10 Cold Email Templates That Actually Get Responses

Why Most Cold Emails Fail

Before we dive into templates, let's understand why most cold emails get ignored:

• Too long: Busy people don't read walls of text
• All about you: Nobody cares about your company history
• Generic: "I found you on LinkedIn" isn't personalization
• No value: You're asking without offering
• Weak CTAs: "Let me know if you're interested" gets no responses

The templates below avoid these mistakes. They're short, value-focused, and have clear next steps.

Template Categories

We'll cover templates for different scenarios:

1. Website audit outreach
2. Pain point focused
3. Competitor-based
4. Social proof driven
5. Direct ask

Website Audit Templates

Template 1: The Quick Audit Offer

Subject: Quick question about [Company] website

Body:

Hi [Name],

I was researching [industry] companies in [location] and noticed a few issues on your website that might be affecting your search rankings.

Would it be helpful if I sent over a quick audit showing what I found?

Takes 2 minutes to review.

[Your name]

Why it works: Short, specific, offers value with no commitment.

Template 2: The Specific Issue

Subject: [Company]'s website is missing something important

Body:

Hi [Name],

Noticed [specific issue - e.g., "your site doesn't have SSL/HTTPS enabled"].

This could be hurting your Google rankings and making visitors nervous about your site security.

I put together a quick breakdown of this and a few other issues I spotted. Want me to send it over?

[Your name]

Why it works: Leads with a specific problem they can verify themselves.

Pain Point Templates

Template 3: The Problem-Solution

Subject: [Pain point] at [Company]?

Body:

Hi [Name],

Most [job title]s I talk to say finding new [clients/customers/leads] is their biggest challenge right now.

If that's true for you, I have a few ideas that helped [similar company] increase their pipeline by [result].

Worth a quick chat?

[Your name]

Why it works: Addresses a common pain and proves you've solved it before.

Template 4: The Empathy Hook

Subject: I know this feeling

Body:

Hi [Name],

Spending hours on prospecting just to get radio silence is brutal. I've been there.

What if you could find 50 qualified leads in the time it usually takes to find 5?

I'd love to show you how we helped [company] do exactly that.

Free this week for 15 minutes?

[Your name]

Why it works: Shows you understand their frustration.

Competitor-Based Templates

Template 5: The Competitive Edge

Subject: [Competitor] is doing something you should see

Body:

Hi [Name],

I noticed [Competitor] recently [specific action - redesigned their site, started ranking for X keyword, etc.].

Not sure if you're tracking this, but thought you'd want to know. I have some ideas on how you could get ahead of them.

Interested?

[Your name]

Why it works: Competitive intelligence gets attention.

Template 6: The Gap Analysis

Subject: [Company] vs [Competitor] - quick comparison

Body:

Hi [Name],

I ran a quick analysis comparing [Company] to [Competitor] in search results.

Found some interesting gaps where you could be winning but aren't.

The full breakdown takes about 5 minutes to review. Want me to send it?

[Your name]

Why it works: Offers tangible, relevant intelligence.

Social Proof Templates

Template 7: The Case Study Hook

Subject: How [Similar Company] got [result]

Body:

Hi [Name],

Just helped [Similar Company] increase their [metric] by [number] in [timeframe].

Given you're in the same space, thought you might find the approach interesting.

Quick call to share what worked?

[Your name]

Why it works: Proves you deliver results in their industry.

Template 8: The Referral

Subject: [Mutual connection] suggested I reach out

Body:

Hi [Name],

[Mutual connection] mentioned you're working on [project/goal].

We just helped them [result], and they thought we could help you too.

Do you have 15 minutes this week to explore?

[Your name]

Why it works: Warm introduction via mutual connection.

Direct Ask Templates

Template 9: The No-BS Ask

Subject: [Company] + [Your Company] - worth exploring?

Body:

Hi [Name],

We help [type of company] [achieve result].

Some of our clients include [Company 1], [Company 2], and [Company 3].

Worth a conversation to see if we could help [Company]?

[Your name]

Why it works: Direct, clear, respects their time.

Template 10: The Simple Question

Subject: Quick question

Body:

Hi [Name],

Who handles [area you help with] at [Company]?

[Your name]

Why it works: Ultra-short, easy to answer, gets you a contact.

Follow-Up Templates

The first email is just the start. Most responses come from follow-ups.

Follow-Up 1: The Bump (Day 3)

Subject: Re: [Original subject]

Body:

Hi [Name],

Just floating this back to the top of your inbox.

Did you get a chance to see my note below?

[Your name]

Follow-Up 2: The Value Add (Day 7)

Subject: Re: [Original subject]

Body:

Hi [Name],

Thought you might find this interesting - [link to relevant article, case study, or resource].

It relates to what I mentioned in my last email.

Let me know if you'd like to chat about it.

[Your name]

Follow-Up 3: The Breakup (Day 14)

Subject: Should I close your file?

Body:

Hi [Name],

I haven't heard back, so I'm guessing the timing isn't right.

No worries at all. I'll close out your file for now, but feel free to reach out if things change.

Best,

[Your name]

Why it works: Creates urgency and often prompts a response.

Tips for Customizing These Templates

Do Your Research

Before sending any template:

• Check their LinkedIn for recent posts or job changes
• Look at their company news for relevant hooks
• Review their website for specific issues to mention

Personalization at Scale

When sending many emails:

• Use merge fields for names and companies
• Create industry-specific versions
• Segment by company size

A/B Test Everything

Test different:

• Subject lines (biggest impact on open rates)
• Opening lines
• Calls to action
• Send times

Track Your Metrics

Monitor:

• Open rate (target: 40%+)
• Reply rate (target: 5-10%)
• Positive reply rate (target: 2-5%)

Using LeadFindr for Outreach

LeadFindr makes cold outreach easier by:

1. Finding qualified leads with AI-powered search
2. Generating website audits to use in outreach
3. Scoring leads so you know who to prioritize
4. Tracking campaigns to measure what works

Start your free trial and put these templates to work with qualified leads.