What is a Cold Email?

A cold email is an unsolicited email sent to someone with whom the sender has not previously had a conversation, typically to initiate a business discussion. It is commonly used in sales, recruiting, and professional outreach to introduce a product, service, or opportunity.

Unlike warm emails, which are sent to contacts with an existing relationship or prior engagement, cold emails target individuals or businesses with whom there is no previous contact. In B2B sales, cold emails help generate interest, qualify leads, and schedule meetings with key decision-makers.

Cold emailing is not the same as spam. When done correctly, it is a strategic and respectful form of outbound communication that can lead to valuable business relationships. Effective cold emails are short, personalized, and focused on delivering value to the recipient. The best cold emails demonstrate a clear understanding of the prospect’s needs, offer a specific solution, and include a simple, compelling call to action.

The Difference from Warm Email

While cold emails and warm emails are both used in sales and outreach, they differ significantly in context, tone, and strategy. The main difference lies in the relationship with the recipient. Cold emails are sent to contacts who have had no prior interaction with your company or brand. Warm emails, on the other hand, are directed at individuals who have previously engaged with you in some way, such as downloading a resource, attending a webinar, or responding to earlier outreach.

Cold emails often require more thoughtful personalization and value-driven messaging to capture attention and build trust quickly. There’s no familiarity to lean on, so the message must be relevant, clear, and compelling enough to spark interest from a stranger. These emails are the first step in building a connection and typically have lower response rates initially.

Warm emails are part of an ongoing conversation. Since some trust has already been established, the tone can be more conversational, and the message can be more targeted. These emails tend to convert at a higher rate because the recipient is already aware of your brand or offering.

Think of it this way: sending a warm email is like continuing a dialogue with someone who already raised their hand. Cold email is knocking on a new door and hoping it opens.

Legal Compliance for Cold Emails

When sending cold emails, staying legally compliant is critical to protecting your brand and avoiding penalties. Several key laws govern email outreach across different regions, including CAN-SPAM (United States), GDPR (European Union), and CASL (Canada).

CAN-SPAM requires that all commercial emails include a straightforward way to opt out, the sender’s physical address, and accurate subject lines and headers. It allows cold emailing as long as recipients are given a way to unsubscribe and messages are not deceptive.

GDPR is more restrictive. Under GDPR, businesses must have a lawful basis to process personal data, such as legitimate interest or explicit consent. Cold emails sent to EU residents must justify this interest and provide transparency about data use, along with an easy way to opt out.

CASL, Canada’s anti-spam law, is among the strictest. It generally requires prior consent before sending commercial electronic messages, with limited exceptions for B2B outreach.

To stay compliant globally, always provide value, be transparent, include an opt-out link, and avoid misleading subject lines. Research regional laws before launching campaigns and consider consulting legal counsel if you’re operating internationally.

Cold Email Cadence: How Often Should You Follow Up?

A cold email rarely gets a response on the first try. That’s why having a thoughtful follow-up cadence is essential for success. The key is to be persistent without crossing into spammy territory.

The ideal cold email sales cadence begins with the initial outreach, followed by 3 to 5 follow-ups throughout 2 to 3 weeks. Give recipients time to respond and space out messages strategically—typically 2 to 4 days apart.

Each follow-up should provide additional value or context. Don’t just resend the same message. Instead, reference a different pain point, share a relevant resource, or offer to hop on a quick call. This keeps your outreach fresh and shows genuine intent to help.

Avoid sending too many messages in a short period. Over-emailing can hurt your sender reputation and lead to unsubscribes or spam flags. Tools like Revenue.io, Outreach, or Apollo can automate your guided selling cadence and track engagement, helping you time your next step.

When to Send Cold Emails for the Best Response Rates

Timing plays a significant role in the success of cold emails. Research shows that the best days to send cold emails are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, when recipients are settled into their workweek but not overwhelmed.

Aim to send messages in the mid-morning (around 10 a.m.) or early afternoon (1–2 p.m.) in your recipient’s time zone.

Avoid Mondays, when inboxes are flooded, and Fridays, when attention spans fade. While these are general best practices, always test and optimize based on your audience, industry, and campaign performance to find the ideal timing for your outreach.

Cold Email Template

A cold email template provides a proven framework for initiating conversations with prospects who haven’t interacted with your brand yet. A strong template includes a personalized introduction, a relevant value proposition, social proof or credibility, and a clear call to action.

The best cold email templates are adaptable across industries and personas, but always feel personal and direct.

Start with a compelling subject line, keep your message concise, and make it easy for the recipient to respond or take the next step.

Cold Email Format

The ideal cold email format follows a structure designed to grab attention and prompt action:

• Subject Line: Short, clear, and curiosity-driven.
• Opening Line: Personalized with the prospect’s name or company.
• Value Proposition: Explain how you can help solve a specific pain point.
• Social Proof: Mention similar clients or measurable results.
• Call to Action: End with a low-friction next step, such as a quick call or reply.

This format helps ensure your emails are scannable, relevant, and more likely to get responses.

Sample Cold Email by a Revenue.io SDR

Subject: Quick Idea for ’s Sales Team

Hi ,

I noticed your team at is focused on . I work with sales teams in who want to speed up rep ramp time and improve call performance.

helps teams like book 10x more qualified meetings using real-time AI guidance and call intelligence.

Would you be open to a quick call next week to see if we can help do the same?

Best,

Sales Development Representative

Using ChatGPT and Automation Tools to Write and Send Cold Emails

AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming the way sales teams craft cold emails. Reps can quickly generate personalized, persuasive outreach by simply prompting ChatGPT with details about the prospect, industry, and product value proposition. This eliminates writer’s block and ensures messaging stays fresh, relevant, and engaging.

For example, you can ask ChatGPT to:

• Write a cold email for a specific buyer persona.
• Rewrite an email to make it more concise or value-driven.
• Add personalization based on LinkedIn or company news.
• Create subject lines that are optimized for high open rates.

Once emails are written, automation tools take over. Platforms like Hubspot, Apollo, Mailshake, and Lemlist allow teams to schedule, send, and track email sequences at scale. These tools help optimize send times, manage follow-ups, and personalize at volume with dynamic fields and A/B testing. When combined with ChatGPT, reps can spend less time writing and more time engaging the right prospects, making AI-powered outreach smarter, faster, and more effective.

Check out our podcast that goes in depth to know when Cold Emailing is Better than Cold Calling w/ Rod Sloane. He is The Cold Email Coach, a sales expert, host on the Sales & Marketing Alignment channel on BrightTALK, and manager of the Sales & Marketing Alignment Group on LinkedIn.