Most cold emails get deleted in under five seconds.
But not because cold outreach is dead—it’s because lazy outreach is everywhere.
A great cold email isn’t a pitch.
It’s a conversation starter. And it’s built on context, not copy-paste templates.
Here’s the framework I use—and share with clients—that consistently gets replies.
The 5-Part Framework
1. Personalized Subject Line
Avoid anything that screams “automation.”
Instead, make it about them.
- “Saw your post on RevOps—had to reach out”
- “Quick Q about [company name]’s growth goals”
- “That ops hiring move—brilliant”
This stops the scroll. That’s half the battle.
2. Icebreaker That Proves You Did Homework
Start with context that can’t be faked.
- Reference their recent LinkedIn post
- Mention a podcast they guested on
- Highlight a funding round or customer win
Example:
“Caught your episode on SaaStr—loved your take on PLG onboarding friction. We’ve seen the same with Series A fintechs.”
Now they know you’re not a spammer.
3. Short, Specific Value
Drop one sentence that connects what you do to a result that matters to them.
Not:
“We offer scalable cloud-native CRMs for startups.”
Better:
“We helped a similar AI SaaS cut demo no-shows by 42% with one outbound tweak.”
No fluff. Just impact.
4. Trust Signal
Just enough to earn credibility—not brag.
- Name-drop a customer
- Share a quick stat
- Mention a shared network (if legit)
Example:
“Worked recently with Vanta’s GTM team to streamline mid-funnel handoffs.”
They’re skimming. Give them a reason to take you seriously.
5. Low-Friction CTA
Make the next step tiny.
Not:
“Let’s book a 30-minute demo.”
Better:
“Worth a quick chat next week? I’ll keep it to 10 minutes.”
Or:
“Want the outbound playbook we used? Happy to send it.”
Make saying yes easy—and specific.
Example Email
Subject: Your hiring update got my attention
Hi [First Name],
Saw you just brought on a new RevOps lead—smart move. Curious if that’s a signal you’re gearing up for Q3 scaling.
We helped another B2B SaaS team in a similar phase cut CAC by 22% in 60 days by fixing a specific leak in their cold outbound.
Happy to share what worked. Want the playbook?
—[Your Name]
What to Do This Week
- Rewrite your best cold email using this framework
- Personalize the first line with a trigger, not a title
- Replace your CTA with a soft offer (resource, insight, shortcut)
- Track replies—not opens—and optimize for response rate
- Follow up in 3–5 days with a short, friendly nudge (no guilt trips)
Cold email isn’t about convincing.
It’s about connecting—with context, clarity, and curiosity.
