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ReachWriter / Cold email templates

Cold email templates you fill in once

Fourteen B2B sales email templates, each for a different situation. Type your prospect's details in the blank and every template below rewrites itself. Copy the one that fits.

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Want these rewritten around one specific prospect? The AI cold email generator uses the same inputs and writes fresh variations.

The trigger event

They just raised, hired, launched or expanded.
Subject[trigger / hook]

Hi [prospect first name], Saw that [their company] [trigger / hook]. Congratulations. Growth like that usually means [their pain] gets harder before it gets easier. We help teams like yours [outcome you deliver]. Worth a quick look at how [customer you can name] handled the same stage? [your name]

The reason you are writing is in the first line, so it reads as a note, not a campaign.

Problem · Agitate · Solve

The pain is well known in their role.
Subject[their pain]?

Hi [prospect first name], Most [their role]s I speak with say [their pain] eats more of their week than it should. The cost usually shows up later — missed targets, rushed fixes, a team stretched thin. [your company] helps [their role]s [outcome you deliver]. Open to seeing how it works? [your name]

Names the problem in their words before any mention of you.

Social proof

You have a recognisable customer in their space.
Subjecthow [customer you can name] did it

Hi [prospect first name], [customer you can name] had the same challenge I'd guess [their company] has: [their pain]. Working with us, they were able to [outcome you deliver]. Would it be useful if I sent over the two-minute version of what they changed? [your name]

Peer proof lowers risk; the ask is to receive something, not to meet.

The one-question email

You want the lowest-friction reply possible.
Subjectquick one, [prospect first name]

Hi [prospect first name], Is [their pain] on your list for this quarter at [their company]? If it is, I have an idea that helped [customer you can name] [outcome you deliver]. If not, no worries at all. [your name]

A yes/no question is easy to answer from a phone.

Before · After · Bridge

The outcome is easy to picture.
Subject[their company] without [their pain]

Hi [prospect first name], Right now, [their pain] probably means a lot of manual work for your team. Picture the same quarter where you [outcome you deliver] instead. That's the gap [your company] closes. Want me to show you how in 15 minutes? [your name]

Paints the end state so the product is the bridge, not the headline.

The observation

You noticed something specific on their site or feed.
Subjectyour post on [trigger / hook]

Hi [prospect first name], Your recent post about [trigger / hook] stuck with me — especially the point about [their pain]. We've been helping [their role]s [outcome you deliver], and your post made me think it might be relevant. Happy to share what's worked, if useful? [your name]

Proves you actually looked. Only use it if the observation is real.

Right-person referral

You are not sure who owns the problem.
Subjectwho owns [their pain]?

Hi [prospect first name], Could you point me to whoever at [their company] looks after [their pain]? We help teams [outcome you deliver] and I'd rather reach the right person than guess. Thanks either way, [your name]

Asking for direction is a tiny favour; many people forward it.

Value first (give a resource)

You have a useful guide, benchmark or teardown.
Subjectidea for [their company]

Hi [prospect first name], I put together a short breakdown of how [their role]s are tackling [their pain] this year — no pitch inside. Want me to send it over? [your name] [your company]

Earns the reply before asking for time.

Mutual peer / competitor

You work with others in their niche.
Subject[customer you can name] and [their company]

Hi [prospect first name], We work with a few teams in your space, including [customer you can name], on [their pain]. The common result has been to [outcome you deliver]. Is this something [their company] is looking at, or already solved? [your name]

Relevance through similarity; the ask allows an easy "already solved".

The three-liner

Senior buyers who skim everything.
Subject[outcome you deliver]

[prospect first name] — we help [their role]s [outcome you deliver]. [customer you can name] is a recent example. Worth a chat? [your name]

Respects a busy inbox; the brevity itself signals confidence.

After an event or webinar

You both attended or they spoke.
Subjectafter [trigger / hook]

Hi [prospect first name], Thanks for your talk at [trigger / hook] — the part about [their pain] was the most practical thing I heard all day. We help [their role]s [outcome you deliver]. Would a short follow-up chat be useful? [your name]

Shared context makes the email feel warm.

Agency / services pitch

You sell a done-for-you service.
Subjectan idea for [their company]

Hi [prospect first name], I had a look at [their company] and noticed [trigger / hook]. We're a small team that helps companies like yours [outcome you deliver] — recently for [customer you can name]. I jotted down two ideas specific to you. Want me to send them? [your name] [your company]

Offering specific ideas shows work done upfront.

Founder to founder

You are a founder writing to a founder.
Subjectfounder question

Hi [prospect first name], Fellow founder here. I'm building [your company] because [their pain] kept biting us at our last company. We now help teams [outcome you deliver]. Would you be open to 15 minutes to tell me if we're solving a real problem for companies like [their company]? [your name]

Asks for advice, which people give more readily than meetings.

The breakup (last touch)

No reply after 3–4 attempts.
Subjectclose the loop?

Hi [prospect first name], I haven't heard back, so I'll assume [their pain] isn't a priority right now — completely fair. I'll stop following up. If it becomes one, just reply to this thread. All the best, [your name]

Removes pressure; often gets the reply the earlier emails didn't.

How to use a cold email template without sounding like one

Templates fail when the only personal thing in them is a first name. Readers can spot a merge field in the first line. Three habits fix most of it:

  • Segment first. Pick one template per segment (for example, Heads of CS at 50–200 person SaaS companies), not one template for your whole list.
  • Write the hook by hand. The trigger field is where the effort goes. Everything else can stay templated.
  • Keep the ask small. "Worth a look?" or "Want me to send it?" is easier to answer than a calendar link.

Looking for something after the first touch? See all sales email templates by stage, including meeting requests and re-engagement emails.

Once the first email is out, plan the follow-ups. Most replies come after the first touch, not on it. Before sending, run your final copy through the spam checker.

Questions people ask

What is the best cold email template?

There isn't one winner. The trigger-event and one-question templates tend to feel most personal because the reason for writing is obvious. Test two templates on similar prospects and keep whichever earns more replies.

How long should a cold email template be?

Short enough to read on a phone without scrolling — roughly 50 to 125 words. Every template here fits that range once filled in.

Should I use the same template for every prospect?

Use the structure, not the words. Change the hook and the pain for each segment, and for high-value accounts write the first line by hand or run it through the AI generator with a personal hook.

Are these templates free to use?

Yes. Copy them into Gmail, Outlook, Apollo, Outreach, HubSpot or any sequencer. Replace anything still in [brackets] before sending.