Cold emailing is tough — recipients only open 24% of outbound sales emails, and nothing stops them from marking your email as spam.
Unless you have a compelling, tried-and-tested email template, your chances of success are slim.
As a cold email lead generation agency with an expertise in 50+ industries, we’ve compiled this one-stop collection of email templates you can use to start conversations with potential customers, close deals, and keep in touch with past buyers.
These B2B email templates will kick-start your outbound sales efforts. Each is designed to grab your recipient’s attention and interest them in a conversation about your products or services.
Subject line: My experience with collaborative behavioral therapy
Hi {{FirstName}},
I have some friends who work as pediatricians in {{State}}, and their constant complaint is that they have to “juggle” everything when it comes to providing mental/behavioral care: medication management, finding providers accepting referrals, etc.
Have you considered working with providers in a Collaborative Care Model? This has become a viable option to reduce waiting times for families, and there’s no more calling around to multiple practices. I work at {{Company}}, which collaborates with pediatricians like you, and have seen the approach in real life.
Would love to tell you more! Let’s have a brief chat, say, on Tuesday?
Best,
Why we love it:
Storytelling creates an emotional connection with the reader and demonstrates your expertise without being too pushy or salesy. The email above starts with a story to show the recipient you understand their pain points and have firsthand experience with the issue. It then offers a solution to those pain points and subtly adds a CTA to schedule a call for further discussion.
Subject line: {{ReferralName#1}} didn’t respond to my email
Hi {{FirstName}},
Your {{Referral_Title}}, {{Referral_Name}} and {{Referral_Title#2}}, {{Referral_Name#2}} didn’t respond to my emails, I guess they are busy or OOO.
I was hoping to connect with you instead since I’m reaching out because there is a high probability we can impact one of the largest line items on your P&L, next to personnel and facilities. We’re a white glove freight forwarder that works with volume shippers throughout the US.
This is why I’m keen on scheduling a call with you to see if there is a fit. Let’s jump on a call to further discuss {{Company}} and our new programs that we designed specifically for the {{Industry name}} industry.
Best,
Why we love it:
When the contact hasn’t responded, it can be useful to refer to that fact in your next email and ask the recipient for help.
Name-dropping others like this email does shows that you’ve done your research and is a great way to start building rapport with your recipient. Plus, the tone and language of the email are friendly but confident. It clearly states why you’re reaching out and offers a concrete CTA for further discussion.
Subject line: Partnership request - {{Company}}
Good {{time_of_the_day}} {{FirstName}},
It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
My name is {{SDR}}, I’m reaching out on behalf of {{ClientName}}, Director of Operations, CMS at {{Company}}, to discuss our potential partnership.
Due to your past experience working at {{Company}}, we assumed that you would have a unique perspective on our potential collaboration.
{{Company}} can make use of our white-label (distributor-neutral) Customer Management services to drive a variety of revenue growth services globally and support your preferred route to market.
This is a different type of engagement than the {{ProspectCompany}} core distribution team, in that we would sell and act like {{Company}}, i.e. conduct channel management, identify revenue retention possibilities, and drive customer success as a fully-integrated {{Company}} unit:
Would you be open to a quick talk with {{ClientName}}, Director of Operations, CMS, and {{ClientName#2}}, Global Vice President, CMS to learn about existing areas of cooperation?
Respectfully,
Why we love it:
A formal approach works perfectly for government sectors and other regimented industries. These industries typically have decision-makers that appreciate a straightforward, detail-oriented approach. This email has a clear value proposition and provides relevant details on the potential collaboration. It also includes specific information about the service to be provided and why it would benefit the prospect, making it easy for the recipient to assess if there’s a fit. The polite closing line adds an air of respect.
Subject line A: need your expertise, {{FullName}}
Subject line B: {{Your Company Name}} + {{FullName}}: Interview
Hi {{FirstName}},
I’m reaching out on behalf of {{Company}} to ask whether you'd be willing to share your professional expertise and get some additional media exposure for {{Company}}.
As a leading branding agency, we are conducting interviews with top marketing professionals to produce a series of content about how mission-based organizations, especially foundations, are forming authentic connections in a post-pandemic world.
Let me know if you or {{Referral Name}} are interested in participating, and we can schedule a call next week.
Best,
Why we love it:
Inviting prospects to user interviews both exposes your product to potential customers and allows you to get valuable feedback. This subject line and the phrase “top marketing professionals” validate the recipient’s expertise, making them feel important and more likely to participate.
The content is also straightforward, leaving no room for confusion or doubt. Furthermore, it includes a specific time frame that shows the recipient that you’re organized and have a plan. This email establishes trust and demonstrates clear expectations from the start.
Subject line A: {{Company}}
Hi {{FirstName}},
I’d like to share additional info to give our meeting some context.
During our partnership with {Company}, the applied merchandising strategy proved to be overall 54% better than our competitors. As a result, {Company} spent 33% fewer hours on merchandising, and it was 56% less costly for Converse compared to what our competitors offered them.
{{Company}} can get the same results with our industry-specific skills and professional merchandisers with brand knowledge.
Let me know a suitable date and time you are available to sync up.
Talk soon,
Why we love it:
Social proof provides concrete evidence of how your company has solved a specific problem for another customer. According to this report, 71% of B2B buyers look at reviews during the consideration stage, and following up with an email that showcases results increases response rates.
The email above entices the recipient by mentioning how they can get the same results and reinforces the value the sender can provide. Numerical data immediately gives readers an idea of what to expect.
Discover more sales follow-up email templates that can lift your conversions into appointments as high as 15%.
Different industries have different open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates (read our B2B cold email statistics page for more details). What works for one may not work for another. Here are some of our tried-and-true email templates that have worked well in certain industries:
Average open rate we reached: 42%
Average reply rate we reached: 7%
Subject line A: {{Company}} x {{Sender’s_Company}}
Subject line B: {{Company}}’s device & software pipeline
Hi {{FirstName}},
I’ve been following the outstanding work you do at {{Company}} for quite some time now, and now that you’ve created {{DeviceName}}, I’m reaching out in hopes of finding the individual who oversees the development of custom software for {{Company}}’s medical devices and would appreciate it if you point me in the right direction.
At {{Sender’s_Company}}, we provide our clients in the {{Industry}} industry with the expertise of scientists, UX designers, and software engineers to deliver user-friendly and innovative products for their medical devices. We work in accordance with ISO 13485, IEC 62304, and GxP and implement FDA's 21 CFR Part 11 standard. With our domain knowledge and software and hardware integration experience, we can help {{Company}} deliver your products to the market faster.
I would love to explore collaboration opportunities and discuss your software product development challenges during a quick discovery call. How does next Tuesday at 10 am sound?
Thank you in advance,
Why we love it:
The healthcare industry is heavily tied to regulations and standards, so mentioning compliance is a strong way to start a conversation. The email highlights the sender’s expertise and mentions that they have domain knowledge that helps them better understand the customer’s needs. Praising the recipient’s work at the start also helps to create a sense of connection and trust.
Average open rate we reached: 31%
Average reply rate we reached: 8%
Subject line A: I’ve assumed you might be interested, {{FirstName}}
Subject line B: Just landed in {{City}}, can we meet tomorrow?
Hi {{FirstName}},
I’ve just landed in {{City}} and wanted to make sure that you received my email. Can we meet tomorrow? I don’t mind swinging by your office if it would be convenient as well.
To give you a better idea of our expertise:
We’ve recently partnered with a leading social media company that wanted to validate their existing persona definitions and draw additional insights beyond basic survey responses. In just a few weeks, the client gained 750-1,000 survey completes for 5 key audience segments that aligned with their predefined personas. They also appended their survey responses with {{Company}}’s 95,000+ audience attributes.
If that sounds appealing, how about a cup of coffee at 3 p.m. tomorrow?
Have a great {{Today}},
Why we love it:
Open rates in the ad and marketing industry are 20.5% on average, but our email had a 31% open rate. Why? A personalized subject line and casual tone of voice let readers know that the sender is not just another marketer. The email is also an invite to a face-to-face meeting, which piques the reader’s interest, rather than a sales pitch. Social proof, friendly language, and a strong CTA pack a punch in this email and encourage a response.
Average open rate we reached: 48%
Average reply rate we reached: 8%
Subject line A: Contact info: {ReferralName}
Subject line B: Touch-free payments at {{Company}}?
Hi {{FirstName}},
Has {{Company}} considered accepting PayPal & Venmo payments at your physical locations?
More than 50% of all consumers stated that they would continue to use contactless payment after the pandemic. Big brands are taking action to adapt to the changing behaviors as well as full advantage of PayPal’s launch campaign support, such as CVS. We would love to help {{Company}} gain a competitive advantage in your market and get ready for the holiday season to hit.
Being the most trusted QR payment provider, we provide a full-stack integration solution that can be seamlessly and cost-effectively integrated with your existing merchant environments.
I’d love to schedule a brief call with you or {{ReferralName}} to learn more about your current payment configurations and see if QR-based solutions would be a good fit.
Would next Tuesday work?
Best,
Why we love it:
This fintech email ties in the customer’s needs and offers solutions that could save time and money — both important factors when selecting a payment solution provider. Starting the email with a question about contactless payments shows that the sender is familiar with industry trends and is aware of customer preferences.
The email also uses third-party research to back up its statements, which adds credibility to the sender’s claims. Finally, the email is direct and concise, making it easy for customers to understand what they must do next.
Note: Having more than 5 years of experience as a fintech lead generation agency, we can take your cold outreach to the next level and ensure you get regular appointments with real decision-makers.
Average open rate we reached: 38%
Average reply rate we reached: 4%
Subject line: Brief 20-minute meeting
Hi {{FirstName}},
Our team is going on a business trip across {{State}} in two weeks. We have many new exciting things happening at {{Sender’s_Company}} and would like to share them with you.
Did you know that:
Therefore, it's the perfect time to collaborate with {{Sender’s_Company}} to get 950 qualified merchandisers working for you to provide coverage in all 50 states. Keep in mind that we service all major retailers such as {{Big_Clients’_Names}}, etc.
With us, your products will be out of the stockroom, organized on the floor, and provided with appropriately displayed signage. We execute price changes, audits, or any special project you may have.
We will be happy to arrange a Zoom chat if you aren’t available for a live meeting.
Thank you and best regards,
Why we love it:
The email uses limited space and delivers as much value as possible. It creates context by mentioning current events like inflation and the post-COVID-19 world. This email also name-drops reputable retailers to build social proof and credibility.
The message highlights a compelling offer (950 qualified merchandisers in all 50 states) and an easy way to take action (arrange a Zoom call). Finally, benefit-oriented copy and a direct call to action make it easy for prospects to take the next step.
Every B2B email template is different, but some standard best practices apply to them all.
Ditch the copy-paste approach and create templates for each segment of your audience. Different ICPs have different pain points, so write targeted emails that address those needs accordingly.
Segment your audience based on these pain points and industries and create messages that cater to each different group. Experiment with different social proof, CTAs, and incentives to see which ones work best.
Research by Woodpecker shows that the first follow-up alone has a 40% higher reply rate compared to the initial email. One email is rarely enough, so including follow-ups increases your chances of conversions.
Include 2 to 3 follow-up emails in your sequence and space them out by 4 to 5 days. Beef up your email copy with social proof, better offers, and more information.
Email CTAs get a click-through rate of 3% to 5%. Test different ones to see which ones work best and increase these numbers. In fact, 43% of marketers use 1 CTA per email to ensure they don’t confuse the recipient by giving them too many options.
Add a sense of urgency to your CTAs by limiting the offer for a specific duration or adding expiration dates.
Benefit-oriented copy highlights the end result of what the customer will gain from your product or service. Include specific numbers and tangible results that demonstrate how you can help them.
For example, if you’re selling a CRM, point out how it helps automate processes and saves time instead of outlining features such as drag-and-drop forms. Your recipient will be more likely to take action if they know what’s in it for them.
Since an estimated 121 business emails are sent and received every day, you need to ensure your email doesn’t take up too much of your recipient’s time. So create an easy-to-skim email using concise copy and organized content. Keep sentences short and avoid jargon, and create a strong hierarchy with text size, color, and placement; we recommend using a minimum font size of 10.5 pt14px.
In a survey by Databox, 90% of respondents highlighted that timing is important in sales and marketing emails. So do your research and determine when most of your audience is online.
A/B test emails at different times of the day and week to find out when engagement is highest. Timing may also vary based on the industry — education sectors are typically off during weekends, and business sectors may result in higher engagement on weekdays as well.
Determine which templates are performing well and which ones need adjustments. It’s crucial to analyze each template’s performance to identify areas for improvement.
Track metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, subscriptions, and conversions to see how your email templates perform. Make sure to track recipients’ reactions over time and adjust content accordingly. Regular analysis of your templates’ performances will help you create more effective emails.
Complicated inner structures and multiple layers of decision-makers make it challenging to reach the right person. Name-dropping one of the potential gatekeepers is the best way to break through as it builds rapport before engaging with the decision-maker.
Simple, concise, and direct emails are more effective than long-winded ones. Make sure to craft easy-to-skim content that includes a clear call to action with a sense of urgency.
Personalization and segmentation are key to increasing cold email response rates. Personalize emails with recipients’ names, titles, and organizations. And don’t forget to periodically scrub your email list to remove outdated information and false contacts.
