Write a cold email that gets replies
You'll end up with: 3–5 personalized cold emails ready to send
Sending the AI output without personalizing the opening line. Generic openers like "I hope this finds you well" get deleted instantly. Always research the recipient for 2 minutes and write a specific first line referencing their recent work, a shared connection, or their company's latest news.
- Know who you're emailing and why (company name, role, what you're offering)
- Free ChatGPT or Claude account
- A LinkedIn profile or website of the person you're contacting (for personalization)
Research your prospect for personalization hooks
Find specific details about the person you're emailing
1. Open LinkedIn and search for your prospect's name + company 2. Look at their profile for these personalization hooks: - Recent posts or articles they've shared - A job change or promotion in the last 6 months - Mutual connections or shared groups - Their company's recent news (funding, product launch, hiring) 3. Check their company's website for recent blog posts, press releases, or case studies 4. Write down 2–3 specific details you can reference in your email 5. Note their exact job title and what they're likely responsible for
Generate email drafts with AI using a proven framework
Use ChatGPT or Claude to draft emails with a clear structure
1. Open ChatGPT (or Claude) and start a new conversation 2. Paste this prompt template and fill in the brackets: "Write a cold email to [Name], [Title] at [Company]. I want to [your goal — book a meeting, propose a partnership, etc.]. Here's what I know about them: [paste your 2-3 personalization hooks from Step 1]. My value proposition is: [what you offer and why it matters to them]. Use this framework: personalized opening line → identify their likely pain point → brief value prop (2 sentences max) → soft call to action. Keep it under 150 words. No fluff, no buzzwords." 3. Review the output and ask for 2 more variations: "Give me 2 more versions with different angles" 4. Pick the strongest draft as your starting point
Personalize the opening line for each recipient
Replace the AI-generated opener with a hand-written first line
1. Take your best draft from Step 2 2. Delete the AI-generated opening line completely 3. Write a new first line using one of these formulas: - Reference their work: "Your post about [topic] made me rethink how we approach [related thing]" - Reference company news: "Congrats on [funding round / product launch / expansion] — exciting momentum" - Reference a shared connection: "[Name] mentioned you're the person to talk to about [topic]" 4. Read the full email out loud — if any sentence sounds like it could apply to anyone, rewrite it 5. Make sure the CTA is a simple yes/no question: "Worth a 15-minute chat this week?" not "Let me know your thoughts on potentially scheduling a call"
A/B test subject lines
Generate multiple subject lines and pick the best performers
1. In the same ChatGPT conversation, ask: "Generate 10 subject line options for this cold email. Make them 3–7 words each. No clickbait. Mix these styles: question, direct statement, name-drop, curiosity gap." 2. Review the list and eliminate any that sound spammy or salesy 3. Pick your top 3 subject lines 4. For your first batch of emails, send each variant to roughly equal groups 5. Track which subject line gets the most opens (most email tools show open rates) 6. Use the winning subject line for the rest of your outreach