Inbound leads are great but restrictive; you can’t rely on them alone to grow your freelancing career.
To work with your dream clients, you need to reach out proactively. Cold emails work best for this scenario, offering a direct pathway to potential clients you specifically want to work with.
However, freelancers often avoid cold emails because of low response rates. If this sounds familiar, you’ve landed on the right page. In this guide, you’ll get proven templates, psychological approaches, and practical tips for email copywriting of cold emails that actually get responses.
Let’s dive in!
The challenges of cold emailing + How to overcome them
The primary challenge of cold emailing is getting your emails opened and read.
No one likes receiving sales pitches. They trigger a flight response, and your email gets deleted without consideration.
To overcome this challenge, your cold email must consist of two critical elements: creativity and personalisation.
Creativity:
Think of out-of-the-box subject lines that use personal references, humour, unique perspectives, FOMO, or thought-provoking questions. These interrupt the automatic deletion reflex and earn the crucial extra seconds needed to deliver your value proposition.
Personalisation:
Personalisation transforms a generic pitch into a relevant message worth spending time on. It shows you've researched their business, understand their challenges and are genuinely interested in building a relationship.
In the templates that follow, both these elements are used strategically to get the best response rates from your potential clients.
6 cold email templates that work
Each of the following templates balances authentic connection with creative psychology to cut through inbox noise and earn responses. They're designed to feel refreshingly different while delivering proven results across industries. Feel free to modify them based on your niche.
1. The "Reality Check" Template
Subject Line: "Is [Company Name] really satisfied with [current outcome]?"
This template challenges your prospect’s comfort with his current situation while appealing to his ambition. The reference to a competitor’s success leverages FOMO and offers a simple, actionable solution.
The P.S. section is the hero of the script that provides a psychological nudge, making them less likely to dismiss your message.
2. The “Show Me You Know Me” Approach
Look at the subject line in the image. Does it make any sense to you?
Samantha McKenna, founder of #samsales, says she’s achieved her goal if it didn't make any sense to you. This email is hyper-personalised for Samantha and makes complete sense to her – Switzerland is her birth city; she loves cheeseburgers, and the last word hints at a collaboration. She calls this the ‘Show Me You Know Me’ (SMYKM) approach.
The SMYKM approach generates the best response rates since it is based on deep research that goes beyond the company pages. To find the personal and professional details needed for this template, you’d have to sift through their recent interviews, podcasts, publications, and social media platforms.
Once you have this, connect your expertise to their interests or challenges authentically in the email body.
3. The "Trend Alert" Template
Subject Line: "Only n% of [their industry] companies are doing this yet"
The trend alert template works on the principle of ‘Early bird gets the worm’. It builds a sense of urgency, leverages FOMO, and establishes your credibility.
It also induces a feeling of ‘missing out on early momentum’ in industry shifts, urging quick action.
Pro tip: Listing a couple of competitors reaping the benefits of this trend makes it more effective. For example:
“There’s a major shift happening in [their industry]. Only about 6% of companies have moved to [new approach], but those that have—like [Competitor 1] and [Competitor 2]—are already seeing [specific advantage].”
A/B test these to see which one works best for you.
4. The "Unexpected Compliment" Approach
Subject Line: "That [specific detail] on your [website/product/content] is brilliant"
The unexpected compliment approach is like coffee and cream - while the coffee by itself is good, the cream brings the missing element into focus to perfect the balance.
The genuine compliment works as a conversation starter, making your client receptive to the subtle value-driven offer – but not before asking a question on the strategy (being intentional or not) encouraging engagement.
Each element gently nudges towards the offer while keeping the entire conversation simple and easy.
5. The “Informal” Approach
Subject Line: Your Ads are following me (I don’t mind)
Use humour to break the scroll, says Asif Ali, a content marketer and an experienced writer.
When you are at the receiving end of hundreds of pitches and emails, things start getting mundane. That’s when humour can step in as your best friend; it instantly puts your client at ease while the nudge of the ads builds relatability.
Together, they make the email feel less like a pitch and more like a conversation, framing the outreach as a natural next step rather than a random ask.
Keeping the introduction section the same, you can use intriguing and humorous lines to catch the eye of your prospect. For example:
I Know What You Did Wrong in Last Summer’s Campaign (+ what I’d have done differently)
Pulp Friction: When Your Ads and My Attention Collide
Your Product Placement Game Is Scary Good (Respect ++)
I got into a heated debate because of you! [Company Name]
Your Brand Voice Interrupted My Date Night (It was so worth it)
That Campaign? My Girlfriend Can't Stop Talking About It (Neither can I)
A Star Is Born (It's Your Brand, With Some Tweaks)
Remember: While these subject lines instantly grab attention, they are tricky. You have to relate them authentically to your pitch or else they’re a dud.
6. The ‘Pet Relatability’ Approach
Most C-suite executives are proud owners of at least one furry animal. Use this to your advantage. Like this:
Subject Line: How is Muffin doing?
Build instant relatability by acknowledging their pet in the subject line and then tie it back to your experience. Transition smoothly from the pet connection to business while keeping the tone warm but professional.
The P.S. adds a personal touch and makes it memorable.
The 12 non-negotiables of cold emails
Whichever template you choose, there are 12 elements that are essential for cold email success:
Show your specific achievements and relevant experience in the email body to build credibility.
Keep the call-to-action low-pressure, making it easy for the recipient to say yes.
Don’t send a cold email without thoroughly researching your potential client and their company; generic outreach is immediately obvious.
Keep your value proposition clear. Tell them exactly how you can help them within the first few sentences.
Ideally, use a professional email address with your domain name, not free services. For example: me@dishajariwala.com instead of abc@gmail.com or xyz@outlook.com.
Include a complete signature with your name, role, website, and contact information at the end.
Proofread multiple times to spot errors.
Keep the formatting clean and consistent.
There’s no formal rule about the length of a cold email. However, respect your prospect’s time by keeping emails under 200 words.
Ask for exactly one thing—typically a brief conversation; multiple requests create decision fatigue and reduce response rates.
Ideally, send emails Tuesday through Thursday in the first half of the recipient's time zone, for optimal open rates.
Most importantly, analyse your cold email data to learn which fundamentals work the best for you and stick to them.
What to do once you’ve sent a cold email
Two things can happen once you’ve sent the email:
1. You get a response – positive or negative. If positive, work on the next steps as per the response, such as scheduling a meeting, sending a sample, etc. If negative, thank them for their time and ask if you can connect when their needs change.
2. Or you don’t – in which case, remember:
Cold emails just get your foot in the door. Most deals are closed during follow-up.
Try this follow-up sequence if you haven’t received a response:
First Follow-up: 3-4 days after initial email
Keep it short and reference your original email
Add a new insight or value point
Second Follow-up: 5-7 days after the first follow-up
Share a relevant resource or case study, if possible
Reiterate your offer with a clear CTA
Final Follow-up: 7-10 days after the second follow-up
Use a "closing the loop" approach
Leave the door open for future communication
I limit my follow-ups to three messages to avoid becoming annoying.
Effective cold emails combine genuine curiosity with specific observations, taking out the ‘cold’ into conversations worth having. The personalization captures attention, while creative framing makes your message memorable.
Remember that cold emailing is a numbers game that requires persistence and continuous refinement. Start with these templates, track your results, and adjust your approach based on the data.
Interested in actionable insights and analysis? Read more from Disha or check out her portfolio.
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