How to Write Cold Emails & LinkedIn Messages That Get Results
Cold outreach still works when it’s clear, brief, and painfully relevant. We focus on starting conversations, not pitching demos. Replies are the micro conversion that lead to meetings, pipeline, and revenue. Below we share practical principles, tested frameworks, copy examples, and infrastructure tips so your emails and LinkedIn messages actually get replies.
Why copy matters more than tools
You can have world-class tooling, perfect targeting, and pristine infrastructure, but if your copy doesn’t hit the pain, you won’t get engagement. Copy is the difference between an inbox reply and a tombstone in spam. It’s also one of the hardest things to master, because small adjustments often produce big swings in results.
The four pillars of successful outreach
- Infrastructure - domains, mailboxes, warm-up, ESPs, and deliverability hygiene.
- Targeting - right people, right signals; getting it wrong hurts performance.
- Execution - sequencing, pacing, multi-channel threading, and reply management.
- Copy - what we send: subject lines, body, follow-ups, and personalization.
Core copy principles that actually move the needle
- Lead with pain, not features. People respond when you show you understand what’s costing them time or money.
- Use contact-level signals. Personalization built from public data (LinkedIn, company site, hiring, funding) makes emails feel handcrafted.
- Short beats long - usually. Aim for ~50–60 words for most markets. Some markets, like German-speaking regions, respond better to longer, more detailed emails.
- Lowercase subject lines consistently outperform capitalized ones - they act as pattern breaks in crowded inboxes.
- Follow-ups must add value. Never send bump-only follow-ups. Each touch should present a new reason to reply (data, a sample, a stat, a different pain).
- First message matters most. Expect 40–60% of replies from your initial outreach; invest effort in that first message.
- Localization multiplies results. Sending outreach in the prospect’s language can double or triple reply rates in non-English markets.
Email vs LinkedIn: same goal, different style
Treat LinkedIn like WhatsApp - short, conversational, no signature, and leading with a question. On email you have 50–60 words to explain the why; on LinkedIn you should ask a simple yes/no or a curiosity-sparking question. Use blank connection requests, then follow with a question-first DM. If LinkedIn messages look like emails, they feel automated and underperform.
Frameworks to structure your cold copy
Frameworks are starting points. We use them to focus thinking, then tune language and variables for each persona.
AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
Grab attention with a subject line targeted to a role or department ("quick idea for sales"), build interest by naming a specific outcome, show desire with short supporting evidence, then finish with a soft call to action.
PASS - Problem, Agitation, Solution, Summary
Lead with a specific pain (not enough pipeline; emails landing in spam), amplify the cost of that pain, hint at a solution, and ask a simple qualifying question. This works well when the pain is universal and urgent.
Before/After (BAP)
Paint a before and after scenario: what is the current struggle and what does success look like. Use this as a second-touch approach with a soft CTA like "Is this on your roadmap?" Reserve calendar asks for later in the sequence.
3Ps - Praise, Picture, Push
Use signals (funding, hiring, a new office) to praise the prospect, paint what success could look like, then push toward the next step. This is great for recently funded startups or companies showing growth signals.
One-liner for busy execs
For C-levels at 50+ employee companies use a bold short claim in the subject line and a single-line body. Examples: "I can generate $100k ARR in 3 months" or "Reduce your team by two SDRs." Keep it credibly bold and backed by case evidence in follow-ups.
Persona-based copy
Tailor messaging to title and priorities. The same product gets framed very differently for founders, VPs of Sales, and heads of Marketing. Segment and test.
High-performing message angles and concrete examples
Pain-focused emails
Subject lines: email deliverability or emails landing in spam? Open with a direct question about the pain and offer to send a quick diagnostic report or a few fixes.
Samples and free tests
Offer a no-risk sample (for example, a complimentary on-brand product video for a Shopify SKU) to provoke an easy yes. When prospects can see the output, curiosity - and replies - increase.
Ad-style copy
Write a short, punchy email that reads like an ad. It’s unusual in an inbox and can earn 4–7% replies when executed well.
Pattern rubs and playful openings
Small gimmicks still work: intentionally fake a merging error ("Hey FIRSTNAME - hope this landed") or add a light joke to break skimmers out of autopilot. Use sparingly and only where it fits the persona.
Competitor and integration angles
Name a competitor or integration in the subject line and ask if they’re exploring similar strategies. Example: "noticed Outreach launched X - are you exploring something similar?" This triggers curiosity and social proof if you share a quick result.
Three-observation outreach
Present three specific observations about the prospect’s site or funnel (page speed, CTA placement, design issue), attach a quick impact estimate, and ask if they want the details. This reads human and data-driven.
Follow-ups that actually work
Follow-ups should always add something new: a different benefit, a short case study, a sample, or a visual. In later touches, test memes, GIFs, and short videos - anything that is not plain text - to increase response rates, especially in the follow-up sequence.
Deliverability, send limits, and infrastructure playbook
Deliverability and copy are partners. A great email that never lands is worthless. Keep these practical rules in mind:
- Daily sending per warmed mailbox: aim for a maximum of ~30 cold emails per mailbox per day; add warm-up traffic on top.
- High-security targets: for banks, cybersecurity, and strict enterprises, drop to 5–10 emails per mailbox daily and mix in LinkedIn touches.
- LinkedIn limits: keep connections and active messages moderate; 30–40 messages per sender per day is a safe ceiling.
- ESP selection: at the time of writing, Google Workspace shows the best inbox availability overall, followed by shared SMTPs, Microsoft, and dedicated IP SMTPs. Dedicated IPs can be powerful but require expert management to avoid rapid reputation damage.
- Separation strategy: for the most robust durability, send each step of a sequence from a different ESP/thread when possible to reduce spam threading risks. This increases setup complexity but maximizes deliverability for high-value campaigns.
- Replies matter more than opens: track replies, positive replies, bounces, and opt-outs - not open rates. Replies tell you whether your message resonated.
- Speed to reply: conversion probability drops fast. Aim to reply within two hours to maximize meeting conversion; ideal SLA windows are two to five minutes for hot inbound replies if you have automation or an AI reply engine in place.
How to structure a simple, effective campaign
- Send two concise cold emails first - email scales best for volume.
- If no reply, send a blank LinkedIn connection request.
- After accept, send a brief question-first LinkedIn message.
- Follow with a longer LinkedIn message that includes an image, attachment, or sample if needed.
- Use value-added follow-ups that change the offer or angle (pain 1, pain 2, sample).
- Route replies to a unified inbox for fast human or AI-assisted answers.
How Salesforge helps
If you want an integrated approach that combines infrastructure and AI personalization, use tools that orchestrate multi-channel sequences, warm up mailboxes, and consolidate replies across senders. Salesforge pairs multi-channel outreach (email and LinkedIn) with AI personalization, unlimited mailboxes and LinkedIn senders, warm-up tooling, ESP matching, and Primebox to manage replies across all channels. That structure helps keep deliverability high while letting us iterate on copy fast.
Quick checklist before you hit send
- Is the subject a pattern break (lowercase preferred) and role-targeted?
- Does the first line name a real pain or signal?
- Is the message ≤60 words for most markets?
- Does the follow-up add value instead of bumping?
- Do you have warm-up and an inbox for replies routed to a single place?
- Have you segmented by persona and tested multiple pain points?
FAQs
How many follow-ups should we send?
Follow-ups should continue until you get a clear answer, but each follow-up must add new value. Two to four thoughtful follow-ups are common; avoid bump-only follow-ups. Change the angle or offer with each touch.
What subject lines work best?
Lowercase subject lines that name a pain or role perform well. Short, curiosity-driven lines like "email deliverability?" or "quick idea for sales" are strong opens. Test continuously because inbox patterns shift.
Should we use GIFs and memes in follow-ups?
Yes - when appropriate for your ICP. Visual creative in follow-ups can dramatically increase replies, especially when text-only attempts have failed. Test and monitor for opt-outs and brand fit.
How quickly should we reply to inbound responses?
Faster replies convert better. Aim to respond within two hours to maximize conversion. For hot replies, sub-two-hour SLAs are ideal. Use AI reply engines or dedicated reps to meet this timeline.
How many cold emails should a warmed mailbox send per day?
A good rule of thumb is ~30 cold emails per warmed mailbox per day. In high-security verticals drop that to 5–10. Tailor limits to domain health and target industry.
Do LinkedIn messages need to be long?
No. Treat LinkedIn like a messaging app: short, conversational, and question-led. Open with a blank connection request then ask a single, direct question. Follow-up can be longer if the connection accepts.
What metrics should we track?
Track replies, positive reply rate, bounce rate, and opt-outs. Avoid focusing on open rates; they are noisy and can mislead your optimization efforts.
Is localization worth the effort?
Yes for non-English markets. Sending outreach in the prospect’s language can double or triple reply rates, though it may make live demos harder unless you have local-language capacity.
Closing thought
Effective cold outreach blends clarity, brevity, and relevance. Start with the pain, personalize at the contact level, test relentlessly, and route replies so you can move fast. When infrastructure and copy are aligned, outreach becomes predictable pipeline rather than guesswork.
