How to Write a Sales Email that Gets Replies (Tips + Templates)

There’s a big difference between an average sales email and a great one. 

Write a message that's pushy, waffling, or generic, and it will end up ignored (or worse, condemned to the spam bin).

But you don’t need to be a genius wordsmith to win more leads. All you need is a proven formula that gets results. 

Define Your Sales Email Goal and Audience

Think about the last email you sent to a colleague or employee. 

You likely adjusted the tone to the recipient and pressed “Send” knowing exactly what you wanted to achieve. 

That’s how your sales emails should be: targeted, goal-driven, and purposeful. 

Let’s explore the background work necessary to write emails that connect.

Identify Your Target 

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers prefer buying from brands that personalize their communications, according to Statista.

Aaron Whittaker, VP of Demand Generation & Marketing at Thrive Digital Marketing, who has run more split tests than he can count, shared his personalization results:

“A good email is brief, clear, and based on the buyer’s pain points, and not on your product’s features. That kind of personalized intelligence converts 3-4x better in our sequences than any kind of generic outreach.”

But to create these personalized communications, you need data. 

Begin by finding these key data points about targets:

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  Role 

  
  
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  Contact details

  
  
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  Industry

  
  
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  Pain points

  
  
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  Demographics

  
  
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  Technographics

  
  

The fastest way to build a 360-degree view of prospects is to use an enrichment tool. Today’s platforms are vastly different from those available a few years ago—AI finds, records, and checks data automatically.  

For example, Artisan’s AI BDR Ava scans the web, directories, and social media to enrich lead profiles with technographic, firmographic, demographic, intent, and behavioral data. This suite of data tools allows you to send hundreds of deeply personalized messages every week. 

Define Your Goal 

Every email should focus on a single goal, which will shape the entire message.

For example, sales reps may want the lead to:

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  Book a call

  
  
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  Start a free trial

  
  
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  Book a demo

  
  
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  Download a case study or report

  
  

Choose the goal that’s most relevant to the prospect at that moment. 

And remember, prospects are busy. Once you’ve defined your goal, don’t beat around the bush. Be clear about your offer and use it to quickly lead toward a fitting CTA. 

Align With Intent

You need to know where leads are in your pipeline to send a message that resonates. For example, a cold lead that’s just been sent an email is unlikely to book a demo, but a warm lead fresh off a webinar might. 

Here are three tested tactics for engaging cold leads:

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  Talk about current events, such as recent company news—“Congrats on your funding round!”

  
  
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  Mention mutual connections—“Our mutual contact, [name], suggested I reach out.”

  
  
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  Respond to trigger events, such as a prospect visiting your product page—“Open to learning more about [product]?”

  
  

When you send cold emails, the aim is to establish authority, credibility, and a connection as quickly as possible. 

Here are the best email tactics for warm leads:

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  Reference past interactions—“Quick note about the last call.”

  
  
• 

  Move towards purchase—“Would you like a demo?”

  
  
• 

  Introduce time-sensitive or limited offers—“Just 2 days left to get a free trial”

  
  
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  Provide proof of results—“[Similar business] cut churn by 15% thanks to [product]”

  
  

Warm leads are already engaged. By providing social proof, adding urgency, or strengthening the relationship, you give them the additional nudge they need to book a meeting or take out a free trial. 

Key Elements of a Winning Sales Email

Once you’ve completed the research stage, it’s time to put “words on the page.”

There’s a simple formula that focuses on maximizing the power of each section to keep the lead engaged. 

Let’s break down the elements of a message that grabs attention, flows, and inspires action. 

Subject Line 

The subject line is the email’s packaging. If it’s not enticing enough, nothing else gets seen.

Personalization

65% of sales email subject lines are now personalized. That means including a name, company name, or reference to relevant details, such as a recent event or pressing pain point. 

Here are three examples of personalized email subject lines:

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  [Name], quick tip based on your webinar question

  
  
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  Still struggling with [specific pain point]?

  
  
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  Will you be attending [relevant event]? Let’s meet

  
  

Numbers

Using numbers makes your offer more concrete.

Let’s take this subject line: “Want to know how one company improved their hiring speed?” 

By replacing vague details with numbers, we end up with “Want to know how [product] helped [similar brand] 2x their hiring speed?” 

Don’t miss this trick. It makes the subject line eye-catching and more likely to be clicked. 

Urgency

Creating urgency is all about using time constraints. It’s a proven strategy across a range of outreach types, from startup cold email marketing to enterprise newsletter broadcasts.  

Simple prompts like “Last chance for a free trial” and “Only three days to claim your 40% discount” are all you need. They evoke feelings of loss aversion and push potential customers to click your CTA and grab that juicy offer before it disappears. 

Dos and Don’ts

Here’s a quick list of dos and don’ts for a good subject line:

For perfect subject lines, do the following:

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  Be clear and direct, tying the subject line to your goal, the body, and the CTA.

  
  
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  Personalize, personalize, personalize.

  
  
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  A/B test different approaches.

  
  
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  Add numbers and details (e.g., “10% off”, “How one team 3x their CTR in just two weeks”)

  
  
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  Keep subject lines under 60 characters—otherwise, you risk being cut off, especially on mobile devices.

  
  

And avoid these (unfortunately, very common) practices like the plague: 

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  Rely on clickbait or false promises and offers. 

  
  
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  Use too many emojis or spam words, such as “100% free,” “prize,” or “winner” (these can harm deliverability).

  
  
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  Be too generic (e.g., “Try our new product!”).

  
  

Opening Line 

Great emails build on the subject line to build momentum. The opening line should be direct, simple, and relevant.

Here are two examples of effective opening lines: 

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  Saw your LinkedIn post about [topic]. I especially loved your insight about [relevant topic].

  
  
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  Noticed your new product line—impressive growth. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned for the next six months. 

  
  

Avoid generic intros like “Hope you had a great weekend” and“ Big fan of your company.” These lines give away the fact that you haven’t done your homework.

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Book a Demo

Body Copy 

At this point, you’ve got the lead’s attention. It’s time for the sales pitch. But don’t get carried away, this isn’t Shark Tank; keep the body copy short, logical, and scannable. 

Use these formats to make email copywriting as easy to read as possible:

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  Bullet points (yep, we’re also big fans)

  
  
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  Bolding key phrases or stats

  
  
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  Short paragraphs

  
  

How long should a cold email be? There's a lot of conflicting data, depending on industry and message. But as a general rule, try to keep the text under 150 words. 

Prospects are busy. The quicker they reach your CTA, the better. 

Include these details in your body copy to add impact:

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  A value proposition that explains the benefits they’ll gain and the pain points you’ll solve 

  
  
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  Stats, short testimonials, and references to case studies that build credibility

  
  

Remember to focus on the solution rather than a dull list of features. And don’t ramble or overuse jargon—anything difficult to understand introduces friction and may cause prospects to disengage. 

CTA

Your email should build to one clear call to action (CTA). Keep it short, non-pushy, and low-friction. It should be the logical next step based on your opening line, subject line, and copy. 

Email pro Aaron Whittaker of Thrive Digital Marketing also shared his favorite CTA when we spoke to him: 

“In my team, I tell them that a subject line gets the open, your first line gets the read, and your CTA gets the reply. One tweak that improved our response rates significantly was changing ‘Let me know a good time’ to ‘Are you free for 15 minutes Thursday afternoon?’—it’s specific, casual, and human. That’s what really cuts through."

CTAs for warm leads should lead to the next step, such as:

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  Would you like to book a demo?

  
  
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  Would you like to learn more?

  
  
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  Click here to access your free trial

  
  

Directing warmer leads towards a concrete action—whether that’s answering a question like “Can I send you a case study,” booking a meeting, or starting a free trial—increases the likelihood of responses and clicks. 

Email Signature

It’s time to sign off. While this may seem inconsequential, you have an opportunity to boost social proof and strengthen credibility.

Include the following contact details as part of your email signature:

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  Title

  
  
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  Full name

  
  
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  Company

  
  
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  Contact information, including phone number and LinkedIn profile link

  
  
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  Photo

  
  
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  Social proof if you have it (e.g., “Drum Award 2024 Winners)

  
  

A quick note on signatures. Don’t overdo the links and images. Too many, and you’ll end up with a cluttered, distracting signature that achieves the opposite of building credibility. 

Sales Email Timing and Follow-Up Strategy

Even perfectly written sales emails rely on good timing and follow-up emails to close the deal. 

Here’s a breakdown of the best send times and follow-up sequences. 

Best Send Times 

Prospects’ inboxes are bursting at the seams. You need to time your email campaign to make an impact.

However, the data paints a nuanced picture, and it’s important to pick a time that works for your audience. 

Research from GetResponse found that sending emails in the early morning (4–6 AM) or late afternoon (5–7 PM) works best. This catches leads in calm moments, just after they wake up or at the end of the workday, when inboxes are less cluttered. 

On the other hand, research from Brevo suggests that optimal times differ by industry:

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  B2B Services: Monday/Tuesday, 8–10 AM

  
  
• 

  E-commerce: Tuesday/Thursday, 10 AM

  
  
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  SaaS: Tuesday/Thursday, 2–3PM

  
  

With so many conflicting data points, we suggest using A/B testing to cut through the noise. 

Regardless of the best timings, however, when a lead shows interest, don’t hang around. If they like your LinkedIn post or view your pricing page, for example, send a response immediately. 

Follow-Up Cadence

How often should you send follow-up emails after you first reach out? Two to three days after your first email is a well-accepted wait time, and this is backed up by research. 

Here’s a basic cold email follow-up template:

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  Day 1: Initial email with a soft, low-friction opener

  
  
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  Day 4: First follow-up to build engagement using a relevant benefit or pain point

  
  
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  Day 7–10: Second follow-up offering discount, offer, or case study

  
  
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  Day 12–15: Final follow-up with a “breakup” or last chance message

  
  

This relaxed sequence prevents your cold emails from overwhelming the lead while maintaining consistency. 

You’re probably also asking, “How long should cold emails be?” Follow-up messages should be of a similar length to the initial cold email. We dug into the research and found that between 20 and 50 words is ideal. 

Breakup Email

Persistence is a good thing. But if you haven’t heard back after five or six emails, the smartest approach is stepping back. 

This isn’t a classic “breakup” where you go your separate ways for good. Leave the door open for the lead to get back in touch when they’re ready.

Use the following example as inspiration for your own emails:

Subject line: Final email 

Hi [name],

I’m sending over one last email. 

I understand you’re busy and our product/service might not be a fit right now. .

Just to reiterate, we help businesses like yours achieve [specific result] in [timeframe].

Want to schedule a call? Hit reply. 

Otherwise, thank you for your time. 

Regards,
[Your name and signature]

A playful approach may also catch the lead’s attention because it removes pressure—just like humor in a conversation. But only use this tactic if it fits your brand.

Here’s an example of a playful breakup email:

Subject line: “Do you really want to miss out on [benefit]?

Hi [name], 

I just wanted to let you know that we’re hitting pause for now. 

The timing’s not always right—I get that. 

We’re guessing that you don’t want to take advantage of our [product/service].

If you would like to learn more, hit reply. 

Otherwise, it’s ciao for now!”

Thanks,
[Your name and signature]

10 Battle-Tested Sales Email Templates

There’s no need to write sales emails from scratch. Templates allow you to create good sales emails that fit every scenario. Fast. 

Here are ten templates for common sales situations that generate fast, engaged responses. 

1. Cold Outreach

Subject: I noticed [relevant trigger event]

Hi [first name],

I saw that you recently [trigger event] and wondered whether your company is experiencing [common pain point]?

We help companies [describe specific outcome] in [timeframe]. 

Would you like to learn more?

Best,
[Your name and signature]

2. Follow-up Email Template #1

Subject: Hate [pain point]? So do we!

Hi [first name],

Just checking you caught my last email about [topic]. If you missed it, we helped [similar company] reduce [pain point] in [timeframe]. 

Would you like me to send over the full case study?

Regards,
[Your name and signature]

3. Follow-up Email Template #2

Subject: Are you interested in [relevant benefit]?

Hi [first name],

I noticed that [alternative pain point] is a challenge for your team at the moment. We offer [product/service] that can help you [benefit], without [common frustration].

Would you be open to a quick chat this Wednesday?

Best,
[Your name and signature]

4. Breakup Email

Subject: Goodbye for now

Hi [first name],

I’m sending over one last email. Still interested in finding out how we can help you achieve [specific benefit]?

If not, I won’t contact you about it again until you reach out. 

But don’t hesitate to get in contact if you want to talk.  

Best,
[Your name and signature]

5. Trigger-Based

Subject: Congrats on [trigger event]!

Hi [first name],

Just saw that you’re [company news, e.g., expanding, downsizing, going through a merger, launching a new product]. That’s big—but many businesses face [common pain point].

If you’re looking for some help with [pain point], I’d be happy to share how we’ve helped others come out on top.

Want to schedule a quick call?

Best,
[Your name and signature]

Automate your outbound with an AI BDR

Meet Ava—your AI BDR who handles prospecting, outreach, and follow-ups, so your team can focus on closing.

Book a Demo

6. Referral Mention

Subject: [Referral name] suggested I reach out

Hi [first name],

My friend, [referral name], mentioned you’re struggling with [pain point]. 

We recently worked with [referral name or company] and achieved [specific result]. We thought our service may be relevant for you. 

Would you be open to a call to see if it’s a fit?

Best,
[Your name and signature]

7. After Meeting With the Recipient

Subject: Quick recap of our meeting on [date]

Hi [first name],

It was great discussing [topic] with you [time, e.g., earlier today, yesterday, the other day].

Here’s a recap of the conversation:

• 

  [Point 1]

  
  
• 

  [Point 2]

  
  
• 

  [Point 3]

  
  

We talked about a few next steps, including:

• 

  [Step 1]

  
  
• 

  [Step 2]

  
  

Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to discuss. I’m looking forward to [next step or meeting].

Best,
[Your name and signature]

8. Re-Engagement

Subject line: Just checking in about [pain point]

Hi [first name],

We haven’t connected in a while.

Are you looking for solutions to [pain point] at the moment? If yes, I’d love to connect. 

We recently helped [past client] achieve [specific outcome] in [timeframe].

Would you like to book a quick call for Thursday?

Best,
[Your name]

9. Upsell Based

Subject line: Unlock more value with [product/feature]

Hi [first name],

I noticed that you’re benefiting from [your current product/service]. 

I wanted to share how [additional feature/product] could help you see even better results by [brief description of how the feature works].

Would you be open to a call?

Best,
[Your name]

10. Soft Value Offer

Subject line: [# of people] people downloaded our resource for [pain point/goal] 

Hi [first name],

We recently released a [report, guide, webinar] about [topic].

I thought it might help you deal with [pain point/goal].

Would you like me to send it over?

Best,
[Your name]

Use AI to Personalize & Automate Your Sales Emails

Templates are a great starting point. But you can boost your cold email response rate by using an AI sales tool. Their capabilities are growing quickly, and many businesses are already using AI to scale while cutting costs.

Here are the top ways AI can transform your sales emails, with examples from our platform, Artisan. 

Personalization at Scale

AI tools have access to databases full of enriched and up-to-date data. A search for lead-specific details that once took sales reps hours can now be done in seconds.

AI platforms take this data to craft personalized messages on autopilot and at scale. This means it’s possible to send hundreds of emails a week without any manual research. 

Artisan has access to over 300 million B2B, ecommerce, and local business contacts. AI BDR Ava automatically personalizes messages to fit the lead’s unique pain points, recently attended events, company role, and more.

Automating the Repetitive Work 

You can now automate a huge chunk of your outbound email process. This allows you to send sales emails at scale without sacrificing quality. 

Here’s a list of the parts of the sales process that AI tools handle:

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  Lead generation 

  
  
• 

  Data enrichment

  
  
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  Email drafting

  
  
• 

  Email and follow-up delivery

  
  
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  Meeting scheduling

  
  
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  Notifications

  
  
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  Reporting, metrics, and A/B testing

  
  

Manually, these tasks cost days of work each week. Eliminate them, and your sales team has hours of additional time every day to focus on the human moments. 

Artisan has a suite of powerful features for automating 80% of the early and mid sales cycle. AI BDR Ava creates multi-channel email sequences across LinkedIn and email and A/B tests them in the background. 

Consistency and Optimization

Using AI tools allows you to develop precise outreach sequences based on deep personalization and sending times adjusted to individual lead behavior. 

This results in a high level of consistency when forecasting meetings booked and closed deals. According to Salesforce, AI tools have reached 95–98% accuracy for predicting sales. 

With Ava, you can pick from several tested playbooks to set the tone of your messages. From there, she’ll handle everything and send detailed reports and forecasts. 

Great Sales Emails Are Built and Then Sent

Great sales emails focus on the reader and how they’ll benefit from what you're offering. They’re concise, personalized, and have a clear CTA. 

Sending personalized messages at scale, however, is costly, time-consuming work. That’s where Artisan comes in. 

AI BDR Ava automates large parts of the outreach process, which means you can send more emails in less time. She also A/B tests campaigns on autopilot, so you know you’re achieving the best possible results. 

Automate your outbound with an AI BDR

Meet Ava—your AI BDR who handles prospecting, outreach, and follow-ups, so your team can focus on closing.

Book a Demo