Picture this: Mike sent out a thousand cold emails to restaurant owners in his area. He was expecting calls, replies, meetings. What do you think happened? Nothing.
Now take Jason. He had the exact same list as Mike. He sent the exact number of emails, and yet... he generated $20 million in sales. It wasn't a lucky accident. Jason simply used proven cold email templates that follow two key pillars.
Table of Contents
- What is Cold Email and Why Templates Matter
- The $20 Million Email Expert's Proven Templates
- Template 1: The Problem-Solution Bridge
- Template 2: The Google Maps Discovery Approach
- Template 3: The Competitor Reference Method
- Template 4: The Industry Problem Story
- Cold Email Subject Lines That Actually Work
- Cold Email Response Rate: What to Expect
- Cold Email Personalization: The Game Changer
- Cold Email Follow Up Strategy
- Building Your Lead List the Smart Way
- The Two Pillars of $20M Success
- FAQ: Cold Email Templates
What is Cold Email and Why Templates Matter
Cold email is an unsolicited email sent to a potential customer who has no prior relationship with your business. Unlike spam, cold emails are targeted, personalized messages designed to start genuine business conversations. But let me paint you a picture of what's really happening out there.
Last week, I received exactly five cold emails. But let's be real for a second - I'm a small fish in an ocean full of sharks. Because a real local business owner? They get 50 cold emails a week.
Now let's put ourselves in their shoes for a second. What happens when they get the 51st email? "Another one trying to sell me something." The more you push with generic messages, the more they shut down. Their mental shield goes up: "You shall not pass!"
But that's not all. Because a business owner isn't some NPC. He has a name, a face, passions, roots in their community, and maybe even a dog named Buddy. That means he responds to things that resonate with his world and is way more resistant to anything that clashes with his values.
And before we dive deep, let's address the elephant in the room - is cold emailing even legal? The short answer is yes, when done right. But there are rules to follow.
The $20 Million Email Expert's Proven Templates
This is Jon - five years in the email game, $20 million in sales. He has tested everything, flipped it all upside down, measured every move until he figured out what really works. We put together a highlight of Jon's best strategies through four real concrete examples.
What makes Jon's approach different? Instead of launching into product demos (which many people ask about), the goal here is not to share the demo. The goal here is to make them understand that you can help them.
Template 1: The Problem-Solution Bridge
This template works because it positions you as a helper, not a seller.
Template:
Subject: Quick question about [Company Name]'s [specific challenge]
Hello [First Name],
I noticed [specific observation about their business/website].
We recently helped 100+ [similar businesses] increase their revenue by [specific percentage/amount] through [solution]. For example, [Company Example] saw [specific result] in just [timeframe].
Don't you think this approach could work for [Company Name] too?
Would you be interested in a 10-minute conversation to see if this makes sense for your business?
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Notice how you're linking this email to previous content. You've done something very cool - you pushed some social proof: "Our platform has already revolutionized the operations of small and medium-sized bike businesses."
Pro tip: Be careful with naked URLs. Instead of showing "HTTPS://..." say something like "as seen here" and put the link behind it. I highly recommend using a URL shortener like bit.ly because then you can track the clicks and see if people are clicking or not.
Template 2: The Google Maps Discovery Approach
"Hello John, I saw your website on Google Maps and thought this would be a great tool for your business."
But here's where most people mess up - they immediately talk about themselves: "I have a tool that would be great for you."
Instead, try this approach:
Subject: Saw [Company Name] on Google Maps
Hello [First Name],
I found your business while searching on Google Maps and noticed [specific observation about their listing/website].
After a quick review, I spotted some opportunities that could help drive more local customers to [Company Name].
We've helped similar [industry] businesses in [location] increase their local visibility by [specific metric].
Would you be open to a brief conversation about what we found?
Best,
[Your Name]
Advanced tip: You know what's really cool? You can filter regarding the stars on Google Maps. It means you can extract businesses with bad reviews and say: "Hello, you have only one star on Google Maps, and it means no one is coming to your business anymore. I can help you to get better reviews. Do you want to know more?"
You see? You identify the problem, agitate the problem, then present the solution. And if you want to know exactly how to find email addresses from Google Maps, we've got you covered.
Template 3: The Competitor Reference Method
Subject: How [Competitor Name] increased their leads by 300%
Hello [First Name],
Do you know [Competitor Name]? I'm asking because we recently helped them generate 5 additional leads weekly through SEO optimization.
After analyzing their website, we discovered they weren't ranking for key terms like "[relevant keyword]" or "[location-based keyword]" in [City].
We implemented the same strategy that worked for [Competitor Name] – would you be interested in seeing how we could apply this approach to [Company Name]?
Best,
[Your Name]
You have to tell a story around this approach because storytelling creates emotional connection.
Template 4: The Industry Problem Story
Let me give you a perfect example that reminds me of Dave Asprey with Bulletproof Coffee - a billion-dollar company built on storytelling. He was climbing some mountain (I think it was Everest), and the story goes that he put butter in his coffee. One of the local guides showed him this technique, and when he came back, he told that story because it gave him energy. It became an amazing story, and he built a billion-dollar company around it.
Coffee shop template:
Subject: Coffee quality at [Shop Name]
Hello [First Name],
Are you completely satisfied with the coffee quality you're serving at [Shop Name]?
I'm asking because recent studies show that 73% of coffee shops unknowingly serve low-quality beans, which impacts customer retention.
We're [Company Name] from Colombia, preparing premium coffee beans with traditional methods since 2010. Local coffee shops using our beans have seen 40% increase in repeat customers.
Want to try our coffee and see the difference for yourself?
Best,
[Your Name]
The problem with most coffee shops (and I think it's not only in France) is that the coffee is very low quality. So you come once, you never come back. Why do people go to Starbucks? It's a brand, and it's cool. That's it.
Cold Email Subject Lines That Actually Work
Your subject line determines if your email gets opened. Here are proven subject line formulas that have generated millions in sales:
Question-Based Subject Lines:
- "Quick question about [Company Name]"
- "Are you happy with [specific business aspect]?"
- "How is [business challenge] affecting [Company Name]?"
Curiosity-Driven Subject Lines:
- "Noticed something about [Company Name]"
- "Found [Company Name] on Google Maps"
- "[Number] optimization opportunities for [Company Name]"
Social Proof Subject Lines:
- "How [Competitor] increased [metric] by [percentage]"
- "What [Industry Leader] did to [achieve result]"
- "[Company] case study: [specific result]"
Cold Email Response Rate: What to Expect
Understanding realistic cold email response rates helps set proper expectations and measure success.
Industry benchmarks:
- Average response rate: 1% to 8.5%
- Good response rate: 10-15%
- Excellent response rate: 20%+ (with proper targeting and personalization)
Jon's $20 million success came from achieving 15-25% response rates through precision targeting and emotional storytelling. But here's the thing - if you want to know whether cold emailing is actually a good strategy, the numbers speak for themselves.
Cold Email Personalization: The Game Changer
The more Jon refines his message, the less he relies on logic and the more he connects through emotion. Jon isn't just writing an email - he is telling a story. He builds emotional tension step by step, then rolls out his message as smoothly as a well-laid script.
Cold email personalization goes far beyond using someone's first name. Here's what really matters:
Level 1: Basic
- First name
- Company name
- Industry
Level 2: Research-Based
- Recent company news
- Specific business challenges
- Competitor analysis
- Google Maps/website observations
Level 3: Hyper-Personalized
- Recent social media activity
- Industry-specific pain points
- Location-based insights
- Technology stack analysis
And this is where most people forget - this same principle applies to email personalization and the specific email address you are targeting.
Look at these two addresses - they are from the same company, but which one is more likely to actually read your message?
The second one. We don't want to land in HR's inbox. We want to speak to a name and a face, someone who might actually make decisions. Finding an email address is not enough - you have to find the right one. And before you send anything, make sure you check if the email is valid.
Cold Email Follow Up Strategy
Most sales happen in the follow-up, yet 48% of salespeople never follow up even once. Here's Jon's proven follow-up sequence:
Follow-up Email #1 (3 days later):
Subject: Re: [Original subject line]
Hi [First Name],
I wanted to follow up on my email about [specific topic].
I realize you're probably busy, but this opportunity could significantly impact [Company Name]'s [relevant metric].
Would a brief 10-minute call this week work for you?
Best,
[Your Name]
Follow-up Email #2 (1 week later):
Subject: Final follow-up about [Company Name]
Hello [First Name],
This will be my last email about [topic/opportunity].
Since we've helped [number] businesses in [industry/location] achieve [specific result], I thought [Company Name] might benefit too.
If this isn't a priority right now, no worries at all. Feel free to reach out if circumstances change.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Building Your Lead List the Smart Way
If you need help building a reliable list of B2B leads, you can check out Scrap.io. Scrap.io is your ultimate Google Maps scraper - no need for technical knowledge. All you need is a category and a location, and if it's your first time, your first 100 leads are offered.
The foundation of successful cold email campaigns is a high-quality lead list. You need the right person at the right company with the right problem at the right time.
Traditional methods vs. modern approaches:
Old way:
- Purchased email lists (outdated, low quality)
- Manual research (time-intensive)
- Generic targeting (poor conversion)
Smart way:
- Real-time data extraction from Google Maps
- Fresh, verified contact information
- Advanced filtering by business criteria
- Local targeting capabilities
Why fresh data matters: A business owner's email address from 2 years ago might be outdated, but real-time Google Maps data ensures you're reaching active businesses with current contact information.
The Two Pillars of $20M Success
So what are Jason's two key pillars that made all the difference?
Pillar 1: Precision Targeting
Don't spray and pray. Find the right person at the right company with the right problem at the right time.
Pillar 2: Emotional Storytelling
Move beyond features and benefits. Connect with real problems, real stories, and real emotions that resonate with your prospect's world.
Remember, while Mike was sending generic blasts hoping something would stick, Jason was crafting precise, personalized messages that spoke directly to his prospects' pain points and aspirations. That's the difference between failure and $20 million in sales.
The choice is yours: Will you be Mike, or will you be Jason?
And if you want to make sure you're doing this right, here's our complete guide on how to write a cold email that actually gets responses.
FAQ: Cold Email Templates
What makes a cold email template effective?
Effective cold email templates combine personalization, social proof, and clear value proposition. They focus on the recipient's problems rather than your product features, use conversational tone, and include specific examples or case studies that build credibility.
What's the difference between cold email and spam?
Cold emails are targeted, personalized messages sent to specific prospects you've researched, offering genuine value. Spam is unsolicited bulk messaging with generic content sent to mass lists. The key differences are personalization, relevance, and compliance with email regulations.
What's the average response rate for cold emails?
The average cold email response rate ranges from 1% to 8.5%. However, with proper personalization and targeting (like Jason's approach), you can achieve significantly higher response rates. The video shows how strategic cold emailing can generate millions in sales.
How long should a cold email be?
Keep your cold emails between 50-125 words. Business owners receive 50+ cold emails weekly, so brevity is crucial. Focus on one clear message, provide immediate value, and include a specific call-to-action.
What's the best time to send cold emails?
Research shows Monday and Tuesday at 11 AM and 1 PM perform best for cold emails. Avoid Fridays entirely. Remember that 75% of emails are opened within the first hour, with 42% of replies coming from that initial timeframe.
How many follow-up emails should you send?
Send 2-3 follow-up emails spaced 3-5 business days apart. Each follow-up should add new value or information, not just repeat your previous message. Studies show that consistent follow-ups can increase response rates by 28%.
How do you avoid spam filters with cold emails?
To avoid spam filters: use proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoid spam trigger words, personalize each email, use URL shorteners for tracking (like bit.ly mentioned in the video), and gradually warm up your email domain. For more details, check our guide on staying compliant with anti-spam regulations.
What makes a good cold email subject line?
Effective cold email subject lines are personalized, specific, and curiosity-driven. Include the recipient's company name (22% higher open rates) or reference something specific about their business. Avoid generic phrases like "Business opportunity."
How to personalize cold emails effectively?
Go beyond using their name. Reference recent company achievements, industry-specific challenges, social media activity, or mutual connections. The video emphasizes researching each prospect to find something that shows you're not just spamming but have taken time to understand their business.
Can you use Google Maps for lead generation?
Yes! As mentioned in the video, tools like Scrap.io allow you to extract business data from Google Maps by category and location. You can even filter by star ratings to target businesses with specific challenges (like poor reviews) that your service can address.