How to Write Cold Outreach Emails with GPT
Introduction
Cold outreach has always been a necessary evil in sales. It's time-consuming, typically impersonal, and quite ineffective. Salespeople spend hours crafting messages that may never get opened, let alone responded to. The average open rate for cold emails is a modest 21.5%, but reply rates are usually 1% to 5% (Mailchimp, Backlinko). But when personalized, cold emails can increase reply rates by as much as 32% (Yesware).
In the age of AI, things like GPT (Generational Pre-trained Transformer) are revolutionizing the way sales teams engage in outreach. No more starting from scratch or recycling generic templates. GPT is capable of creating customized, engaging email drafts within seconds, increasing efficiency and saving effort.
Here, we will demonstrate using GPT to compose cold emails that actually get a response, and how OneShot.ai does it all automatically at scale.
What Makes a Great Cold Outreach Email?
Cold emails rely largely on human psychology. Using Dr. Robert Cialdini’s principles of persuasion, as a reader, we are often influenced by principles such as reciprocity, personalization, authority and pattern interruption, to name a few. These methods can be used as “trust building” elements when writing cold emails.
There are five core components to creating an effective cold email:
- Attention-Grabbing Subject – Your email is competing with dozens of others. A strong subject line will get you in the door.
- Personalized Greeting – Use the recipient’s name and reference something specific about them or their company.
- Clear Value Proposition - Why should they care? You demonstrate clear value on how your offer will eliminate their pain point.
- Social Proof / Credibility – Mentioning specific customers, stats, or authority helps build trust in a cold email.
- Keep it simple and clear to understand. Don't give them too many options.
Tip Box: The Rule of One - ONE goal and ONE offer, keep it simple and simple sells.
Using GPT to Write Cold Outreach Emails: Pros and Pitfalls
Generative AI models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are now an important asset for sales teams, particularly in writing outreach emails. The models shine at accelerating the writing process by providing immediate first drafts that are compelling, grammatically correct, and useful in overcoming writer’s block.
They also aid in brainstorming and refining tone, making it easier for sales experts to communicate. But these advantages come with a few drawbacks. Without proper context or cues, AI outputs can read like generics or robotics. There is also the potential for imposter personalization – using generic names or vague compliments that can be damaging to credibility.
Without good input, too, these models can falter on industry-specific accuracy. As one Sales Ops expert at Oracle described it, “GPT is great at output—but it needs one-shot prompts to perform like a human.”
Step-By-Step: How to Write Cold Emails with GPT (+ Templates & Prompts)
1. Set Up Your ICP and Buyer Persona
Start with a clearly defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Include:
- Industry
- Company size
- Job titles
- Common pain points
Example Persona: "Head of RevOps of a 100-500 person SaaS company trying to improve sales forecast accuracy."
2. Research the Prospect
Doing manual research is time-consuming. You can search LinkedIn, blogs, or press releases, or you can use OneShot.ai’s Insight Agent.
Use the Insight Agent and quickly surface deep insights from company pages, LinkedIn, and CRMs!
3. Prompt GPT for Your Email (Prompt Engineering)
Provide clear, concise prompts. Example:
“You are a B2B salesperson responding to a Head of RevOps at a SaaS business. Mention their recent webinar on forecasting. Use a personalized hook and a soft CTA to engage.
Compare unedited vs. edited outputs. Here’s a prompt stack:
- Prompt 1: Simplest persona and pain point
- Prompt 2: Add tone: “friendly, expert, and concise”
- Prompt 3: Reference insight (e.g., LinkedIn post)
Downloadable PDF: “5 High-Converting GPT Prompts for Cold Emails” – Download via form
4. Refine Language and Tone with GPT
- Make this more conversational
- Adjust this to sound like a SaaS founder chatting with a peer.
5. Set a Clear CTA
Examples:
- “Would it be worth tackling this on a speedy 10-minute call?”
- “Interested in looking at how others doing SaaS are tackling this?”
How OneShot.ai Automates the Entire Process
Ready to scale your outreach from manual prompting? OneShot.ai automates your entire cold outreach process by merging the capability of AI and AI-designed automation. Its Insight Agent takes real-time prospect information, ensuring your outreach is timely and relevant.
The Personalization Agent uses that intelligence to create messages tailored to each recipient. Meanwhile, the Scaling Agent preserves message quality, whether you're emailing hundreds of leads. Last but not least, the Integration Agent flawlessly sends messages to apps such as Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo, or HubSpot, maintaining your tech stack connected and optimized.
Compare OneShot.ai with ChatGPT on real output – look at the side-by-side screenshot. Don’t just guess how to prompt ChatGPT.
Try OneShot.ai’s trained agents built specifically for cold outreach
Cold Email Templates: GPT + OneShot.ai Enhanced Versions
Template 1: SaaS Founder – VP of Sales (Problem-Aware)
Subject A/B:
A: Q3 revenue gaps?
B: How are your peers reaching the quota ahead
Email Body (GPT Version):
Hi [First Name],
Caught your recent interview on forecastable revenue. Curious—how are you forecasting pipeline gaps in Q3?
We built a platform that allows teams to forecast deal slippage and close sales cycles more quickly.
Worth a quick call?
OneShot.ai Personalization Add-On:
Hi [First Name],
Saw your Q2 wrap-up on LinkedIn—nice focus on pipeline health. Wondering how you're projecting in Q3 and dealing with possible slippage.
OneShot.ai empowers sales leaders to detect risk sooner in the funnel and accelerate sales cycles with real-time deal insights.
Available for a 15-minute call next week?
Follow-Up Snippet:
Just checking in—numerous VPs we engage with are dialing up forecast precision in anticipation of Q3. Would love to demonstrate how OneShot.ai plays into that.
Template 2: RevOps → Sales Enablement (Product-aware)
GPT Version:
Subject: Scaling enablement quicker with your team
Hi [First Name],
I saw your team was interested in increasing sales efficiency. We assist RevOps leaders such as yourself to automate enablement processes without the need for additional headcount. Would you like a brief call?
OneShot Personalization:
Hi [First Name],
Saw your post on [topic]—love this spin on bringing RevOps into enablement alignment. OneShot.ai assists RevOps teams like yours in decreasing ramp time by 30% via automated playbook delivery. Worth taking a quick look?
A/B Subject Lines:
Scale enablement without additional headcount
How RevOps leaders automate onboarding
Follow-up Snippet:
Just reaching out—wondering if OneShot.ai might be able to assist with your existing enablement objectives. Can provide a 2-minute tour.
Template 3: SDR – Marketing Director (Educational Offer)
GPT Version:
Subject: Thought you might find this useful
Hi [First Name],
We just made a guide on 2024 outbound personalization trends. Thought it could be useful as your team gets ready for Q3 campaigns. Shall I send it your way?
OneShot Personalization:
Hi [First Name],
I saw your recent campaign around [topic]: impeccably done! Given your line of work, I thought you'd want a copy of our 2024 outbound trends guide with real examples and frameworks. Would you like one?
A/B Subject Lines:
2024 personalization trends you'll use
Steal-worthy outbound examples inside
Follow-up Snippet:
Wanted to bump this—happy to send the guide if you're still looking at Q3 outbound tactics.
Template 4: Mid-Funnel Follow-Up
GPT Version:
Subject: Any next steps thoughts?
Hey, [First Name],
Just wanted to give you a call to see if you had the opportunity to take a look at the material you need. Maybe we can pick up right where we left off.
OneShot Personalization:
Hey [First Name],
On our last call, you were discussing [specific pain point]. Still a problem for you? Glad to dive into how OneShot.ai can help address it (particularly with [feature discussed]).
A/B Subject Lines:
Brief check-in on [pain point]
Still pondering [last topic discussed]?
Follow-up Snippet:
No pressure—just here if [pain point] is still high on your agenda. Glad to provide a brief comparison sheet if that would be useful.
Template 5: Re-engagement Campaign
GPT Version:
Subject: Still searching for solutions? Hi [First Name], I'm sure you remember the conversation we were having a few months ago about [topic]. If now is a better time, let's connect again.
OneShot Personalization:
Hi [First Name], You were looking into [problem] a few months back. Has anything changed? Since then, we've added [new features that might prove useful.
A/B Subject Lines:
Re: our past conversation on [topic]
New tools for revisiting [pain point]
Follow-up Snippet:
We've had a couple of developments since we last talked—happy to take you through what's changed if you're still considering your options.
A/B Testing and Iteration (with GPT + OneShot.ai)
Effective cold outreach is an iterative process, not "set it and forget it." A/B testing will allow you to continue to improve.
- You can test subject lines, openings, and CTAs
- You can use GPT to summarize responses and pull out themes
- OneShot.ai tracks opens, clicks, replies, and outcomes
Use OneShot.ai’s analytics feature to double down on the message that is working.
Legal, Ethical, and Deliverability Considerations
Keep it legal:
- Be compliant with CAN-SPAM and GDPR
- Give the option to unsubscribe
- Don't use misleading subject lines
OneShot.ai assists in keeping your outreach from getting stuck in spam folders by not using spammy language, sending from alternative domains and IPs, and proactively tracking bounce rates and deliverability metrics. It also offers a checklist to double-check that your DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records are configured for authentication. For extra security, tools such as GlockApps and Mail-Tester can be utilized to validate your email setup and maximize inbox placement.
Stay compliant and ensure your emails get delivered. OneShot.ai has domain warm-up, controls to help get into the inbox
Case Studies / Success Stories
Example 1: Series A SaaS Company
- Challenge: Low reply rate
- Outcome: 4X more booked meetings in 30 days
Example 2: Enterprise SDR Team
- Challenge: High research and writing time
- Outcome: Saved 70% of time with Insight + Personalization Agents
"OneShot.ai saved our SDRs more than 20 hours a week and doubled our meeting conversions." — Growth Lead, B2B SaaS
Conclusion
AI won't make great outreach obsolete, but it will amplify it. Utilize GPT to accelerate drafts, make them richer with real-world prospect information for actual relevance, and have OneShot.ai automate and scale the whole process without compromising on that personal touch.AI doesn't replace good outreach—it amplifies it. Sick of re-inventing your cold email approach each month?
Let OneShot.ai scale what works already.
FAQs
What is the 30/30/50 rule for cold emails?
Answer:
The 30/30/50 rule for cold emails refers to spending 30% of your time on researching prospects, 30% on crafting personalized emails, and 50% on consistent follow-up. It ensures each email is relevant, engaging, and increases your chances of getting a response.
How do I use ChatGPT to write effective cold outreach emails?
Answer:
To use ChatGPT for writing cold outreach emails, provide a prompt that includes your recipient’s industry, pain points, and your value proposition. Example prompt: “Write a cold email to a SaaS founder about streamlining onboarding using our product.” Refine the output to match your brand tone and personalize it further.
Can ChatGPT write high-converting sales emails for outreach?
Answer:
Yes, ChatGPT can generate persuasive cold sales emails when given the right context—such as audience type, product benefits, and a call-to-action. While it helps with the structure and wording, adding personalization and relevance will maximize conversions.
What are the best cold email prompts for ChatGPT?
Answer:
Here are a few powerful prompts:
- “Write a B2B cold email to a logistics manager struggling with shipment delays.”
- “Create a cold outreach email for a recruitment agency targeting tech startups.”
- “Write a follow-up cold email to a software engineer who hasn’t responded.”
Adjust based on your niche and goal.
What is a cold email template to recruiters using GPT?
Answer:
Here’s a basic GPT-powered cold email template:
Subject: Ready to Make an Impact at [Company Name]?
Hi [Recruiter Name], I came across your opening for [Job Title] and was excited by your focus on [specific area]. With my background in [Your Experience], I’d love to contribute to your team. Are you available this week for a quick chat?
Personalize this for better results.
Can GPT write cold email templates for specific industries like freight brokers or software engineers?
Answer:
Absolutely. ChatGPT can tailor cold email templates for any industry. For example:
- Freight broker: “Write a cold email to manufacturers about improving freight cost efficiency.”
- Software engineer: “Create a cold email for a startup seeking backend engineers skilled in Node.js.”
Using clear prompts yields better results.
