Cold Email Templates: 14 Examples for Sales, Follow-Ups and Coffee Chats

A cold email is an email to someone who doesn't know you yet. You might be selling to a company, pitching a service, recruiting a candidate or asking a stranger for career advice. In every case, the reader owes you nothing, so the email has to earn a reply on its own.

This post has 14 cold email templates you can copy and edit. They're grouped by situation: first emails for sales, follow-ups, and emails for recruiting and coffee chats. After the templates come subject lines, length and realistic reply rates. The post ends with the rules that apply before you hit send.

One honest note first. A template only gets you a structure. Replies come from writing to the right person for a reason that's true. The templates below are built around that, so none of them asks you to fake a compliment or invent a referral.

How to write a cold email

Most cold emails that get answers share the same cold email structure, with five parts in this order:

1. A plain subject line that says what the email is about.
2. A first line about them, not about you. A real reason you're writing to this person.
3. One or two lines on what you do, tied to that reason.
4. One small ask. A question they can answer in a few words.
5. A short sign-off. This is how to end a cold email: your name, and a simple way to say no. For other situations, see how to end an email.

The ask matters more than people think. Gong looked at 304,174 emails sent by its customers. For cold email, asking whether someone was interested worked better than asking for a meeting at a set time (Gong Labs). A meeting is a big ask from a stranger. "Is this on your list this quarter?" is easy to answer.

The first line matters too. In Hunter's survey of people who receive cold email, the top reasons emails fail were too pushy, not relevant and too generic (Hunter). People can tell when "I loved your recent post" was written by a merge field. If you can't find a real reason to write to someone, a short problem-first email works better than a fake personal one.

Sales email templates for the first email

These are B2B sales email templates for the first message in a sequence. Words in square brackets are the parts you change. Keep the rest short and in your own voice.

1. The specific-reason email

Use this when you found something real and current about the company. That could be a job post, a launch, a new office or a page on their site. A job post is especially useful, because it shows what the company is spending money on right now.

Subject line: [role] hiring at [company]

Hi [first name],

I noticed [company] is hiring [number] [role]s. When a team grows that fast, [the problem you solve] usually shows up a few weeks later.

We help [type of company] with that. [Similar customer] used us to [result in a few words].

Is this something you're planning for this quarter, or not a priority right now?

[Your name]
Reply "no" and I won't follow up.

The first line has to be true and easy to check. If you can't find a real reason, use the next template instead.

2. The problem-first email

Use this when you have nothing personal to say, which is most of the time. It works if the problem is described the way your customers describe it.

Subject line: [problem] at [company]?

Hi [first name],

Most [job title]s we speak to say the hardest part of [task] is [the problem, in their words].

We built [product] to fix that one thing. It [what it does, in one sentence].

Worth a look, or is this not something you deal with?

[Your name]

Take the wording of the problem from real sales calls, support tickets or reviews. Guessed pain points read as guesses.

3. The referral email

Use this only when someone actually suggested you get in touch. A fake referral falls apart the moment the reader asks the person you named.

Subject line: [referrer's first name] suggested I reach out

Hi [first name],

[Referrer's full name] at [their company] suggested I get in touch. They mentioned you're looking into [topic].

We helped [their company] [result]. I'd be glad to share what worked for them.

Would that be useful?

[Your name]

4. The trigger email

Use this when something just changed for them: a new role, a funding round, an expansion. Send it within a few weeks. News from six months ago makes the email look automated.

Subject line: congrats on the new role

Hi [first name],

Congratulations on joining [company] as [role]. The first few months in a new job are often when people take a hard look at [area].

If [problem] is on that list, we [what you do]. [Customer] [result] in their first [time period] with us.

Would a short note on how they did it be useful?

[Your name]

5. The "something useful first" email

Use this when you can give them something small and real before you ask for anything. A checklist, a short video or a few notes on their page all work. It replaces "Can we get on a call?" with something they can say yes to without a calendar.

Subject line: idea for [company]'s [page or process]

Hi [first name],

I was looking at [their page or process] and noticed [one specific, true observation].

I wrote up three changes I'd try first. Want me to send them over?

No call needed. They're yours either way.

[Your name]

Make sure the thing exists before you offer it, and send it the same day they reply.

6. The case study email

Use this when you have a customer in the same industry, of a similar size, with a result you're allowed to share.

Subject line: how [similar company] [result]

Hi [first name],

[Similar company] had a setup a lot like yours: [one shared detail]. After moving to [product], they [result with a real number].

I can send you the short version of what they changed. Would that help?

[Your name]

Use a real customer, with their permission, and a real number. A made-up result is the fastest way to lose a deal later.

7. The agency or freelancer pitch

Use this to pitch a service, such as design, SEO or ads, to a business you've looked at properly. It works because it shows your work instead of describing it.

Subject line: [specific issue] on your [page]

Hi [first name],

I was on [company]'s [page] and noticed [a specific issue, such as: the booking form doesn't work on mobile].

I run a small [type of] agency. We fixed the same thing for [client] last month, and [result].

Would a free 5-minute video showing the fix be useful? If not, no problem.

[Your name]
[Agency], [website]

Cold email follow-up templates

Most replies don't come from the first email. In Instantly's 2025 data, 42% of replies came from follow-ups (Instantly). Hunter found that sequences of three emails got 6.8% replies, against 3.3% for a single email (Hunter).

Send follow-ups as replies in the same thread, so the reader can see the first email. Each one should add something new. "Just bumping this to the top of your inbox" gives them no new reason to answer.

8. Follow-up 1: add one new thing

Send it three or four days after the first email.

Hi [first name],

One thing I didn't mention: [a new, useful detail, such as: it works with HubSpot and takes about ten minutes to set up].

Is [problem] something you're looking at this quarter?

[Your name]

9. Follow-up 2: a different angle

Send it about a week after the first follow-up. Use a second reason they might care.

Hi [first name],

Another way to look at it: many [job title]s say the real cost of [problem] is [the knock-on effect].

If that isn't your situation, I'll leave it here. If it is, I can show you how [customer] handled it.

[Your name]

10. The last email (and mean it)

Send it a week or so later, then stop.

Hi [first name],

I haven't heard back, so I'll take it that [problem] isn't a priority right now. I won't keep emailing.

If that changes, you can reply to this thread any time.

[Your name]

Skip lines like "I'm closing your file". Readers know there's no file. And once you say you'll stop, stop.

11. Follow-up after a cold call

Use this the same day you called and didn't get through, or after a short call where they asked you to "send something over".

Subject line: following up on my call

Hi [first name],

I tried you by phone earlier [and left a short voicemail]. In short: we help [type of company] [result].

If it's easier, reply here with a good time. Or tell me who handles [area], and I'll get in touch with them instead.

[Your name]
[Phone number]

Cold emails for recruiting and coffee chats

Not every cold email sells something. These three are for recruiters writing to candidates and for people asking for career advice.

12. A recruiter's email to a candidate

Use this when you found someone whose work matches the role. Mention the work, not their job title.

Subject line: your work on [project]

Hi [first name],

I'm hiring a [role] at [company]. Your work on [specific project, talk or post] is the closest thing I've seen to what the team does.

The role is [remote or on-site, level, and the salary range if you can share it].

Open to a short chat, or happy where you are?

[Your name]
[Job title], [company]

13. A coffee chat request

A coffee chat is a short, informal conversation with someone who does the job you want, usually 15 to 30 minutes. The rule that career advisers repeat most is simple: ask for advice, not for a job (Toronto Metropolitan University).

Steve Dalton, author of *The 2-Hour Job Search*, has a few simple rules for this email. Keep it under 75 words and state your connection first. Make the request a question, and keep more than half of the words about them. This template follows those points.

Subject line: [school] alum with a question about [field]

Hi [first name],

I'm a [year or role] at [school or company], and I found you through [alumni network or shared group].

I'm trying to learn how people move into [field], and your path from [A] to [B] stood out. Would you be open to a 15-minute call in the next few weeks to share your advice?

Thanks,
[Your name]

If you don't hear back, Dalton's rule is to wait three business days, then follow up once in the same thread after seven. If there's still no answer, move on.

14. The thank-you after a coffee chat

Send it the same day. Mention one specific thing they said, so it's clear you listened.

Subject line: thank you

Hi [first name],

Thank you for your time today. Your point about [something specific they said] was the most useful advice I've had on [topic], and I'm going to [what you'll do next].

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Your name]

Cold email subject lines

The subject line decides whether the email gets opened, so keep it short, plain and honest. Hunter analysed 31 million cold emails and found that subject lines of five or six words worked best. "Quick question" did slightly worse than average (Hunter). Backlinko's study of 12 million outreach emails found 36 to 50 characters worked best. That data came from link-building outreach, though, not sales (Backlinko).

Two things to avoid. Don't add "Re:" or "Fwd:" to a first email to fake a conversation. In the US, CAN-SPAM requires the subject line to reflect what's in the message (FTC). And don't trust open rates to pick a winner. Apple Mail downloads images in the background, which counts as an open whether anyone read the email or not (Apple). Compare subject lines by replies instead.

Here are subject lines that match the cold email examples above:

Lowercase subject lines are a style choice. They can feel more like a note from a person, but there's no good study showing they get more replies.

How long should a cold email be?

Shorter than most people write, but length alone won't fix a weak email. Hunter compared word counts across 34 million emails sent from 2022 to 2024. Emails of 20 to 39 words did best, at a 4.5% reply rate. But every length group landed between 3.4% and 4.5%. Hunter itself concluded that word count isn't a reliable way to get more replies (Hunter). Instantly reports that its best-performing first emails average under 80 words.

A good working rule is to say what you need to say, then cut every sentence that's about you rather than them. Most templates in this post are 50 to 90 words. Read the email on your phone before you send it. If you have to scroll, it's too long.

What reply rate to expect

Published cold email reply rates range from under 1% to over 8%, and most of that gap comes from how each study counts.

For sales cold email, somewhere between 1% and 5% per sequence is realistic. When someone quotes a number, ask what they divided by what. Also be wary of stats that are repeated everywhere without a source. Take the well-known claim that "80% of sales need five follow-ups". It traces back to a survey from 1942 with fewer than 40 people in it (SMEI).

The rules for cold email

This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the rules for the countries you send to.

• United States (CAN-SPAM). There's no exception for B2B email. Your From details must be accurate, and the subject line must reflect the content. Every email needs your physical postal address and a clear way to opt out. Opt-outs must be honored within 10 business days (FTC).
• United Kingdom (PECR and UK GDPR). The PECR rule on marketing emails doesn't apply to corporate subscribers, such as a limited company. It does apply to sole traders and some partnerships, which need consent. A named work address is still personal data, so you need a lawful basis, usually legitimate interests. Anyone who objects must be removed (ICO).
• European Union (GDPR and national rules). GDPR says direct marketing may count as a legitimate interest (Recital 47), but each country also has its own email rules. Germany is strict: email advertising without prior consent is not allowed, for businesses as well as consumers (UWG §7).
• Canada (CASL). Consent can be implied when a business address is published openly with no note refusing commercial messages. Your email also has to be relevant to the person's role (CASL).

Gmail and Yahoo also have rules for bulk senders. You need to authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and keep spam complaints under 0.3% (Google). One detail most guides miss: Google says these guidelines don't apply to messages sent to Google Workspace accounts. Most B2B cold email goes to work inboxes. Authenticating your domain is still worth doing either way. Here's how SPF, DKIM and DMARC work together.

Before you send: check the list

A good template sent to a bad list still fails. Every address that doesn't exist comes back as a hard bounce. A high bounce rate tells mailbox providers that your list is old or bought. Neither Gmail nor Microsoft publishes a bounce limit. Instantly suggests staying under 2%, and Hunter's 2025 average was 3.6%.

Spamhaus makes a point worth knowing: some old addresses that bounce today are later turned into spam traps (Spamhaus). Verification removes the dead addresses, but it won't make a bought list safe to email.

Before a campaign, run the list through a bulk email verifier, or check a single address with the email checker. If bounces are already a problem, here's why cold emails bounce and what bounce rate is normal. You can also run your copy through the spam word checker before it goes out.

Frequently asked questions

Does cold email still work?

Yes, for many teams, but expect most people not to reply. A realistic result for sales cold email is 1% to 5% of people replying per sequence. In Hunter's survey, 69% of US decision makers said AI-written emails bother them. So write the email yourself, or edit a draft until it sounds like you.

How many follow-ups should I send?

Two or three after the first email is a common choice. Hunter found three emails got more than twice the replies of one. Vendors recommend anywhere from three to seven emails in total. Test what works on your own list, and stop early for anyone who asks.

Should I put a calendar link in the first email?

It's better not to. A calendar link asks a stranger to commit time before they know whether they care. Ask whether the topic is relevant first, and send the link when they say yes.

Is cold emailing legal?

In the US, yes, as long as you follow CAN-SPAM. In the UK, emailing corporate subscribers is allowed with an opt-out, but sole traders need consent. In Germany, you generally need prior consent even for business addresses. See the rules section above, and get legal advice for your situation.

What's the difference between cold email and spam?

A cold email is written to one person, for a reason that applies to them. The sender says who they are and how to opt out. Spam is the same message blasted to anyone, often with a misleading subject or sender. If you couldn't explain why you emailed a particular person, it's probably closer to spam.

Should I track opens?

Open tracking isn't reliable anymore, because Apple Mail opens images in the background. Hunter also found that campaigns without open tracking got more replies, though that's an observation, not a controlled test. Track replies instead.

Can AI write my cold emails?

It can help with a first draft, but people notice generic AI emails and many dislike them. Check every fact it writes about the prospect, because a wrong "personal" detail is worse than none.