📖 Read Time: 3 minutes
📩 What you’ll get out of this newsletter: practical steps on how to make your cold emails actually feel warm, human, and worth replying to.
Hey y’all - Brian here! 🙂
Sometimes I sit down to write these newsletters and drag my feet over what I should write about or what actually matters to share.
This week, the answer came quick (thankfully!)
I was talking with one of my favorite collaborators, we’ve been working together for the past 3 or 4 years, and we realized how much time we’ve spent together even though we’ve never met in person.
And it got me thinking about how many of my favorite work-related relationships started with one simple thing: a cold email.
Just a simple, thoughtful message, sent without expectation.
And it reminded me, this is a skill that I’ve honed over many years. And it’s shaped so much of what I’ve built, so this week I decided to break down…
The Anatomy of a Cold Email That Doesn’t Feel Cold
Enjoy! 🤓
1. Be the human who did their homework.
People can feel it when you copy-paste. And they can feel it when you care.
Mention something real. Their latest blog post, their product, a quote from an interview; anything that proves you’ve thought about them, not just yourself.
The best cold emails don’t feel cold because they’re warm with intent.
2. Lead with value, not your pitch.
You’re not asking them to solve your problems. You’re showing them why this could be valuable for them.
Frame your outreach like an idea you’ve been working on for them specifically — not a mass broadcast.
Think: “Saw your team is exploring X. I had a thought on how you might improve Y. Should we schedule a brief 10 - 15 min chat to explore?”
3. Get to the point.
You have 3–5 seconds before they decide to delete or keep reading. Use it wisely.
Skip the bio, the life story, and the fluffy intros. Write like someone who respects their time and knows their worth.
4. Follow up like someone you’d want to talk to.
Most people stop after one email. But many of my strongest connections started on the third or fourth follow-up.
Don’t be annoying — be useful, be clear, and above all, be kind.
What not to say: “Just checking in.”
What to say instead: “Friendly nudge on the idea I sent your way. Should we chat sometime this or next week?”
5. If they gave you their number, use it.
If someone has their personal number in their signature, it’s fair game for a one-time, respectful text.
“Heyyyyo! It’s Brian, making sure you have my # here. Excited to chat more about [insert name of idea or project]!”
5. Use an email tracker.
Tools like Streak (my favorite!) let you know if your email’s been opened, forwarded, or clicked. Helpful for timing your follow-ups. Don’t overthink it, but use the data.
5. Keep it going after the reply.
If something closes, great. But regardless, keep the relationship going.
Send them a helpful link, ask them for a recommendation in their city, or just say hi with no agenda. Warmth compounds.
🧠 Genius Tips (aka trial and error outcomes that have actually worked super well for me 🙃)
Drop the “checking in.” It’s annoying and it doesn’t work. Be more thoughtful.
Time your follow-ups. After a click? Send. After a read? Wait a beat, then send.
Trim the fat. 3 paragraphs max. Or better yet, 5–7 sentences.
Don’t be weird about texting. If their number’s in their sig, it’s an open door.
Don’t chase replies, build relationships.
Most people quit too early. Persistence, patience, and intentionality win.
Analysis paralysis is so real when it comes to pressing send.
If you’ve been overthinking thinking about how to reach out to someone you don’t know, what to say, or what they’ll think, etc.
Just stop right now. Life is too short.
Write it. Send it. See what happens.
The worst thing that can happen? They don’t reply 🎻
The best? It changes your trajectory and theirs 🚀
I’d genuinely love to hear what has worked for any of you over the years, I can’t be the only one who’s considered this! Hit reply or DM me.
Onward,
— Brian
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