Cold email subject lines
Cold email subject lines that work tend to look like an email from a colleague, not a marketer: short, lowercase-friendly, specific to the reader, and with no hype.
Here are 60, grouped by approach. Use the generator to fill them in with your prospect's name and company.
Subject line generator
Subject lines
- Quick question
- Question about [Company]
- [Name], quick question
- Idea for [Company]
- An idea for [Company]'s [area]
- [Mutual connection] suggested I reach out
- Referred by [Name]
- Who handles [area] at [Company]?
- Are you the right person?
- [Problem] at [Company]?
- Fixing [problem]
- [Result] in [timeframe]
- How [peer company] [result]
- [Peer company] + [Company]
- Congrats on [event]
- Saw your post on [topic]
- Loved your talk at [event]
- Made this for [Company]
- A few ideas for [Company]
- [Number] ideas for [goal]
- Thoughts on [topic]?
- Worth a chat?
- 15 minutes next week?
- Coffee in [City]?
- Partnership idea
- Partnership: [Company] + [Your company]
- Helping [Company] with [area]
- [Name] <> [Your name]
- Re: your [job post / launch]
- Hiring for [role]?
- Your work on [project]
- Quick favor
- Can I ask your advice?
- Following [Company]'s growth
- New [City] office?
- [Name], is this a priority?
- Before you renew [tool]
- Alternative to [tool]
- Saving [time/money] on [task]
- Your [website / ads / onboarding]
- Noticed something on your site
- Question about your [process]
- [Company]'s [metric]
- Small idea, big impact
- Not sure if this is relevant
- Is [problem] on your radar?
- For [Company]'s [team]
- [Industry] teams are doing this
- Did you see this?
- [Name], thoughts?
- A different approach to [task]
- Inviting you to [event]
- Your [job title] role
- Open to new opportunities?
- About [job title] at [Company]
- Fellow [school/group] alum
- Quick intro
- Short note
- Hello from [Your company]
- Last try
What the best cold subject lines have in common
- 2 to 6 words. Short subjects look personal.
- The reader's name or company, or a mutual connection.
- No ALL CAPS, emojis, "free" or "guaranteed". They look like marketing and can trigger filters.
- Honest. The email has to deliver what the subject promises. Fake "Re:" subjects get opens and lose trust.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cold email subject line?
A short, specific one that looks personal, like "Question about [Company]" or "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out".
Should cold email subject lines be lowercase?
Lowercase or sentence case often looks more personal, but clarity matters more than case.
How long should a cold email subject line be?
Two to six words, and under 40 characters so it isn't cut off on mobile.