ChatGPT for SDRs: Real Prompts That Get Replies

‍

‍

‍

AI is transforming outbound sales – are your SDRs? Your sales development representatives (SDRs) are no longer using cold lists and guesswork. The rise of generative AI tools, especially ChatGPT, has brought about a tectonic shift in how outreach is authored, customized, and delivered in scale. The SDR who can use AI to craft effective prompts is the one scheduling more meetings—and closing more pipelines.

‍

ChatGPT, a large language model by OpenAI, is being used across SRD teams to write emails, generate LinkedIn messages, structure cold calls, and even develop ideas for objection-handling scripts. But success doesn't come from simply asking it to "write a cold email." The real results are unlocked through smart prompt engineering—knowing exactly what to ask and how to provide the model with context that enables it to generate effective responses.

‍

That's where OneShot.ai comes into play. This tool builds on the power of ChatGPT in a true outbound sales team context. By combining prompt frameworks with real-time data, OneShot.ai lets SDRs develop consistent messaging that resonates. 

‍

Use OneShot.ai to remove the guesswork associated with AI messaging.

‍

‍

‍

The SDR’s New Workflow: ChatGPT + OneShot.ai

‍

‍

‍

The traditional SDR workflow was tedious: hours of LinkedIn research, manual customization, and hundreds of low-converting emails. The "spray-and-pray" approach left reps exhausted and the pipeline anemic.

‍

AI flips the script. ChatGPT and OneShot.ai enable SDRs to automate prospect research, add hyper-targeted intelligence, and write messaging that reads like handcrafting – in seconds.

‍

OneShot.ai complements ChatGPT by employing agents such as:

‍

• Insight Agent: Finds recent news, funding, and hiring signals
  ‍
• Persona Agent: Aligns tone, challenges, and goals per role
  ‍
• Personalization Agent: Converts raw data into relevant outreach
  ‍
• Scaling Agent: Builds multi-touch sequences across channels.
  ‍

This system can save SDRs over 10 hours per week – time that can now go toward more high-value conversations.

‍

Book a demo to see how Chat GPT + OneShot works in real outbound situations.

‍

‍

‍

ChatGPT Prompting Basics for SDRs

‍

‍

‍

In essence, a prompt is an invitation to the AI. However, not all prompts are created equal. Look at these two:

‍

Vague: “Write an email to a VP of Sales.”

‍

Effective: “Write a brief, convincing email to a VP of Sales at a B2B SaaS company that recently raised a Series B, highlighting how our AI sales platform can enable them to scale more quickly. Use a confident, advisory voice.”

‍

The second prompt includes all the elements that help ChatGPT generate content that gets replies.

‍

Key Prompt Components:

‍

• Objective: What are you trying to achieve with the message?
  ‍
• Persona: Who is the prospect?
  ‍
• Industry Context: What do they care about in their sector?
  ‍
• Value Prop Snapshot: How do they benefit?
  ‍
• CTA: What action should they take next?
  ‍

Prompt Formula:

‍

[intent] + [prospect persona] + [trigger/insight] + [tone] + [cta]

‍

For more, check out HubSpot's guide to ChatGPT prompts for sales.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

10 High-Converting ChatGPT Prompt Templates for SDRs

‍

‍

‍

These templates are intended for use in real-world outreach. Use them with ChatGPT or import them into OneShot.ai for optimized performance.

‍

• Email to a VP of Sales at B2B SaaS who recently raised funding

‍

Prompt: "Send a brief, spirited email to a VP of Sales at a B2B SaaS startup that recently raised Series A funding. Emphasize how our revenue growth tool enables new sales teams to ramp up more quickly. End with an invitation to schedule a 15-minute call this week."

‍

Best for: Growth-stage SaaS ICPs

‍

OneShot tweak: Plug in the company name, funding round, and recent hires via Insight Agent.

‍

• LinkedIn message to a Head of RevOps from a rival firm

‍

Prompt: “Send a 300-character LinkedIn message to a DevOps leader at (Compay X), a client competitor. Refer to common challenges and provide a resource on revenue workflows.”

‍

Best for: Competitive displacement

‍

OneShot tweak: Autopopulates competitor-specific pain points.

‍

• Cold call opening for a CMO in manufacturing

‍

Prompt: “Write a 20-second cold call opening for a CMO in manufacturing. Emphasize minimizing channel waste and maximizing marketing ROI.”

‍

Best for: Industrial B2B CMOs

‍

OneShot tweak: Employs Persona Agent to optimize manufacturing-specific vocabulary.

‍

• Follow-up email upon attendance at a webinar

‍

Prompt: Write a very casual follow-up email to someone who came to our webinar on AI in sales. Reference a key stat we shared and also offer a meeting so we can go deeper."

‍

Best for: Warm leads

‍

OneShot tweak: Pulls the specific webinar name and attendance data as well.

‍

• Meeting request after free trial sign-up

‍

Prompt: “Craft a conversion-oriented email to a user who signed up for a free trial but didn’t engage. Invite them to schedule a walkthrough with a product expert.”

‍

Best for: Mid-funnel leads

‍

OneShot tweak: Inserts usage behavior and product fit notes.

‍

• Reply to a prospect who went dark.

‍

Prompt: “Compose a courteous re-approach email to a prospect who did not respond after our second touch. Re-open the thread with curiosity and a new observation.”

‍

Best for: Stalled deals

‍

OneShot tweak: Incorporates applicable trigger events (e.g., new hire, press release).

‍

• Referral request after light engagement

‍

Prompt: "Compose a brief LinkedIn message requesting an intro to the decision-maker if this prospect is not the one."

‍

Best for: Discovery contacts

‍

OneShot tweak: Leverages org chart information to make referral recommendations.

‍

• Email to a CFO on cost-cutting

‍

Prompt: “Craft a cost-justification email to a CFO considering tech spend. Emphasize ROI and cost-cutting examples.”

‍

Best for: Finance-oriented personas

‍

OneShot tweak:  Incorporates vertical-specific cost-saving metrics.

‍

• LinkedIn voice note script for account penetration

‍

Prompt: “Craft a 30-second welcome voice note to send via LinkedIn, introducing yourself and why you’re reaching out based on your recent post.”

‍

Best for: ABM outreach

‍

OneShot tweak: Bring in their latest LinkedIn activity or article.

‍

• Re-engagement email for closed-lost deals

‍

Prompt: “Craft a value-driven re-engagement email to a lost opportunity previously. Frame our product updates as a call to return to the conversation.”

‍

Best for: Closed-lost pipeline

‍

OneShot tweak: Makes personalization on the original objection and newer features.

‍

Load these prompts automatically into your multi-channel sequences with OneShot's Persona + Personalization Agents.

‍

‍

‍

When ChatGPT Prompts Fall Short (And What SDRs Can Do About It)

‍

‍

‍

ChatGPT is powerful, but it has limits:

‍

• No real-time data access.
  ‍
• Generic content if prompts have little context.
  ‍
• Manual prompting results in rapid burnout of an agent.
  ‍
• Confirmation is needed to maintain consistency with the tone of other team members.
  ‍

Solution:

‍

OneShot.ai takes away these problems by auto-feeding ChatGPT with the right data through its agents:

‍

• Insight Agent: Real-time signals.
  ‍
• Persona Agent: Consistent messaging by role.
  ‍
• Brand Voice Templates: Keeps tone on-brand.
  ‍
• Feedback Loop: Learn from what gets replies.
  ‍

You can try a 14-day free trial and see how OneShot works.

‍

‍

‍

OneShot.ai vs. Manual ChatGPT Usage: A/B Comparison

‍

‍

‍

‍

Additional Use Cases: Going Beyond Cold Emails

‍

‍

‍

AI prompts are useful for that first top-of-funnel email but they can be useful throughout the entire sales process. For emails designed simply for networking outreach, an AI prompt can help you personalize cold outreach messages that mention shared connections, and create warm introductions. With trigger-based campaigns, you can quickly personalize outreach after a prospect announces they are hiring, closing a funding round, or announcing a new partnership.

‍

Voicemail scripts can benefit: I can crank out short and compelling voicemail messages to get their attention and bring high-value leads to the table. Break-up sequences can be done with more precision and thoughtfulness using AI-generated copy. Finally, when you are ready to expand inside an account, AI can help power customized upsell messaging that resonates.

‍

Let our Scaling Agent build entire sequences made up of these prompts — Start now.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Best Practices for Prompt Engineering with SDR Use in Mind

‍

‍

‍

• Align your tone to your company’s brand – avoid sounding like a robot
  ‍
• Add emotional hooks such as urgency or curiosity
  ‍
• Ground messages in data and ROI
  ‍
• Test and iterate always -- prompt outputs are non-deterministic
  ‍
• Run A/B tests with OneShot’s built-in tools to optimize performance
  ‍

FAQ

‍

• Does ChatGPT replace SDRs?

‍

No—AI is meant to supplement SDRs by relieving them of repetitive tasks, not replacing their human judgment.

‍

• Is using AI for outreach considered spammy?

‍

Not when used right. AI helps personalize, not spray. Tools like OneShot prevent generic blasts.

‍

• How do I ensure brand voice consistency?

‍

Establishing tone & message style can be achieved using OneShot's Persona Agent.

‍

• What KPIs improve with ChatGPT + OneShot?

‍

Our teams are reporting more replies, booking better meetings, and saving hours per week.

‍

• Can I integrate this with my CRM?

‍

Yes—OneShot connects with HubSpot, Apollo, Outreach, Salesloft, etc.

‍

‍

‍

Case Study: How an SDR Team Booked 44% More Meetings with ChatGPT + OneShot.ai

‍

‍

‍

A mid-sized HR Tech SaaS business battled with a familiar problem: their SDRs were bogged down with manual research and dealing with poor reply rates. By using OneShot.ai alongside optimized ChatGPT prompts, they reworked their outbound process. 

‍

The outcomes spoke for themselves—booked meetings increased by 44% reply quality was enhanced by 65%, and every SDR saved an average of 12 hours a week. As one SDR explained, “I spend more time building relationships – not chasing data points.”

‍

(Schedule your custom outbound AI audit.)

‍

‍

‍

Resources & Free Tools

‍

‍

‍

• Download: ChatGPT Prompt Frameworks for SDRs (PDF)
  ‍
• Google Sheet: Prompt Workbook
  ‍
• Extension: Inject ChatGPT into your CRM with the OneShot Chrome Plugin (coming soon)
  ‍
• Curated Resources:
  ‍
• Apollo: 20 Cold Email Templates That Work
  ‍
• Gong: AI Email Performance Report
  ‍
• Sales Hacker: The SDR’s Guide to AI
  ‍
• Close.com: AI-enhanced Sales Outreach
  ‍

(Get access to the Prompt Library when you sign up free with OneShot.ai.)

‍

‍

‍

Conclusion: The Future of Prospecting is Prompt-Driven

‍

‍

‍

SDR who can prompt AI smartly will always get ahead. Prompts are the new playbooks—scalable, repeatable, and data-driven. OneShot.ai makes them actionable at scale, opening up new levels of productivity and personalization.

‍

Begin prospecting smarter – Try OneShot.ai free for 14 days. 

‍

‍

‍

FAQs

‍

‍

‍

1. How can SDRs use ChatGPT to write cold emails that get replies?

‍
SDRs (Sales Development Reps) can use ChatGPT to generate personalized, attention-grabbing cold emails by feeding it details like prospect industry, pain points, or recent news. Effective prompts include:
“Write a cold email to a SaaS decision-maker highlighting [product benefit] and referencing [prospect's company blog post or news].”
This makes outreach feel relevant and increases reply rates.

‍

2. What are the best ChatGPT prompts for sales prospecting in 2025?

‍
*Some of the best ChatGPT prompts for sales prospecting include:

• “Create a LinkedIn connection message for a marketing manager at a B2B SaaS company.”
• “Write a follow-up email after a prospect opens a cold email but doesn’t respond.”
• “Summarize this blog post into a sales email introducing my tool.”
  These prompts save SDRs time and boost personalization.*

‍

3. How do you use ChatGPT for writing sales emails that convert?

‍
Use ChatGPT to write sales emails by providing it with clear inputs: who the audience is, what you’re offering, and your tone (casual, professional, friendly, etc.). Example prompt:
“Write a 3-sentence email to introduce [product name] to a CFO of a mid-sized retail company, focusing on ROI and time-saving.”
It can also help rewrite and A/B test subject lines and CTAs.

‍

4. How can an account manager use ChatGPT for client communication and follow-ups?

‍
Account managers can use ChatGPT to draft client check-ins, QBR follow-ups, renewal reminders, and even apology emails. Example prompt:
“Write a professional follow-up email after a quarterly review summarizing next steps and thanking the client for their time.”
This ensures clarity, consistency, and saves time on repetitive writing.

‍

5. What are the best ChatGPT prompts for cold email subject lines?

‍
*Use prompts like:

• “Give me 10 high-performing subject lines for a cold email targeting CFOs in fintech.”
• “Write subject lines under 40 characters for a cold outreach campaign focused on cost savings.”
  ChatGPT helps generate multiple variations you can test for higher open rates.*

‍

6. Can ChatGPT help SDRs personalize outreach at scale?

‍
Yes, ChatGPT can create semi-personalized messages based on variables like job title, company size, or recent news. When connected with a CRM or spreadsheet, SDRs can batch-generate tailored outreach efficiently without sounding robotic.

‍

‍