How to Write Cold Emails and DMs That Actually Get Replies

Use this 5-step framework to 10x your replies

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Dear subscribers,

A cold email or DM can change your life.

• Applying to a job? Get replies from hiring managers.

• Looking for advice? Get replies from people you respect.

• Building a product? Get replies from potential customers.

But most people don’t know how to write cold emails and DMs.

I know because I get lazy cold outreach daily. In this post, I’ll share:

1. Why most cold emails and DMs suck

2. Five steps to craft great cold outreach

3. Real examples for finding jobs, booking guests, and landing customers

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Why most cold emails and DMs suck

Tell me if you’ve received this before:

Looking for job

Hi, I’m interested in company XYZ and would love to understand what it’s like working there. Are you free for a call next week?

Or maybe you‘ve seen this:

Need advice

Hi, I’m switching careers and want to get your thoughts on how to break into product management. Here’s my Calendly: (link)

Or perhaps you’ve seen this:

New AI bot

Hi, I’m working on a new idea to give creators like yourself their own AI bot. I’d love to give you a demo if you’re free. Do you have 15 minutes to chat this week?

When I get messages like these, a few thoughts pop into my head:

1. Why should I care?

2. Who are you?

3. How can you help me?

4. How can I help quickly?

5. I’m too busy for this.

Your cold outreach needs to answer these objections in 10 seconds to get a reply.

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Five steps to craft a great cold email and DM

Here’s how you can answer these objections:

1. Why should I care? Create a hook.

2. Who are you? Show credibility.

3. How can you help me? Offer value.

4. How can I help quickly? Make a low-effort ask.

5. I’m too busy for this. Follow up.

Now let’s look at a cold DM that I received last week from a high school student:

It takes guts to reach out to someone new but this DM is too long with almost no hook, credibility, or value. Also, an “in-person shadow” is the opposite of a low-effort ask.

Here’s how the student might modify his outreach:

This DM would get a 100% response rate from me. Here’s why:

1. Create a hook: “Roblox creator” — that’s who I’m building for!

2. Establish credibility: Has game and community experience - seems like a great fit.

3. Add value. Read my blog and even made a friction log for my product.

4. Make a low-effort ask. Forward his email to a recruiter takes 2 seconds.

5. Follow up. If I forget to respond, a simple follow-up message after a day or two will likely seal the deal.

Of course, crafting personalized outreach like this takes work.

But that’s the point — you can 10x your response rate by not being lazy.

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Six examples of cold emails and DMs that work

The examples below are from the internet and my own cold outreach.

They fit three categories: Finding jobs, booking guests, and landing customers.

Finding jobs