swan-gtm Cold Email 4-Sequence Framework
Standard 4-email sequence framework for cold outreach.
Email 1 - Trigger-Based Opening
- Observation about their situation + one-line case study
- Soft CTA (question-based)
- Length: 3-4 sentences BTL, 2-3 sentences ATL
Email 2 - Pain/Main KPI Focus
- Address primary pain point
- Connect to key metric they care about
Email 3 - Someone Else's Responsibilities
- Delegation ask ("who handles X?")
- Opens thread to correct person
Email 4 - Break-Up
- Timing question ("Is this not a priority right now?")
- Clean exit that leaves door open
Email Structure Checklist
Opening (trigger) + Assumption + Social proof with numbers + Open-ended question
- BTL emails: 3-4 sentences
- ATL emails: 2-3 sentences
Timing
- Email 2: Send 3 days after Email 1
- Email 3: Send 14 days later (new subject line)
- Email 4: Break-up if no response
Combines with
| Skill | Why |
|---|---|
personalization-hooks |
Add strong/lite hooks to Email 1 |
email-writing-frameworks |
Structure each email with proven frameworks |
email-1-variations-7 |
Get 7 variations for Email 1 |
cold-email-templates-34 |
Browse 34 templates for inspiration |
buying-signals-6 |
Choose the right trigger for Email 1 |
Example prompts
Write a 4-email sequence for SaaS companies targeting VP Sales, using job change as the trigger.
Create Email 1 and Email 4 for an agency selling to marketing directors at e-commerce companies.
Rewrite this email sequence to be more ATL-friendly (shorter, 2-3 sentences per email).
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