Free templates · Cold email
Seven openers, three follow-ups and the sequence that ties them together. All ten are below, free. The kit adds a Word file, a prospect planner that dates every touch and a deliverability checklist so your emails land in the inbox.
Cold Email Kit
Ten cold emails and a four-touch sequence that earn replies without tricks.
Built on what inbox providers and the law require: Google's sender guidelines and the FTC's CAN-SPAM rules, with sources.
A cold email gets a reply when it's obviously written for one person: it names something true about them, a problem they probably have, and one small thing to say yes to.
Everything else in this kit, from the sequence to the deliverability checklist, exists to get that one email in front of the right person and out of the spam folder.
Templates are the easy part. These decide whether anyone reads them.
One true observation about their company beats any clever line. Ten minutes per prospect is enough.
Your product appears in one sentence, as the answer to a problem they recognise.
Under 100 words, no images, no attachments in the first email. It should read like a person wrote it.
A 15-minute call, the right contact, or permission to send details. Never a 45-minute demo.
Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC on your sending domain, include your postal address and honour every opt-out. The kit's checklist covers each one.
Replace everything in [square brackets]. Use one opener per prospect, then the follow-ups in order.
Your default opener
Subject[Problem] at [Company]?
Hi [First name],
[Something true you noticed, such as 'you're hiring three salespeople in Austin'.] When [type of company] does that, [the problem it usually brings] tends to follow.
We help [similar companies] [result, in plain words].
Worth a 15-minute call to see if it applies to you?
[Your name] [Title], [Company]
After news: funding, a new location, a new role, a job post
SubjectCongrats on [trigger]
Hi [First name],
Saw [the trigger: the new location / the funding round / your new role]. Congratulations.
Teams at this point often run into [a specific challenge that comes with it]. We [what you do] for [type of company], so [short outcome].
Open to a quick call next week to compare notes?
[Your name]
When you don't know who owns the problem
SubjectWho handles [area] at [Company]?
Hi [First name],
I'm trying to reach whoever looks after [area, such as sales operations] at [Company]. Is that you?
If not, I'd be grateful if you could point me to the right person. [One line on why it's worth their time.]
Thanks, [Your name]
Only when the person you name agreed to it
Subject[Mutual name] suggested I get in touch
Hi [First name],
[Mutual name] mentioned you're working on [their project] and suggested we talk.
[One sentence on what you've done for a company like theirs.]
Would 20 minutes next [day] work?
[Your name]
When you can spot a real improvement from outside
SubjectAn idea for [Company]'s [area]
Hi [First name],
I spent ten minutes on [your website / your Google profile / your job ads] and noticed [a specific gap].
One idea: [the idea, in one or two sentences]. It's the kind of thing we do for clients, but you could do it without us too.
Want the details?
[Your name]
When they use a tool or supplier you replace
Subject[Current tool] and [common limitation]
Hi [First name],
I noticed [Company] uses [current tool]. Teams on [current tool] often tell us about [a real, common limitation].
If that's true for you, we [how you solve it], and switching takes [realistic time].
If it isn't an issue, no need to reply.
[Your name]
For agencies and services selling to local businesses
SubjectYour Google reviews, [Business name]
Hi [First name],
I was looking for a [service] in [city] and found [Business name]. Your reviews are strong, but [a specific, checkable gap, such as 'the last reply to a review was in March'].
We help local [type of business] fix exactly that.
Want me to send a two-minute video showing what I'd change?
[Your name]
Day 3, as a reply in the same thread
SubjectRe: [your first subject line]
Hi [First name],
One more thought on [problem]: [something new: a figure from a named source, a quick example or a sharp question].
Is this on your radar this quarter?
[Your name]
Day 7
SubjectHow [type of company] handled [problem]
Hi [First name],
Here's what this looked like for [a real client you have permission to name, or a plain description of one]: [where they started], then [where they ended up] within [timeframe].
Could something similar work at [Company]?
[Your name]
Day 14, the last email
SubjectClosing the loop
Hi [First name],
I've sent a few notes about [problem] and haven't heard back, so I'll assume it isn't a priority right now. I won't email again about this.
If that changes, my calendar is here: [link].
All the best with [something specific to them], [Your name]
Stop the sequence for anyone who replies, including a no. The planner in the kit works out every date from the day you send the first email.
| Day | Send | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One opener | Earn a reply with one true observation and one small ask |
| 3 | Follow-up 1, in the same thread | Add a new angle, not a reminder |
| 7 | Follow-up 2 | Show what it looked like for someone like them |
| 14 | Follow-up 3 | Close the loop politely and stop |
Google's sender guidelines apply to anyone emailing Gmail addresses, and the US CAN-SPAM Act covers all commercial email, with no exception for business-to-business email. Other countries have their own rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
| Requirement | Who says so | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| SPF or DKIM on your sending domain | Google, all senders | Add both; it costs nothing. Your email provider's help pages show the DNS records |
| Spam rate below 0.3% | Google, all senders | Aim for under 0.1%. Email fewer, better-matched people |
| SPF, DKIM and DMARC, aligned with your From address | Google, over 5,000 messages a day | Set them up from day one so you never hit the limit unprepared |
| Accurate From line and honest subject line | FTC, CAN-SPAM | Send as a real person at your real company; no fake 'Re:' |
| Make clear it's a commercial message | FTC, CAN-SPAM | The FTC allows leeway in how; don't disguise a sales email as something else |
| Your valid postal address | FTC, CAN-SPAM | Put it in your signature |
| A clear way to opt out, honoured within 10 business days | FTC, CAN-SPAM | Offer a reply-to-opt-out line and remove people the same day |
In AutomateNexus CRM you can build the four touches as a workflow, with a wait between each step. Karrie drafts the follow-ups and sends them once you approve.
See the automation templatesOne true, specific observation about the recipient, a problem they probably recognise, a single sentence on how you help, and one small ask. Under 100 words, plain text, and written for one person rather than a list.
Three follow-ups over about two weeks is plenty for most outbound: a new angle on day 3, an example on day 7 and a polite close on day 14. Stop for anyone who replies.
In the US, commercial email is legal if you follow the CAN-SPAM Act: accurate sender details, an honest subject line, a clear indication that it's a commercial message, your postal address, and a working opt-out honoured within 10 business days. The UK, the EU, Canada and other countries have stricter rules, some requiring consent, so check yours. This is general information, not legal advice.
Authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, send in small volumes to well-matched people, avoid images, attachments and link-heavy emails, and keep your spam complaint rate below the 0.3% Google sets for all senders.
Short, specific and honest, often naming their company or problem, such as 'Who handles sales ops at Acme?'. Avoid clickbait, fake 'Re:' prefixes and anything that misrepresents the email, which CAN-SPAM prohibits.
Cold Email Kit
Ten cold emails and a four-touch sequence that earn replies without tricks.
Sources: Google, Email sender guidelines; FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business. Checked September 2026.
Templates only work when someone sends them. AutomateNexus CRM keeps every deal's next step in front of you, with Karrie and eight AI agents on every plan.