Cold email is the most effective method to generate leads and get clients fast and consistent, yet most of the resources around it are super generic and useless.
I know this because before joining Datablist, I ran a lead generation agency focused on cold emails. When I first started, I struggled to find good resources and had to do the trial and error myself.
That's why I am writing this article to share high-performing, personalized cold email templates with a cold email example for each one and also a few cold email tips.
What You'll Learn From This Guide
- The best cold email templates.
- Cold email examples for different use cases.
- The psychological reasoning why these templates work.
- The most important rule for cold emailing.
Before We Begin
Let me be direct: I could give you 100s of cold email tips, but they wouldn't really help you generate leads until you follow the most important cold emailing tip: Always follow the 80/20 rule.
This means dedicating 80% of your efforts to gathering customer data and 20% to everything else.
You'll find the complete breakdown at the end of the article, but for now, let's start with the first cold email template.
Cold Email Template 1 – Hiring Signals For Recruiter
{{Soft CTA}}
Example 1 – Hiring Signals for recruiter
Would you be open to chat about it?
Why it works
- It doesn’t feel automated.
- It mentions the source.
- It’s super relevant.
- Uses Soft CTA.
- Is unique.
- Is short.
This cold email template is perfect for recruiters, staffing firms, and temporary workforce companies.
Cold Email Template 2 – Poke The Bear
With many {{job title}} still relying on {{current solution 1}} or {{current solution 2}} for their {{task}}, I wanted to ask: {{poke the bear question}}
{{Our solution}} recently helped {{similar_customer}} {{achievement}} through {{system or method}} resulting/leading in {{benefit 1}} and {{benefit 2}}.
Example 2 – Poke The Bear
I was on your website noticed you specialize in the disposal of hazardous materials for medical research facilities.
With many fleet managers still relying on Hamzat Box or McNeilus trucks for their daily routes, I wanted to ask: How do you measure whether your current trucks are delivering the highest ROI per route?
Our new trucks recently helped Suez Group reduce their time per stop by 25% through an AI-powered routing system, resulting in faster completion times and lower fuel consumption.
Can I send you more information about the new trucks?
Why It Works
- Challenges current solution.
- References similar customer.
- Is personalized.
- Uses Soft CTA.
- Is short.
Cold Email Template 3 – The Two Reasons
{{Problem statement}} {{Source if possible}}.
Usually, {{reason1}} or {{reason2}}.
Does this sound familiar?
I saw on {{source of data, your target audience is X}} if we can help you {{outcome}}, would you be open to chat?
Example 3 – The Two Reasons
65% of sales leaders reported not being on target for Q1. (Statista)
Usually, they are not getting responses on their outbound activities, while others aren't getting enough contact data of qualified prospects.
Does this sound familiar?
I saw on your website, your work mostly with operation leaders if we can help you find and connect with more COO’s like Alex from Storage Kings, would that be helpful?
Why it works:
- Shows you know their pain
- Doesn’t commit them to anything
- Shows you know who they are targeting.
- Is personalized.
- Uses Soft CTA.
- Is short.
Cold Email Template 4 – Straight to the Point
Example 4 – Straight to the Point
Why it works?
-
Goes straight to the point
-
Includes risk reversal
-
Strong social proof
-
Short and scanable
-
Uses Yes/No CTA
Cold Email Template 5 – I know Exactly What Your Pain Is
{{Inbox_Slider}}
Since {{their task}}, you are certainly familiar with {{Problem}}.
Imagine {{incredible solution}}
This is where {{our company}} comes in, because with {{our solution provides advantages}}
Would you like to see how we {{improved situation}} for {{Case study name}}
Example 5 – I know Exactly What Your Pain Is
Since you're probably the one managing customer purchase data, you've probably hit Excel's limits when trying to analyze patterns in 50,000+ orders - especially when filtering by purchase date, customer location, and product categories simultaneously.
Imagine quickly finding exactly what you need without spreadsheet performance issues or complex lookup formulas.
This is where Datablist comes in, providing spreadsheet simplicity with powerful database-like search and filtering — making large datasets manageable again.
Would you like to see how we simplified the same tasks for Datadog’s and Gartner’s data teams, or should I reach out to Maria in your team?
Why it works:
- This version describes their task super specific.
- Makes it super relatable.
- Names specific data points his company analyzes.
- Mentions a concrete number of records (50,000+ orders).
- Describes a real scenario they face.
This template works best for software companies — service-based businesses should use templates 2-4 or 6 instead
Cold Email Template 6 - The PAS Framework
Is {{company_name}}'s {{team}} still {{bad_and_current_solution}} and trying to {{desired_outcome}}?
On average, this approach takes up to {{time_cost}} and leads to {{pain_point_1}}, and {{pain_point_2}}.
We helped {{case_study_company}} {{solution_implementation}}, resulting in {{benefit_1}} and {{benefit_2}}.
Would you be open to see how {{your_company}} {{get_value}}?
P.S {{success_metric}} since {{benefit_1}} and {{benefit_2}}.
Cold Email Example 6 – The PAS Framework
Is Future Destination's marketing team still manually juggling their social media accounts and trying to maintain consistent posting times?
On average, this manual approach takes up to 10 hours per week and leads to missed posts and limited performance tracking.
Social Buddy helped Stay In Asia centralize their social media workflow, resulting in 70% less time spent on scheduling and a 45% increase in engagement rates.
Would you be open to seeing how Social Buddy simplifies social media management?
P.S. Their team has now doubled their content volume since they have more time and fewer headaches managing it.
Why it works
- Identifies a specific operational pain point
- Quantifies the problem's impact
- Provides social proof with specific metrics
- Uses a clear, time-bound call to action.
What is the PAS Framework?
The PAS Framework is a classic copywriting structure that works well for cold emails because it follows a natural psychological progression.
Here’s how to use it:
- Problem: Point out a specific challenge they're facing
- Agitation: Highlight the negative impact of this problem
- Solution: Present your solution with a concrete case study and clear results.
This framework is particularly effective because it demonstrates you understand their situation before pitching your solution.
The 80/20 Rule for Cold Email.
The 80/20 rule for cold emails is about investing 80% of your time in getting high-quality data about your prospects and the remaining 20% in everything else.
Why you Should Follow the 80/20 Rule:
The simple truth is that you need good contact data to reach your prospects.
Let me share 3 key reasons why data matters:
- It makes writing much easier because you'll know who you're writing for.
- You can send personalized cold emails that will make you stand out in the crowd.
- You will get more conversions since each message is perfectly tailored to each prospect.
Datablist is an AI-Copilot built for data enrichment that makes it perfect for gathering all sorts of prospection data to build, personalize and scale cold email campaigns effortlessly.
Conclusion
Cold email works best when you combine high quality data with genuine personalization. While volume matters, sending generic messages to unqualified prospects won't get you far.
Focus on reaching the right people with relevant, personalized messages that show you understand their needs. This approach will help you stand out and get better results from your outreach efforts.
FAQ
What is the 30 30 50 rule for cold emails?
To be honest, I've never heard of this rule even though I am a member of multiple cold email communities. There might be others who try to invent their own definitions to sound like experts, but I prefer being straightforward about it.
How do you write a good cold email?
Know your customer and keep it human in the age of AI. Executives are getting 10 times more cold emails than they used to, and most are exhausted by them. You can easily stand out by simply keeping your approach human—this is the most actionable advice I can give you.
Does cold emailing really work?
Yes, cold emailing can be highly effective when done correctly. Studies show that personalized cold emails can achieve response rates of 5-15%. However, success depends heavily on having quality data about your prospects and sending relevant, personalized messages rather than generic mass emails.
Is cold emailing illegal?
Cold emailing is legal but must comply with specific regulations in different regions.
United States: Under the CAN-SPAM Act, all commercial emails must follow these key requirements:
- Clear identification as an advertisement
- Valid physical address included
Additionally, senders must provide an opt-out option and maintain honest subject lines and sender information.
Europe: The GDPR enforces stricter regulations, with these essential requirements:
- Must establish legitimate interest or obtain prior consent
- Clear privacy policy and data processing information
The law also requires businesses to provide valid contact information, immediately honor any opt-out requests, and maintain documentation proving their compliance with these regulations.
How many cold emails per day?
The number of cold emails you send depends on your prospect list size. For rapid lead generation with a qualified prospect list, aim for 300-500 new prospects daily with two follow-ups for non-responders. However, ensure you have a valid reason to contact each prospect and remember qualifying them before sending any cold emails.
How to structure a cold email?
While there's no single "correct" way to structure a cold email, here's my recommended format:
- Start with a relevant, personalized line that addresses the prospect's pain point.
- Present your offer.
- Include social proof.
- Add a soft call-to-action (CTA).
- End with a P.S. line to add a human touch.