{"id":229,"date":"2021-06-25T12:04:16","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T11:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodpecker.co\/blog\/?p=229"},"modified":"2026-01-21T12:22:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T11:22:51","slug":"how-to-write-a-cold-email-that-actually-works-six-step-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodpecker.co\/blog\/how-to-write-a-cold-email-that-actually-works-six-step-tutorial\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Cold Email that Actually Works in 6 Steps (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

To get replies, a cold email<\/span> has to be short yet powerful, and intriguing for the recipient. That’s why each part of this short message has to deliver value and play a crucial communicative role.<\/p>\n

At Woodpecker<\/a>, we get an inside look at what determines whether a message will have a high response rate or not. Using what we\u2019ve learned, we\u2019ve put together<\/span> these 6 tremendously important steps to write effective cold emails for sales.<\/span><\/p>\n

After reading them, you’ll no longer sit in front of your laptop and stare at a blank page, trying to figure out the right words. You’ll know<\/em> how to write reply-worthy cold emails.<\/p>\n

To get a good grasp of it, let\u2019s take a closer look at what a cold email is and what it’s not.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a cold email?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Cold emails are a way to start and maintain business relationships.<\/p>\n

To get a better understanding of what they are, think of how business relationships develop in the offline world. Usually, everything starts with a conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s one of the possible scenarios: a salesperson goes to an industry conference or trade to meet new customers. During the event, they look for opportunities to start a conversation. But their goal is not to pitch their offer or brag about their company. They want to break the ice and start a dialogue. They aim to learn more about their prospect\u2019s business and build a rapport with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The same principles apply to outbound sales efforts, where cold emails serve as a means to initiate conversations in the online realm. This approach effectively allows you to connect with individuals who are likely unfamiliar or have limited knowledge about your company, making them what we refer to as “cold” leads, given that it’s their initial exposure to your business.<\/p>\n

The goal of a cold email is not an instant conversion, but building the relationship from strangers to business partners. In other words, to warm those leads up little by little.<\/span><\/p>\n

How has cold emailing changed?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Cold emailing has come a long way since it was first used in sales. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the olden days, the sole purpose of sending cold emails was to pitch the offer. Usually, one generic message was sent to a large group of prospects without any personalization or segmentation whatsoever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the method was new and not many people did business via email yet, such a mass-sales-oriented approach actually worked great as a lead generation method. But the more copy-paste type of messages flooded the prospects\u2019 inboxes, the less effective this approach became. People grew sensitive to the salesy tone and the generic character of cold emails.<\/span><\/p>\n

The approach to sending cold emails has evolved significantly since then. Messages with an aggressive sales pitch are now bound to fail. Also, impersonal, one-size-fits-all type of emails are no longer effective.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nowadays it\u2019s all about building a relationship with a prospect. Cold email copy should be focused on the recipient, not your product or service. Put yourself in their shoes. From the very first email, a prospect should feel that you understand their business and the challenges it entails:<\/span><\/p>\n