Don’t believe the nay-sayers. Cold email isn’t going anywhere!

Cold email is still one of the most effective ways to generate leads and start valuable conversations with prospects.

That’s not to say it isn’t evolving. The reason a lot of people dismiss cold email is that they can’t get it to work. And sure, your prospect’s inbox is noisier than ever, so it’s crucial you know how to land at the top and get noticed.

This blog is more than your average article on cold email - we’ve examined what’s changed in the world of B2B email and what this means for your outreach strategy. We’ve also thrown in 13 of our favorite cold email introduction templates to kickstart conversations!

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Why should you be using cold email?

Cold emails are a super effective way to reach out to potential customers and kickstart meaningful conversations.

When it comes to actually reaching prospects, cold email has a few advantages over other channels, like cold calling or LinkedIn outreach:

• Everyone in the modern B2B world has an email inbox, and chances are, they spend a good proportion of their day using it.
• Not everyone spends a lot of time actively engaging on LinkedIn - especially in less tech-driven, more traditional industries.
• Not everyone is receptive to cold calls interrupting their day.
• Prospects are free to reply or review cold emails whenever suits them.

On top of this, cold emailing tends to be one of the most efficient forms of outreach:

• Scalability: Cold emails allow you contact a lots of prospects quickly.
• Personalization: When done right, you can tailor each email to match the specific needs and interests of your target audience.
• Measurability: You can easily track email campaigns, checking out open rates, click-through rates, and responses.
• Cost-effectiveness: Cold emailing is pretty budget-friendly compared to other outreach methods.

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How has cold email changed?

Gone are the days of blasting out generic emails to huge lists and hoping for the best. 

Inboxes are more crowded than ever. People are bombarded with emails, so standing out requires a more refined approach. 

Plus, email providers have gotten stricter about deliverability. Spam filters are more sophisticated, and they’re great at picking up on generic, mass-sent emails. To make it to the inbox, your emails need to be relevant and personalized.

This new approach not only helps you get past spam filters but also builds trust and credibility with your prospects. It’s all about quality over quantity.

That means being smart, personal, and building real relationships.

Here’s what that means for your cold email strategies:

• Hyper-personalization: It’s not about one-size-fits-all anymore. Now, each email should be tailored to fit the recipient’s specific needs and interests. People can tell when an email is made just for them, and it makes all the difference.
• Value-driven content: Forget the hard sell right off the bat. Modern cold emails are all about giving value upfront. Whether it’s a helpful tip, a relevant resource, or an insightful comment about their business, leading with value opens doors.
• Research-based: You can't just reach out on a limb. Doing your homework on each prospect helps you craft messages that hit home. The more you know about your recipient, the better you can connect with them.
• Follow-up strategies: It’s rare to get a response on the first try. Thoughtful follow-ups are key to keeping the conversation going and showing that you’re genuinely interested. Too many B2B sellers give up too quickly after the first cold email!

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How to write the perfect cold email in 6 steps

1. Choose an appealing subject line 

The subject line is your email’s first impression. It needs to grab attention and make the recipient want to open it. Keep it short, intriguing, and relevant to their interests. Think of it as a teaser that makes them curious enough to click.

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2. Edit the “from” line

Your “From” line is the first thing people see, so make sure it’s coming from a recognizable and trustworthy name. 

Use your full name and maybe your company name too. People are more likely to open an email if they feel like it’s coming from a real person, not some faceless entity.

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3. Develop a strong introduction

Start with a bang! Your opening lines should be personalized and show that you’ve done your homework, so mention something specific about their company or recent achievements. 

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4. Include value in your pitch

Now, get to the good stuff. Explain how you can help them solve a problem or achieve a goal. 

Focus on the benefits they’ll get from your product or service. This isn’t the time for a hard sell—just let them know what’s in it for them.

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5. End with a clear call-to-action

Be clear about what you want your prospect to do next. 

Whether it’s scheduling a call, downloading a resource, or replying to your email, make your call-to-action specific and easy to follow. Don’t leave them guessing what the next step should be.

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6. Polish your email signature

Finish off with a professional email signature. Include your full name, job title, company, and contact information. 

Adding a link to your LinkedIn profile or company website can also be a nice touch, giving them an easy way to learn more about you and your business. However, remember that including too many links can damage your deliverability.

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13 cold email introduction templates

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1. Ask for an introduction

Subject: Can you guide me, [First Name]?

Hi [First Name],

[Your Name] here from [Company]. Just reaching out because we recently helped [Similar Customer] achieve [success], and I have a feeling we could bring the same level of success to [Prospect Company]!

Could you let me know who the best person is to chat with about this?

Thanks a ton,

[Your Name]

2. Quick question

Subject: quick question, [First Name]

Hey [First Name] - how are you currently handling [pain point] over at [Prospect Company]?

Asking because [pain point] has come up in a lot of my conversations with other [Job Title]s in [industry] and I think [Company] could help.

Let me know if you'd like to know more!

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3. Industry proof

Subject: Want to achieve [success metric]?

Hi [First Name],

I’ll get right to it: in the past 6 months we've helped [3-4 Similar Customers] achieve [success] by tackling [pain point], and I think [Company] would be an awesome fit for [Prospect Company] too.

Can I show you what our solution would look like for you?

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4. Simple pitch

Subject: [Solution to problem] for [Prospect Company]

Hey [First Name],

As [Job Title], guessing you're responsible for handling [area of responsibility] - in which case, [pain point] is probably all too familiar to you.

At [Company], we've developed a solution that can help your [Department] team [pitch].

How about a quick call so I can explain more?

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5. "Forwarded from manager"

Subject: FWD: [Company] x [Prospect Company]

Hey there [First Name],

Great to e-meet you! My [Manager/C-Level Position] asked me to reach out (see below) because we saw [trigger/event/news].

[Company] helps [target audience] like [Prospect Company] with [handling pain point] to [enjoy benefits].

Is now a good time to explore how we can help you?

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6. Current trends

Subject: [Industry trend/talking point] + [Prospect Company]

‍Hi [First Name],

Noticed a lot of [Job Titles] like yourself talking about [trending topics].

At [Company], we've actually helped [Similar Customers] tackle [pain point] and achieve [benefits] to stay ahead of the curve.

Can we chat about giving your team a competitive advantage too?

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7. Free ideas

Subject: idea for [tackling pain point] at [Prospect Company]

Hey [First Name],

Was just checking out [Prospect Company] and was wondering how you were handling [pain point].

We've recently helped [Similar Customer] with a similar issue - can I send you a quick video with a simple idea to help [unlock benefit]?

Let me know!

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8. CEO interest

Subject: My CEO is raving about [Prospect Company]!

Hi [First Name],

My CEO, [CEO Name], noticed your [recent achievement/news] and wanted me to congratulate you directly. That's awesome!

[CEO Name] would also love to chat to you about [benefit] and see what's next for you at [Prospect Company].

Do you have time for a call this week?

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9. Solutions

Subject: sick of [pain point], [First Name]?

Hey [First Name],

I'm [Your Name] from over at [Company] - we help [target audience] in [industry] overcome [pain point] to achieve [success].

Basically, our platform allows you to:

- [Benefit 1]
- [Benefit 2]
- [Benefit 3]

How about a 15 minute call on [date] so I can show you more?

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10. Proof of value

Subject: [First Name], let's [achieve success metric]

Hey [First Name]

I’m not kidding, by the way! [Company] has helped [Similar Customer] achieve [success] in just [time], and I'm confident we'd. be great fit for [Prospect Company] too.

I'm attaching the full case study, including how [Similar Customer]'s team managed to [get a competitive advantage] using [product features].

What do you think? Fancy learning more about potential solutions for [Prospect Company]?

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11. Next challenges

Subject: Congratulations to the [Prospect Company] team!

Hi [First Name],

Saw [Prospect Company] just [recent news/achievement]. Congratulations! What an achievement for your team!

I'm interested in what's next in your growth, especially in how you're approaching [trending pain point]. What are some of the biggest challenges you see coming at you right now?

[Company] has helped companies like [3-4 Similar Customers] tackle [pain points] and I'd love so see share some insights from their experiences.

How does a 15 minute call this week sound?

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12. Prospect feature

Subject: [Prospect Company] featured in our blog!

Hi [First Name],

Not sure if you saw, but our marketing team recently published an article that featured [Prospect Company] on the subject of [topic]. We're big fans of your [solution] in the [Industry] space and wanted to shine a light on [achievements]!

We'd also curious about your thoughts on [pain points] and what your current strategy is for dealing with this.

Would you be up for a quick call this week to connect?

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13. Competitor name-drop

Subject: Keep pace with [Similar Customer], [First Name]

Hi [First Name],

I'm guessing [Prospect Company] is always looking for ways to stay ahead of competitors like [Similar Customers/Competitors] in the [Industry] space.

As it happens, we've recently helped [Similar Customer]'s team achieve [success] by [benefits] - and I'm wondering if you'd like to have a similar "aha" moment for your team!

I'd love to show you some of the competitive advantages our solution could offer. What do you think?

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Personalize cold emails at scale with automation

There’s no single cold email template that will bring you replies 100% of the time. Nevertheless, the best cold emails do all share one thing in common: they’re all hyper-relevant.

The better you can tailor your messaging to speak directly to your prospect’s needs, the more likely you are to strike a chord with them and get a response. The good news is that, thanks to sales engagement automation tools, personalizing emails doesn’t have to be a time-consuming and inefficient process.

Amplemarket makes it easy for you to create and refine your cold email templates for specific audiences and individuals, and allows you to scale this process with ease. Sign up for a demo to learn more about how you can transform your cold outreach success with just one tool!