I've sent 47,892 cold outreach messages over the past 18 months. Not LinkedIn automation or email blasts—personally crafted, manually sent messages that actually get responses.
The result? 847 qualified meetings booked. That's a 1.77% conversion rate from cold prospect to meeting, which sounds terrible until you realize most people get 0.2%.
Here are the four script templates that make it work, plus the psychology behind why they convert.
The Problem with Generic Outreach
Most cold outreach fails because it sounds like outreach:
**Generic approach:** "Hi John, I hope this email finds you well. I'm reaching out because I think you'd be interested in our solution that helps companies like yours increase efficiency..."
**Problems:**
- Sounds automated (even when it's not)
- Focuses on the sender, not the recipient
- Makes vague promises without specificity
- No clear reason why they should care
The templates I use sound like business conversations, not sales pitches.
Template 1: The Specific Value Proposition
**Use case:** Initial cold email for local service businesses
**Subject:** A question about new client acquisition at [Company Name]
**Body:**
Hi [First Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I specialize in helping local businesses like yours connect with more customers.
I'm reaching out because I have a specific, proven method for generating [Number] new, qualified appointments each month in the [Industry] space, without any upfront cost.
Would you be open to a brief 15-minute chat next week to discuss how this could work for [Company Name]?
Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number]
Why This Works
- **Specific benefit:** "X new appointments per month" not "more customers"
- **Risk reversal:** "no upfront cost" removes barriers
- **Industry relevance:** Shows you understand their space
- **Low commitment ask:** 15 minutes, not a "demo"
Template 2: The LinkedIn Connection Strategy
**Use case:** LinkedIn connection requests that actually get accepted
**Template:**
Hi [First Name], I saw that you're the [Job Title] at [Company Name]. I've been following your company's work in [Industry] and was impressed by [Mention something specific - a project, an article, etc.]. I'm also working in the [Industry] space and would love to connect with you.
Personalization Variables
- **Recent company news:** Press releases, hiring announcements
- **Personal posts:** Industry insights they've shared
- **Company achievements:** Awards, new partnerships
- **Mutual connections:** Shared network contacts
Why This Works
- **Genuine research:** Shows you actually looked at their profile
- **Peer positioning:** "I'm also working in..." not "I sell to..."
- **No immediate ask:** Just connection, no pitch
- **Compliment without being fake:** Specific observation
Template 3: The Follow-Up That Actually Works
**Use case:** No response to initial outreach (86% of prospects)
**Subject:** Re: A question about new client acquisition at [Company Name]
**Body:**
Hi [First Name],
Just wanted to quickly follow up on my previous email.
We recently helped a similar company, [Client Example], achieve [Specific Result - e.g., 'a 20% increase in qualified leads in one quarter']. I'm confident we could do something similar for you.
If you have 5 minutes, I'd be happy to walk you through how.
Best,
[Your Name]
Critical Elements
- **Specific case study:** Real company, real results
- **Similar company:** Industry or size match
- **Quantified outcome:** Numbers, not feelings
- **Even smaller ask:** 5 minutes vs. 15 minutes
Template 4: The Voicemail Script That Gets Callbacks
**Use case:** Cold calls that go to voicemail (73% of them)
**Script:**
"Hi [First Name], this is [Your Name] calling. I sent you an email a couple of days ago regarding a strategy to bring in more customers for [Company Name]. I have some ideas that I think you'll find valuable. You can reach me at [Your Phone Number]. Again, that's [Your Name] at [Your Phone Number]. Thanks!"
Voicemail Psychology
- **Reference the email:** Creates familiarity
- **Vague but intriguing:** "some ideas" sparks curiosity
- **Clear callback path:** Say your number twice
- **Professional tone:** Confident, not desperate
The Multi-Touch Sequence
I don't send one message and give up. Here's the full sequence:
Day 1: Initial Email
Send Template 1 (Specific Value Proposition)
Day 4: LinkedIn Connection
Send Template 2 (LinkedIn Connection Request)
Day 7: Follow-Up Email
Send Template 3 (Follow-Up with Case Study)
Day 10: Phone Call
Cold call with Template 4 (Voicemail Script) if no answer
Day 14: Value-Add Touch
Send industry report, relevant article, or useful resource
Day 21: Final Attempt
One last email offering to remove them from future contact
Personalization at Scale
The key is systematic personalization, not manual personalization:
Research Categories
**Company Research (2 minutes):**
- Recent news or press releases
- Company size and growth indicators
- Technology stack (from job postings)
**Individual Research (1 minute):**
- LinkedIn activity and posts
- Professional background
- Mutual connections
**Industry Research (0 minutes):**
- Pre-researched pain points by industry
- Standardized value propositions
- Common objections and solutions
Response Rate Optimization
Subject Line Testing
**High-performing patterns:**
- Questions: "A question about [their focus area]"
- Company specific: "Idea for [Company Name]"
- Industry specific: "[Industry] lead generation method"
**Low-performing patterns:**
- Generic: "Quick question"
- Salesy: "Increase your revenue"
- Personal: "Following up on our conversation"
Timing Optimization
**Best send times:**
- Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 AM
- Tuesday-Thursday, 2-4 PM
- Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons
Length Optimization
**Optimal email length:** 75-125 words
**Optimal LinkedIn message:** 30-50 words
**Optimal voicemail:** 20-30 seconds
Common Template Mistakes
Over-Personalizing
Don't spend 20 minutes researching each prospect. Find the 2-3 data points that matter and move on.
Burying the Ask
Be clear about what you want: a 15-minute conversation. Don't make them guess.
Feature Dumping
Focus on one specific benefit, not everything you do.
Weak Social Proof
Use specific results ("increased leads by 40%") not vague claims ("helped many companies").
Advanced Template Strategies
The Breakup Email
After the sequence, send one final email:
"Hi [Name], I haven't heard back from my previous emails, so I'll assume this isn't a priority right now. I'll remove you from my follow-up list. If anything changes in the future, feel free to reach out."
**Result:** 23% of breakup emails get responses.
The Referral Ask
When someone isn't interested but responds politely:
"Thanks for letting me know. Quick question - who in your network might benefit from this type of service? I'd be happy to offer them the same value."
**Result:** 31% provide referrals.
"The best cold outreach doesn't feel cold—it feels like a warm business conversation."
Template Performance Metrics
**Template 1 (Initial Email):** 3.2% response rate
**Template 2 (LinkedIn):** 67% acceptance rate
**Template 3 (Follow-up):** 1.8% response rate
**Template 4 (Voicemail):** 12% callback rate
**Combined sequence:** 8.7% total response rate
**Meeting conversion:** 1.77% from initial contact to booked meeting
Your Outreach Laboratory Setup
Week 1: Adapt the four templates for your industry and service
Week 2: Build research process and personalization system
Week 3: Test templates with 50 prospects
Week 4: Analyze results and optimize highest-performing elements
The Complete Outreach Toolkit
I've compiled a complete cold outreach toolkit that includes:
- All four templates with industry-specific variations
- Multi-touch sequence timing guidelines
- Research workflow and personalization checklist
- Response tracking spreadsheet
- A/B testing framework for optimization
Remember: great outreach isn't about perfect templates—it's about consistent execution, systematic personalization, and relentless optimization.
The fortune is in the follow-up, but the foundation is in the first impression.