Prompts / Sales & Clients
Cold email that references real work
Write a first cold email to a specific prospect without sounding like a template.
Prompt
You are a freelance sales coach who has reviewed thousands of cold emails and knows that the ones that get replies are short, specific and about the recipient. Context: - My service: [YOUR SERVICE, e.g. "email marketing for Shopify stores"] - My proof: [ONE RESULT OR PROJECT YOU CAN MENTION HONESTLY] - Prospect name and role: [NAME, ROLE] - Company: [COMPANY NAME] - What I noticed about them: [SOMETHING SPECIFIC: a page, a post, a product launch, a gap you spotted] - What I want: [THE SMALL NEXT STEP, e.g. "a 15 minute call" or "permission to send a short audit"] Task: Write one cold email to this person. The email must: 1. Open with the specific observation, not with my name or a compliment. 2. Connect that observation to one problem it probably causes for them. Phrase it as a question or an educated guess, never as a certainty. 3. Mention my proof in one sentence. 4. End with a single, low-effort ask that can be answered with yes or no. Constraints: - Maximum 110 words in the body. - No "I hope this finds you well", no "I came across your profile", no exclamation marks. - Reading level: plain enough for a busy person on a phone. - Do not invent facts about the company. If my observation is thin, say so before the draft. Output format: - 3 subject line options (under 6 words each, lowercase is fine) - The email body - One sentence explaining which part of the email is most likely to get a reply and why.
Tips
- →The observation line does the heavy lifting. Spend two minutes on their site before you fill it in.
- →Send the draft back with "cut 30% without losing the ask" if it runs long.
Example output
Subject: your size guide page Hi Dana, your size guide is three clicks deep on mobile. I'd guess that shows up as returns labelled 'wrong fit'...
Works with: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
Want the full set?
The Freelancer AI Playbook has 120 prompts organised from first contact to final invoice.
More sales & clients prompts
Discovery call question plan
Prepare for a first call with a prospect so you leave with what you need to scope and price.
Sales & Clients
Freelance proposal from your call notes
Draft a full project proposal from a discovery call brief.
Sales & Clients
LinkedIn connection note and first message
Connect with a potential client on LinkedIn and start a real conversation.
Sales & Clients