If you’re new to cold outreach—or just feeling stuck with how to kick off your emails—this guide is for you. Let’s rethink what makes a great opening message and explore how to make yours stand out.
A quick online search for “cold email” will flood you with articles weighing the benefits and drawbacks of this outreach method. Cold emailing, at its core, is about reaching out to potential prospects who don’t yet know your brand. You’ve identified them as a good fit based on your Ideal Customer Profile, and you’re ready to break the ice.
The Risk of Relying on Generic Templates
It’s tempting to grab a ready-made cold email template you found online—but that can backfire.
- Templates get reused constantly, making your email feel predictable and impersonal.
- Your recipients may have already seen the exact same email from another sender, damaging your chances.
- Overused templates can harm your deliverability and make your emails look spammy.
However, cold email templates aren’t useless. In fact, they’re a fantastic learning tool. By studying templates, you can understand structure, tone, and strategy. What matters is how you use them.
If you want a deeper dive into how templates work—and what lessons, you can extract—Donnager Ai recommends reviewing email breakdowns that show why certain outreach performs well.
Why Originality Wins the Day
The real problem comes when you copy a template word for word. To create something fresh and effective, you’ll need to change your mindset about what cold emails are meant to do.
A common mistake is thinking that cold emails are there to close sales. But in truth, they’re designed to spark conversations. These initial exchanges may later grow into sales opportunities, but your first goal is simply to get a response.
That’s why shifting your focus from selling to engaging is so important.
Build Your Template Around Engagement
If you want to inspire replies, you’ll need to center your message on them, not you. Show curiosity about their business, rather than pitching your product straight away.
The easiest way to do this? Ask a thoughtful question.
Spark Curiosity About Their Business
Keep your question simple and direct—something that’s easy for them to answer without much effort. Showing genuine interest in how they run their business is a great way to stand out but be careful not to overdo the flattery.
Importantly, your question should gently guide the conversation toward a potential business connection later on. That way, even while you’re engaging them personally, you’re setting the stage for a future partnership.
Break the Mold to Sound More Natural
Many experts recommend following a specific formula for cold emails—things like:
- From line
- Subject line
- Introduction
- Value proposition
- Call to action
- Signature
It’s useful to know the building blocks, but sticking to a rigid format can make your emails sound robotic. To keep things natural, don’t be afraid to adapt the steps and let your message flow more like a conversation.
Test and Refine for Better Results
The only way to know what works best is by testing. Try experimenting with different subject lines, calls to action, or even signoffs, and compare which variations get better responses. A/B testing can reveal valuable insights that help fine-tune your outreach over time.
For a detailed guide to split testing cold emails, Donnager Ai has resources to walk you through every step.
Final Thoughts
The biggest mistake in cold outreach is copying someone else’s template word for word. Those email formats have been circulating for ages, and prospects are tired of seeing the same thing.
If you want to break through the noise, aim to create a template that feels authentic to you. By focusing on starting conversations—rather than closing deals on the spot—you’ll build better relationships and boost your long-term success.
Brought to you by Donnager AI, helping founders and teams personalize outreach that actually gets noticed.
