At Salesforge, we’ve analyzed millions of cold emails sent by over two thousand successful business owners using our platform. From this massive data set, we’ve uncovered what truly works in cold email outreach in 2025—beyond the usual advice to “just send more emails.” In this article, we share actionable, data-backed strategies to help you increase your email delivery, open, and reply rates, so you can make more money with fewer emails.
The Foundation: Proven Cold Email Formulas
After studying millions of emails, we identified three winning cold email formulas that consistently perform well:
- PC (Pain + CTA)
- PEC (Pain + Evidence + CTA)
- PPC (Pain + Partial Solution + CTA)
PC Formula: Pain Plus Call to Action
This formula is straightforward but powerful. You identify a pain point your prospect faces—something your product or service can solve—and then follow it with a soft call to action (CTA). The CTA should be easy to respond to, encouraging engagement without pressure.
I used to struggle with writing an engaging offer for cold email too. So I made a checklist to always nail it. Reply “yay” and I'll send it over.
This example shows how addressing a pain point paired with a simple CTA invites a reply. Remember to spin and A/B test your copy for best results.
PEC Formula: Add Evidence to Build Trust
The PEC formula builds on PC by adding evidence to support your claim, making your email more credible.
I used to struggle with writing an engaging offer for cold email, but now I can write one for almost anything. I mean, look at it—you’re still reading my email. I can send a checklist that helps me write these for any type of product. Let me know if you want it.
Evidence can be testimonials, case studies, or results you’ve achieved. Even simple proof that your solution works can significantly boost trust.
PPC Formula: Offer a Partial Solution
If you don’t have strong evidence yet, the PPC formula works well by combining a pain point with a partial solution and a soft CTA.
I could never get my emails opened until I started using personalization plus the PPC formula. I can share it with you. Just let me know if you want it.
This approach shows you understand the prospect’s problem and are willing to help, without overselling upfront.
Follow-Ups Are Gold — But Only With Value
One major insight from our data is that many replies come after follow-up emails. Yet, the key is how you follow up. Simply sending “bump” or “just following up” emails won’t cut it.
Top performers send value-packed follow-ups, leveraging the principle of reciprocity: when you give something valuable, prospects feel compelled to respond.
- Send templates, checklists, suggestions, or any useful content you use yourself.
- Limit follow-ups to two or three to avoid diminishing returns.
By providing value first, you increase the chance that prospects will give you something back—usually their time for a call.
Master the Basics: Best Practices for Email Deliverability
Many cold emailers overlook foundational deliverability rules, which can kill your campaign before it even starts. Here are the essentials:
- Avoid spammy words, links, attachments, or images in your initial cold emails.
- Send plain text emails only, without any open rate tracking.
- Use 100% unique emails with spintax to avoid duplication.
- Rotate mailboxes, sending no more than 30 cold emails per mailbox per day.
Ignoring these rules leads to poor deliverability and landing in the spam folder, as I learned the hard way.
The Preview Text Hack to Boost Open Rates
The preview text—the snippet shown after your subject line in the inbox—is often overlooked. Many senders use generic greetings like “Hey, [First Name],” but the winning emails personalize this line or use an icebreaker.
This simple change can double your open rates by breaking the pattern and grabbing attention before the email is even opened.
Personalization Is Non-Negotiable in 2025
It’s 2025—the era of generic templates with just a first name swap is over. Every successful cold email includes personalization, done in two main ways:
- Using a custom template combined with a fully written personalized icebreaker.
- Allowing AI to generate the entire email from greeting to CTA based on the prospect’s LinkedIn or website.
At Salesforge, our AI-driven personalization makes this effortless, producing tailored emails that perform better and save time compared to manual personalization.
Focus on the Prospect, Not Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes in cold outreach is talking too much about your product or yourself. Instead, the best cold emails focus entirely on the prospect’s needs and challenges.
Remember, a sale is a value exchange: you give the prospect a tool or service to solve a problem, and they give you money. But you can’t ask for money before offering value.
Imagine getting two emails: one promoting “Warm4Gs, the best email deliverability software,” versus one explaining why your current deliverability is poor and how to fix it. Which are you more likely to reply to?
The latter approach—helping before selling—is far more effective.
Keep Your CTA Simple and Soft
Across millions of emails, the highest reply rates come from emails with a single, clear, soft call to action. Avoid multiple CTAs or hard asks like booking a 15-minute sales call right away.
Soft CTAs might simply ask the prospect to reply “yes” or “no” or express interest. This lowers friction and encourages engagement.
Use the PS Line to Add Extra Value
Here’s a lesser-known tip that can boost replies: use the PS line to add one more sentence without making your email feel long or stretched out.
PS lines are great for including extra pain points, product features, or case studies. While not everyone uses this tactic, it can be a powerful addition—just be sure to A/B test it.
Test Everything: The Power of A/B Testing
The only way to know what works best for your audience is to A/B test every element of your cold emails:
- Test using a PS line or not.
- Compare full AI personalization versus a personalized icebreaker.
- Try different types of CTAs and value offers in follow-ups.
Top cold emailers achieve reply rates from 2% up to 5–7% by continuously testing and refining their approach based on data.
Ready to Launch Your Most Effective Cold Email Campaign Yet?
By applying these nine proven tips, you’ll be equipped to run cold email campaigns that get real replies and build meaningful connections.
- Use the PC, PEC, and PPC formulas to craft compelling emails.
- Follow up with valuable content, not just reminders.
- Maintain strict deliverability best practices.
- Leverage the preview text and personalization to increase opens.
- Focus on the prospect’s pain and needs, not just your product.
- Keep your CTAs simple and soft.
- Experiment with PS lines and constantly A/B test.
If you’re ready to scale quickly and send tens of thousands of cold emails per day with AI-powered personalization, consider exploring Salesforge. Our platform blends human expertise with AI agents to maximize pipeline and minimize acquisition costs, making cold outreach easier and more effective than ever.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the best cold email formulas to use in 2025?
The three most effective formulas are PC (Pain + CTA), PEC (Pain + Evidence + CTA), and PPC (Pain + Partial Solution + CTA). Each formula addresses the prospect’s pain and encourages a soft call to action.
How many follow-up emails should I send?
Two to three follow-ups are usually enough to double your reply rate. Each follow-up should provide additional value, such as templates, checklists, or insights, rather than just a reminder.
Why is personalization so important in cold emails?
Personalization shows that you’ve done your homework and are reaching out specifically to help the prospect with their unique challenges. Generic templates with minimal personalization often end up in spam or get ignored.
What is a soft CTA, and why is it better?
A soft CTA is a low-pressure call to action, such as asking for a simple reply or expressing interest. It’s more effective because prospects are more willing to engage without committing to a call or demo immediately.
How can I improve my email open rates?
Using a personalized or creative preview text instead of the generic “Hey [First Name]” can significantly increase open rates by breaking the pattern and catching attention in the inbox.
Should I include links or attachments in my cold emails?
No. To maintain high deliverability and avoid spam filters, initial cold emails should be plain text without links, images, or attachments.
How can I test which cold email strategies work best?
A/B testing is essential. Test different subject lines, email copy, CTAs, personalization methods, and follow-up sequences to gather data and optimize your campaigns based on real results.
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