Part 2: How to Use AI to Create Cold Emails That Convert
Nivida Manicks
GTM Advisor | AI Training for Business & Non-Tech Teams | Founder | Talent & Product Strategist
Tired of sending emails that never get replies? Welcome to Part 2 of my "How to Use AI for Sales" series.
In Part 1, I broke down how AI can help you find leads in 80% less time. Today, we’re tackling the next step: crafting cold emails that get replies.
When I started using this approach over the last 2 years, my response rate jumped from 12% to 36%. I'll share exactly how I did it.
But here’s the key: AI won’t fix bad sales emails. It’s a tool, not a shortcut. Without understanding the basics, you won't be able to tell if the AI's work is any good.
By the end of this post, you'll have:
Let’s break down how to use AI the right way - so you can write emails that connect and convert.
The Problem with AI in Sales Right Now
Everyone says, "Just use ChatGPT" or "Try Perplexity" and so you prompt something like this: "Write a cold email to pitch my [service/product] to [customer]"
The result? Salesy emails that get ignored:
? The Problem: AI tools are trained on massive amounts of data, which means they default to the most generic patterns - unless you give them strong inputs.
? Another Problem: Many people using AI for sales don't understand the fundamentals of good sales outreach.
Before using AI, you need to know what makes a strong sales email.
Step 1: Anatomy of a Strong Cold Email
Strong sales emails focus on the prospect, not you.
The key is personalization. It drives response rates, builds trust, and shows you've done your homework.
If your email could be sent to 100 other people, it's getting ignored.
Here’s a template I’ve used for my own services with B2B clients over the past 10+ years.
The example below is specifically tailored for selling B2B event stands.
What Makes This Email Effective?
?? Sounds Human: The email feels like a message from a real person.
?? Shows Research: It mentions specific facts about their business.
?? No Hard Sell: It focuses on challenges first, not pushing a product.
?? Gets to the Point: Short paragraphs, easy to read, no fluff.
Overall Structure:
Now that you know what makes a great sales email, here’s how AI can cut your effort by 50% - while keeping outreach personal and scalable.
?? My 3-Step AI Sales Framework
Step 1: Spend 15 Minutes on Real Research using AI
Use your favorite LLM (ChatGPT, Perplexity) strategically.
Generic prompts = generic responses. Instead:
For outreach that works, focus on real challenges. Use AI to discover:
?? What growth phase is their company experiencing?
?? What initiatives are they publicly prioritizing?
?? Where might they need external support?
Your email should prove you understand their specific problems, not just what they sell.
Here’s a prompt you can use:
[Research Prompt]
领英推荐
"I’m preparing to reach out to Company X to explore how our service, [Service X], could help them achieve their goals. At [Your Company], we specialize in [briefly describe your service], and we believe our solution can address [specific challenge] or [objective] they may be facing.
Please conduct a deep dive into Company X and gather the following:
1. Recent News/Updates: Any major announcements such as leadership changes, partnerships, new initiatives, recent funding rounds, acquisitions, or investment announcements, or growth/expansion plans into new markets or verticals.
2. Challenges or Pain Points: Specific operational or regulatory challenges they may be facing, any technology adoption or digital transformation struggles, issues related to customer experience, retention, or market positioning. What action should Company X take to address these challenges?
3. Industry Trends and Competitor Insights: Key trends in the [industry/sector] that might be influencing their strategy, competitors in their space, how they might be addressing similar challenges, and any differentiating factors that could impact Company X’s strategy.
4. Company Goals: What are their main goals or strategic priorities for the coming year? How can our service align with their objectives or help them overcome current challenges?
This information will help me craft a tailored outreach email that speaks directly to their needs, demonstrates our expertise, and positions our service as a valuable solution.”
Example Outcome:
? TIP: Spend human time on your prompts. AI can help speed things up, but if you don't know your buyer's personality and pain points first, you won't get real replies.
Step 2: The Email Reach Out – Make It About Them, Not You
Once you’ve got your insights, it’s time to craft the email.
Using the same chat thread where you gathered your customer insights, try the prompt below to replicate the cold email outreach example above:
AI Prompt to Draft Converting Outreach Email
Please write a personalized sales email for [prospect’s name or company] now with the following details:
1. Subject Line: Write a subject line that speaks directly to a specific challenge or opportunity the prospect is facing. Example: “Improving [Company Name]’s [Aspect of Business]”.
2. Opening Paragraph: Start by referencing something specific about the prospect’s business (e.g., recent growth, a challenge they’re facing, a success they’ve had). Make sure to personalize it to their situation. Example: “I saw that [Company] has been scaling fast, and I thought about how this might impact your [area of business].”
3. Problem Definition: Define the challenge they’re facing in a way that resonates with them. Keep it conversational, not too formal or technical. Focus on how it impacts their business, not just the problem itself. Example: “Running [X] isn’t just about [basic task]; it’s about creating an experience that drives results and builds lasting connections.”
4. Solution Offering (Indirect): Introduce your solution by focusing on the benefits rather than the product itself. Keep the tone soft, positioning it as an insight or suggestion. Example: “At [Your Company], we’ve helped teams like yours [achieve a specific result], by [explaining an outcome your service delivers].”
5. Proof of Capability: Provide an example of how your solution has worked for similar companies or how it’s driven results in their industry. Focus on outcomes, not features. Example: “By tracking [specific metric], companies have been able to [result], ultimately seeing [ROI].”
6. Call to Action (Low Pressure): End with a low-pressure invitation to connect, focusing on learning more about their strategy or discussing their challenges. Use phrasing that makes it easy for them to agree to a short conversation. Example: “I’d love to connect and hear more about your current [strategy/efforts], and see if there’s a way we can help you achieve [specific goal].”
7. Closing: Close with a polite, casual, and respectful sign-off. Example: “Thanks for your time, looking forward to hearing from you!”
? TIP: A strong cold sales email is 80% about the customer, and 20% about you. That's where most people go wrong. Would you walk up to a stranger and say "Hi, I sell this. You need this. Let's talk"? Of course not! This is where human judgment can collaborate with AI.
Step 3: Edit Ruthlessly
Think of AI as a first draft, not a finished product. Your job is to take its "C+" effort and turn it into an "A+". You have to review the results and use your human reasoning to think of how to improve the result.
Here are some example prompts you can use to refine your AI-generated email:
Then apply your human touch:
? Remember: The best emails feel like they could only have been written for that one person. AI can help you start, but your human touch is what makes it work.
Quick Recap:
1?? Use AI to gather insights on your prospect's challenges, goals, and growth initiatives.
2?? Craft engaging emails that resonate with your prospect’s struggles and goals, in a way that feels personal and relevant.
3?? Refine your outreach by tracking performance, A/B testing, and adjusting based on real-world data.
Next week, in Part 3, I’ll explore how to use AI to improve your sales calls and presentations. I’ll cover:
?? How AI can help you prepare for calls and anticipate objections
?? Creating presentations that are data-driven and impactful
?? Leveraging AI to better engage your prospects during live interactions
Got any questions? Drop them in the comments or shoot me a DM. I’d love to hear about your thoughts!
See you next week!
Nivida
Human connection is my passion.
1 周As someone who receives a ton of cold outreach, I notice the ones that are cookie cutter and AI generated versus the ones that are more thoughtful. Great post as it’s important for sales people to understand. AI can help but shouldn’t be relied upon too much.
Co-founder&COO at SheAI | Product Manager | Educational Innovator | AI Enthusiast
1 周Love this approach ! To combine AI together with human touch is the best outcome !