20 Email Outreach Templates Guaranteed to Get Replies

Email outreach can be overwhelming. On the one hand, you’re trying not to sound generic, and on the other, you’re testing multiple versions of subject lines to get more opens. 

The truth is, it shouldn’t be this hard. Using an email outreach template tailored for a specific use case can reduce the time required to put together click-worthy emails.

In this guide, we’ve gathered 20 tried-and-tested email outreach templates your prospects will love reading and replying to.

We’ve divided email outreach templates into three sections, so feel free to switch between them based on your needs:

• First touch email templates
• Follow-up email templates
• Break up email templates

1. First touch email templates

The very first email in an outreach sequence is called the first touch email. These emails can make or break your outreach process as they play a significant role in forming a strong bond between you and your potential customers. Because the first impression should always be the best one. 

Here are 10 first touch email templates you can steal:

• Prospecting email

The number one rule for the first prospecting email is to grab prospects’ attention with something specific you know about them. Personalization is a great hook that will keep them reading and taking action. 

Also, don’t forget to conclude with a strong call to action. 

Subject line: Idea for [prospect challenge]

Hi [first name],

I was doing some research on [pain point] and noticed your recent tweet about it. I see you’ve tried a couple of options and had really bad experiences.

I’ve heard similar stories from my recent clients. 

My company – [company name] has helped many people like you who are facing [challenge] with [solution].

Would you mind discussing more on this with me this Friday? Let me know – no pressure 🙂

Thanks,

• The same LinkedIn group

LinkedIn groups are like small communities of like-minded people. They are the best places to find worthy prospects and great conversation starters.

Subject line: Hello from [LinkedIn group name]

Hi [first name],

I see we’re both part of the [group name] LinkedIn group.

I’ve been looking to network with people in our industry. So I thought I’d pop by and say hello. 

Let’s stay in touch?

Best,

Pro tip: Did you know you can scrape LinkedIn group members for outreach in minutes? It’s totally feasible with Expandi. Once you’ve scraped relevant group members, you can also combine LinkedIn messages, emails, and InMails to create a Smart Outreach Sequence to generate strong leads on auto-pilot. 

• Attending a LinkedIn event

LinkedIn events are a gold mine of active B2B prospects. So find ICP-fitting prospects within industry-specific LinkedIn events, add this personalization to your emails, and establish a common ground. 

Subject line: See you in [LinkedIn event name] this Friday!

Hi [first name],

I see you’re attending [event name] hosted by [host]. Me too! This is my third event with them.

Curious about what made you interested in signing up for this event. Is it the host or this year’s topic around [topic name]?

Best,

• LinkedIn post engagement

Now, this one’s a lesser-known hack for reaching out to prospects. It involves keeping an eye out for prospects’ LinkedIn activity, such as their comments on a popular niche-specific individual’s LinkedIn post.

All you must do is find prospects’ comments, and use Expandi to scrape the post’s interactions and set up an automated outreach campaign.

Subject line: Thoughts on [topic]?

Hi [first name],

I happened to see your comment on [person]’s LinkedIn post about [topic]. 

So I thought you’d love to try our tool—[tool name] that handles [challenge]. I’d be glad to sign you up for the free trial.

Find our product here: [link] 🙂

Here are some recent testimonials from clients like you: 

[Testimonials]

Thanks,

• Congratulate them on recent funding

Tools like Crunchbase and LinkedIn are perfect for gathering information on prospects. For example, check if they’ve recently received a fresh round of funding, as this indicates that their company is growing at a steady pace and is all set to invest in new solutions. 

Subject line: Congrats on your funding!

Hi [first name],

Big congratulations on your recent round of funding. Wishing [company name] all the success!

You and your team have been a source of inspiration for many like myself in [industry].

I’m keen to know how and where you plan to invest in the coming year for more success.

Best,

• Highlight common interests

Most of us may have hobbies and interests outside of work in common. So don’t think twice to scour through your prospect’s LinkedIn profile, social media, website, or online mentions looking for clues as they make for great conversations. 

Subject line: Fellow [football team] fan?

Hey [first name]

I was scrolling through LinkedIn and came across a post you shared on [football team]’s recent win!

Have you ever watched a match live? I did just last month.

Cheers,

• Provide instant value

Most prospects love sales teams who don’t beat around the bush and are direct with their approach. For example, if you’ve noticed something wrong in the prospect’s website, you could immediately point that out and add how you’re the right person to help fix the problem.

Subject line: Regarding [company] website 

Hi [first name],

[Company]’s website caught my attention right away. The design is brilliant, and the copy is perfect.

However, I saw that a couple of pages are not fully optimized for organic search. Would you like me to send a list of on-page elements that would need fixing?

We could also get on a call for a quick fix.

Thanks,

• Send your company’s content

Your company may be producing content or lead magnets relevant to a prospect’s challenge, for example, with lead generation, content marketing, SEO, etc. Send them a link and ask for feedback.

Subject line: eBook on LinkedIn Lead Generation

Hey [first name],

I looked at your company’s website and thought you’d be the perfect candidate to contact about our recent eBook on LinkedIn lead generation. 

It has many real-time tactics and tips you and your team can use to generate high-quality leads for your product.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Thanks,

• Email outreach link building

Ensure you have a handy resource link in your link building outreach email, and never write a generic “let’s collaborate” subject line, as prospects may already be receiving tons of them.

Subject line: [first name], I think I have something for you

Hey [first name],

I was researching a topic today and landed on your company’s article on your blog page: [blog page link].

What a great list of resources you have on [topic].

If you’re interested, I wrote a guide on [topic] that I think will fit perfectly into your blog category: [name]. Here’s the link: [article link].

Let me know what you think!

Thanks,

• Ask if they’re the right person

Now this is the best way to ensure you receive a response and talk to the right person in charge of decision making. 

Subject line: Marketing in charge at [company name] 

Hi [first name],

I’m trying to reach out to the person in charge of implementing a marketing automation tool at your company.  

We’ve helped businesses like yours automate several marketing campaigns and receive 100%+ ROI.

Could you help me get in touch with the right person?

Thanks in advance!

Best,

2. Follow-up email templates

Always and always follow up with your prospects. The fact is, people are busy and may have run short of time to respond to the initial email. Also, follow-up emails are great for keeping the connection going after meeting a prospect in person or at events. 

• After no response to the “first touch” email

If you’ve sent a “first touch” email and received no response, wait 1-2 days before sending a follow-up email to refresh their memory. 

Subject line: Bumping this up

Hi [first name],

I guess my previous email got lost, so bumping this up.

I’d like to know who the right person in [company] is in charge of marketing. I also want to quickly check in if my marketing automation tool would fit into your company’s business goals.

Please route me to them so I can take this forward.

Thanks,

• Post-event follow-up

A networking follow-up email is essential to staying in touch with a prospect or partner and taking the conversation forward after you both attended an event. 

Subject line: Following up on our chat at [event name]

Hi [first name],

It was lovely catching up with you at [event] yesterday. Your discussion on [topic] really caught my attention. 

At [company], we have a small invite-only discussion on this topic this Friday at 5 PM, so I’d love for you to join in and share your thoughts. 

Let me know if you’re free, or we could reschedule.

Thanks,

• Follow-up email post-demo

You gave a product demo but the prospect failed to revert. A perfect follow-up sales email can do the trick to reignite their interest in your product. 

Subject line: Any questions from our [product name] demo?

Hey [first name],

I noticed you didn’t sign up for [product]’s freemium plan after the demo. Is there something holding you back?

If yes, I’m all ears. Please feel free to ask any questions or concerns you may have, as we want to ensure our customers get the best deal.

If you have no questions or feedback, please respond to this email for the sign-up link, which will be sent right away. 

Best wishes,

• Follow-up email post-meeting

The first conversation you had with a prospect may not have covered enough information about your product or service. In that case, a follow-up email can help continue the conversation.

Subject line: Pleasure meeting you, [first name]

Hi [first name],

Thanks for joining the meeting and sharing your challenges and quarterly goals with us.

I’d be happy to share our recent case studies on customers who’ve faced similar roadblocks and how we helped overcome them. 

I can schedule another call once you’ve taken a look at these case studies: [link]

We could also talk some more to determine what’s causing [challenges]. 

Let me know and I’ll send some times to chat.

Best wishes,

• Following up on email after you connected on LinkedIn

If you’ve connected with a prospect on LinkedIn and have also sent a “first touch” email and received no response, a personalized follow-up email could do the trick.

Subject line: Loving your LinkedIn content

Hi [first name],

We’ve been connected on LinkedIn since last week, and I’m loving your posts on [topic].

We at [company] are always publishing resources on this topic. So I wanted to touch base with you and see if this helps your business in any way.

• [Link 1]
• [Link 2]
• [Link 3]

Looking forward to your feedback and more learnings on LinkedIn.

Thanks,

• “LinkedIn post engagement” email that continues the conversation

If you did not receive a response to the previous “first touch” email on LinkedIn after engagement, ensure you follow up as a last resort.

Hey [first name],

I noticed you didn’t sign up for [product]’s free trial yet.

Is there something holding you back?

Let me know if you’d like a quick product demo, and I’ll be happy to schedule one this week. Say tomo?

Thanks,

Sent a follow-up email but still received no response? We have a solution for you.

With Expandi, you can create a Smart Sequence with a custom condition that sends a personalized LinkedIn connection message to prospects who open your follow-up emails but don’t respond to them. 

It also warms up the lead by visiting their LinkedIn profile or liking their posts, tripling the chances of connection request acceptance and response. 

Here’s what a typical flow looks like:

3. Break up email templates

You’ve sent your 1-2 follow-ups, but your prospects have gone silent. This can be frustrating, as it feels like you’re forever waiting for a response. 

The best tip is to put an end to this frustration by sending a break up email, aka a final goodbye email, as a last resort.

• Break up sales email to show that you can still help

If you’ve sent a couple of follow-ups telling the prospect how you could help fix their specific challenge but never heard back, reiterate your offerings and tell them why you’re the best.

Subject line: I guess this is goodbye? 

Hi [first name],

I’ve tried to reach you on LinkedIn and email to understand your challenges at [company]. 

But it seems like my follow-ups never worked, which makes me wonder if you didn’t have the time to get back to me or have successfully solved your [need] *touch wood*

Please let me know which of these is true 😬

Thanks,

• Break up email after multiple follow-ups asking the prospect to take action

If you’ve sent a first touch email and a couple of follow-ups every two days asking a prospect to sign up for a free trial or demo, maybe this breakup email could get a response. 

Subject line: We get it, you were busy

Hi [first name],

Hope all’s well today!

I feel guilty if I’m pestering you to try out [product] at no cost. I had to send multiple follow-ups because I really needed some solid feedback from an SME like you.

I’d appreciate it if you could try the tool. If not, I won’t bother you anymore. Here’s the link to try [product]: [link]

Cheers,

• “Closing your file” email

You may have spoken to the prospect over a call or interacted with a few emails, but they have gone silent.

Subject line: Closing files this month, [first name]

Hi [first name],

I’m writing to let you know that we’re on a monthly file closure this week. We do this when we don’t hear from potential clients because they’re busy or uninterested. 

So if you no longer wish to stay in touch with us at [company] or try [product], let us know if we can close your file.

Or if you’re still interested, feel free to recommend the next steps, such as a quick call this week.

Thanks, 

• “Permission to close your file” email

You’ve sent the previous email to which the prospect offers permission to close their file. Don’t be disheartened and instead look at the bright side and ask for their feedback on what got them disinterested out of the blue.

Hi [first name],

Thanks for the permission. I closed your file.

I have a quick question: what is it that got you disinterested in our solution/product after the demo/meeting? 

Asking so we can improve on it.

Thanks for your help,

Wrapping up

Remember that these cold email outreach templates provide an outline of what your outreach should look like. Always ensure you’re personalizing each email with words that a prospect can resonate with.

So spend more time on personalization and less time mapping out email sequences. Leave that to Expandi.

Automate your email outreach sequence with Expandi’s Smart Sequences. Grab the 7-day free trial to test it out!