How do I write a cold email that gets replies without sounding like a template?
Write to one person about one specific reason, in under 120 words: a first line only they would get from reading their site, one sentence on what you do for companies like theirs, and one easy question. Skip links, attachments and buzzwords. Results depend on your offer and list; our own first week of 160 emails got no replies.
Published by GrowFast. Last updated 2026-11-13. We make GrowFast, so weigh our side accordingly. Markdown version: /solutions/write-a-cold-email-that-gets-replies.md.
Why it happens
People decide in a second or two whether an email is addressed to them. A mail-merge opener ("I hope this finds you well", "I came across your company") says it was not. A specific first line shows you looked, and a short message with one question costs the reader almost nothing to answer.
The honest limit is that the email is only half of it. A well-written email to the wrong company, or for an offer nobody needs, still gets no reply. We published exactly that result from our own first week of sending.
The fix that works without GrowFast
- Pick one reader and one reason. Who is this person, and why are you writing to them this week? If you cannot say it in a sentence, do not send it.
- Write a short, honest subject. A few plain words that match the content. Google's guidelines say not to start a subject with Re: or Fwd: unless the message is a real reply or forward.
- Open with one fact from their site. A launch, a hire, a phrase from their homepage. It must be true and checkable. This is the line that separates you from a template.
- Say what you do in one sentence. The result for a company like theirs, in their vocabulary. No superlatives, no feature list.
- End with one easy question. "Worth a look, or not a priority right now?" is easy to answer in a word. Asking for thirty minutes in the first email is not.
- Leave out links and attachments. Links invite filters and a first email does not need one. This is our practice, not a rule from a mailbox provider.
- Sign as a real person and add the legal footer. Your name, role and company, plus your postal address and a way to opt out; CAN-SPAM requires both.
- Read it aloud, then send twenty and read the replies. If it sounds like a brochure, rewrite it. Twenty sends will tell you more than any template library.
| Part | Template | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Opener | I hope this finds you well. | I saw you are hiring your first sales rep. |
| What you do | We are a leading provider of innovative solutions. | We find matching companies and draft the first email, so a founder does not do it by hand. |
| Ask | Do you have 30 minutes this week? | Worth a look, or not a priority right now? |
| Length | 250 words and three links | About 100 words, no links |
When to use GrowFast
scan_domain returns a first cold email draft with the scan, and draft_outreach_emails writes a first email per company from what its own site says, addressed to the founder or owner only when the site names one. You read and edit each draft; nothing is sent or saved by the drafting tool. Every email GrowFast sends carries your postal address and a one-click unsubscribe link, and follow-ups default to short notes without links.
When it is not the right tool. A draft does not know your voice or your promises. Edit it until it sounds like you, and do not send claims you cannot back up. GrowFast does not promise leads, replies or meetings.
Plans and limits are on the pricing page.
Ask your AI assistant
Paste this into an assistant that has the GrowFast MCP server connected. The tools it uses are on the ChatGPT and Claude connectors, which research and draft but cannot send.
Assign to GrowFast: draft first emails for globex.com and initech.com in short plain paragraphs under 120 words, with no links and one easy question at the end. Don't send anything. Show me each draft so I can edit and approve.
Tools used: draft_outreach_emails
FAQ
How long should a cold email be?
Short enough to read on a phone without scrolling, which for most is under 120 words. We have no data that proves a best length; treat it as our rule of thumb.
Should I use the recipient's first name?
Yes, when the company's site names the person. Do not guess a name.
Do AI-written emails get replies?
Readers react to generic text, whoever wrote it. An AI draft that quotes a real fact from the company's site and is edited by you is different from an unedited template.
What reply rate should I expect?
We cannot give you a number we can defend. Our week to 23 October 2026 produced zero replies from 160 emails, and we published it.
Sources
- Google, Email sender guidelines (Gmail Help) (read 2026-11-13)
- FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: a compliance guide for business (page modified 2025-07-22) (read 2026-11-13)
- GrowFast blog, Cold email bounce rate: hello@ vs named person (2026-10-23) (read 2026-11-13)