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Cold email templates

Cold email templates you can copy, with a note on why each one works.

Eight example templates for the moments that matter: the first email, the meeting ask, the follow-ups and the last email. Each one is short, written for one person and ends with one clear question. Then send them from FirstSales, with your own words or with AI that writes from each contact's company and role.

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  • 01

    Eight example templates, ready to adapt

  • 02

    The six parts of a cold email that gets read

  • 03

    Follow-ups that stop when someone replies

  • 04

    Send from FirstSales from $29/mo, $1 for 3 days

Why most templates fail

A template is a starting point, not the email.

Most cold email templates fail for the same three reasons. Each one is easy to fix once you can see it.

It reads like a template

When the only personal word is the first name, people can tell. A cold email needs one real detail about the person or their company, or it looks like it went to everyone.

It asks for too much

A 30-minute demo is a big ask from a stranger. A first email that asks one easy question gets more answers than one that asks for an hour.

It stops after one email

Many replies come from a follow-up, not the first email. A template with no follow-ups leaves most of the replies you could have had.

Example templates

Eight cold email templates, one for each moment.

Each one is short, written for a single person and ends with one clear ask. Copy the one that fits, fill in the brackets with real details, and read the note under it before you send.

These are example templates written for this page, not emails from real customers. The words in [brackets] are yours to fill in with true details.

  1. 01

    One easy question

    Example

    First email · get a reply

    Subject: Quick question, [First name]

    Hi [First name], I saw that [Company] [one specific, recent detail: a new location, a hiring post, a launch]. We help [type of company] [the one result you deliver] without [the usual cost or chore]. Is [the problem you solve] something you deal with today? [Your name]

    Why it works

    It is short, it is about one person, and it ends with a question they can answer in a word. FirstSales uses the same pattern in get-reply campaigns: a short first email with one easy question.

  2. 02

    Ask for a meeting

    Example

    First email · book a meeting

    Subject: [Company] and [the result you deliver]

    Hi [First name], [One sentence on why you are writing to them and not to everyone.] We [what you do] for [type of company]. [One concrete thing that changes for them in the first month.] Would a 15-minute call next week help? I'm free [time 1] or [time 2]. [Your name]

    Why it works

    Two real times are easier to answer than “let me know what works”. In meeting campaigns, FirstSales offers open times from your Google or Outlook Calendar.

  3. 03

    Find the right person

    Example

    First email · ask for a referral

    Subject: Who handles [area] at [Company]?

    Hi [First name], I'm trying to reach whoever looks after [area] at [Company]. We help teams like yours [result]. If that isn't you, could you point me to the right person? Thanks either way, [Your name]

    Why it works

    It asks for something small and easy to give. Even a “not me” often comes back with the name of the person to write to next.

  4. 04

    Follow-up with a new angle

    Example

    Follow-up 1 · a few days later

    Subject: Re: [your first subject]

    Hi [First name], One more thought on my last note. [A different reason this matters to them: a cost, a risk or time saved.] [One line of proof you can back up: how it works, or a public detail.] Worth a quick reply either way? [Your name]

    Why it works

    A follow-up should add something new, not just “bump this up”. Sending it in the same thread keeps your first email right under it.

  5. 05

    Short nudge

    Example

    Follow-up 2 · about a week later

    Subject: Re: [your first subject]

    Hi [First name], Just checking this reached you. Is [the problem] on your list this quarter, or should I check back later? [Your name]

    Why it works

    Two lines and two easy answers. “Later” is still a reply, and it tells you when to come back.

  6. 06

    Polite last email

    Example

    Last follow-up

    Subject: Should I close this off?

    Hi [First name], I haven't heard back, so I'll assume the timing isn't right and stop here. If [the problem] comes up later, just reply to this email and I'll pick it up. All the best, [Your name]

    Why it works

    Saying you will stop is honest, and it gives a busy person one last easy moment to answer. In FirstSales, follow-ups stop on their own as soon as someone replies or opts out.

  7. 07

    Local business

    Example

    First email · Google Maps lead

    Subject: [Business name] in [City]

    Hi [First name], I came across [Business name] while looking at [type of business] in [City]. [One real detail from their listing or website.] We help local [type of business] [result], usually without [chore]. Would a short chat be worth it, or is now a bad time? [Your name]

    Why it works

    Local owners get generic pitches every day. Naming the place and one real detail shows the email was written for them. FirstSales can find local businesses through Google Maps.

  8. 08

    After a LinkedIn post

    Example

    First email · Signals lead

    Subject: That post on [topic]

    Hi [First name], I saw you engaged with a LinkedIn post about [topic], so I guessed it's on your mind. We help [type of company] with exactly that: [one sentence on how]. Would it help if I shared how it works? [Your name]

    Why it works

    It starts from something they did, so the email has a reason to exist. Signals in FirstSales finds people who engage with LinkedIn posts, on paid plans.

Anatomy

Six parts of a cold email that gets read.

Every template above follows the same shape. Once you can see the six parts, you can write your own in a few minutes, or check any template before you send it.

  1. 01

    Subject line· Example

    Quick question, Dana

    Short, plain and specific. It should read like a note from a person, not a newsletter.

  2. 02

    Opening line

    I saw Northwind Dental just opened a second clinic.

    Start with them, not you. One true detail proves the email was not sent to a thousand people.

  3. 03

    Why them

    Growing clinics often book patients by phone and lose some in the gaps.

    Link the detail to a problem they are likely to have. Keep it to one sentence.

  4. 04

    What you do

    We help clinics fill open slots without extra front-desk work.

    One line, in their words. Leave the feature list for later.

  5. 05

    The ask

    Is filling last-minute gaps something you deal with today?

    One question, easy to answer. A yes, a no or a “not now” all move things forward.

  6. 06

    Sign-off

    Sam

    Your name, plain. A long signature with banners and links makes a cold email look like marketing.

From template to reply

Three steps from a copied template to a real conversation.

The template gives you the shape. These steps make it yours.

  1. 01

    Pick the template for the moment

    A first email, a meeting ask, a follow-up or a last email. Each one has a different job, so start from the one that matches where you are.

  2. 02

    Fill the brackets with true details

    Replace every [bracket] with something real: a fact from their website, the problem you solve, a time you are free. Delete any line you cannot make true.

  3. 03

    Send it with follow-ups

    Send the first email and two or three follow-ups that stop when the person replies. Then read the answers and adjust the template.

Writing guide

How to write a cold email template

Plain rules that hold for any template, whoever you are writing to.

  1. 01

    Write to one person

    Picture one real person reading it. If a line would make sense sent to anyone, it is probably filler. Cut it or make it about them.

  2. 02

    Keep it under about 100 words

    Cold emails are read on phones, between other things. Short emails get read to the end, and the end is where your question is.

  3. 03

    Lead with them, not you

    Open with a detail about their company or role. Your company name can wait until the second or third line.

  4. 04

    Ask one thing

    One question, easy to answer. Two asks make the reader choose, and many choose neither.

  5. 05

    Use plain text

    No images, no banners, no tracking-heavy links. A cold email should look like one person writing to another.

  6. 06

    Make every claim true

    Only promise what you can back up. One true detail beats three impressive ones the reader can see through.

  7. 07

    Plan the follow-ups first

    Write the first email and the follow-ups together, so each one adds something new instead of repeating the first.

  8. 08

    Change one thing at a time

    When you test, change the subject or the ask, not both. That way you know what made the difference.

How to send a cold email templatein FirstSales

Five steps from a template on this page to replies in your inbox.

  1. Step 1 · Goal

    Pick the goal: a reply or a meeting

    Start by choosing what the campaign is for. A get-reply campaign keeps the first email short, with one easy question, like the first template above. A meeting campaign offers real open times from your Google or Outlook Calendar, like the meeting template.

    • Get replies. A short first email with one easy question.
    • Book meetings. Open times from your calendar in the email.
    • Change it later. Each campaign has its own goal.
  2. Step 2 · Voice

    Set a writing profile so it sounds like you

    A template only works if it sounds like the person sending it. Set a writing profile once, so AI drafts read the way you write. It applies to first emails and follow-ups alike, and with Needs approval you still see every draft before it goes out.

    • Writing profile. Your tone, set once.
    • Every step. First emails and follow-ups alike.
    • Needs approval. See each draft before it is sent.
  3. Step 3 · Facts

    Add your Offerings so every detail is true

    The [what you do] and [result] brackets are where most templates go vague. Add your Offerings and a knowledge base about your business, and each email uses your real products and details instead of guesses.

    • Offerings. What you sell, in your own words.
    • Knowledge base. Your website and documents, in one place.
    • No made-up claims. Emails draw on what you added.
  4. Step 4 · Follow-ups

    Add follow-ups that stop on a reply

    Add the follow-up templates as later steps with a few days between each. When someone replies or opts out, the rest of their steps stop on their own, so no one gets a nudge after they have already answered.

    • Steps with waits. Pick the days between each email.
    • Stops on a reply. Or an opt-out, for that person only.
    • Something new each time. Use the follow-up templates above.
  5. Step 5 · Replies

    Read every reply in Unibox

    Replies from every mailbox land in Unibox, one list, with the contact's history from the built-in CRM beside it. Answer from there, and use what people say to sharpen the template for the next campaign.

    • Unibox. Every reply from every mailbox.
    • Built-in CRM. The full history next to each reply.
    • Learn and adjust. Replies show which lines work.
Send it from FirstSales

Your template, sent the way it deserves.

What happens when you take a template from this page into FirstSales.

  • Use your words as they are

    Email Template mode sends exactly what you wrote, with no AI writing, plus follow-ups that stop on a reply.

  • Or let AI write from it

    In Needs approval, AI writes each email from the contact's company and role, and you approve, edit or reject every draft.

  • Follow-ups built in

    Add the follow-up templates as steps. Each one waits its turn and stops when the person replies or opts out.

  • Test two versions

    Run an A/B test on the subject or the ask, and see which version gets more replies.

  • Contacts checked first

    Every contact is checked before each send, and Dirty contacts are skipped, so your template reaches real inboxes.

  • Replies in one place

    Unibox collects every reply from every mailbox, next to a built-in CRM.

Cold email template:

check before you send

Run any template through this list before it goes out.

  • Every [bracket] replaced with a true detail
  • The first line is about them, not you
  • Under about 100 words
  • One question at the end
  • Plain text, no images or banners
  • A subject line that reads like a person wrote it
  • Nothing promised that you cannot back up
  • Two or three follow-ups planned
  • Follow-ups stop when the person replies
  • Contacts checked before the first send
“One of the best email outreach tools I have ever seen in my 9 years of business experience. It has solved the problem of email outreach for my cold emails.”
Santhosh K.Founder and CEO, small business · G2
Before and after

A template in a notes file or a template in FirstSales

The same words, sent two ways.

Copied by hand

Paste, edit, send, repeat.

  • Brackets filled by handOne email at a time.
  • Follow-ups from memoryEasy to forget, or to send after a reply.
  • Addresses not checkedBounces hurt the next email.
  • Replies in many inboxesEasy to miss one.
FirstSales

Set it up once.

  • Your words or AI draftsEmail Template or Needs approval.
  • Follow-ups that stop on a replyOr an opt-out.
  • Every contact checked firstDirty contacts skipped.
  • Unibox and CRMEvery reply in one list.
What people say

From people who use it

Real words from real users. No paid reviews.

“If you are looking to fix your sales pipeline, you should definitely try [it]. My open rate has increased drastically. The UI and UX are easy to understand, even for a beginner like me.”

Pooja Dhole

@ThisIsPoojaD

X

“One of the biggest pains in cold email is making sure that you have your DNS setup correctly. Firstsales has created a system to make sure you have done this correctly.”

Mike O

Trustpilot review

Trustpilot

“I have always struggled in cold outreach. However, Firstsales has provided an excellent tool for cold outreach.”

Kaushal S.

Founder, small business

G2
Read all reviews
Template library

More templates, by industry.

The library has a ready-made version of each common cold email for many industries: outreach, follow-ups, partnerships, referrals, re-engagement and more. Pick your industry to start.

637 templates across 38 industries · Each industry opens its cold outreach template, with links to the rest.

Keep going

Questions,answered plainly.

Can’t find yours? Write to us.

01What is a cold email template?

A cold email template is a ready-made email for writing to someone who does not know you yet. It gives you the shape: the opening, the reason you are writing, what you do and one ask. You fill in the details for each person.

02Are these real emails from customers?

No. They are example templates written for this page. The words in [brackets] are placeholders for you to fill in with true details about the person and your business.

03How long should a cold email be?

Short. Under about 100 words is a good rule. The reader should reach your question without scrolling, especially on a phone.

04How many follow-ups should I send?

Two or three is common, a few days to a week apart, each adding something new. Stop as soon as the person replies or asks you to. FirstSales stops follow-ups on its own when someone replies or opts out.

05Can I send my template without AI changing it?

Yes. Email Template mode in FirstSales sends exactly what you wrote, with no AI writing. Follow-ups, contact checks and Unibox still work the same way.

06Can AI personalize a template for each person?

Yes. In FirstSales, AI writes each email from the contact's company and role, using your Offerings and knowledge base. With Needs approval, you approve, edit or reject every draft before it is sent.

07What makes a good cold email subject line?

Short, plain and specific to the person, like a note from a colleague. Avoid all caps, hype and anything that sounds like a newsletter.

08How much does FirstSales cost?

Plans start at $29/mo, and you can try it for $1 for 3 days. There is no contract, and you cancel from the dashboard.

Outreach that keeps going after you log off.Leads, emails, follow-ups and replies, handled.

Connect unlimited mailboxes and let AI agents find leads, write each email and follow up. Or send your own templates in manual mode. From $29/mo.

Start your $1 trial See pricing

$1 for 3 days · Cancel anytime · No contract

Install with AI

Your coding agent sets up the FirstSales CLI and skills for you.

Prompt for Claude Code

I'm setting up FirstSales (https://firstsales.io), an AI outbound sales platform: campaigns, contacts, a reply inbox, deliverability and lead signals. Help me get my workspace sending real, good emails end to end, from Claude Code.

Read these first so you know how FirstSales works:
- Developer docs and API: https://developer.firstsales.io
- CLI: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@firstsales.io/cli
- Skills for coding agents: https://github.com/firstsalesio/firstsales-skills (read README.md and GUIDE.md)

Setup
1. Install the CLI: npm install -g @firstsales.io/cli
2. Install the FirstSales skills:
   claude plugin marketplace add firstsalesio/firstsales-skills
   claude plugin install firstsales@firstsales
3. Ask me if I already have a FirstSales account. If not, send me to https://app.firstsales.io to sign up.
4. Ask me to create an API key under Settings → API → API Keys, with only the scopes we need.
   Never ask me to paste the key into this chat. Tell me to run this in my own terminal, so the key stays hidden:
   read -rs FS_KEY && firstsales auth login --api-key "$FS_KEY"; unset FS_KEY
5. Run `firstsales whoami` and tell me which workspace and organisation we are connected to.

Then ask me about my business: what I sell, who I sell to (roles, company size, countries), my best customers, and what I use today for outbound (tools, lists, mailboxes). Walk me through:
1. Teaching FirstSales my business: website, offer, proof points and case studies in the knowledge base, so the AI writes like someone who knows the product.
2. Connecting my sending mailboxes and checking my sending domain: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and warm-up. If anything is unhealthy, tell me the exact DNS record to add.
3. Bringing in contacts: import my CSV or CRM export into a clean list, remove duplicates and bad emails, and block domains I must never email (customers, competitors, my own).
4. Building my first campaign: the right list, senders, steps and timing. Write the sequence with me, show me the drafts, and do not launch until I say yes.
5. Setting up Signals if it fits: find people engaging with LinkedIn posts about topics my buyers care about, and turn them into leads.
6. Inviting my team and giving each person the right access.

Once campaigns run, show me how to work the reply inbox from here: which replies need an answer, draft responses in my voice, and move good conversations into deals. If I use Cal.com, connect it so follow-ups can offer my booking link (not the first email).

Throughout, as you learn about my business, proactively suggest and help create:
- Reply templates for the questions and objections my prospects are likely to raise, based on my product, site and codebase if you can see them.
- Campaign ideas and segments worth testing, with the reason for each.

Safety rules:
- Show every change as a dry run (--dry-run) first and wait for my yes. Never send emails, launch campaigns or delete anything without my yes.
- Tell me before anything that spends credits, and how many.

Be opinionated. If the docs give a sensible default, just use it. Don't make me choose between five options.
Developer docs ↗npm: @firstsales.io/cli ↗GitHub: firstsales-skills ↗