Cold Email Examples - Freelance Workshop

thanni

The Cold Email Formula That Actually Gets Replies

Most cold emails fail because they follow tired templates. "I noticed your site is broken" or "I love what you're doing" without any substance.

Here's the formula that works:

[Trigger] + [Proof of Work] + [Offer/Idea] + [CTA]

1. Trigger - Why are you reaching out right now?

They just launched something
They hired someone new
They won an award
They posted about a specific problem
Shows you're paying attention, not mass emailing

2. Proof of Work - Can you back up what you're saying?

Specific results with numbers
Link to actual work
Screenshot or case study
Makes you credible, not just another person claiming they can help

3. Offer/Idea - What specific value are you bringing?

Not vague "optimization" or "growth"
A concrete suggestion or insight
Something they can visualize immediately

4. CTA - What's the easiest next step?

Reviewing a mockup (2 minutes)
Watching a quick video
NOT "schedule a 30-minute discovery call"

Real Examples by Industry

🎯 Marketing Agency

Subject: TBD

Hey [Name],

I saw [AgencyName] just signed [New Client/launched X campaign/won Y award]—congrats. (Trigger)

I redesigned the case study pages for [Specific Agency] last quarter, and they saw a 23% increase in demo requests within 30 days. Here's the before/after if you want to see it: [link] (Proof of Work)

I'm thinking your case studies could work harder for you—especially with the mobile traffic you're probably getting from that campaign. I mapped out a quick restructure that highlights ROI metrics above the fold and cuts load time in half. (Offer/Idea)

Want me to send over the mockup? Takes 2 minutes to review. (CTA)

🛍️ E-commerce Store

Subject: TBD

Hey [Name],

Congrats on the [recent product launch/featured article/Instagram milestone]—saw you hit [specific number]. (Trigger)

I just helped [E-commerce Brand] redesign their mobile product pages. They went from 2.1% to 3.8% conversion rate in 6 weeks. Here's the case study: [link] (Proof of Work)

I was checking out [StoreName] on my phone and your product images don't scale right on the checkout page. I built a quick prototype showing how moving the CTA above the fold and fixing the image ratio could work. (Offer/Idea)

Want to see it? I can send the Figma link. (CTA)

🧑‍💼 Consultant / Coach

Subject: TBD

Hi [Name],

Your post on [Specific Topic] last week was exactly what I needed to hear. Sent it to three people. (Trigger)

I redesigned [Consultant Name]'s personal site last month and they went from 2 discovery calls a week to 7. Here's what we changed: [link] (Proof of Work)

Your content is strong, but your site buries the CTA. I sketched out a landing page concept that puts your calendar link front and center and adds testimonial pull-quotes between sections. (Offer/Idea)

I can send over the mockup if you want to see what I'm talking about? (CTA)

🏗️ Construction / Local Service Business

Subject: TBD

Hi [Name],

Just saw the photos of the [Specific Project] job you posted - that tile work is clean. (Trigger)

I redesigned the website for [Local Business] in [City] and they're now getting 40% more quote requests per month. Before/after is here: [link] (Proof of Work)

[BusinessName]'s site doesn't match the quality of your work. I put together a homepage redesign that shows off your projects better and makes the "Get a Quote" button impossible to miss on mobile. (Offer/Idea)

Want me to send you the design? No obligation. (CTA)