Not even the top-notch copywriting guru can read minds or foresee what will hit the jackpot for your business. The secret sauce to acing cold email campaigns? Non-stop testing and tweaking. With a gazillion cold email copywriting formulas out there, picking the perfect one can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Lucky for you, we've done the heavy lifting and rounded up the 40+ most effective cold email formulas, complete with examples. These gems are designed to crank up your response rates.

Get ready to watch your inbox explode (in a good way)!

Meet the BAB Formula: Before-After-Bridge. It’s the go-to framework for crafting killer email copies that make your lead gen campaigns pop. This approach dives deep into your prospects’ pain points and offers a shiny solution, all wrapped up in a conversational tone that hits home.

Stick to this formula, and you’ll churn out email copies that have your recipients nodding in agreement (and hitting that reply button). Here’s how it breaks down:

Before: Start by painting a picture of your prospects’ world sans your amazing solution. Highlight their pain points with a dash of drama.

Example: “Juggling a million social media channels by hand? Sounds like a special kind of torture, right?”

After: Now, flip the script. Show them the dream scenario where their problems are a thing of the past. Promise them that sweet, sweet relief they’ve been searching for.

Example: “But imagine this: all your social media managed seamlessly from one platform, with automated workflows keeping those leads rolling in.”

Bridge: Time to bridge the gap. You’ve shown them the problem and the ideal solution. Now, pitch your product as the hero they didn’t know they needed.

Example: “Our cutting-edge social media automation tool does just that—AI-generated posts, scheduling, detailed insights, you name it.”

Here’s how it plays out in real life:

PAS, or Pain-Agitate-Solution, is the tried-and-true champion of email copywriting formulas. This powerhouse works across the board—from emails and landing pages to flyers. No matter your industry, PAS can boost your marketing game if you deploy it smartly.

Let’s break it down:

Pain: Kick things off by laying out your potential clients' problems and highlighting their headaches.

Example: “Finding the right credit card can be a nightmare—stressful, confusing, and often too overwhelming to bother with.”

Agitate: Now, twist the knife just a bit. Stir the pot to make those pain points even more vivid and relatable, but don’t overdo it.

Example: “Hunting for the best bank, sifting through interest rates, juggling credit limits and perks—it’s like navigating a minefield with a blindfold on.”

Solution: Here comes the hero moment. Present your solution with a touch of empathy, showing you understand their struggles and are here to help.

Example: “Don’t stress! We’ve got you covered with [Website], where you can effortlessly compare and find the perfect credit card for your needs.”

Real-World PAS in Action:

The Fan Dancer Formula, also known as the Cliffhanger, is all about creating intrigue and leaving your audience wanting more. This formula works wonders not just for email marketing but also for website pop-ups, social media ads, and product descriptions.

Perfect for when you don’t have much info on your prospects, the Fan Dancer Formula generates buzz and curiosity around your offering without spilling all the beans.

Example of the Fan Dancer Formula in Action:

Did you know the average professional gets about 120 emails daily?

No wonder the average attention span for emails is a mere 8 seconds. To cut through the noise and grab attention, sometimes less is more.

A smart approach is crafting an outreach email that's just one or two sentences long.

Example of a 1-Sentence Message:

Text messages are so yesterday. 📉 Video introductions? Now we're talking! 📈

With inboxes flooded with cold emails, it’s a no-brainer that only the interesting ones get opened. Ditch the dull text and switch it up with a Loom video of your offer.

Here’s how to hook your prospect with a video approach:

Meet the Four Horsemen of copywriting: Concise, Clear, Compelling, Credible—together, they form the unbeatable Four C’s formula.

This approach cuts straight to the chase, making your message direct and easy to understand. It educates your audience on what makes your offer stand out, compelling them to take action.

Perfect for promotional email marketing campaigns, this formula keeps your message short, utilizes images, and plays with fonts to maintain interest.

Example of the Four C’s Formula in Action:

Here’s the deal: the more effort you put into researching, the higher your reply rates. If your campaigns are falling flat, it might be because you’re skimping on the homework.

Sure, researching every single prospect can feel like trying to boil the ocean, especially when scaling a cold email campaign. But don’t despair! Follow these steps to craft highly targeted messages without losing your mind:

Start with a Personal Note: Congratulate them on a recent success, promotion, blog post, or achievement.

Be Clear About Your Intentions: State your purpose clearly and confidently. No beating around the bush.

Use Specific Demographics: Leverage your demographic research. Instead of vague terms like “web development,” use something precise like “Front-end website builder.”

Highlight Their Value Proposition: Show you understand their unique value, adding credibility to your message.

Optional Case Study or Testimonial: This builds authority in your niche.

Brag a Little: Go beyond their value proposition to demonstrate confidence in what you offer.

Add a Compelling CTA: Drive action with a strong call-to-action.

Example of a Highly Targeted Message:

When it comes to cold emails, skepticism is the norm. That’s where the KISS formula—Keep It Short and Simple—comes in. Use easy, colloquial language to grab your prospects’ attention quickly. It sounds simple, but crafting a concise message that hits the mark takes practice and a deep understanding of your offering.

Example of the KISS Formula in Action:

Hey Sahil,

I’m the Head of Sales at [Company Name] and noticed a few bugs on your website.

We’ve got over a decade of experience helping SMBs like yours double customer revenue through better web UX.

Happy to share our secret sauce over a call?

Regards,

[Sender’s Name]

Nobody likes pushy emails, so asking for permission before sending your marketing message can be a game-changer. By seeking approval first, you show respect for your prospect’s time and preferences. This approach can set a positive tone and increase your chances of a favorable response.

Hey David,

I love your YouTube videos—they’re both informative and hilarious! I’m sure you get pitched a lot, so I wanted to ask your permission to introduce our new YouTube SEO research tool.

Would it be okay if I sent you a quick demo?

Best wishes,

[Sender’s Name + Professional Signature]

If you have a podcast that aligns with your prospects' interests, reaching out through this angle can be highly effective. Invite them as a guest speaker or share a relevant snippet to pique their interest.

Hey Maria,

I’m amazed at how you’ve streamlined the marketing workflow at [Company Name]. Our podcast focuses on women in business, highlighting their achievements and the challenges they face—each episode garners 20k downloads.

We’d be honored to have you as a guest speaker on our 50th episode to discuss your experiences at [Company Name].

Here’s the link to our podcast: [Link]

Thanks,

[Sender’s Name]

Referencing a mutual connection in your email not only humanizes the communication but also fosters familiarity and trust.

This form of personalization can significantly boost your response rates. If you share a mutual connection with your prospect, leverage it to craft compelling cold emails.

Hey Mike,

I heard a lot about you from [Mutual Connection], who spoke highly of your impressive achievement in boosting [Company Name]'s revenue by 36% in a quarter.

With great power comes even greater responsibilities, right? We offer an excellent CRM tool, [Product Name], that helps hundreds of small businesses like yours streamline those responsibilities.

If this piques your interest, I’d love to hop on a call and give you a brief overview of how it works.

Let me know!

Best,

[Sender’s Name]

Tapping into the human psyche, the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) formula plays on the natural aversion to missing great opportunities.

It’s a powerful tool for promotions, pre-booking of products, sale announcements, limited-time offers, and more.

By creating a sense of urgency, you can drive your prospects to take immediate action.

The toughest hurdle in cold emailing is gaining your prospect’s trust. Offering a guarantee shows you have confidence in what you’re doing and can significantly boost your credibility. This formula is straightforward: provide a clear and concise guarantee, such as a money-back promise.

The fundamentals of any cold email boil down to five key questions. Use these questions to create a compelling cold email campaign:

By focusing on these questions in the same order, you’ll craft a clear and persuasive email. This formula is particularly effective in highly competitive industries where you need to stand out.

AIDA—Attention, Interest, Desire, Action—is a legendary copywriting formula that remains effective even after 120 years. Here’s how to harness its power for your cold emails:

When reaching out to potential clients from non-English speaking countries or regions, it's best to communicate in their native language. A study by Common Sense Advisory found that customers prefer using websites in their own languages, and the same applies to emails.

হাই {নাম},

আমার নাম {নাম}, এবং আমি এটি দ্রুত শেষ করব।

আমি এমন একটি সফ্টওয়্যার টুলের প্রতিষ্ঠাতা যা আপনার মতো ব্যস্ত এক্সিকিউটিভদের প্রতি সপ্তাহে 10 ঘন্টার মতো সময় বাঁচায়।

আমি কি পরের সপ্তাহে একটি ব্যক্তিগত ডেমোর জন্য আপনার দশ মিনিট সময় নিতে পারি যা স্পষ্ট করে দেবে কেন গ্যারি ভ্যানারচুক, টিম ফেরিস এবং ম্যালকম গ্ল্যাডওয়েলের মতো উদ্যোক্তারা আমাদের পণ্য পছন্দ করেন?

Best, {Sender’s Name}

In some cases, it’s more effective to ask for an introduction to the appropriate contact rather than pitching directly. This approach is especially useful in B2B settings, particularly for high-ticket products or services.

Reaching out with a set of targeted questions and asking potential customers to participate in ongoing research can be a great way to engage them. Most people enjoy sharing their expertise, and this approach can set the stage for a follow-up email with your offer.

The ACCA formula—Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action—focuses on educating potential clients before offering a solution, which naturally leads to conversions. This approach ensures that your prospects fully understand the value of your offer, building conviction and prompting action.

The inverted triangle formula is straightforward: start with the most crucial information and follow with supporting details in descending order of importance. This method ensures your key message is immediately clear and compelling.

The direct approach is exactly as it sounds—direct and to the point. This method is best for brands with a strong image. Keep your email short, greet your prospect, pitch your offer, and include a straightforward CTA.

Visuals are more engaging than text alone and can significantly boost positive reply rates in your email campaigns. Create customized images and include them in your emails to generate buzz. This approach is especially effective for product launches or upcoming releases.

If you're selling a service or consultation, ensure the image reflects your brand and values.

While this tactic might seem a bit sketchy, it can be surprisingly effective for lead generation campaigns. By including a broken link in the CTA, you encourage only genuinely interested prospects to reach out for the correct link. This ensures that your valuable insights, videos, or case studies reach those who truly want them.

Sometimes, being vague can be more effective than a direct approach. People are often inundated with similar emails, leading to a tendency to overlook them, even if they offer value. By focusing on the results rather than the service, you can stand out and pique your prospect's curiosity.

When in doubt, make it a joke. A touch of humor can make your email stand out and resonate with your prospects. We've found that funny emails often perform better than their serious counterparts.

Everyone loves a freebie, and offering a giveaway can significantly enhance your lead generation efforts. If you're running a cold email campaign, entice your prospects with a chance to win something valuable.

If your business has a unique feature or service that sets you apart from competitors, put it front and center. Make sure to confidently highlight your USP to attract attention and interest.

The FAB formula is a straightforward and effective email copywriting method. After a personalized introduction, explain your product or service by highlighting its features, advantages, and the benefits it offers to your prospects.\

This method involves deep research on individual prospects to find common ground, which you can use to pique their interest and pitch your service. Tools like pipl.ai can help you gather relevant prospect data.

The PPPP model—Picture, Promise, Prove, Push—is a structured approach to email copywriting that can effectively guide your prospects towards taking action. Start by painting an ideal picture, then promise how your product/service can help achieve that outcome, prove it with testimonials or case studies, and finally, push your prospects to act.

Using edgy or funny GIFs in your emails can significantly boost engagement. Believe it or not, adding GIFs can lead to a 300% increase in reply rates.

Hey Daisy,

Struggling to keep up with customer queries?

![Funny GIF of someone overwhelmed with work]

Our tool, [Tool Name], can automate and streamline your customer service, saving you at least 10 hours a week.

Interested in a quick chat? Let me know!

Best, [Sender’s Name]

Writing emails has never been more fun! Memes are a powerful modern communication medium. Don’t hesitate to create relevant memes and attach them to your plain text cold emails.

Hey Daisy,

Dealing with manual customer queries got you like...

![Chandler Bing Meme: "Could it BE any more frustrating?"]

With [Tool Name], you can automate and streamline your customer service and save at least 10 hours a week.

Ready to transform your customer service? Let’s talk!

Best, [Sender’s Name]

Make your pitch sound weird or quirky to grab attention. Ask them to book an unusual time slot, add quirky lines, or send irrelevant haikus or memes. Use your creativity to be as unique as possible.

Hey Daisy,

It must be hard for you to reach out to every customer manually for their queries.

With [Tool Name], we can help you automate and streamline your customer service experience and save at least 10 hours a week.

Let me know if you're up for a 7-minute call on the 30th of February so I can mansplain how it works.

Duh, [Sender’s Name]

Instead of pitching your offers right away, ask your prospects a question about something they are passionate about. This approach helps you bond with your prospect and sets the stage for pitching your offer in subsequent emails.

Hey Samuel,

Quick question: How do you see NFTs? Do you consider them a good investment?

Thanks, [Sender’s Name]

Preview text is the brief snippet that shows beside the subject line and can significantly influence email open rates. An intriguing preview text can make your email stand out in a crowded inbox.

Plain text emails, without images or fancy formatting, often achieve higher deliverability rates than their more complex counterparts. Going back to basics can help ensure your emails reach your prospects' inboxes.

Hey Daisy,

Struggling to keep up with customer queries?

Our tool, [Tool Name], can automate and streamline your customer service, saving you at least 10 hours a week.

Interested in a quick chat? Let me know!

Best, [Sender’s Name]