The frustration is real, and figuring out what’s going wrong can feel next to impossible.

If that describes your situation, worry no more. You’re about to learn how to put together a high-converting cold email campaign. You’ll also learn how to find and iron out any kinks in your outbound masterpiece.

How to Write a Cold Email in 6 Easy Steps 

How hard can writing a successful cold email really be? It’s just one email, right?

While many people do overcomplicate cold email copywriting, there’s a big caveat. Effective cold emails have lots of small elements that need to be done well. Overlooking even one can have a dramatic effect on open rates and response rates.

What’s more, cold email outreach campaigns need substantial infrastructure for testing, segmentation, and personalization. Calling cold email marketing “complex” is perhaps an overstatement. But it’s not simple by any stretch. 

Let’s break the process down into manageable chunks so you can cover all the bases. 

Step 1: Research Your Target Audience

Audience research underpins everything. If you haven’t got an ultra-clear sense of who you’re talking to and why they should care, everything else unravels. 

Here’s a five-step process to researching and understanding your targets:

1. 

   Identify your ideal recipient. Put together a detailed ideal customer profile (ICP) that includes a mix of psychographic, demographic, and technographic data. Don’t just include the basics like job titles. Go deeper with emotional specifics. 

   
   
2. 

   Gather relevant third-party information. Draw information from a variety of sources, including LinkedIn, company websites, and industry reports. 

   
   
3. 

   Run focus groups. Talking to your existing customers gives you a fuller idea of their pain points and desires, along with the types of emails they prefer to engage with. 

   
   
4. 

   Talk to sales. A sales team that’s performing well will know your target recipients inside out. They’ll also clarify insights gained from focus groups, telling you which data to ignore and which to take notice of. 

   
   
5. 

   Segment your prospects. Identifying the various verticals that make up your target audience allows for a high degree of personalization of both your opening lines and your offers. 

   
   

Ideal customer profiles (ICPs) are not static documents. However, continuously gathering data to update them is time-consuming.  That’s why more and more sales professionals are using AI to streamline the process. 

Step 2: Craft a Strong Cold Email Subject Line

The advertising mogul David Ogilvy famously said, “When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” The same sentiment could easily apply to cold email subject lines. 

All the email writing tips in the world can’t make up for failing to hook your prospect’s attention. It’s one of the most important—if not the most important—parts of the process. 

Here are some tips for crafting a strong subject line:

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  Be concise and clear. Use no more than five to seven words, or you risk having the subject line clipped by the recipient's email client. 

  
  
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  Spark curiosity without being misleading. Use curiosity by hinting at your offer or personalized opening, but make sure you can follow through. 

  
  
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  Experiment with functional opening lines. Sometimes, being straightforward is the better strategy, so try functional opening lines, too. 

  
  
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  Personalize where possible. Include the recipient’s name or company if it’s appropriate.

  
  

Subject lines are one of the areas most ripe for experimentation. The success of a subject line is often highly dependent on industry and the role of the recipient. 

Here are some examples of cold subject email lines:

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  Hello, [first name] 

  
  
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  Question about [company name] 

  
  
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  Free this week, [first name]?

  
  
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  Time for a chat, [first name]?

  
  
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  Admire what [company name] is doing

  
  
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  [company name]  + [your company name] 

  
  
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  [first name], interested in connecting?

  
  
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  [name of connection] suggested I reach out

  
  
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  Introduction through [name of connection] 

  
  
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  Proposal for [company name] 

  
  

Step 3: Come up With a Persuasive Introduction

Brevity and personalization are the keys to persuasive introductions. Openings should be no more than one or two sentences, and they should say something interesting and unique about the recipient. The days when a simple “Love what your company is doing” did the job are over. 

Here are personalized elements you can reference in your opening:

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  Recent company product release

  
  
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  Funding or investment achievement

  
  
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  Corporate award or recognition 

  
  
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  Recipient job change or promotion

  
  
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  Insights in a post or article from the recipient

  
  
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  Presentation given by the recipient

  
  
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  Introduction from a mutual colleague

  
  

Here are some examples of strong introductions: 

Hi [first name],

Your recent article on [topic name] gave me a lot to think about. I thought your analysis of [interesting point in article] was especially insightful. Keep up the amazing work. 

Hi [first name],

I wanted to congratulate you on [company name]’s recent funding. Your growth this year has been incredible—and much deserved—and I’ll be watching your trajectory with interest.

Hi [first name],

Our mutual colleague, [colleague name], suggested I reach out. I was very impressed after researching [company name] and the innovations you’ve pioneered, especially the [innovation name]. 

In the past, sales teams would hire copywriters with the sole job of writing the openings for personalized cold emails. However, this is one area where generative AI can substantially speed up your cold email workflow, writing hundreds of fully personalized openings on autopilot. 

Step 4: Build a Rapport and Trust in the Email Body

Good body copywriting in cold emails builds deeper engagement after the initial hook. The body copy is the place where you say who you are, what you can do for the recipient, and why they can trust you to do it. 

After you have briefly introduced yourself, include the following elements in your email body: 

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  Description of the recipient’s pain points 

  
  
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  One clear benefit you can provide

  
  
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  Specific numbers tied to the benefit (if possible)

  
  
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  Evidence (or testimonials) of your past successes

  
  

The most important thing about your body copy is that it should focus on the recipient.   This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to write everything in the second person (you), but it should address their pain points in a compelling way and avoid sounding like a cheap sales pitch. 

There are lots of ways you can build up a picture of a particular segment’s pain points. Publicly available information in the form of reports, forums, and reviews of competitors (particularly the negative ones) is useful. Directly talking to customers and your sales team are also important. If you’ve done the work in the initial research phase, you should have all the information you need to speak directly to your recipient’s needs. 

Here’s an example of strong body copy:

 My name’s Ava of Artisan. I automate outbound email outreach for sales teams that are struggling to scale. A recent client saw a 50% increase in monthly revenue and called us “A total game-changer.”

It works because it’s to-the-point, concise, focuses on a single pain point, describes a clear benefit, and provides proof that the sender can deliver. 

Step 5: Create a Compelling and Clear Call-To-Action (CTA)

Research shows that one particular type of CTA outshines all others when it comes to closing a cold email: the interest CTA. It essentially reads, “Would you like to learn more?”

Research by Gong showed that this CTA outperforms more definite CTAs like “Are you free this Thursday at 3 PM?” and requests for a more open but still definite commitment like “Are you free next week?”

Of course, A/B testing should be emphasized here. Different recipients have different needs. A busy founder may appreciate you sending over a Calendly link, whereas a more cautious small business owner might want additional information. 

Here are some examples and why they work:

Would you like to learn more?

Why does it work? It’s an open question that invites the recipient to respond without having to make a substantial commitment. 

Would you like to discuss this?

Why does it work? Offers a more definite option for busy recipients who may want to jump straight to a meeting. 

If you send me a Calendly link, I can book a time to meet. 

Why does it work? It’s a straightforward, specific action that is more reliable than sending your own Calendly link (which requires additional steps from the recipient). 

Would you like to see a case study?

Why does it work? Sparks curiosity white asking for a clear response. 

Step 6: Include Your Professional Email Signature 

A well-crafted email signature adds professionalism, turns off spam defence filters, and reinforces your personal or company brand.

Research shows that including an email signature positively impacts the way users see a brand, so it’s an easy way to build trust with potential clients. 

Include the following in your signatures for your sales emails and follow-up emails: 

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  Name and title

  
  
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  Company name

  
  
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  Contact information (including number)

  
  
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  Social media account

  
  
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  Awards you’ve received or a short testimonial

  
  

In addition, add a photo to your email using Google Workspace if you use it. 60% of mid-sized businesses use Gmail, so your photo makes a difference and can help you stand out. 

One important caveat to add about signatures is they can sometimes affect email deliverability if images and links trigger spam flags.

In these cases, there’s a trade-off between sacrificing some trust for higher open rates (your recipient can’t open your email if it’s in the spam folder). If in doubt, run a split test and track how emails with and without signatures perform. 

6 Common Cold Email Writing Mistakes to Avoid

Even small mistakes can have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of your email copy and the engagement of decision makers. 

Implementing a thorough writing process is the main part of the battle when it comes to cold email. But you also need to optimize it with regular reviews and data analysis. 

Let’s look at the main mistakes salespeople make when writing cold emails. 

1. Writing Generic Content

A typical employee receives an average of 121 emails a day. For decision makers and buyers, that figure is likely far higher. 

Many of those 121 emails will be internal, but the figure nonetheless points towards a stark truth: you need to stand out. You’ve got to find generic email copy and mercilessly cut it out. 

Here are the top causes of generic content:

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  Absence of personalization

  
  
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  Personalization that lacks detail

  
  
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  Boring introductions

  
  
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  Untargeted offers

  
  
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  Overly long body text

  
  
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  Using too much jargon

  
  
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  Focusing on what you do rather than the reader

  
  
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  A long-winded CTA (“We’d love to explore synergies if you’re free for thirty minutes…”)

  
  

Let’s look at an example of a generic email:

Hello,

We offer a wide range of sales enablement and ROI-focused services to alleviate SDR bottlenecks and assist companies in reaching their pipeline goals over pre-set timeframes. We offer packages at the $100/month, $500/month, and $750/month price point with the option for a dedicated customer service representative and HR-supplemented onboarding and the creation of personal improvement plans for sales-focused employees. 

If you are interested in exploring synergies, please feel free to contact me with several times next week during workdays EST 9 AM to 5 PM.

Sincerely,
The Boring Widget Team

OK, that’s pretty extreme, but it shows you what not to do. It’s full of jargon, long sentences, general offers and doesn’t include any sort of reader focus or personalization. It also lacks any sort of introduction. 

2. Using Spam Trigger Words

The best cold emails tend to avoid spam trigger words. These are words that have become closely associated with unsolicited sales emails. Many clients automatically flag emails from unknown addresses that contain them. 

Also, avoid including attachments, images (in the first email) and too many links, as these can trigger flags like spam words. 

Here’s a list of spam trigger words to avoid: 

3. Sending a Cold Email That Is Too Short or Too Long

Like Goldilocks and the three bowls of porridge, the best emails get the length just right. 

Cold emails between 20 and 50 words perform the best. However, this figure comes with a big caveat. It’s an average from several studies across all industries. 

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, A/B and multivariate testing is the only way to find out what works for your target segment.

Start off with shorter emails, but don’t be afraid to experiment with longer ones. In particular, executives and division makers working in technical industries may appreciate more specific product/service specifications in the first cold email.

Here’s an example of a cold email of approximately 50 words and why it works:

Hi Bill,

I was very impressed by your recent blog post on the importance of ethics in software development. 

My name’s Ava of Artisan. I help companies like Microsoft boost revenue with ethical AI-based outreach. We recently doubled sales for a client in the software space.

Would you be interested in learning more?

Regards,
Ava

While short, this email contains all the elements of a successful cold email—personalization, an introduction, a clear offer, evidence, and an “interest” CTA—while respecting the fact that the recipient is busy. 

4. Opening With Irrelevant Personalization

Cold email marketers are increasingly moving away from generic, non-personalized emails. But this doesn’t mean that they always get personalization right. 

Personalization should be detailed, concise, and, perhaps most importantly, specific. Saying, “I love what your company is doing” won’t cut it anymore. 

Here are some examples of personalization NOT done well:

Love what you’re doing at [company name].

Why should you avoid it? Because it’s so overused, this has become a red flag for many recipients. There are far more creative things you can say instead. 

Hope you’re having a good Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc.

Why should you avoid it? Again, it’s generic. It doesn’t ]say anything that’s interesting to the reader, and they’ve likely seen it several zillion times before. 

Are you enjoying using Hubspot?

Why should you avoid it? There are two things that are wrong with this opening. First, it’s a question, and so distracts from your main CTA. Second, while technographic data can be useful during segmentation, it can come across as spying when used as a basis for personalization. 

In the past, copywriters would often create hundreds of personalized openings a day. AI has now eliminated the need to do this. 

5. Using Poorly Crafted Templates

Good cold email templates are like gold dust. They allow you to implement winning formulas at scale. They also let you target specific segments of your audience with tailored personalization and unique offers. 

Proven cold email templates are among your outbound team’s most valuable assets. That’s why it’s essential to continually test and refine them as part of your broader cold email strategy. 

Here are some of the most common template mistakes

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  Not including enough personalization

  
  
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  Describing the value proposition or benefits in vague terms

  
  
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  Overly specific or general CTA

  
  
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  Using evidence or social proof not suited to the target audience

  
  
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  Using language that’s overly salesy

  
  

Here’s an example of a successful template and why it works:

Hi [first name],

Congratulations on your [recent company achievement]. You’ve been doing an amazing job this year.

My name’s Ava of Artisan. I help companies like [company name] achieve [relevant benefit with a specific number]. We recently helped [case study of previous client with specific result].

Would you be interested in learning more?

Kind regards,
Ava

This template works because it provides ample room for personalization, a tailored offer, and supporting evidence without being overly long or salesy. 

6. Not Testing Different Copy Variations

A/B testing can transform a cold email campaign from mediocre to exceptional. Done well, A/B and multivariate tests improve everything from your early-stage lead generation (based on the quality of your ICP) right through to the percentage of prospects booking meetings. 

Here are six specific areas of your cold email you should prioritize when running tests:

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  Subject line

  
  
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  Opening personalized paragraph

  
  
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  Offer 

  
  
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  Supporting case study or testimonial

  
  
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  Call to action

  
  
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  Length of email

  
  

Running split tests can be complex and time-consuming. AI can automate the process of testing by generating alternative pieces of content and measuring their effectiveness. For example, a platform like Artisan has built-in split-testing functionality that runs in the background. Winning emails are replaced with those that don’t perform as well, leading to gradual improvements in open and response rates over time. 

Hire an AI Assistant To Personalize Emails At Scale

AI is changing how outbound sales teams create cold emails. It’s automating substantial chunks of the sales process and allowing sales reps and account executives (AEs) to focus on nurturing prospects and closing deals.

Let’s look at Artisan as an example. Artisan’s virtual AI sales rep, Ava, can handle all of the following tasks:

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  Automated domain warm-up and ongoing deliverability optimization

  
  
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  Analytics across all key cold email metrics like open and reply rates

  
  
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  Lead prospecting from a database of over 300 million enriched entries

  
  
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  Automated email personalization based on a “waterfall” and A/B testing 

  
  
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  Auto-generation of email content based on successful templates

  
  
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  Ongoing updates to your ICP and target audience 

  
  
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  Integrations with your existing tech infrastructure and CRM

  
  

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Author:

Dan Mowinski