Guide
Sales Email Templates: 20 B2B Examples to Copy
A sales email template is a reusable structure, not a script to send unchanged. Here are 20 B2B sales email templates (cold intros, follow-ups, referrals, re-engagement, breakups and the Tim Ferriss cold email), each with a note on when to use it.
- 1. Trigger eventCold first touch
- 3. Sales introductionCold first touch
- 8. Tim Ferriss-styleCold first touch
- 11. Demo recapAfter a meeting
- 20. BreakupBreakup
Subject: one question about {{topic}}
Hi first_name,
I know your inbox is full, so this will take under a minute to read.
I'm your_name, one line of credibility.
My question: one specific question they can answer in a line or two?
Index
B2B sales email templates by stage
Find the template for where the deal is. Every template below has a suggested subject line, the body and a note on when to use it.
| # | Template | Stage | Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The trigger event email | Cold first touch | 36 |
| 2 | The problem-first email | Cold first touch | 46 |
| 3 | The sales introduction email | Cold first touch | 50 |
| 4 | The referral email | Referral | 38 |
| 5 | The peer proof email | Cold first touch | 35 |
| 6 | The one-question email | Cold first touch | 25 |
| 7 | The personal observation email | Cold first touch | 35 |
| 8 | The Tim Ferriss-style cold email (adapted) | Cold first touch | 64 |
| 9 | The bump with something new | Follow-up | 25 |
| 10 | The case study follow-up | Follow-up | 38 |
| 11 | The sales follow-up after a demo | After a meeting | 48 |
| 12 | The proposal follow-up | After a meeting | 36 |
| 13 | The no-show follow-up | After a meeting | 34 |
| 14 | The inbound lead follow-up | Warm lead | 49 |
| 15 | The right-person email | Referral | 27 |
| 16 | The customer referral request | Referral | 46 |
| 17 | The closed-lost re-engagement | Re-engagement | 37 |
| 18 | The new-trigger re-engagement | Re-engagement | 37 |
| 19 | The event follow-up | Warm lead | 34 |
| 20 | The breakup email | Breakup | 34 |
Body length of each template, in words
Computed from the templates on this page; each {{placeholder}} counts as one word, so real emails run a little longer once filled in.
| 1. Trigger event | 36 |
|---|---|
| 2. Problem-first | 46 |
| 3. Sales introduction | 50 |
| 4. Referral | 38 |
| 5. Peer proof | 35 |
| 6. One question | 25 |
| 7. Observation | 35 |
| 8. Tim Ferriss-style | 64 |
| 9. Bump | 25 |
| 10. Case study | 38 |
| 11. Demo recap | 48 |
| 12. Proposal | 36 |
| 13. No-show | 34 |
| 14. Inbound lead | 49 |
| 15. Right person | 27 |
| 16. Customer referral | 46 |
| 17. Closed-lost | 37 |
| 18. New trigger | 37 |
| 19. Event follow-up | 34 |
| 20. Breakup | 34 |
None of these is long. A cold email that fits on a phone screen gets read; one that needs scrolling gets saved for later, which usually means never. Follow-ups and breakups are the shortest of all, because the reader already has the context in the thread below.
First touch
Cold email templates for B2B first touches
Templates 1–7 start a conversation with someone who doesn't know you. Each leads with a different reason for writing; pick the one you can back up with real research.
1. The trigger event email
Subject: saw the {{role}} openings
Hi {{first_name}},
Saw {{company}} is hiring {{count}} {{role}}s. Teams scaling that fast usually run into {{problem}} within a few months.
We help {{similar_companies}} {{outcome}}. {{customer}} {{result}}.
Worth a quick chat before the new hires start?
{{your_name}}When to use: Something just changed at their company: funding, hiring, a launch or a new leader.
2. The problem-first email
Subject: {{problem}} at {{company}}?
Hi {{first_name}},
Most {{role}}s I talk to at {{segment}} companies say {{problem, in their words}}. It usually shows up as {{symptom}}.
We fix that by {{how, in one line}}, without {{common objection}}.
Is this on your list this quarter, or not a priority right now?
{{your_name}}When to use: You sell into a well-defined role with a common, recognizable pain.
3. The sales introduction email
Subject: {{company}} + {{your_company}}
Hi {{first_name}},
I'm {{your_name}}, {{role}} at {{your_company}}. We help {{ideal_customer}} {{outcome}}.
I'm reaching out because {{specific reason: a trigger, a referral or a clear fit}}.
Teams like {{customer_1}} and {{customer_2}} use us to {{use case}}.
Would 15 minutes be worth it to see if this fits {{company}}?
{{your_name}}
{{title}}, {{your_company}}When to use: A straightforward intro to you and your company when the fit is obvious from their profile.
4. The referral email
Subject: {{referrer}} suggested I reach out
Hi {{first_name}},
{{referrer}} suggested I get in touch and mentioned you're responsible for {{area}}.
We helped {{referrer_team}} {{result}}, and {{referrer}} thought the same could apply at {{company}}.
Open to a short call to see if that's true?
{{your_name}}When to use: Someone they know pointed you to them and agreed to be named.
5. The peer proof email
Subject: how {{similar_company}} handles {{problem}}
Hi {{first_name}},
{{similar_company}} was dealing with {{problem}} last year, much like {{company}} is likely seeing now.
They {{what changed}} and {{result}} within {{timeframe}}.
I can share the short version of what they did. Interested?
{{your_name}}When to use: You have a customer the prospect will recognize or relate to, with permission to name them.
6. The one-question email
Subject: quick question about {{process}}
Hi {{first_name}},
Quick question: how is {{company}} handling {{process}} today?
I ask because {{one-line reason, e.g. most teams your size are moving off spreadsheets}}.
{{your_name}}When to use: Senior or busy buyers, mobile-heavy audiences, or when you want a conversation, not a meeting.
7. The personal observation email
Subject: noticed {{observation}}
Hi {{first_name}},
I was on {{company}}'s {{page}} and noticed {{specific observation}}.
That usually means {{implication}}. We help teams fix it by {{how}}; {{customer}} saw {{result}}.
Want me to send {{2–3 specific ideas}} for {{company}}?
{{your_name}}When to use: You found something specific on their site, product or content that connects to your offer.
The reason for writing is the template
Tim Ferriss
The Tim Ferriss cold email template
One of the most copied cold email structures comes from Tim Ferriss, as told by author Alex Banayan in The Third Door.
In Banayan's account, published in Entrepreneur, Ferriss described his template as “the general composition of my emails” when writing to a busy person. It has five parts:
Step 1
Respect their time
Acknowledge they're busy and say the email takes about a minute to read.
Step 2
Who you are
One or two lines of credibility. No life story.
Step 3
One question
A very specific question they can answer by email.
Step 4
An easy out
Say you understand if they're too busy; a line or two back would be great.
Step 5
Sign off
A short, warm close with your name.
The same account says Ferriss advised never asking to “jump on the phone,” “get coffee” or “pick your brain”: put the actual question in the email instead. That matches his own blog post, 5 Tips for E-mailing Busy People, which recommends keeping the request short and clear, showing you've done your homework and making it easy to say no.
8. The Tim Ferriss-style cold email (adapted)
Subject: one question about {{topic}}
Hi {{first_name}},
I know your inbox is full, so this will take under a minute to read.
I'm {{your_name}}, {{one line of credibility: role, company or a relevant result}}.
My question: {{one specific question they can answer in a line or two}}?
If you're too busy to reply, I completely understand. Even a one-line answer would be a big help.
All the best,
{{your_name}}When to use: Asking a busy, senior person one specific question, such as advice, an intro or a quick opinion.
The adaptation above is ours, written for B2B rather than copied. It works best when you're asking for advice, an opinion or an introduction. For a straight sales pitch, keep the structure but make the question about their problem: “How are you handling {{process}} today?” reads as a real question, while “Can I show you a demo?” doesn't.
Follow-ups
Sales follow-up email template examples
Templates 9–14 cover the follow-up after silence, after a meeting and after an inbound signal. Follow-ups in a sequence leave the subject blank so they stay in the same thread.
9. The bump with something new
Subject: (leave blank to stay in the thread)
Hi {{first_name}},
Sharing one more thing in case it's useful: {{new detail or result}}.
Is {{problem}} worth a conversation, or should I leave it?
{{your_name}}When to use: Two or three days after a cold email, in the same thread.
10. The case study follow-up
Subject: (leave blank to stay in the thread)
Hi {{first_name}},
Thought this might be relevant: {{customer}} is a {{similar size or industry}} company that was dealing with {{problem}}.
After {{timeframe}} with us: {{result 1}} and {{result 2}}.
Happy to send the full write-up. Should I?
{{your_name}}When to use: About a week in, when you have proof from a similar company.
11. The sales follow-up after a demo
Subject: recap and next steps
Hi {{first_name}},
Thanks for joining the demo today. A quick recap:
- You're looking to {{goal}} by {{date}}
- The main blocker is {{blocker}}
- We showed {{feature}} for {{use case}}
As agreed, I'll {{your next step}} by {{date}}, and you'll {{their next step}}.
Anything I missed or got wrong?
{{your_name}}When to use: Same day as a demo or discovery call. Recap in their words, confirm next steps.
12. The proposal follow-up
Subject: questions on the proposal?
Hi {{first_name}},
Checking in on the proposal I sent {{day}}. Happy to walk {{stakeholder}} through it, or adjust {{scope, pricing or timeline}} if something doesn't fit.
What would help you make a decision by {{date}}?
{{your_name}}When to use: A few days after sending a proposal or quote that hasn't been answered.
13. The no-show follow-up
Subject: rescheduling
Hi {{first_name}},
Sorry we didn't connect today. I know how calendars go.
Here's my calendar to pick a new time: {{link}}. Or reply with a time that works and I'll send an invite.
{{your_name}}When to use: A booked meeting didn't happen. Keep it friendly and make rebooking easy.
14. The inbound lead follow-up
Subject: your {{download or sign-up}}
Hi {{first_name}},
Thanks for {{downloading the guide, signing up or requesting pricing}}. Most people who do that are trying to {{likely goal}}.
Is that what you're working on? If so, I can share how similar teams approach it in a 15-minute call, or just answer questions by email.
{{your_name}}When to use: Someone downloaded a resource, signed up or asked for pricing.
How many follow-ups to send and how far apart is its own topic, covered step by step in the cold email follow-up guide.
Referral, re-engagement, breakup
Referral, re-engagement and breakup email templates
Templates 15–20 find the right person, ask customers for introductions, revive old deals and close a sequence politely.
15. The right-person email
Subject: who owns {{area}}?
Hi {{first_name}},
I'm trying to reach whoever handles {{area}} at {{company}}. Is that you, or could you point me to the right person?
Thanks either way,
{{your_name}}When to use: You don't know who owns the problem, or your first contact went quiet.
16. The customer referral request
Subject: quick favor?
Hi {{first_name}},
Glad {{result}} has worked out for your team.
Do you know anyone at another {{segment}} company dealing with {{problem}}? If you're comfortable making an intro, I'll take it from there and keep you posted.
No pressure at all if nobody comes to mind.
{{your_name}}When to use: A happy customer just hit a result. Ask while the win is fresh.
17. The closed-lost re-engagement
Subject: things have changed since {{month}}
Hi {{first_name}},
When we spoke in {{month}}, {{reason it didn't move forward}}.
Since then we've {{relevant change: a new feature, pricing or integration}}, which addresses exactly that.
Worth another look, or is the timing still off?
{{your_name}}When to use: A deal stalled months ago, and something on your side has changed since.
18. The new-trigger re-engagement
Subject: congrats on {{trigger}}
Hi {{first_name}},
Congrats on {{trigger}}. We last talked in {{month}} about {{topic}}.
Teams often revisit {{problem}} after a change like this. If that's true for you, I'd be glad to pick up where we left off.
{{your_name}}When to use: An old lead's company just changed: funding, a new leader or a new market.
19. The event follow-up
Subject: great meeting you at {{event}}
Hi {{first_name}},
Good to meet you at {{event}}. You mentioned {{what they said}}.
Here's {{the resource or answer you promised}}: {{link}}
If it's useful, happy to talk through how it applies to {{company}}.
{{your_name}}When to use: You met at a conference or meetup and promised to send something.
20. The breakup email
Subject: (leave blank to stay in the thread)
Hi {{first_name}},
I haven't heard back, so I'll take that as a no for now. No hard feelings.
If {{problem}} becomes a priority, reply here and I'll pick it up.
All the best,
{{your_name}}When to use: The last step of a sequence. Close politely and leave the door open.
Templates are the easy part. Landing in the inbox is the hard part.
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Adapting
How to adapt a sales email template so it doesn't read like one
A template gets you to a first draft. These steps turn it into an email a person would actually answer.
- Research first, then fill. Every placeholder needs a real fact. If a prospect has no trigger, use a question template instead of inventing one.
- Cut to one idea. One reason, one proof point, one ask. Delete any sentence that doesn't serve those three.
- Write the subject last. Pick it from our cold email subject lines so it matches what the email actually says.
- Keep the first email plain. Plain text, no images, no attachments and at most one link, as in the cold email guide.
- Check the wording. Paste the final copy into the spam word checker to catch phrases that read like marketing.
- Stay compliant. In the US, the FTC's CAN-SPAM guidance requires a valid physical postal address and a way to opt out, and the law makes no exception for business-to-business email.
Volume turns a template into spam
Sources (checked October 2026): Tim Ferriss: 5 tips for e-mailing busy people · Alex Banayan in Entrepreneur: Tim Ferriss's cold email template · FTC: CAN-SPAM compliance guide
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Or see pricing →Frequently asked questions
What is a sales email template?
A reusable structure for a sales email, such as a cold intro, a follow-up or a breakup, with placeholders for the details that change per prospect. A good template saves time on structure so you can spend it on research and personalization.
What is a good sales introduction email template?
Say who you are and what you help with in one line, give the specific reason you're writing to this person, add one line of proof from a similar customer, and end with a single low-commitment question. Template 3 on this page follows that structure.
What is the Tim Ferriss cold email template?
A short email structure Tim Ferriss shared with author Alex Banayan: acknowledge the person is busy and that the email is quick to read, give a line or two of credibility, ask one very specific question, then give them an easy out. He advised against asking to jump on the phone or get coffee.
How long should a B2B sales email be?
Short enough to read on a phone without scrolling. The 20 templates here run from 25 to 64 words before personalization. Follow-ups should be shorter than the first email.
Should I use the same template for every prospect?
Use the same structure, not the same email. Fill every placeholder with something specific to that person; if you can't, choose a different template. Identical emails sent at volume read as spam to people and to filters.
What should a sales follow-up email template include?
One new thing: a detail, a customer result, a resource or a simpler question, plus a single ask. After a meeting, recap what you heard in their words and confirm who does what by when.