14 Proven B2B Cold Email Templates to Turn Prospects Into Customers in 2023

Cold email is dead, right? With the rise of social selling, chatbots, and other new channels, many argue that email is past its prime for B2B sales outreach.

However, the data tells a different story:

Email generates $38 for every $1 spent, a 3,800% ROI (Campaign Monitor)
59% of B2B marketers say email is their most effective channel for revenue generation (Emma)
31% of B2B marketers say email marketing is the best way to nurture leads (Content Marketing Institute)

When done right, cold emailing is still one of the most effective ways to start sales conversations and drive revenue. The key is to create hyper-personalized emails that provide real value and compel prospects to respond.

In this guide, I‘ll share 14 proven B2B cold email templates for every sales scenario, along with the strategies and best practices that landed one company 16 new enterprise customers. You‘ll learn how to:

Optimize your email subject lines for opens
Craft body copy that engages prospects
End your emails with clear calls-to-action
Personalize emails at scale
A/B test your way to higher response rates
And more

By the end, you‘ll be armed with a library of plug-and-play templates and a framework for turning cold leads into closed deals. Let‘s dive in.

The Anatomy of a Successful B2B Cold Email

Not all cold emails are created equal. The most effective ones share a few key characteristics:

Intriguing subject line: Your subject line is the gatekeeper to your email. It needs to pique curiosity and compel prospects to open. Keep it concise (ideally 7 words or less), personal, and benefit-focused.
Personal opening line: Start your email by showing prospects you‘ve done your research. Mention a common connection, shared interest, or recent company announcement to grab their attention and build rapport.
Relevant value proposition: Concisely explain how your product/service can help them achieve a goal or solve a problem. Focus on the benefits, not just the features. Use social proof to boost credibility.
Clear call-to-action: End your email with a specific, low-commitment CTA, like scheduling a quick call or demo. Make it easy for them to take the next step. Avoid vague CTAs like "Let me know if you‘re interested."
Human tone: Throughout the email, write like a human, not a faceless corporation. Use a personable, conversational tone as if you‘re emailing a colleague. Avoid overly formal language, jargon, and generic statements.

Here‘s a simple formula to remember: Personalization + Value + Credibility + Clear CTA = Greater Response Rates.

With that framework in mind, let‘s look at 14 cold email templates you can use throughout the B2B sales process.

14 Fill-in-the-Blank Cold Email Templates for B2B Sales

1. The Prospecting Email

Subject: Quick question about [goal]

Hi [First Name],

I noticed that [company name] recently [company trigger event]. Usually when that happens, [business issue] becomes a top priority.

[Your company] helps businesses like yours [achieve X results] without [pain point]. For example, we recently helped [similar company/competitor] [achieve X results] in just [time frame].

Could we schedule a quick 10-minute call to discuss how [prospect‘s company] can achieve similar results? Let me know how your calendar looks next week.

Best regards,
[Your name]

2. The Follow-Up Email

Subject: Re: [Your name] from [company]

Hi [First Name],

I wanted to follow up on my previous email about helping [prospect‘s company] [achieve X goal]. I know how busy things can get, so I thought I would check in one more time.

[Your company] recently worked with [similar company] to help them:

[Result 1]
[Result 2]
[Result 3]

We did this by [short description of approach]. Let me know if you‘re interested in learning more about how we can help [prospect‘s company] get similar results. I‘m available for a brief call [suggest 2 times in the next few days].

Regards,
[Your name]

3. The Break-Up Email

Subject: Permission to close your file?

Hi [First Name],

Since I haven‘t heard back from you, I assume [business issue] isn‘t a priority right now. Do I have your permission to close your file?

If I‘ve reached the wrong conclusion, let me know. We‘re always here to help you [achieve X goal] if timing changes on your end.

Thanks,
[Your name]

4. The Referral Request

Subject: Quick request regarding [company goal]

Hi [Referral Name],

I hope you‘re doing well. I‘m reaching out because my company [Your Company] helps businesses like [Referral‘s Company] [achieve X goal].

However, I‘m not sure if I‘m reaching out to the right person. Would you happen to know who is responsible for [leading X initiative/overseeing X department]? I‘d appreciate an introduction to share some ideas for [achieving X goal].

Let me know if there is anything I can do for you in return. Thanks in advance for your help!

Best,
[Your name]

5. The Case Study Email

Subject: How [Similar Company] achieved [impressive result]

Hi [First Name],

What would a [X%] increase in [metric] mean for [prospect‘s company] this quarter?

I ask because our client [Similar Company] recently achieved [impressive result] by implementing [Your Product/Service].

They were facing [business challenge] and looking for a way to [goal]. By [short description of approach], we helped them:

[Result 1]
[Result 2]
[Result 3]

I‘d be happy to share more details on how we did it. Would you be interested in a quick call to discuss how [Your Company] can help [prospect‘s company] achieve similar results?

Best,
[Your name]

6. The Credibility Boost Email

Subject: [Name], did you see [prospect‘s company] in [publication]?

Hi [First Name],

I saw [prospect‘s company] mentioned in [publication] last week. Congrats on the great press!

Usually when a company gets that kind of coverage, [business issue] becomes a bigger focus. That‘s why I thought you might be interested in learning how we helped [similar company]:

[Result 1]
[Result 2]
[Result 3]

If [business issue] is a priority for [prospect‘s company] right now, I‘d be happy to share some ideas. Would you like to schedule a brief call to discuss?

Regards,
[Your name]

7. The Value-Add Email

Subject: [First Name], thought you might find this useful

Hi [First Name],

Given [prospect‘s company]‘s focus on [initiative/goal], I thought you might find this [content resource] valuable. It provides a good overview of [topic] and some actionable ideas for [achieving goal].

I‘m curious to get your take on it. Does it align with [prospect‘s company]‘s strategy for [topic] this year? Hit reply and let me know what you think.

I have a few other resources I can share as well. If you‘re interested, I‘m happy to send them your way.

Best,
[Your name]

8. The Competitive Positioning Email

Subject: How [Your Company] stacks up against [Competitor]

Hi [First Name],

I know [prospect‘s company] likely looks at providers like [Competitor 1] and [Competitor 2] for [category]. I wanted to quickly outline how [Your Company] compares:

[Your Company] vs. [Competitor 1]

[Differentiator 1]
[Differentiator 2]

[Your Company] vs. [Competitor 2]

[Differentiator 3]
[Differentiator 4]

In short, we [key benefit] while also [key benefit]. That‘s why companies like [well-known client] trust us for [category].

Could I have 10 minutes of your time to learn about [prospect‘s company]‘s specific needs and share a bit more about our approach? Let me know if you‘re available for a quick call next week.

Regards,
[Your name]

9. The Cliffhanger Email

Subject: A [benefit] for [prospect‘s company]?

Hi [First Name],

I have an idea on how [prospect‘s company] can [benefit] by [X%] this quarter. I used the same approach to help our client [similar company] [achieve results].

Here‘s a quick overview of what I‘m thinking:

[Tactic 1]
[Tactic 2]
[Tactic 3]

I can explain each tactic in more detail and share the results we‘ve seen. Interested in a 10-minute call to learn more? Let me know what works best for your schedule.

Best,
[Your name]

10. The Survey Email

Subject: Quick question for [prospect‘s role]

Hi [First Name],

Hope you‘re having a great week. As [prospect‘s role] at [company name], I imagine [business issue] is constantly on your radar.

I‘m curious, what are your top challenges when it comes to [business issue] at [company name] right now? I‘m asking because we‘re compiling research on how [prospect‘s role] at companies like yours are approaching [topic].

Would you be up for sharing your perspective? It will only take a minute, I promise. I‘m happy to share the full report with you once it‘s complete.

Regards,
[Your name]

The Cold Email Template That Landed 16 New Customers

Of all the cold email templates I‘ve tested over the years, there‘s one that stands out for its ability to consistently generate high response rates and booked meetings. It‘s the template that helped one of our B2B clients land 16 new enterprise customers in a matter of months.

Here‘s the exact template they used:

Subject: [First Name], quick question

Hi [First Name],

I have an idea that I think can help [prospect‘s company] [achieve business goal] in the next 6 months.

I recently used this approach with [similar company/competitor] and helped them [achieve specific results] in [timeline].

Does it make sense for us to have a quick call so I can share the idea with you? If so, you can book 15 minutes on my calendar here: [Meetings link]

Regards,
[Your name]

Let‘s break down why this email template performed so well:

Personalized subject line: Including the prospect‘s first name in the subject line captures their attention and makes the email feel more personal.
Focused on their goal: The opening line immediately focuses on a specific goal that is likely top-of-mind for the prospect based on research.
Demonstrates credibility: Name-dropping a similar company or competitor and sharing a concrete result builds instant credibility and trust.
Clear call-to-action: The CTA prompts a specific next step (scheduling a call) and makes it easy to take action by including a meetings link.
Concise and to-the-point: At just 5 sentences, this email is quick to read and digest. The goal is to pique their interest, not give away too much information upfront.

To maximize the results from this template, I recommend using it in the following contexts:

As the first touch in a cold outreach sequence
When targeting prospects that fit your ideal customer profile
After you‘ve exhaustively researched the prospect on LinkedIn and their company website
Combined with multiple follow-up touchpoints (calls, voicemails, emails, social)
A/B tested against a second subject line and CTA

Email Best Practices to 4x Your B2B Response Rates

Selecting the right template is just the first step. How you execute your outreach is equally important. Here are a few email best practices to keep in mind:

Nail your subject line.

Your subject line is the most important element of your email. After all, who cares how great your offer is if no one opens your message? A few tips:

Incorporate personalization (name, company)
Emphasize value and benefits
Instill curiosity and urgency
Use action-oriented verbs
Keep it under 7 words
A/B test different variations

Write like a human.

B2B doesn‘t mean "boring-to-boring". Avoid stiff, formal language and write your emails like you‘d write to a colleague. A few ways to humanize your copy:

Use conversational phrases and contractions
Break grammar rules (fragments, one-word sentences)
Include personal anecdotes or humor
Ask questions to involve the reader
Add emojis (sparingly)

Focus on them, not you.

Resist the urge to make your email all about your company and your product. Instead, focus on the prospect and the value you can provide. A few questions to ask:

What are their top goals and challenges?
How can we uniquely help them?
What proof points do we have?
What CTA will compel them to respond?

Always personalize.

Personalization is more than just inserting {FirstName} in your email. Do your research to find uncommon commonalities and custom-tailor your message. Some ideas:

Mention a mutual connection
Reference a trigger event
Highlight a shared interest
Customize your value prop and CTA

Keep it scannable.

Most people quickly scan emails before deciding to read or delete. Make your message easy to digest at a glance:

Limit paragraphs to 1-3 sentences
Use bullets and numbered lists
Bold key phrases and takeaways
Stick to one main CTA
Cut any filler or fluff

Follow up persistently.

Most sales require 5+ follow-up touchpoints to close. Yet 44% of reps give up after just 1 follow-up (HubSpot). Stay persistent with your outreach:

Send multiple emails in your sequence
Include calls, voicemails, and social touches
Space out touches by 3-4 days
End each email with a clear next step
Know when to walk away (after 6-8 attempts)

Putting it All Together

I know firsthand how challenging B2B sales can be. You‘re fighting for the attention of busy buyers who are bombarded with pitches every day. Breaking through the noise requires a strategic approach to cold email outreach.

By combining hyper-personalized messaging, value-based copywriting, and proven templates, you‘ll be well on your way to booking more meetings and closing more deals. The 14 templates in this guide are a great starting point, but don‘t be afraid to test and tweak them for your own audience.

Remember, success in B2B sales is a numbers game. Not every email will get a response, and that‘s okay. But by consistently applying these best practices and aiming to provide genuine value, you‘ll start to see your open rates, response rates, and revenue climb.

Now I want to turn it to you: What‘s the best performing cold email you‘ve ever sent or received? Tweet me your templates at @[Your Twitter Handle] and I‘ll share the top picks in my next post.

And if you found this guide valuable, don‘t forget to download our full library of 25+ B2B cold email templates for every sales scenario. Happy emailing!

14 Proven B2B Cold Email Templates to Turn Prospects Into Customers in 2023

The Anatomy of a Successful B2B Cold Email