How to Write a Cold Email With AI | Tips & Tools

As a working professional, you’ll inevitably encounter a scenario where you have to email someone you don’t know. Cold emailing—reaching out to someone you’ve never contacted before—might be used to network, set up a meeting, or explore a new business opportunity. There’s no perfect formula for a cold email, but there are steps and tricks to help maximize your chances of getting a response.

Writing a cold email can feel daunting—you’re basically starting a conversation with a stranger! If you aren’t sure what to write, QuillBot’s free AI cold email generator is a great starting point. Just describe what you’d like the email to say, and it will create a draft for you with the click of a button.

How to write a cold email

No matter why you’re reaching out, writing a cold email can be broken down into just a few simple steps.

1.  Write a compelling subject line

The subject line is the first thing the person on the receiving end of your email will see, and if they don’t find it engaging, your email might get left unread or moved straight to trash. Keep the following in mind when drafting your subject line:

• Keep it short (under seven words) and try to pique their curiosity.
• If possible, personalize it with a name or relevant detail (particularly if you have something in common!). For example, “Fellow Googler looking to chat.”

2.  Introduce yourself

By definition, the person getting your cold email won’t know who you are. Try to open with a warm, personalized sentence that connects to them (maybe you read about their recent work, have a mutual connection, or are facing a similar problem).

It’s also important to introduce yourself and establish your own credibility. Be sure to state who you are, any relevant credentials, and why you’re reaching out.

3.  Finish with a call to action

The final component of a cold email is your ask—what you need from them. Ensure it is specific and easy to agree to (e.g., “Would you be available for a 10-minute call sometime this week?”). Keep your ask simple and don’t provide too many options.

And that’s it! Add your signoff and email signature, give it a careful proofread (try QuillBot’s free AI Grammar Checker if you’re prone to overlooking typos), and press send!

Using a cold email generator

Often when you’re writing a cold email, you know what you’re trying to achieve, but you aren’t sure how to word things properly. This is where QuillBot’s free AI Cold Email Generator can be extremely useful.

To use a cold email generator, just describe what you need and let AI take care of the rest. It’s important to provide sufficient detail in your prompt to make sure you get the output you need—try this if you don’t know where to start.

Using this prompt template, you might get an output like the following:

AI Cold Email Generator Output

Frequently asked questions about writing cold emails with AI

What is a cold email?

A cold email is an email you send to someone you don’t know, who you’ve never had prior contact with. It’s the equivalent of “cold calling.”

Cold emails are usually used in a business setting. Applications include networking, lead generation, or establishing some form of business relationship. Cold emails are sent to an individual, rather than a mailing list, and are generally personalized and specific.

If you need to write a cold email but aren’t sure where to start, QuillBot’s free AI cold email generator can help you create a draft in seconds.

What are cold emails used for?

Cold emails, or emails sent to someone you’ve had no prior contact with, are usually used to initiate some kind of business relationship.

You might send a cold email to someone who works at a company you’re interested in joining (networking), reach out to a potential client about setting up a meeting (lead generation), or contact someone in your field to get their insight on something (setting up a meeting).

No matter what your intention is, QuillBot’s free AI cold email writer can make writing a cold email a breeze, saving you time and effort.

How long should I wait before sending a follow-up email?

The timing of sending a follow-up email depends on context.

• After a job interview, write a post interview thank you email within 24 hours (ideally on the same day).
• If your original email was a “cold call” marketing email, then you may be able to wait 1–2 weeks (unless your supervisor requires otherwise).
• If you are following up on a job interview after the thank you email, then email just after the end of the timeline you were given during the interview (e.g., If the recruiter said a decision will be made in 1 week, wait until after 1 full week to ask about the status of your application).

When it comes to cold emails, timing is only half the battle—the other half is writing a message that gets opened and answered. The QuillBot AI cold email writer helps you create personalized outreach that feels relevant, professional, and worth responding to.

How can you tell an email may have been written using generative AI?

You can tell an email may have been written using generative AI by looking for these telltale signs:

• Overly formal, generic, or repetitive language
• Lack of personalization
• Lack of specific details or personal experiences
• Sentence length that doesn’t vary

Learning how to use AI to write an email can also help you spot these signs.

You can also use QuillBot’s AI Detector to analyze an email’s likelihood of having been written with AI.