How long should a cold email template be?

Short enough to read on a phone without scrolling: a reason for writing, a sentence or two on how you help, and one question. Anything more can wait for the reply.

Should cold email templates be plain text or HTML?

Plain text. A cold email should look like a message from one person to another. Images and newsletter-style layouts make it look like a bulk send, to people and to spam filters.

What is the best call to action for a cold email?

One small, easy ask: a short call, or a yes/no question such as whether the problem is a priority. Several asks in one email make it harder to reply.

Can I send the same cold email template to everyone?

You can use the same structure, but change the reason for writing for each person or group. A template with nothing specific to the recipient reads as a mass email and gets ignored or reported.

Can AI personalise cold email templates?

Yes. In MagpieCRM, AI email sequences use your template as the example, look up each person's company, and write their own version of the first email and every follow-up. You can read and edit any of them before they send.

Cold Email Templates for B2B Outreach, With Examples

The short version

Good cold email templates are short, plain text and give one specific reason for writing to this person now.
Pick the template by situation: a referral, a trigger event, a problem you can solve, or a short direct ask.
Personalise the reason, not just the name. A real detail beats a merge tag every time.
MagpieCRM sends plain-text sequences from your own domain, and its AI email sequences can write each person's version using your template as the example.

What makes a cold email template work?

A cold email template works when it gives one clear reason for writing to this person now, then asks for something small. Keep it short, in plain text, and about the recipient's situation rather than your product. The template is only the structure: the reason and the detail that fill it are what get a reply.

One reason for writing, stated in the first line.
One or two sentences on how you can help, in their terms.
One call to action that is easy to say yes to, such as a short call or a yes/no question.
No images, no heavy formatting, and at most one link.

Every template below uses [square brackets] for the parts you fill in. If you can't fill a bracket with something true and specific, that person is probably not a good fit for this template.

Cold email templates by situation

The cold email templates below cover the most common reasons for B2B outreach. Each one has a line on when to use it. Adapt the wording to your own voice rather than sending it as written.

1. First touch with a specific reason

Use when you have spotted something concrete about their company that your offer relates to.

Hi [first name],
I noticed [specific detail: a new product, a new market, a page on their site]. Teams doing that often run into [problem you solve].
We help [type of company] with [outcome]. Would a 15-minute call next week be useful?
[Your name]

2. Referral or mutual connection

Use only when the connection is real and has agreed to you mentioning them.

Hi [first name],
[Mutual connection] suggested I get in touch. They mentioned [team or company] is looking at [problem or project].
We helped [similar company] with [result]. Happy to share how, if it's relevant. Worth a quick chat?
[Your name]

3. Trigger event: hiring or funding

Use when something has just changed at their company, such as a new role being hired or a funding round.

Hi [first name],
Congratulations on [the funding round / hiring for a role]. Growing [team] usually means [problem that comes with it].
We help [type of company] handle that without [cost or effort]. Is this on your list for the next few months?
[Your name]

4. Problem-led

Use when you know a common problem in their role well enough to describe it in their words.

Hi [first name],
Most [job title]s I speak to say [problem] takes up more time than it should, especially [specific moment it hurts].
We built [product] to [how it fixes that]. Is that a problem for you too, or have you already solved it?
[Your name]

5. Short and direct: "worth a chat?"

Use for senior people with little time, when the fit is obvious from their role and company.

Hi [first name],
We help [type of company] [one-line outcome]. Is this worth a chat, or not a priority right now?
[Your name]

6. Following up and closing the loop

Follow-up and break-up emails need their own approach, with new detail in each one and clear timing between them. They are covered in full, with templates, in our cold email follow-up guide. Pair any template here with a strong cold email subject line, too.

How do you personalise a cold email template?

You personalise a cold email template by changing the reason for writing, not just the name at the top. A first-name merge tag is not personalisation on its own: recipients can tell when the only thing that changed is their name. A real detail about their company, role or recent news does the work.

Research the company, not the person's private life. Their website, product pages, job openings and recent announcements are fair game and relevant.
Write the first line yourself. Even if the rest of the email stays the same, a specific first line changes how the whole email reads.
Check every merge tag. A greeting that renders as "Hi ," or a wrong company name is worse than no personalisation at all.
Drop people you have nothing to say to. If you cannot find a reason for this person, a template will not create one.

In MagpieCRM, a sequence sends plain-text emails from your own domain, days apart, and stops for anyone who replies, unsubscribes or bounces. With AI email sequences, you write the template once and the AI looks up each person's company, then writes their version using your email as the example. Prospect search can show Hiring and Raised funding signals, which give you the trigger for template 3.

Cold email template mistakes to avoid

Most cold email templates fail for the same few reasons, and all of them are easy to fix before you send.

Starting with yourself. "I'm [name] from [company] and we..." puts your company first. Lead with their situation.
Too long. If the email needs scrolling on a phone, cut it. Save detail for the reply.
Several asks at once. A call, a demo, a case study and a link in one email gives people too many choices and no easy yes.
Marketing formatting. Banners, images and newsletter layouts make a cold email look like a bulk send, and spam filters treat it like one.
Sending to everyone. A template sent to a list with no real fit produces complaints, which hurt your sender reputation. Google's sender guidelines say to keep your spam rate below 0.10% and never let it reach 0.30%.

Is it legal to use cold email templates in the UK?

Cold email templates are legal to use in the UK for business email to corporate addresses, as long as you follow the basics. Under PECR, you can email companies and LLPs without consent, but sole traders and some partnerships count as individuals. You also need a lawful basis for using the data, usually legitimate interests, and a working opt-out in every email. Our legitimate interests assessment guide has a free template for recording it.

Cold email templates that read like a real person wrote them