Cold Email Examples That Actually Get Replies.
Copy, paste, and customize these proven templates. These examples have generated 10,000+ meetings for sales teams worldwide.
No fluff. No templates that sound like robots. Real examples that convert.
50+ proven templates
All industries covered
Copy & paste ready
Why Use Examples
Don't reinvent the wheel.
The most successful sales teams don't guess—they use proven frameworks. Learn from winners instead of making their mistakes.
Skip the Learning Curve
Why waste months testing what works? These examples are battle-tested from 50,000+ campaigns across every industry.
Save 10+ Hours Weekly
Stop staring at blank screens. Copy proven templates, customize in minutes, send with confidence.
3x Higher Response Rates
These templates average 18-25% response rates vs. 2-5% for typical cold emails.
Avoid Spam Triggers
Every example is tested against Gmail, Outlook, and enterprise spam filters. Safe to send.
Email Templates
Proven cold email templates.
Copy these templates. Customize the placeholders. Send with confidence. Average response rate: 18-25%.
Subject: Quick question about {company}
Replace {bracketed} items with personalized details. Mention a specific recent event.
Subject: {mutual_connection} suggested I reach out
Only use real mutual connections. Name-dropping without permission backfires.
Subject: Ideas for {company}'s {initiative}
Give genuine value upfront. No hooks, no 'but first buy my product.' Pure value builds trust.
Subject: Your thoughts on {topic}?
People love sharing opinions. This approach works especially well for decision-makers.
Subject Lines
Subject lines that get opened.
47% of email recipients open emails based on subject line alone. Make yours count.
Question-Based
Quick question about {company}
Thoughts on {topic}?
One thing about {company}
Your feedback on {project}
Personalized
Saw your post about {topic}
Congrats on {achievement}
Regarding {company}'s {initiative}
Following up on our conversation at {event}
Value-First
Idea for {company}
Free resource for {team}
Case study: {result} in {timeframe}
{company} + {your company}: {benefit}
Referral/Connection
{Name} suggested I reach out
Mutual friend: {connection}
{Referral} mentioned you
Referred by {company}
Short & Curious
{first_name}?
Quick question
Thinking of you
This you?
Specific & Relevant
{Company}'s {strategy}
About your {job_title} role
Your {project} project
{Metric} improvement opportunity
Pro Tip: Keep subject lines under 50 characters
Mobile users see 40-50 characters before truncation. Put your most compelling words first.
Follow-Up Sequences
The sequence that converts.
70% of replies come after the 3rd email. Don't stop too soon. Here's our proven 5-email sequence.
Day 1
Initial Send
Subject: Quick question about {company}
Introduction and value proposition
Day 3
48 hours later
Subject: Re: Quick question about {company}
Bump with new angle—add social proof or case study
Day 6
3 days later
Subject: {specific observation}
Value-add—share relevant insight or resource
Day 10
4 days later
Subject: Different direction?
Pivot—address different pain point or offer
Day 15
5 days later
Subject: Last thing about {topic}
Breakup email—create urgency or close the loop
Industry Examples
Examples for your industry.
Different industries need different approaches. Find examples tailored to your specific use case.
SaaS
ROI-focused messaging highlighting time/money saved
Feature-specific emails tied to pain points
Trial-to-paid conversion sequences
Product update announcements
E-commerce
Partnership outreach for affiliate programs
Supplier negotiation and bulk ordering
Customer win-back campaigns
Integration partnership proposals
Agency/Services
Case study-driven outreach
Portfolio showcase emails
Niche-specific value propositions
Trial service offers
Enterprise
Multi-stakeholder consensus building
Security and compliance-focused messaging
ROI calculators and business cases
Pilot program proposals
Avoid These Mistakes
6 mistakes that kill your response rates.
01
Sending from a new domain without warm-up
Use FirstSales's 21-day smart warm-up or buy an aged domain with existing reputation.
02
Generic 'hi {name}' openings
Reference specific company news, LinkedIn posts, or mutual connections in your first sentence.
03
Asking for 30 minutes in first email
Ask for a simple 'yes' to a question first. Build interest before asking for time.
04
Including links in the first email
Links trigger spam filters. Save them for follow-ups once you've established trust.
05
Following up with 'just checking in'
Each follow-up should add new value—a case study, insight, or relevant resource.
06
Sending at the wrong time
Best times: Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11am prospect's local time. Avoid Mondays and Fridays.
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Pro Tips
Advanced techniques that separate pros from amateurs.
Research First, Send Second
Spend 5 minutes researching each prospect. Look at their LinkedIn, recent company news, and technology stack. This pays off in 3x higher response rates.
One Clear Call-to-Action
Don't give them 5 options. Ask for ONE specific thing: 'Is this relevant?' 'Want to see a demo?' 'Should I send more info?' Make saying yes easy.
Mobile-Optimize Everything
50% of emails are opened on mobile. Keep paragraphs short (1-2 sentences). Use clear subject lines under 50 characters. Test on your phone first.
Protect Your Domain Reputation
Never buy lists. Always warm up new domains. Monitor your sender score daily. One spam complaint can tank your deliverability for weeks.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn how Firstsales protects your domain, lands emails in inboxes, and turns cold outreach into revenue—everything in one place.
Absolutely! These templates are designed to be adaptable across industries. The key is customizing the specifics—mention the prospect's company, reference recent news about them, and tailor the value proposition to their unique pain points.
Keep it under 150 words. The best performing cold emails are 50-100 words. Respect your prospect's time. Get straight to the value, show you've done your homework, and end with a clear, low-friction call-to-action.
Send 5-7 follow-ups over 2-3 weeks. Most replies come after the 3rd or 4th email. Space them 2-3 days apart initially, then extend to 4-5 days. Each email should add new value—not just 'checking in.'
Subject lines under 50 characters that feel personal, not promotional. Avoid ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation, and salesy words. Best practice: mention something specific to their company or use a question format.
Avoid links in your first email—they trigger spam filters. Save links for follow-ups once you've established a conversation. If you must include something, use an attachment or plain text format.
Use FirstSales's AI personalization to automatically research prospects and find tailored talking points. Our system finds recent company news, LinkedIn posts, and technology signals to help you craft personalized messages in seconds, not hours.
