Cold email template for someone who just started a new role

A person in a new role is often reassessing tools, suppliers and priorities in their first 90 days. That makes the job change a good reason to write to them. Use this template when you have a real, relevant reason to contact them, and keep it short.

The template

Subject: Congrats on the new role at (company) Hi (first name), Saw you started as (title) at (company) recently. Congratulations. In the first months in a role like that, (the specific problem your product helps with) often lands on your desk. We help (type of team) with it by (one plain sentence on what you do). Would it be useful if I sent a two-line example of how (a similar company) handles it? (your name)

Replace each bracketed part with a real detail. If you cannot name the problem, wait until you can.

Why it works

• It opens with something true and recent, not a compliment about their "impressive background".
• It asks a small question instead of asking for a meeting.
• It is short enough to read in a few seconds on a phone.

Two variations

If they are new to the company but not the field: mention what they did before. "You were at (previous company) before. The same problem often looks different at a company this size."

If they were promoted internally: do not congratulate the company. Congratulate them and ask what changes in their remit: "Does the new scope include (area)?"

What to check before you send

1. The job change is recent, ideally under 90 days. Older than that, the reason weakens.
2. The role is one that buys or influences what you sell.
3. You are writing from your own address, to one person, with one clear question.
4. You include an opt-out line where your local rules require it. The US CAN-SPAM Act, for example, makes no exception for business email.

Mistakes to avoid

• A long first paragraph about your company.
• Copying the same message to 500 people with only the name changed.
• Asking for 30 minutes in the first email.

Finding people in a new role

You can search LinkedIn by hand, or describe the role in a sentence and let a tool do it. In Rodok, a tracker such as "new VPs of Sales at B2B software companies in the US" finds people who started a new role in the last 90 days and writes a first line for each. More examples are in new role outreach templates.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a new role email be?

Four to six short lines. Mention the job change, one problem you can help with, and one small question.

How soon after a job change should I email?

Within the first 30 to 90 days is a good window. People are still setting priorities, but have usually settled in enough to read a message.

Should I congratulate them on LinkedIn first?

It can help, but do not rely on it. A short note followed by an email a few days later works for many teams. Keep each message useful on its own.