I know how hard it can be to get started on a project when there’s no guarantee of success and every possibility of failure. When I’m reaching out to potential clients, I have to psych myself up and remember the why behind my outreach.
Prospecting can sometimes feel like talking to an empty room — especially if you’re using outdated sales tactics that make buyers roll their eyes. Having a string of unreturned calls and unanswered emails is discouraging, to say the least. But the best antidote to dead-end prospecting is better preparation.
I spoke with several experts to learn more about their approach, and I’ve gathered their advice along with my own expertise to share some practical tips for writing a prospecting email that stands out. (You’ll also find some templates you can try out today, but don’t forget to personalize them!)
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Table of Contents
- Prospecting Email
- How to Write a Prospecting Email That Stands Out
- The 3 Key Elements of Good Sales Prospecting Emails
- Prospecting Templates You Can Start Using Today
- Prospecting Email Example
Prospecting Email
A prospecting email is a type of outreach that a salesperson sends to a potential customer to introduce themselves and the benefits of their business. The goal of the email is to secure a meeting with the prospect over the phone, video, or in-person to discuss their needs further.
Prospecting emails are also sometimes referred to as “cold emails” if they‘re sent to a recipient the salesperson has never interacted with. While you might have to send a cold email every now and then, I believe it’s best to send outreach or prospecting emails to recipients who are familiar with you or your business in some way.
That familiarity could come through actions like referrals or social media interactions. You could also establish it by referencing a prospect's work or a business announcement as a reason for connecting.
As a freelance writer, I’m constantly working to keep up warm leads on LinkedIn and email. Once I get to the stage where I’m doing outreach, (ideally) the prospect will already be familiar with my name and what I do.
But how do you write a relevant and engaging prospecting email that converts?
50 Free Sales Email Templates
Save time, find new ways to reach out to prospects, and send emails that actually convert.
- First-Touch Emails
- Follow-Up Emails
- Break-Up Emails
- ChatGPT Email Prompts
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How to Write a Prospecting Email That Stands Out
Don’t just take my word for it; I’ve gathered some expert advice to walk you through the process of writing a great prospecting email. If you want to skip ahead, check out our sales email template, which you can customize to your needs.
Try the CHAMP method.
Vince Nero is the Director of Content Marketing at BuzzStream, an end-to-end outreach platform. He recommends taking a page from successful digital PR and link-building outreach when writing a prospecting email. “The BuzzStream users who are most successful approach outreach using what I've narrowed down to the CHAMP method,” he says.
Nero explained the CHAMP method step-by-step — here’s how you can follow it:
- Connect. Make sure your email is relevant and makes an immediate connection.
- Help. Give the user some type of value.
- Adopt. Mimic the user's tone.
- Make it scannable.
- Personalize. Tailor the message with something unique, like referencing a social media post or article they've written.
Make an immediate impression.
Most of the experts I spoke with agree: nailing the first impression is crucial to writing a great prospecting email. From the subject line to the opener, you want to make sure that you are standing out in a crowded email inbox.
Damilola Ademuyiwa, a digital marketer and SEO specialist, swears by the “unexpected opener” when reaching out to prospects. “A little humor goes a long way,” he says. “Instead of the usual introductions, I start with a quirky observation related to their industry — like commenting on a recent trend or even a funny meme.
“For example, I once referenced a viral cat video that was popular in a prospect’s niche,” he said. “It broke the ice immediately and led to a productive conversation. The key is being genuine and a bit playful; it shows you're human and not just another sales email in their inbox.”
Pro tip: Personalization is key when making an impression. Try to avoid copy-and-paste tactics and find ways to make a unique connection with the reader.
Tailor your content and solution.
Of course, you’ll want to go beyond just making a good impression and focus on delivering value in your prospecting email. This includes tailoring the content to reflect the recipient’s specific needs, preferences, and behavior, Tyler Reed, Director of Content Strategy at Biz-Write, told me.
Here are some examples that Reed shared with me:
- You can use data to customize the email content based on the recipient’s past interactions or interests. For example, if you know the recipient has shown interest in real estate investment, include tailored content that speaks directly to that interest.
- Send follow-up emails based on the recipient's actions, such as opening an initial email or clicking on a link. This ensures that the follow-up is relevant and timely.
Pro tip: Remember that your main goal is to prompt an action. Clearly articulate what the recipient will gain from the offer or event. For instance, outline the specific benefits of attending a webinar or workshop, such as exclusive insights or actionable strategies. You’ll also want to address common challenges the recipient may face and explain how your solution can alleviate these issues.
The 3 Key Elements of Good Sales Prospecting Emails
Hopefully, I’ve made it clear how important it is to make a good impression. Are you ready for some tactical advice? Here are three key elements that I recommend you include as you are writing a prospecting email — use this as a checklist to make sure you’re including the right info.
1. A reason for reaching out.
This reason should be your way of gut-checking yourself. Is the reason for contacting your prospect compelling? Do they fit your ideal buyer persona? Are they similar to some of your most successful customers in the past? Can you provide any value to this person?
If not, don't reach out.
Pro tip: I like to keep a checklist handy to gut-check my reason for reaching out. If it doesn’t check all of these boxes, I keep looking to find a better fit.
2. A reason for reaching out right now.
Providing a compelling reason for a prospect to buy is just as important as establishing whether a buyer is a good fit. If there’s no sense of urgency — like a relevant pain point, a trigger event, or an internal initiative — there’s no reason to buy.
So don’t just prospect companies that fit in the vertical and size you typically sell to. Is there a good reason you’re reaching out right now?
Pro tip: This is great advice that I recommend to all my clients as a copywriter. You always want to make sure that the reader knows why this message is relevant right now. Otherwise, it’s easy to keep scrolling — or inbox surfing — without connecting to your message.
3. A call-to-action.
Every touchpoint in the sales process should drive it forward. How quickly the process moves depends on your prospect’s buyer stage, but you should never send a “just checking in” email that doesn’t provide any value to your buyer.
Instead, make sure your email is helpful before asking your buyer for something. Here’s an example of a first-touch prospecting email using these three elements.
Download the free prospecting email templates.
Prospecting Templates You Can Start Using Today
Still stuck? Here are seven prospecting email templates — each corresponding with an appropriate trigger event or reason to reach out.
Free Resource: 50 Sales Email Templates (Download)
Download These Templates for Free
1. Reference a company announcement (A).
Congrats! Have you thought about [business value]?
Hey [first name],
Because I work so much with [your targeted industry], I noticed that [company] recently [company action]. Congrats!
Usually when that happens, [business value] becomes a priority. That’s why I thought you might be interested in finding out how we helped [similar company] get going quickly in their new direction — without any of the typical glitches.
If you’d like to learn more, let’s set up a quick call. How does [specific day and time] look on your calendar?
Regards,
[Your name]
2. Reference a company announcement (B).
Your announcement this week
[First name],
Your latest announcement this week about [news] got me thinking.
I found an article on [related topic] that may be useful to you as your company progresses.
Here’s the link to read it: [article link]
Are you currently working on improving [related business value]? I have some more insight to share that could be valuable.
Hope you find this article helpful.
Best,
[Your name]
3. Connect with a customer referral.
[Mutual connection] recommended we get in touch
Hi [first name],
[Mutual connection] recommended we get in touch. I work with [him/her] for a company called [company name] that does [X, Y, and Z].
In thinking about your role at [company}, I know a few tactics that would work well for your team.
Our [product name] has been extremely well-received in the marketplace and I think it’s something that might be helpful for you!
Does this sound aligned with your current priorities?
Best,
[Your name]
4. Provide useful advice.
Can we help you achieve [goal], too?
Hi [first name],
In working with other [job titles], one of the key issues they’re struggling with is [key issue].
This past year, we helped numerous companies to [business driver], resulting in [money saved, revenue added, productivity increases, etc.].
A strategy our clients have seen a lot of success with is [key strategy]. Based on what I know about your business, here are a few ways you could put that strategy into action:
- [Tip 1]
- [Tip 2]
- [Tip 3]
Does that sound similar to past challenges you’ve faced? I have some ideas that might help.
All the best,
[Your name]
5. Respond to a social media post with advice.
Ideas for [business value]
Hey [first name],
I saw that you recently posted a question on LinkedIn about how to achieve [business value] for your company.
How, if at all, would you like to improve your strategy? I’ve found that [solution] has been successful for others. Here are a few examples of what other companies I’ve worked with in the past have done that might be helpful to you:
- [Tip 1]
- [Tip 2]
- [Tip 3]
Have you tried any of these strategies in the past? I have some more ideas for how we can help.
Best,
[Your name]
6. Compliment their work.
Loved your piece on [insert title/publication]
Hello [Prospect name],
I admired your recent piece on [insert topic/title] in [insert publication]. I especially liked your point about [insert salient point from article].
I thought you might appreciate this piece on a similar topic: [insert article with a tie to your product/service].
What are your thoughts on the subject?
Regards,
[Your name]
7. Reference a new role.
Congrats on the new role!
Hello [Prospect name],
I saw you took on a new role at [company name] recently. Congratulations!
I bet you're trying to figure out how to make an impressive (and immediate) mark during your first few months in this new position — and I think I can help.
I've helped companies like yours before, and they’ve loved their results:
- [Insert impressive stat]
- [Insert impressive stat]
- [Insert impressive stat]
Let’s talk about how I can do the same for you. If this sounds like something you're interested in, feel free to book some time on my calendar: [Insert calendar link]
Regards,
[Your name]
Prospecting can be tough. Make it easy with a fresh approach to outreach this year.
50 Free Sales Email Templates
Save time, find new ways to reach out to prospects, and send emails that actually convert.
- First-Touch Emails
- Follow-Up Emails
- Break-Up Emails
- ChatGPT Email Prompts
Download Free
All fields are required.
Prospecting Email Example
All of these prospecting email templates answer two questions: “Why you?“ and ”Why now?"
Make answering these two questions the goal of every sales prospecting email you send. Here‘s an example that incorporates a little of what we’ve talked about above into one reusable template.
In this example, I'm following up with a prospect I met at a networking event and am trying to secure a second meeting.
Download the free prospecting email templates.
Here, I’ve followed the best practices outlined in this article. I’ve also included a warm introduction, provided a “behind the scenes” view of our team solving for their problem, and saved some space to tailor the benefits of our product directly to what the prospect needs. The subject line makes it clear that I’ve met the prospect already. The CTA at the end is front and center, along with a place for contact information.
If you want a little more practice before sending your first prospecting email, check out this crash course on email prospecting.
Pro tip: You can also test out these sales prospecting tools to see which works best for you and your needs.
Craft Emails Your Prospects Will Want to Open
Make solving for your prospect's goals and priorities the intent of every sales prospecting email you send. Unopened emails and empty calendars will become few and far between once you master the art of the prospecting email.
The biggest takeaway I learned from the experts: Always lead with the benefits you can offer and give your prospects a simple CTA to follow through the next step in the sales process. And always remember that answering “Why you, why now?” first and foremost shows the person on the other end of the message that you care about them, their business, and their success.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
50 Free Sales Email Templates
Save time, find new ways to reach out to prospects, and send emails that actually convert.
- First-Touch Emails
- Follow-Up Emails
- Break-Up Emails
- ChatGPT Email Prompts
Download Free
All fields are required.
