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9 Cold Email Templates to Pitch to New Clients More Effectively

Cold Email Templates to Pitch to New Clients

Pitching new clients is one of the most exhausting aspects of life as a freelancer, but it is also one of the most essential. Luckily, you can make pitching easier by using quality cold email templates.

In this guide, we will discuss why email templates work and what an email template needs in order to be successful. We will also provide specific email templates for pitching new clients and explain why each template works.

Skip ahead to the right email template for your business:

Why cold email templates work

Many resources for freelancers suggest that you put significant personalization into every pitch in order to catch people’s attention. There is some merit in this idea; people are more likely to work with you if you demonstrate clear knowledge of them and their business. However, this approach requires a major investment of time.

The more efficient way to approach pitching is to create one or two pitch email templates. When the time comes to pitch, you can then personalize the email with the recipient’s name and company name, and sent the email as-is. This makes it easy to send dozens or even hundreds of pitches out every single month.

How to use email templates

You can start using cold email templates in four simple steps:

  1. Choose a template. Find an existing template designed for freelancers in your field.
  2. Adapt the template. Change the phrasing of the template to specifically discuss your business, experience, and service offerings.
  3. Personalize the template. At the bare minimum, you want to make sure you’re using the correct email address and the proper names for the specific person and/or business you’re pitching. You can further personalize these emails by mentioning something you particularly like about their work, your relationship with their business, or specific offerings that might be suited to their business.
  4. Send the email. Triple-check that you’ve personalized the email in all of the right places and send it off!

The best part is that once you’ve done this the first time, you only need to repeat the third and fourth steps to send out more emails.

Pro tip: All of these email templates include places for you to mention previous clients. Where possible, use these as opportunities to link to the actual work you did for these clients. This can be the work as published on their website, or as displayed in your portfolio.

Cold email templates for freelance professionals

Now we’re going to provide you with a variety of cold email templates, each tailored to suit a different role. Areas intended for personalization are marked with brackets.

1. Web designer

Dear (name),

I recently discovered (company name) and I am deeply impressed with your work, especially (project name). I would love to help you create a website that is as spectacular as everything else you do.

I have spent the past (number) years building beautiful websites for companies of all shapes and sizes, including (previous client) and (previous client). My comprehensive knowledge of graphic design and various content management systems makes it easy for me to build completely customized websites. This includes websites with advanced features such as eCommerce functionality and paid membership areas.

Are you ready to take your website to the next level? Book a 30-minute phone consultation with me at (link) and let's figure out how I can help you.

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

This email accomplishes several things. The first paragraph establishes your familiarity with the company and why you’re emailing them. The second paragraph demonstrates your expertise by sharing examples of your work and using industry terminology. In the final paragraph, you give the other person a specific, actionable way to move forward.

Web designers might also want to take a look at our guide to how to write a web design proposal in 10 minutes.

Cold email templates for a designer

2. Developer

Dear (name),

I recently came across (company name) and found myself impressed by the work you are doing. (Project name) is particularly impressive. I would love to help you expand your business with a web application for (project name). 

I am a full stack developer with (years) of experience building web applications for companies like (previous client) and (previous client). This experience has taught me how to work within clients' needs and budgets to create high-quality applications. I am particularly adept at creating (application type) and (application type).

Are you interested in building a web application for (company name)? Book a 30-minute phone consultation with me at (link) and let's discuss how I can help you!

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

This email template accomplishes all the same things as the web designer pitch, with a heavier focus on the details. Web development encompasses a huge number of roles and application types, so the specifics are doubly important here.

Cold email templates for a developer

3. Content writer

Dear (name),

As a freelance writer who is always on the hunt for resources in (industry), I was thrilled to stumble upon (company name) a few weeks ago. Your guides are quite thorough and helpful, especially (article name). I would love to help you produce even more great content.

I have written for companies like yours for (number) years, most notably (previous client) and (previous client). Some of the topics I'm most interested in writing about are (interest), (interest), and (interest). 

Are you currently seeking new writers? If so, respond to this email with the topic you're most interested in having me write about and we can move forward with a paid test piece.

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

This email template establishes what you are offering in more specific terms than the previous templates. This is because content writing is often long-term work with a variety of assignments, rather than a one-off project like a website redesign. Listing multiple topics you are interested in exploring shows that you have knowledge of the industry you’re in and are thinking about content marketing as a long-term game.

Cold email templates for a writer

4. Copywriter

Dear (name),

I recently discovered (company name) and am truly impressed with the range of high-quality products you offer. I would love to help bring your products to new customers.

I am a freelance copywriter with (years) of experience working for companies like (previous client) and (previous client). I work closely with clients to create copy that converts, with a focus on maintaining their authentic brand voice.

Are you interested in building better sales pages for your projects? I would love to discuss moving forward with a paid test piece.

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

Again, this email is short, sweet, and to the point. This email also focuses on the goals of copywriting with phrases like “copy that converts” and “maintaining their authentic brand voice”. These phrases show the potential client that you know why copywriting is important, not just what a copywriter does.

Cold email templates for a copywriter

5. Marketer

Dear (name),

I am a big fan of (company name) and especially love the friendly, authentic voice of your marketing campaigns. I would love to work with you to bring your brand to new audiences around the world.

I have spent (number) years working with companies of all shapes and sizes to develop successful marketing campaigns across numerous platforms, including email and Facebook advertising. Some of the most notable campaigns I have worked on have been for (previous client) and (previous client). My campaigns have helped these clients see a (percentage) increase in website traffic and a (percentage) increase in sales.

Are you looking for help with your marketing? Book a 30 minute consultation at (link) and let's chat about how I can help you!

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email Address)

Why this email works

In the age of social media, anybody can call themselves a marketer. This email demonstrates your knowledge of the industry and your ability to get results. And all of this additional info is contained within one paragraph, keeping the email length in line with our other cold email templates.

marketer

6. Photographer

Dear (name),

I recently discovered (company name) and I think the work you're doing is amazing, especially (project name). I would love to help you build a gallery of excellent photographs to show the world what you do.

I have run my own photography business for (number) years, helping companies like (previous client) and (previous client) document their works and display their products. I edit all of my own photography, providing you with a finished project you can add to your website right away. All photos are returned to clients within a week of the photoshoot.

Are you interested in building a photo collection to display your work? Book a 15 minute planning session at (link) and I'll help you create the ultimate photoshoot.

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

This email states exactly what your potential client will get: a fully edited set of photographs they can use in their marketing campaigns, no more than a week after the shoot day.

photographer

7. Videographer

Dear (name),

I am a big fan of (company name), especially the videos you have released. I would love to help you create more amazing videos and bring your work to new audiences.

In my (number) years as a videographer, I have worked with numerous companies to record events, create behind-the-scenes content, and more. Some of my most notable work has been for (previous client) and (previous client). My videos have reached (number) viewers around the world and helped brands grow their YouTube audience by as much as (number).

Are you interested in creating more amazing video content? Book a 30 minute consultation with me at (link) and let's create a content plan together!

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

Like the marketer’s cold email template, this email provides an insight into the results the videographer has already achieved. Since platforms like YouTube show a public count of views on every video, you can get this information pretty easily. Most YouTube channels also display their subscriber count publicly, although this is up to the YouTuber’s discretion.

videographer

8. Video editor

Dear (name),

I recently stumbled upon (company name) through (video) and I thought it was a great resource. I would love to help you create even better videos and expand your reach on YouTube.

In my (number) years as a video editor, I have helped companies like (previous client) and (previous client) transform raw footage into flawless video ads, product tutorials, and more. The videos I have worked on have reached (number) viewers around the world and helped grow my clients' YouTube channels by as much as (number). 

Are you interested in professional editing to improve your videos, or even one specific project? Book a 15-minute consultation with me at (link) and we'll develop a detailed plan for working together.

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

Again, this email focuses on the results achieved rather than the technical details of the work being completed. This gives potential clients a concrete understanding of what they can get from working with you.

video editor

9. Blog editor

Dear (name),

I am a big fan of (company name) and your commitment to helping customers through the resources published on your blog. I would love to help you create a more consistent experience on your blog so you can reach more people.

As the editor of (blog name) and (blog name), I have used SEO strategies to build blogging schedules that boost website traffic by as much as (number). I can effectively manage teams of freelancers through tools like Trello or Asana to ensure a steady flow of content. I can also provide both content editing and proofreading.

Are you interested in taking your blog to the next level? Book a 15-minute consultation with me at (link) and let's create a plan together!

Thank you for your time,

(Name)
(Website)
(Email address)

Why this email works

This email template works because it focuses on results, references tools companies might already be using, and uses terminology specific to editing.

blogging

Bonus: Ways to make these email templates stronger

All of our email templates are designed with brevity in mind. The people you’re pitching are busy, after all; they don’t want a three-page email from someone they’ve never spoken to. For most potential clients, the cold email templates in this article provide all the information they need to decide whether or not they want to work with you.

However, some prospects are more exciting than others. If you’re pitching a company you love, or a larger company than ones you have worked with before, you might want to put some extra work into making your pitch shine.

In these instances, the best thing to do is study your potential client. Look at how they’re already approaching the work you do and come up with 2-3 ways to improve it. You can then add these suggestions to your pitch to demonstrate your knowledge of both your own job and the company you’re trying to pitch.

Final advice on cold email templates

These templates are only a starting point. Make sure to customize your own templates with details specific to your company. You also want to update these templates every year or so, referencing bigger and better projects as you finish them.

If you are currently seeking freelance work, you should also take a look at our guide to freelance writing jobs and our mega-guide on how to make $2-3k every month on Fiverr. On the other hand, if you need to chase up clients for money, you’ll find 3 scripts to help you collect on unpaid invoices here.

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Layout, presentation and editing by Karol K.

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Dianna Gunn
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