A great cold email is judged on three criteria: 1) Packaging (subject line and preview text), 2) Body (personalization, problem/solution language, and social proof), and 3) Style (personal flair, formatting, and length). Mastering all three is key to getting replies.
Top sales rep Evan Greek uses a GPT model she personally trained to mimic her writing style. By providing feedback on drafts, the AI learns her preferences for tone and structure, allowing her to combine the speed of automation with genuine personalization.
Sales director Florin Tertulia uses cheeky, playful subject lines like "Ronald's beef. Isn't with us" to create a "scroll stopper." This tactic is designed to break the pattern of standard corporate emails, sparking curiosity and standing out in a crowded C-level inbox.
To make the product's value tangible, a sales leader embedded a screenshot of a risk notification from Gong's platform directly into his email. This visual proof instantly communicates the problem and solution more powerfully than text alone, making the abstract concrete for the prospect.
Instead of asking for time, a winning call-to-action offered to send product samples. The CTA, "Can I send over a couple of our Patty samples?", is a simple, value-based request that is easy to accept. This approach lets the product sell itself and avoids the high commitment of a meeting.
Both competitors used the names of the CRO's direct reports in their subject lines (e.g., "Idea for Mark and Larry's team"). This advanced tactic immediately signals deep, relevant research, showing an understanding of team structure and cutting through the noise of generic outreach.
Even a well-trained AI can produce emails that feel robotic. A rep's message, despite being structurally sound, was criticized because it "read like a chat GVT email." This highlights the risk of losing the human element and personal flair that builds connection, even with advanced tools.