The classic PAS framework: name a problem the prospect feels, make the cost of it land, then present your solution as the obvious fix. Empathy-led and hard to ignore.
Template
Subject
{{problem}} at {{company}}?
Hi {{first_name}}, Most {{role_or_team}} leads I talk to are stuck with {{problem}}. Left alone it usually means {{painful_consequence}} — and it only gets more expensive the longer it runs. We fix exactly that: {{one_line_solution}}. {{social_proof}} got {{result}} after switching. Worth 15 minutes to see if it'd work for {{company}}? {{sender_name}}
Example
Subject
Slow lead follow-up at Acme?
Hi Sarah,
Most demand-gen leads I talk to are stuck with leads going cold before sales ever follows up.
Left alone it usually means 30–40% of paid spend quietly wasted — and it only gets more expensive the more you scale ads.
We fix exactly that: instant routing and auto-follow-up the second a lead converts. Northbeam cut response time from 9 hours to 4 minutes and booked 22% more demos.
Worth 15 minutes to see if it'd work for Acme?
AlexWhy it works
- Problem: opens on a specific pain the prospect's peers share — instant relevance.
- Agitate: quantifies what the problem costs and why waiting makes it worse.
- Solve: a one-line fix plus concrete social proof, then a low-commitment ask.
How to use this template
- 1Replace every
{{variable}}with details specific to the prospect. - 2Personalize the first line from real research — it's what earns the read.
- 3Keep it short (under ~120 words), and send the follow-up 3–5 days later if you don't get a reply.