9 Effective Prospecting Email Templates To Win New Business

Sales prospecting can seem daunting as you are introducing a product to a prospect for the first time. Prospecting email is harder as you are fighting for attention of the reader amidst spam, and be engaging enough for them to take action. 

While salespeople put in a lot of effort and send emails to prospects, almost 91% of sales emails go unopened. This can not only dampen your spirit but also result in you avoiding email as a channel. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with sample prospecting email templates you can use to warm up new prospects! 

Here is a Sales Email Template Cheat Sheet you can download for free!

 

What is prospecting email 

A prospecting email is the first email sent by a salesperson to a potential customer who is not aware of the product or company. The objective of sending this email is to introduce the prospect to the product/company, provide some benefit and get them to talk to you on the phone, a video call or in person. 

Why do you need a prospecting email template

You have to constantly reach out to many prospects on any given day. Crafting a new email for every prospect can be time consuming. Sending a crisp email adds value and encourages a prospect to take action but it may get difficult to draft if a salesperson has to send hundreds of emails. 

Salespeople spend an average of 13 working hours per week on email. Instead, if you had a set of prospecting email templates, it can easily be personalized for each prospect. 

 

Prospecting Email Template  

9 examples of prospecting email templates to improve open and click through rates 

1. Introduce yourself  

In your first email, always set the context and try to get a call or meeting set up. Do not overload the email with too many details as the prospect might get overwhelmed. 

Hi {First Name},

I am ____ from {company name} and I’m working with universities across the globe. They face the challenge of streamlining student queries across channels (web, email, phone, social). I thought that as you are the {title}, you might think of strategies for the same. 

We have helped {competition} enhance the digital experience of students with our AI-powered highly automated, easy to use<product category>! 

I would love to share how we achieved 98% student satisfaction for them. Would you have 15 minutes this week for a Zoom call?

P.S.<Your product> was awarded the <industry award> in 2019

Regards, 

{Your name}

2. Get a referral 

When you are referred to a prospect, it is a boon. But you still need to establish that connection and build trust. Keeping a reference prospecting email will come in handy. Introduce the acquaintance, set the context, and get to the point straightaway.  

Hi {First Name},

I was in conversation with {insert referrer’s name} regarding ideas to enhance IT service using technology and she told me you are the best person for this.

I work with {mention the industry} firms to revamp their IT service desk to make it more efficient and user friendly.

Our clients like {mention competitors or similar industry players} have leveraged our technology to {mention benefits your product brings them}.

I would love to understand your {industry} strategy and see if we can replicate this success for {prospect’s company}. Can we speak tomorrow or the coming week for 10 minutes?

Regards, 

{Your name} 

3. Reference a company announcement 

While prospecting, you always need to watch out for any movements in the industry. Keep a tab on news about brands entering an industry, job appointments, funding rounds, product divisions and mergers and  acquisitions. 

To stay on top of developments, you can subscribe to newsletters, and also follow industry leaders relevant to your brand on Linkedin. Here’s a prospecting email template you can use to reach out to. 

Hi {First Name},

Congratulations on your promotion to the position of {mention the designation}. I was impressed with your career spanning more than ____years in the {vertical} function! Must have been a great experience to see marketing evolve over the years with technology.

Rudy, I am working with marketing leaders in {industry} firms to enable {mention benefits}. I would love to discuss this further over a call. Would you be free tomorrow at 2:00 pm for a 15 minute call?

Regards, 

{Your Name}

4. Establish credibility 

Establishing your credibility in the email will give you an upper hand when you reach out to prospects. Mention any industry rankings, awards and funding which the prospect might be aware of. Share brochures and fact sheets to establish trust. 

Hi {First Name},

I have worked with many {organisations} across the globe and thought we could add value to {prospect’s company} as well.

To put it in simple terms, I work for a {reputed name}-backed firm, {your company name} where I help {target audience} move away from {outdated trend} to {current trend}. 

I would love to introduce {your product} for you to evaluate if we can match your requirements/goals to improve digital student interactions. Can we speak sometime soon?

Regards, 

{Your name}

5. Research your prospect on social media  

Social media has broken a lot of barriers and has given us an easy way to contact your prospects. Linkedin is one of the easiest. In fact, the response rate for an InMail is three times higher than a regular email. When you connect for the first time with your prospect on LinkedIn, you can use this prospecting email template to establish your connection via LinkedIn

Hi {First name},

From your LinkedIn profile, I saw that you manage the IT Service desk operations at____ . I am reaching out to you because with {mention industry trend} gaining momentum, a {mention your product category} solution has become the top priority for your peers across industries. 

An easy-to-configure and access-from-anywhere software keeps your agents happy and significantly improves agent productivity. We recently worked with {competitor’s names} on similar lines. 

Is this a priority for you to stay on top of your KPIs? If so, what’s the best way to get 15 mins of your time? 

PS: If you aren’t the right person, please direct me to one

Regards, 

{Your name}

Related Resources: New Prospecting Strategies to Close Deals Virtually

6. Reach out to existing customers for a new product 

It is easier to sell to an existing customer than establish a relationship with a new prospect. 

Hi {first_name},

I work with many {decision makers} in the {relevant} industry and understand the challenges they face in IT service operations.

You’ve been using our customer service software for over two years now and given the recent expansion of your office in new cities, I feel using a customer relationship management software can help your sales teams keep your data in one place and convert more leads. 

I’m really curious to understand your current sales goals, challenges and share insights on how Freshsales can impact your day to day operations at {company}.

Can we have a no-obligation call around this sometime this week?

P.S. Here is a short explainer about Freshsales

Regards, 

{Your name}

7. Don’t forget to follow up  

Following up on your emails is crucial as your email could get lost amidst spam. For this you need a sound email follow up strategy in place. When you are sending out your second email to a prospect, be crisp and draw attention to the first prospecting email. 

Hi {First Name},

Did you have a chance to read my previous email?

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards, 

{Your Name}

8. Second follow-up is key 

In the third email, be more persistent, and give out a little more information. 

Hi {First Name},

Not sure if you had a chance to read my previous emails. 

I have been persistently trying to reach you as I work with professionals like yourself in {industry} to streamline/automate their {function} and I am confident we can replicate this success for {prospect’s company}.

Here is how we have helped our clients with {function}: {Include link to Customer testimonials 2-min video}.

Would you be able to squeeze in 5 minutes this week in your calendar for a chat around this? 

I look forward to hearing something from you soon!

Regards, 

{Your Name}

9. Warm up cold leads   

You are in touch with a prospect for over a month and you are most likely to close the deal. But suddenly the prospect goes cold on you; does not attend your phone calls or respond to your emails. How do you approach them? Here is a prospecting email you can use: 

Hi {First Name},

I have been trying to reach you for two weeks but did not get a chance to speak with you.

Would you be able to spare 5-minutes to hop on a call so that I could explain why I have been trying to get in touch?

P.S. Here is how education firms leverage {your product}: {resource link}

Regards, 

{Your Name}

 

How to write a prospecting email template?

Here are some of the elements that need to be a part of your sales email template. 

1. Flattery always works

Since you are approaching the prospect for the first time, always choose to write in a friendly tone. This is a building block to establishing a long term working relationship. Let your personality shine through and let the prospect know that there is a human on the other side. 

For example:

“Hi, hope your week is going well! I was browsing <prospect’s company> website, and noticed that you guys are doing some phenomenal work in the <industry>space.”

Keep your emails personalized so there is an instant connect with the prospect. Once your prospect is warmed up, then introduce your brand and address their challenges.

 

 

2. Grab their attention

Start your emails with a problem statement. Startle them with a fact or a trend that is occurring in their country. For example:

If you want to grab their attention, you can start off with a fact: Did you know x% of businesses like yours <state the problem statement>?

Always talk about things that are going to benefit them, like how they can achieve business goals or add value. For example:

“We have <your product> that can help you move the needle in your product road-map and <mention a benefit>.”

Mention KPIs that are important to them and how your product will help them achieve their KPIs. For example:

“As an IT manager, automating repetitive tasks and achieving operational excellence will fall under your radar. We can help you achieve that by <state benefit of your product.”

Use infographic templates to get their attention.

3. Frame questions 

Ask questions where they can’t say no. For instance: 

  • Do you want to increase revenue by x%? 
  • Do you want your salespeople to increase their open rates? 
  • Is reducing the workload of your team one of your goals?

4. Mention competitors

Bringing in competition will always pique their interest.

‘I am currently working with —-, and they have increased their turnover by x% by doing this..’  

Make sure you do not have an NDA with your client before mentioning competitors. 

5. Further their mission 

Prospects won’t read emails that aren’t relevant to them. If you are targeting an account, read the company’s annual report, performance in the last couple of years, what product they are currently using that you could potentially replace and connect to their end goal and how you can bring value to them.

6. Provide value 

In this case, less is always more. In the first couple of emails, be brief and only share very little information. Create a sales sequence and send more information down the line, based on the response of the lead. 

Always keep some valuable information handy; like a one-pager with features of your product, a report with context about the industry, or a video that addresses the challenges of the prospect. 

7. Include Call to Action

At the end of your email, always include a call to action like ‘Would you be available for a 15 minute chat’ or leave a link to a web page that has information about your product and provides context. 

While these prospecting email templates may not guarantee you a response, they will definitely help you get closer to better click rates, send meaningful emails and spark off a conversation with a prospect rather than just blasting off a thousand emails in the dark.  

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Thanks Rekha Rajendra Prasad for your inputs!