---
name: cold-outreach
version: 1.0.0
category: Sales & Revenue
domain: cold-outreach
author: Matt Warren
license: MIT
status: production
updated: 2026-02-07
activation_triggers:
  - "cold email"
  - "cold outreach"
  - "outreach sequence"
  - "cold DM"
  - "prospecting email"
  - "outbound sales"
  - "email sequence"
  - "follow up email"
  - "reach out to"
tools: []
---

# Cold Outreach

Cold email sequences, LinkedIn DMs, and personalized outreach that get replies. Structured around relevance, brevity, and clear value.

## Purpose

Cold outreach fails when it's generic, long, or self-centered. This skill generates outreach that's short, specific to the recipient, and focused on their problem — not your product.

## Workflow

### Step 1: Gather Context

Collect from the user:
- **What you sell:** Product/service in one sentence
- **Who you're targeting:** Title, company size, industry
- **Their likely pain:** The problem they probably have right now
- **Your proof:** Results you've gotten for similar companies/people
- **Channel:** Email, LinkedIn DM, or both
- **Sequence length:** Single touch or multi-step (recommend 3-5 emails)

### Step 2: Research the Recipient (if specific)

If targeting a specific person/company:
- Reference something specific (recent post, company news, job listing, product launch)
- Connect it to the pain your product solves
- Never fake personalization — if you can't find something real, use industry-level relevance

### Step 3: Write the Sequence

**Email 1: The Opener** (Day 1)
- Subject line: Short, lowercase, curiosity or relevance-driven
- Line 1: Observation about them (not about you)
- Line 2-3: Connect to a problem they likely have
- Line 4: What you do and one proof point
- Line 5: Soft CTA (question, not demand)
- Total: 4-6 sentences max

**Email 2: The Value Add** (Day 3)
- Provide something useful — a quick insight, stat, or idea
- Don't pitch. Just demonstrate you understand their world.
- End with "Thought this might be relevant. Worth a quick chat?"

**Email 3: The Case Study** (Day 6)
- "We helped [similar company] achieve [specific result] in [timeframe]"
- One paragraph, one result, one CTA
- "Would something like this be useful for [their company]?"

**Email 4: The Breakup** (Day 10)
- Short and honest: "I'll stop reaching out, but wanted to leave this here"
- Restate the value one final time
- "If timing is ever right, here's my calendar: [link]"

### Step 4: Write Subject Lines

Generate 5 subject line options per email:
- 3-6 words
- Lowercase (feels personal, not marketing)
- No clickbait — relevance over curiosity
- Examples: "quick question about [their product]", "[mutual connection] suggested I reach out", "idea for [their company]"

### Step 5: LinkedIn DM Variant (if requested)

Adapt for LinkedIn:
- Connection request note: 1 sentence, reference something specific
- First DM after accept: 2-3 sentences max, same structure as Email 1
- Follow-up: Voice note alternative (suggest the user record one)

## Output Format

```markdown
## Cold Outreach Sequence: [Target Description]

### Email 1: The Opener
**Subject:** [subject line]
**Body:**
[email body]

### Email 2: The Value Add
**Subject:** [subject line]
**Body:**
[email body]

### Email 3: The Case Study
**Subject:** [subject line]
**Body:**
[email body]

### Email 4: The Breakup
**Subject:** [subject line]
**Body:**
[email body]

### Subject Line Variants
| Email | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|-------|----------|----------|----------|
| 1     | ...      | ...      | ...      |
| 2     | ...      | ...      | ...      |

### LinkedIn DM Version
[If requested]
```

## Constraints

- Every email must be under 100 words. Shorter is better.
- Never open with "I hope this email finds you well" or "My name is..."
- Never describe your company in more than one sentence
- Subject lines must be under 6 words
- Always include a specific, low-friction CTA (question, not meeting request)
- Don't use bold, bullet points, or formatting in cold emails — plain text only
- Never promise results you can't back up