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Cold email that gets a reply.
A cold email is skimmed, on a phone, between two meetings. It is decided in three lines.
In short
An effective cold email is five to seven lines: a descriptive, non-promotional subject line, a first sentence showing why you are writing to this company, one sentence on the problem you solve, and one simple ask. Personalisation matters more than length, and the follow-up sequence matters more than the first message.
The subject line decides everything else
A subject that looks like an advert is discarded unopened. A short, descriptive one that could have been written by a colleague gets through. Avoid capitals, exclamation marks, numeric promises and the words that trigger filters.
Putting the recipient's company name in the subject noticeably lifts open rates, provided the body lives up to that personalisation. A personal subject followed by a generic message does the opposite.
Short, specific, one ask
Five to seven lines. No company introduction up front, no attachment, no three links. One ask, and an easy one: fifteen minutes on the phone next week is accepted or declined in three seconds, an hour-long demo requires a decision.
Write the way you would speak. Sales formulas create instant distance, and most readers spot them before finishing the sentence.
The sequence matters more than the first message
Most positive replies do not come from the first email. Three to four messages a few days apart, each bringing a different angle rather than repeating the last, is a reasonable B2B sequence.
The final message is often the most effective: it announces that you are stopping. It gives the reader a reason to answer now, without manufactured urgency.
The legal frame in B2B
The rules for B2B cold email depend on the country where your prospects are. In France, a marketing email to a business address is allowed without prior consent when it relates to the recipient's job. In Germany, prior consent is required even between businesses. In the UK, you can email companies without consent, but sole traders and some partnerships count as individuals. In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act requires no prior consent but applies to B2B email too.
Wherever you prospect, identify yourself, make the commercial purpose plain and offer a simple, free way to stop being contacted. In the EU and the UK, a named address such as firstname.lastname@company.com is personal data: the person can ask for access to their data or its deletion at any time.
In detail
The topic, broken into concrete questions.
- The subject lineFive to seven words that decide whether the rest gets read.
- Email templatesThree short templates, to adapt while keeping the length.
- The follow-up sequenceFour messages, four angles, and a last one that announces the end.
- The legal frameWhat is generally allowed in B2B, and the obligations that remain.
Read next
- Prospecting planDecide who you are after, how many contacts you need, and at what pace.
- Where to find prospectsThe free sources, the paid ones, and what each really contains.
- Cold callingWhat happens in the first twenty seconds, and how to hold a run.
- Following upWhen to follow up, how often, and what to say to silence.
Frequently asked questions
How many follow-ups?
Three to four in total in B2B, three to five working days apart, changing the angle each time. Beyond that, returns collapse and the risk of being marked as spam rises.
Should you use a bulk sending tool?
Not at first. Below a few dozen sends a week, sending from your normal mailbox protects your sender reputation better than a badly configured tool.
What about generic addresses like info@?
They have a lower reply rate but remain useful for small businesses, where they often land directly with the owner. Above twenty staff, look for the named address instead.
Keep track of every follow-up
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