Cold email (cold mailing) for B2B – a complete guide with examples
Filip Duszczak
CEO i założyciel InStream Group
- Reading time: 44 minutes
- November 15 2018
Updated: · examples and data from 2026
Cold email (also called cold mailing or cold mail) is a personalised email to a decision-maker at a company you have never been in touch with. It is not an offer or a newsletter: it checks whether the topic is relevant to the recipient and invites them to a short conversation. In this guide we show how we do it at InStream Group, sending around 8 million messages a month.
In short
- What it is: a first, personalised email to a decision-maker who does not know your company. The goal is a conversation, not a sale in the first email.
- What a campaign looks like: a tailored database, a sequence of 4 messages over 2–3 weeks and handling every reply.
- Law: in Poland the first message cannot be commercial information sent without consent (Electronic Communications Law, Art. 398). Personal data is processed on the basis of legitimate interest under the GDPR. Other countries have their own rules.
- Technology: a separate subdomain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, warmed-up mailboxes and sending spread across many mailboxes.
- Cost: doing it yourself can cost several thousand euros a month. With InStream Group the Cold Email 2.0 subscription costs €1,700 net per month with minimum guarantees set out in the contract, or a one-off €700 net plus a fixed price per hot lead in the CPL model.
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Learn more about B2B cold mailing at InStream Group
- What is cold email?
- How to build an effective cold email: 4 elements and snippets
- Cold email examples from 30 industries
- Safe cold mailing: SPF, DKIM and warm-up
- When to send cold emails and how to build a sequence
- How we run cold mailing at InStream Group
- Is cold mailing legal? GDPR and Polish law
- What cost per lead to expect
- A campaign step by step
- Is cold mailing effective?
- Clients and their stories
- How much cold mailing costs
- InStream Group in numbers
- FAQ
Definition
What is cold email?
Cold email, cold mailing and cold mail mean the same thing in practice. You may also see the term cold outreach email. A cold email is a single message, while cold mailing is the whole campaign: the database, a sequence of several emails and handling the replies.
Cold email differs from a newsletter, which goes to people who signed up for a list. It also differs from mass mailing: it is written to selected decision-makers from a tailored database, not to thousands of random addresses.
Cold email, cold calling and LinkedIn: how they differ
Cold email is the digital counterpart of cold calling: instead of a phone call, the first contact is an email that the recipient answers whenever it suits them.
| Cold email | Cold calling | LinkedIn (social selling) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First contact | email to a decision-maker | phone call to a decision-maker | connection request and message on LinkedIn |
| Main strength | scale: you reach many decision-makers at once | a quick live conversation | precision: a 1:1 relationship with a chosen person |
| When to choose it | you want to test several market segments quickly | you have a short list and a simple offer | you target a handful of dream companies |
| More | this guide | guide to B2B cold calling | LinkedIn social selling |
Cold email gives you scale, LinkedIn gives you precision. In well-run sales the two channels complement each other.
Building a cold email
How to build an effective cold email: 4 elements and snippets
Cold mailing is the first contact with a company by email: a short, personalised message to a decision-maker who does not know your company yet. A good cold email does not sell outright. It shows that you understand the recipient’s situation, asks a question and suggests a short conversation.
1. Intro
You show you are not mass mailingOne specific observation about the recipient’s company: a market it is entering, a change in the company, an event. Short, without describing their offer.2. Questions
You build a bridge to your offerA diagnostic question the recipient can answer straight away. It shows that you know their industry.3. Sales pitch
You give proof of valueOne number, result or example. Two sentences at most about what the recipient gains, not a list of features.4. Call to action
You suggest one small stepA question that is easy to answer “yes” or “no”, e.g. a 15-minute call.From: John Novak, Nordvell Group
Subject: {Question about transport|Transport} {{snippet9}}
{Hello|Good morning} {{snippet1}}, I am writing because we handle freight for companies that ship goods {{snippet9}}.
How do you handle transport in peak season today? Do you ever need a truck at short notice and cannot find one?
Nordvell Group runs regular routes between Poland and Germany and usually provides a truck within 24 hours.
Would you {have|be open to} 15 minutes for a call next week?
Best regards
John Novak
Nordvell Group · +48 000 000 000
Business signature and GDPR notice
Every email ends with a business signature with the sender’s details and information on who the data controller is, on what legal basis we are writing and how to object. You will find an example in the section on the law.
From: John Novak, Nordvell Group
Subject: {Question about developing|Support with developing} apps {{snippet9}}
{Hello|Good morning} {{snippet1}}, I am writing because we help companies that build apps {{snippet9}}.
How do you keep to deadlines today when a project is short of developers?
Nordvell Group adds developers to your team who start work within two weeks.
Would you {have|be open to} 15 minutes for a call next week?
Best regards
John Novak
Nordvell Group · +48 000 000 000
Business signature and GDPR notice
Every email ends with a business signature with the sender’s details and information on who the data controller is, on what legal basis we are writing and how to object. You will find an example in the section on the law.
From: John Novak, Nordvell Group
Subject: Machining {{snippet9}}
{Hello|Good morning} {{snippet1}}, I am writing because we do machining {{snippet9}} for manufacturing plants.
How do you order short runs of parts today? Does your supplier ever miss the deadline?
Nordvell Group produces runs from 50 pieces with a lead time of 10 working days.
Would you {have|be open to} 15 minutes for a call next week?
Best regards
John Novak
Nordvell Group · +48 000 000 000
Business signature and GDPR notice
Every email ends with a business signature with the sender’s details and information on who the data controller is, on what legal basis we are writing and how to object. You will find an example in the section on the law.
From: John Novak, Nordvell Group
Subject: {Benefits|Benefit card} {{snippet9}}
{Hello|Good morning} {{snippet1}}, I am writing because we design benefits {{snippet9}}.
Which benefits do your employees use most today? Does your current package suit both the office and production?
On the Nordvell Group platform every employee chooses their own benefits from a pool of points.
Would you {have|be open to} 15 minutes for a call next week?
Best regards
John Novak
Nordvell Group · +48 000 000 000
Business signature and GDPR notice
Every email ends with a business signature with the sender’s details and information on who the data controller is, on what legal basis we are writing and how to object. You will find an example in the section on the law.
Example: a weak cold email and its improved version
Before: Subject: Partnership offer – Nordvell Group. “Hello, we are a market leader in employee benefits with 15 years of experience. Please find our offer and price list attached. Feel free to take a look and get in touch. Best regards, John Novak”.
Why it does not work: an offer and an attachment in the first email are commercial information sent without consent, it describes the sender instead of the recipient’s situation and it ends without one simple question.
After: Subject: Benefits for production teams. “Hello Jolanta, I am writing because we design benefits for companies where part of the team works shifts. Does your current package suit both the office and production? On the Nordvell Group platform every employee chooses their own benefits from a pool of points. Would you have 15 minutes for a call next week?”
What changed: the reason for getting in touch in the first sentence, a question about the recipient’s situation, one sentence about the solution and one call to action. No offer, price list or attachments.
Cold email structure
Every cold email follows the same structure: a personalised, interesting subject line, a short greeting, appreciation of the recipient, the reason you are writing and one call to action. The reason for contact is not commercial, because a cold email does not make an offer. Below the message there is always a footer with your full contact details: company name, website, email address and phone number.
Three sentences every cold email should contain
- Appreciation of the recipient. One sentence about their company: a new website, an article, an event you both attended. It is a kind word about their business and a link between them and you.
- The problem and your answer. Say what challenge companies in their industry face and what you can do for them. Base this sentence on your customer profile and empathy map, not on a list of product features.
- Call to action. One request: a short call or a meeting to check whether the topic is relevant for the recipient.
Structure is one thing, content is another. The email has to matter to the recipient, so it is about them, not about you. It also has to be short, because the person reading it has very little time and often opens it on the go.
30 ready-made emails
Cold email examples from 30 industries
See sample cold emails for 30 industries, written to the template we use in InStream Group campaigns, with the median cost per lead in each industry (426 projects).
From: Michał Zawada, Norvik Cargo
Subject: shipments to Scandinavia
Hello Tom,
at manufacturers that export to Northern Europe I keep hearing the same thing: part loads wait several days until a full truck is ready.
We combine such loads with shipments from other senders, so a truck to Sweden or Norway leaves twice a week, whatever the size of the shipment.
Is this relevant for you? If so, I will gladly send a short description of how it works.
Best regards
Michał Zawada
Norvik Cargo · +48 000 000 000
From: Karolina Wierzba, Autopark Fleet
Subject: cars for your sales team
Hello Anna,
at distributors with a large sales team, cars are often the second-biggest cost after salaries, and every service or damage means several days without a car.
We offer long-term rental with a replacement car within 24 hours, and all servicing, from tyres to insurance, is included in one instalment.
May I send a cost comparison of this model with leasing? It is one page.
Best regards
Karolina Wierzba
Autopark Fleet · +48 000 000 000
From: Robert Kalinowski, Liftmark Polska
Subject: downtime in the warehouse
Hello Peter,
in plants where the warehouse runs two or three shifts, one broken forklift can stop dispatch for half a day.
We supply forklifts with a service team that arrives within 8 hours and leaves a replacement machine for the duration of the repair.
Is your forklift fleet due for review this year? If so, I will send a short overview.
Best regards
Robert Kalinowski
Liftmark Polska · +48 000 000 000
From: Anna Lisowska, Trakton GPS
Subject: fuel in service vehicles
Hello Chris,
at service companies with dozens of vehicles on the road, fuel and overtime costs can rarely be accounted for trip by trip.
Our system shows the route, stops and fuel consumption of every vehicle, and the report for accounting arrives once a week, with no manual calculations.
Is this topic important for you right now? I will gladly send a sample report.
Best regards
Anna Lisowska
Trakton GPS · +48 000 000 000
From: Paweł Grzelak, Codehaven
Subject: a team for your project
Hello Martha,
at companies that develop their own systems, the quarterly plan often slips because a project is two or three developers short.
We add developers to such teams who start within two weeks and work with your tools and at your pace.
Is strengthening your team on the agenda right now? If so, I will reply with a short description of how we get started.
Best regards
Paweł Grzelak
Codehaven · +48 000 000 000
From: Ewa Domańska, Prodexa Systems
Subject: production data in one place
Hello Andrew,
at the manufacturing plants we talk to, orders, inventory and production often live in three different files, and closing the month takes a week.
We implement an ERP system built for manufacturing that keeps this data in one place, with the first module running after about three months.
Is tidying up your systems planned for the coming year? I will gladly send a short description of the implementation.
Best regards
Ewa Domańska
Prodexa Systems · +48 000 000 000
From: Tomasz Wilk, Serwerix
Subject: laptop replacement
Hello Luke,
at companies that replace equipment for several hundred people every three years, the purchase is not what takes the most time, but preparing and delivering the laptops.
We deliver computers already configured, with software installed, straight to employees’ desks or homes, and we collect the old equipment.
Is an equipment replacement planned in the coming months? I can send a short overview.
Best regards
Tomasz Wilk
Serwerix · +48 000 000 000
From: Jakub Sobczak, Automex Engineering
Subject: older production lines
Hello Martin,
in plants running older lines, most downtime comes from control systems for which parts are hard to find.
We modernise the control systems of existing machines without replacing the whole line, usually during planned downtime.
Is this relevant for you? If so, I will send a short description of one modernisation project.
Best regards
Jakub Sobczak
Automex Engineering · +48 000 000 000
From: Natalia Brzezińska, Sentiro Security
Subject: NIS2 and network monitoring
Hello Kate,
at companies covered by the NIS2 rules, what is most often missing is someone who watches the network at night and at weekends.
We run a monitoring centre that watches the network around the clock and responds to an incident within 15 minutes, without new hires in your IT team.
Is this on your agenda? I can send a short list of what such monitoring covers.
Best regards
Natalia Brzezińska
Sentiro Security · +48 000 000 000
From: Dariusz Malec, Fibrenet Industrial
Subject: coverage in the hall
Hello Greg,
in large halls and warehouses there are often spots where scanners and tablets lose signal, and staff walk back to the office to confirm an order.
We design and build Wi-Fi and fibre networks for plants, with coverage measurements before and after installation.
Is poor coverage a problem for you? If so, I will gladly describe where we usually start.
Best regards
Dariusz Malec
Fibrenet Industrial · +48 000 000 000
From: Bartosz Nowicki, Velto Mobile
Subject: business phone plans
Hello Joanna,
at companies with dozens of business numbers, contracts often end on different dates and invoices are hard to assign to departments.
We move such numbers to one contract with one end date and an invoice split by department, with no interruption to the phones.
Is sorting out your phone plans on the agenda this year? I can send a short overview.
Best regards
Bartosz Nowicki
Velto Mobile · +48 000 000 000
From: Olga Pietrzak, Bonavio
Subject: benefits people actually use
Hello Monica,
at companies with both offices and plants, one benefit package rarely suits everyone, so some cards stay in drawers.
We run a platform where every employee chooses from a pool of points: cinema, sport, shopping or healthcare, and HR can see what people use.
Is a benefits review planned? I will gladly send a description of how the rollout works.
Best regards
Olga Pietrzak
Bonavio · +48 000 000 000
From: Sylwia Kaczmarek, Workforia
Subject: staff for the season
Hello Ralph,
at manufacturing plants before the season, the hardest part is finding dozens of people for a few months who can all start in the same week.
We recruit temporary workers and handle their employment, payroll and replacements, so HR gets no extra work.
Is peak-season staffing a topic for you? If so, I will send a short description of how we work together.
Best regards
Sylwia Kaczmarek
Workforia · +48 000 000 000
From: Adam Rutkowski, Lingvo Pro
Subject: English for your team
Hello Evelyn,
at companies where more and more client calls are in English, group courses in the office often fall apart because people cannot attend at the same time.
We run one-to-one online lessons that employees book themselves, and HR receives a monthly attendance and progress report.
Is language training planned for next year? I can send a sample report.
Best regards
Adam Rutkowski
Lingvo Pro · +48 000 000 000
From: Magdalena Szulc, Kredyton
Subject: unpaid invoices
Hello Adam,
at companies that sell on deferred payment terms, one large customer who stops paying can wipe out a whole quarter’s profit.
We insure trade receivables: we check customers before you sell, and if an invoice is not paid, we pay out most of its value.
Is the risk of unpaid invoices a topic for you? I will gladly send a short description of how it works.
Best regards
Magdalena Szulc
Kredyton · +48 000 000 000
From: Igor Wasilewski, Paylando
Subject: payments in your shop abroad
Hello Camil,
at online shops that also sell abroad, some customers drop off at checkout because they cannot see a payment method they know.
We offer payments from more than a dozen countries in one integration, from BLIK to local bank transfers in the Czech Republic or Germany.
Is extending your payment methods planned? If so, I will send the list of available methods.
Best regards
Igor Wasilewski
Paylando · +48 000 000 000
From: Beata Zielińska, Asekuro Broker
Subject: policies with one renewal date
Hello Jerry,
at companies with several vehicles, a warehouse and machinery, policies are often with different insurers and renew in different months.
We bring such policies into one programme with one renewal date and one contact person for claims.
Is an insurance review planned before your next renewal? I can send a short overview.
Best regards
Beata Zielińska
Asekuro Broker · +48 000 000 000
From: Michał Ostrowski, Kanvara Advisory
Subject: generational change on the board
Hello Steve,
at family businesses where the board passes to the next generation, most disputes are not about strategy but about who decides what.
We help boards set out roles, the budget and a three-year plan before the change is announced to the team.
Is this relevant for you? If so, I will gladly tell you where we start.
Best regards
Michał Ostrowski
Kanvara Advisory · +48 000 000 000
From: Konrad Michalski, Opinea Research
Subject: why customers leave
Hello Justine,
at companies with a subscription model, the hardest thing is to find out why some customers do not renew, because they rarely say it directly.
We talk to former and current customers and within 4 weeks deliver a report with the reasons for churn and suggested changes.
Is this topic important for you right now? I can send a sample table of contents of the report.
Best regards
Konrad Michalski
Opinea Research · +48 000 000 000
From: Wiktoria Adamczyk, Rankova
Subject: visibility in Google and AI
Hello Sebastian,
at B2B companies whose customers increasingly ask ChatGPT rather than Google about suppliers, it is hard to check whether the company appears in those answers at all.
Our tool checks your rankings in Google and in AI answers every week for selected phrases and shows which competitor pages are cited.
Is visibility in AI search a topic for you? I will gladly send a sample report.
Best regards
Wiktoria Adamczyk
Rankova · +48 000 000 000
From: Paulina Krawczyk, Medivo Care
Subject: a doctor for teams in several cities
Hello Dorothy,
at companies whose employees are spread across several cities, the medical package often works well in only one of them.
We provide packages with clinics in over 200 towns and same-day online consultations, and HR has one panel to manage the list of people.
Is a healthcare review planned? I will gladly send a short overview.
Best regards
Paulina Krawczyk
Medivo Care · +48 000 000 000
From: Łukasz Pawlak, Solvento Energia
Subject: electricity bills at your plant
Hello Henry,
at plants that work during the day and have a large hall roof, power from their own installation often covers a large share of consumption during working hours.
We design and build solar installations for businesses, starting with an analysis of last year’s invoices to calculate realistic savings.
Are energy costs an important topic for you right now? If so, I will send a description of what such an analysis looks like.
Best regards
Łukasz Pawlak
Solvento Energia · +48 000 000 000
From: Marek Jabłoński, Termaxa
Subject: deliveries to site
Hello Stan,
at contracting companies, the biggest frustration is deliveries that arrive a day late while the crew is already waiting on site.
We manufacture facade materials and deliver them with our own transport in an agreed two-hour window, straight to the site.
Is choosing a supplier for your next projects on the agenda? I can send a short overview of our range.
Best regards
Marek Jabłoński
Termaxa · +48 000 000 000
From: Wojciech Bielecki, Fixtona
Subject: small parts that stop the line
Hello Alexandra,
at manufacturing plants, a shortage of small fasteners can stop the line, even though they are the cheapest item on the whole order.
We run Kanban deliveries: we monitor stock on your racks and refill it before anything runs out.
Is fastener supply something you would like to sort out? I will gladly send a description of how it works.
Best regards
Wojciech Bielecki
Fixtona · +48 000 000 000
From: Grażyna Lis, Portalex
Subject: doors for new developments
Hello Arthur,
at property developers, apartment entrance doors are often ordered at the last minute, and production times delay handovers.
We manufacture apartment doors with acoustic and fire certificates, and our own crew installs them throughout the building.
Is choosing a door supplier coming up before your next development? I can send a short overview.
Best regards
Grażyna Lis
Portalex · +48 000 000 000
From: Monika Szymańska, Crunchwell
Subject: snacks with a short ingredient list
Hello Damian,
in retail chains the snack category changes fast, and more and more customers look for products with a short ingredient list.
We make snacks with no added sugar or preservatives, and for retail chains we also produce private labels with nationwide delivery.
Are new products in this category a topic for you? I will gladly send a short overview of our range.
Best regards
Monika Szymańska
Crunchwell · +48 000 000 000
From: Natalia Wróbel, Aurenia Cosmetics
Subject: cosmetics in hotel rooms
Hello Isabel,
at hotels that want to stand out, bathroom cosmetics are one of the first things guests comment on in reviews.
We make natural hotel cosmetics in refillable packaging, printed with the hotel’s logo.
Is changing the cosmetics in your rooms a topic for you? I can send samples to test.
Best regards
Natalia Wróbel
Aurenia Cosmetics · +48 000 000 000
From: Kamila Duda, Logiparkia
Subject: a warehouse for peak season
Hello Mark,
at e-commerce companies before peak season, what is usually missing is not stock but space to store and pick it.
We rent warehouse space for short periods, from three months, in parks along the A1 and A2 motorways.
Will you need extra warehouse space in the coming months? If so, I will send the list of locations.
Best regards
Kamila Duda
Logiparkia · +48 000 000 000
From: Agata Sikora, Kwartalnik Pułap
Subject: reaching boards
Hello Przemek,
at companies that sell services to boards, the hardest thing is reaching CEOs, because they rarely click on ads.
We publish a quarterly business magazine that reaches several thousand CEOs and board members, with interviews with experts from various industries.
Is a channel like this part of your plans for next year? I can send the latest issue.
Best regards
Agata Sikora
Kwartalnik Pułap · +48 000 000 000
From: Henryk Kowal, Ecorevo Recykling
Subject: production waste and BDO records
Hello Leslie,
at manufacturing plants, waste is often collected by several companies, each keeping its own records in BDO, the Polish waste database, so documents easily go missing.
We collect most types of industrial waste on one schedule and keep all the BDO records for you.
Is sorting out waste collection a topic for you? I will gladly send a short description of how we work together.
Best regards
Henryk Kowal
Ecorevo Recykling · +48 000 000 000
Sample emails written to our template. The median CPL refers to the industry (426 InStream Group projects, as of 10 June 2026).
I want a campaign like this in my industryFirst email to a potential customer: a sample PPP email
If you are writing a first email to a potential customer, start with the simple PPP pattern (praise, picture, push): appreciate the recipient, link your offer to their business and suggest one step. This is what a sample email built on this pattern looks like.
No reply to the first message is normal. Send another one, then one more, each time with a different argument. These sentences work well in follow-ups:
- “Did you manage to read my previous message?”
- “If you can find a moment for a phone call, I would be glad to learn what your needs are.”
- “As I mentioned before, I think we can help you sort this out.”
In the last message, give the recipient a choice of reasons for not replying: the topic does not concern them, they have no time right now, or someone else makes the decision.
Cold email types: BAB, AIDA, PAS, PPP and SSS
Each of these patterns uses the same structural elements, only in a different order. You can build different versions of an email from them and test them on similar groups of recipients.
- BAB: before, after, bridge
- You point out the recipient’s problem, describe a situation where the problem does not exist, and finally show your solution as the bridge between the two and suggest a call.
- AIDA: attention, interest, desire, action
- You start with information about the recipient, say that you work with similar companies, show what they can gain and end with one concrete step.
- PAS: problem, agitate, solve
- You name the problem, show what putting it off leads to, and propose a solution together with a call.
- PPP: praise, picture, push
- You appreciate the recipient, link your product to their business and suggest an action: a meeting, a call or something to read.
- SSS: star, story, solution
- You say who you are, tell how you solved a similar problem for another company, and show how the same can work for the recipient.
Deliverability
Safe cold mailing: SPF, DKIM and warm-up
Cold mailing is safe for your company when it is sent from separate, authenticated infrastructure rather than from your main domain and a single mailbox. Since 1 February 2024 Google has required all senders to use SPF or DKIM and keep the spam complaint rate below 0.3%, and senders of more than 5,000 messages a day to use DMARC as well.
Check your campaign
| Risky cold mailing | Safe cold mailing | |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | sending from the company’s main domain | separate subdomains, main domain kept out of sending |
| Authentication | no SPF or DKIM | SPF, DKIM and DMARC configured and verified |
| Mailboxes | one mailbox, hundreds of emails a day | 20–40 warmed-up mailboxes, low volume from each |
| Database | bought list, unverified addresses | database built for the target group, verified addresses |
| Content | offer, links and attachments in the 1st email | a question and an invitation to talk, no attachments |
| Signature | no sender details or opt-out | business signature with a GDPR legal basis |
| Control | nobody watches the results | the IT department monitors sending on an ongoing basis |
How we do it at InStream Group
- Dedicated subdomains and servers
- 20–40 mailboxes with warm-up
- SPF and DKIM
- Encoded signatures
- Constant monitoring by the IT team
Gmail, Yahoo and Microsoft sender requirements
The three largest mailbox providers now have similar rules for senders. The strictest apply to bulk senders, that is domains sending more than 5,000 messages a day to a given provider.
| Provider | Every sender | Bulk sender |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | SPF or DKIM, spam complaints below 0.3% | SPF and DKIM, DMARC aligned with the sender domain, easy unsubscribe from marketing messages (Google guidelines) |
| Yahoo | SPF or DKIM, spam complaints below 0.3%, valid DNS records | SPF and DKIM, a DMARC policy of at least p=none, one-click unsubscribe honoured within 2 days (Yahoo Sender Hub) |
| Microsoft (Outlook, Hotmail, Live) | SPF, DKIM and DMARC recommended | since 5 May 2025 SPF, DKIM and DMARC are mandatory; non-compliant messages go to the junk folder or are rejected (Microsoft announcement) |
At InStream Group every sending subdomain has SPF, DKIM and DMARC, sending is spread across 20–40 mailboxes and the IT team monitors spam complaints and bounces on an ongoing basis.
TXT s1._domainkey v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqh…
TXT _dmarc v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@nordvell-mail.example
Sequence and timing
When to send cold emails and how to build a sequence
Half of all replies to cold emails arrive between 10:00 and 14:00 in the recipient’s time zone, and messages sent between 12:00 and 15:00 get about 10% more replies than the campaign average. These are findings from 19.4 million messages in 7,644 InStream Group campaigns (January 2025 – September 2026).
A sequence of 4 messages
- Day 1
Email 1
First contact: intro, question, suggested call
- Day 3–4
Follow-up 1
A short reminder in the same thread
- Day 8–10
Follow-up 2
A new argument: an example or result from the recipient’s industry
- Day 14–18
Follow-up 3
Closing the thread: asking whether to come back to the topic later
What we count as success
A hot lead is a person from the approved database who clearly wants to continue the conversation in their reply and leaves a phone number or email address.
Re: shipments to Scandinavia
Hello, this topic is relevant for us. Please call me on Thursday after 10:00, tel. +48 6** *** ***. Best regards, Kazimierz
Sample hot lead reply (fictitious data)Which results to measure in a cold email campaign
| Metric | What it tells you | Benchmark in InStream Group campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| Reply rate | how many recipients replied at all | about 2% (386,922 replies to 19.4 million messages, January 2025 – September 2026) |
| Hot leads | how many recipients asked for a meeting, an offer or contact and left a phone number and email | minimum guarantees set out in the contract |
| Cost per hot lead | how much you pay for one real sales opportunity | median PLN 664, 72% of campaigns below PLN 1,000 (426 projects, as of 10 June 2026) |
| Spam complaints | whether the content and database fit the recipients | below 0.3%, as Google and Yahoo require |
| Bounces | whether the database is up to date | we verify addresses before sending to protect domain reputation |
| Meetings and contracts | whether leads turn into sales | you see the stage of every lead in the client panel |
Reply time report
- 11:00–12:00peak of replies (13.7% of all)
- 88.7%of replies between 8:00 and 17:00
- 10:00–14:00half of all replies
- 25.7%of replies arrive on Monday
- 1.31sending index on Tuesday (highest)
- 1.24sending index on Wednesday
- 2.4%reply rate: managers and specialists
- 2.1%reply rate: directors
- 1.9%reply rate: CEOs and board members
- 68 minmedian from the last email to the reply
- 36%of replies within 30 minutes
- 60%of replies within 2 hours
An observation based on InStream Group campaign data, not an experiment. Recipient’s local time. Data: 19,391,810 messages, 386,922 replies, 7,644 campaigns, 1 Jan 2025 – 18 Sep 2026.
How we work
See how we run cold mailing at InStream Group
Every campaign is handled by a team of 5 specialists: a project manager, a data miner, the creative team, IT and the legal team. In 3 minutes you will see what each of them does and what you get.
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Voice-over script for this slide
Cold Mailing 2.0 is a way to get a steady flow of new conversations with the companies you want to reach. Instead of a mass mailing, we reach carefully selected decision-makers with a short, personal message. You focus on the conversations and our team takes care of the rest.
An effective campaign is not one good email. It’s a combination of a well-chosen database, secure infrastructure, legal compliance and well-thought-out communication. Each of these areas is handled by a separate specialist, so nothing is left to chance.
We build the database so that we only reach companies that really fit your offer. We exclude your current clients and partners. Before we send the first message, you approve the database, so you know exactly who we are writing to on your behalf.
The recipient gets a short message that reads like a letter from a person rather than an advert. We design the sequence around your goal: entering a new market, testing demand or meetings at trade fairs. Follow-up messages tactfully remind them about you until they reply.
We operate fully legally in every country we send to. The legal department keeps an eye on the regulations, and every recipient can easily opt out of contact. That keeps your brand safe.
Sending requires infrastructure that isn’t worth building yourself. We send from separate campaign domains, so your main domain stays untouched. Our IT department makes sure messages land in recipients’ inboxes, not in spam.
A whole team of specialists works on your campaign instead of one person. They use our databases, templates and the experience we have gained in B2B sales. The Lead Astra platform ties it all together, so every reply goes straight to you.
In the Lead Astra platform you see the campaign in real time, without waiting for a report. Every reply is rated, and the best leads go straight to your CRM. Your sales team can act immediately.
Every month you get a report in which you compare the results with the guarantee written into the contract. That way you know what you’re paying for and how the campaign is developing. We use the report’s conclusions in the next cycle so that every month is better than the last.
The cooperation has a steady rhythm, so you always know what’s going on. The first month is preparation, then the campaign runs and gets new databases every month. Every 90 days we sit down together on strategy and decide on the next steps.
Cold Mailing 2.0 is a subscription from PLN 6,500 net per month, with no limit on campaigns or mailboxes. We guarantee the minimum number of Hot Leads in the contract. If you prefer to pay for results, you can choose to pay per Hot Lead.
Law
Is cold mailing legal? GDPR and Polish law
Cold mailing in Poland is legal if the first message is not commercial information and personal data is processed on the basis of legitimate interest under the GDPR. Since 10 November 2024 the Polish Electronic Communications Law (PKE, Art. 398) has banned sending commercial information by email without prior consent, also to businesses. Other countries have their own rules, which our legal team checks before every campaign.
- 1
The first email is a question, not an offer
No price list, offer or attachments. We ask whether the topic is relevant and whether the recipient agrees to a conversation. The salesperson sends the offer only after the reply. This is how we obtain the consent on which your further sales contact is based.
- 2
Legal basis for processing
The controller’s legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), business contact details from public sources and relevance to the recipient’s role.
- 3
Information duty in the signature
Who the controller is, for what purpose and on what basis we write, where we got the data and what rights the recipient has (Art. 14 GDPR).
- 4
Objection and opt-out always work
A “no” or a request to be removed means the address is deleted and blocked from future campaigns.
Sample signature (fictitious company)
John Novak · Business Development Manager · +48 000 000 000 · nordvell.example
This message was sent by Nordvell Group sp. z o.o. The controller of your personal data is Nordvell Group sp. z o.o., [address]. The legal basis for processing is the controller’s legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). We obtained the data from publicly available sources: the National Court Register, your company website and LinkedIn. You have the right to access, rectify and erase your data and to object. If you do not wish to receive messages, please reply “no”.
What happens to a reply
- Hot lead (wants a call, gives contact details)→ Notification in the client panel and handover to the salesperson
- A question or “please send more information”→ The project manager replies, aiming to book a call
- “I am not interested”→ Marked in the system, end of the sequence
- Objection or request to be removed→ Address deleted and blocked from future campaigns
How we do it at InStream Group
A business signature with a legal basis in every message. You approve the database by company name, role and website. Our legal team checks the rules of every target country, and we share our GDPR compliance certificate and positive legal opinions with clients.
Who is responsible for the data in a campaign
In InStream Group campaigns we are the controller of the recipients’ personal data. We build the database ourselves for the customer profile agreed with you, process the data in our own environment and control the sending infrastructure, so we fulfil the information duty and handle the rights of the people we write to. You become the controller only of the data of the hot leads we hand over to you.
How we apply Art. 398 of the Polish Electronic Communications Law
After the law changed, some argued that cold mailing is only banned when terminal equipment and automated calling systems are used at the same time. Under the former Art. 172 of the Telecommunications Law, the President of UKE already imposed fines when just one of these conditions was met, so we follow the interpretation of the authority that imposes the fines. The legal basis of our campaigns is that the first message contains no commercial information: we write only to businesses and ask for consent to further contact.
What non-compliant cold mailing can cost you
| Authority | For what | Maximum fine |
|---|---|---|
| President of UKE (Poland) | commercial information sent by email without consent (Art. 398 of the Electronic Communications Law) | up to 3% of the previous year’s revenue or up to PLN 1,000,000, whichever is higher (Art. 446(5) PKE) |
| Data protection authority (in Poland: President of UODO) | processing data without a legal basis or without the information duty (GDPR) | up to EUR 20 million or up to 4% of total worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher (Art. 83(5) GDPR) |
A company that received unsolicited commercial information can also bring claims under the Polish Act on Combating Unfair Competition. This is general information, not legal advice. Sources: Polish Electronic Communications Law (Journal of Laws 2024, item 1221), GDPR, Google email sender guidelines, Yahoo sender requirements, Microsoft requirements for high-volume senders, Polish Personal Data Protection Office (UODO).
Cost per lead
What cost per lead can you expect?
The median cost of a hot lead in InStream Group cold mailing campaigns is PLN 664, and 72% of campaigns close below PLN 1,000 (426 projects, as of 10 June 2026).
Median CPL in industry and manufacturing: PLN 666 per lead (30 campaigns).
Median for the whole portfolio: PLN 664. 72% of campaigns have a CPL of up to PLN 1,000.
Calculate the CPL for your companyComponents of your campaign
- A tailor-made databaseBuilt for your target group, usually ready for approval within 48 hours.
- A message in 4 elementsIntro, questions, sales pitch and one simple call to action.
- A sequence of 4 emailsA message and three follow-ups: day 1, 3–4, 8–10 and 14–18.
- A signature with a legal basisA business signature and GDPR information in every message.
- Sending infrastructureSubdomains, dedicated servers and 20–40 mailboxes with warm-up.
- Hot lead defined in the contractA person who clearly wants a conversation and leaves a phone number and email.
Median from InStream Group projects, as of 10 June 2026 (426 projects). The actual cost depends on the offer, market and target group.
A campaign step by step with InStream Group
A cold mailing campaign at InStream Group has 5 stages, from strategy and the database to hot leads in the client panel. We show each stage in a short video.
What cold email is
A tailor-made message sent on behalf of your salesperson, and a team of specialists on your project.
Targeting and databases
Strategy, markets from a single region to the whole world, and a database from our systems that you approve before launch.
Communication
Content tailored to the recipient, a sequence of several messages and a signature consistent with the sender's LinkedIn profile.
Legal and technical support
Dedicated domains and mailboxes, constant deliverability monitoring and compliance with GDPR and the Polish Electronic Communications Law.
Results and the client panel in the CRM
Hot Leads in the client panel, the stage of each lead and results compared with the guarantee in the contract.
Yes, if the campaign is well prepared. Cold email does not work on its own: the result depends on who you write to, what you write and whether your email lands in the inbox at all.
What depends on you
Your brand awareness, the price and uniqueness of your product, market timing, your domain reputation and the target you set for the campaign.
What depends on the campaign team
The quality of the content and how well it fits the database, the subject line, the choice and freshness of the database, sending times and model, prospect volume, mailbox and SPF setup, daily monitoring and the project manager’s experience in your industry.
When choosing a provider, ask how a cold email agency works on each of these elements and who in the team is responsible for them.
Cold email database and segmentation
A general database, for example all manufacturing companies in a region, is cheaper. But it includes companies for which your offer makes no sense. That is why we split a cold email database into segments: industry, company size, region, the recipient’s role and the solutions the company already uses. Each segment gets its own version of the message, because a production director at a large plant has different problems from the owner of a small firm. You usually receive the database for approval within 48 hours and approve it by company name, role and website, never by email address.
How we measure effectiveness
We count hot leads: people from the approved database who, in reply to the mailing, asked for a meeting, an offer or contact and gave a phone number and email address. The minimum guarantees are set out in the contract, so you know in advance what result you are paying for.
The first campaign teaches the next one
After each cycle we analyse negative replies and check whether the problem is how the content fits the target or how the target fits your product. We also test subject and content variants on similar groups of recipients. So the next cycle starts with conclusions, not from scratch.
AI in cold email: technology prepares, people approve
AI helps us prepare message variants and analyse replies faster. A person always makes the decision: the copywriter chooses the variant, the project manager approves the sending and the salesperson answers the lead. Always in that order.
We do not judge campaigns by open rates. Email programs increasingly download images automatically, so the open rate is often inflated and does not tell you whether anyone read your cold email. See which results to measure instead.
Clients and their stories
Our clients' success and satisfaction matter most to us. Join more than 1,700 companies worldwide for which we have generated leads.
Case study
Emitel × InStream
Cold Email campaign: boosting in-building mobile network coverage.
105 hot leads350% of the guarantee deliveredClient testimonial
Mr Staff Support
Recruitment of drivers and workers from Asia. Magdalena talks about working with InStream.
Case study
Studio201 × InStream
Cold Email campaign for a software house: apps and AI implementations.
119 hot leads3 signed contractsClient testimonial
Packon
Cardboard packaging manufacturer. Konrad Wijata talks about working with InStream.
Case study
Personal System × InStream
Cold Email campaign for a permanent and temporary staffing agency.
40 hot leads in 3 months17,000+ messagesClient testimonial
Proexwork
Staffing agency. Maciej Krutul talks about working with InStream.
Case study
StethoMe × InStream
LinkedIn: the CEO's personal brand and US market outreach in 4 months.
607 invitations13.5% acceptance rateCase study
Iguana Group × InStream
Cold Email campaign to schools: sports equipment.
43 hot leads419 repliesClient testimonial
HSK Consulting
Employee hiring services. Jarosław Multan talks about working with InStream.
Client testimonial
MAAG Gear
LinkedIn campaign, 2 years of working together. Krzysztof Orłowski talks about working with InStream.
Client stories
See how we help companies like yours
Testimonials, case studies and campaign results from our clients in Poland and around the world.
See client storiesCosts
How much does cold mailing cost?
Running a cold mailing campaign yourself requires a copywriter, a strategist, an IT specialist, legal support, a sending system and databases, which together can cost a lot every month. At InStream Group the whole team and infrastructure cost €1,700 net per month, with minimum guarantees set out in the contract.
Doing it yourself
- Copywriter (content and sequences)
- Marketer or campaign strategist
- IT specialist (domains, servers, warm-up, deliverability)
- Legal support (GDPR, local law, signatures, opinions)
- Sending system and mailboxes
- Databases and address verification
Totalseveral full-time salaries plus tools every month
Cold Email 2.0 subscription
- A team of 5 specialists: project manager, data miner, GDPR, IT and creative
- Lead generation strategy based on your targets
- Infrastructure: signatures, servers, domains, mailboxes
- Client panel with hot leads and contact details
- Minimum guarantees set out in the contract (hot leads, number of new contacts)
CPL model
- A one-off project with a ready package of hot leads at a fixed price
- A dedicated project manager at every stage
- A claim option for hot leads that do not match the definition
- Can be extended into ongoing cooperation
Net prices. We agree the details on a call. Learn more about B2B cold mailing at InStream Group.
B2B cold email campaigns: how to choose an agency
B2B cold email campaigns are offered today by lead generation agencies, marketing agencies and independent specialists. Before you start comparing rankings of cold email agencies, check five things a ranking will not show you:
- Pricing model. Do you pay for emails sent, for the team’s time, or for results, for example with a guaranteed number of hot leads.
- Database. Who builds it, from which sources, and whether addresses are verified before sending.
- Infrastructure. Does the campaign go out from separate domains with SPF, DKIM and warm-up, so your main domain is not put at risk.
- Legal compliance. Is the first message free of commercial information, and does the footer name the data controller, the data source and the right to object.
- Reporting. Do you see every reply and every lead, not just aggregate open rates.
At InStream Group we run B2B cold email campaigns on a subscription with a guaranteed minimum number of hot leads every month. See the B2B cold email service for details.
Scale
InStream Group in numbers
InStream Group sends around 8 million cold emails a month to more than 40 markets and has supported over 1,700 companies in sales across more than 3,000 projects.
- 8,000,000messages a month
- 1,700+clients
- 3,000+projects
- 40+markets
- 70+specialists
- 10+years of experience
Share of messages sent by region (2025–2026)
- Poland69.5%
- DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)15.9%
- France and Benelux3.7%
- Southern Europe3.4%
- Nordics2.7%
- UK and Ireland2.2%
- Central and Eastern Europe (excl. Poland)1.9%
- Other countries0.8%
Markets
From a single region to the whole world, campaigns in the recipient’s language.
Roles
18 company departments and 6 seniority levels: from assistant to board.
Industries
34 industries with calculated CPL, a tailor-made database ready for approval in 48 h.
Frequently asked questions about cold mailing
What is cold mailing?
Cold mailing is a first, personalised email to a decision-maker at a company who does not know the sender. Its goal is not to sell in the first email but to check whether the topic is relevant and book a call. Most often it is a sequence of 4 messages sent over 2–3 weeks.
Is cold mailing legal?
In Poland it is legal if the first message is not commercial information and data is processed on the basis of legitimate interest under the GDPR. The Polish Electronic Communications Law (Art. 398, since 10 Nov 2024) bans sending offers by email without consent, also to businesses. The signature must state the sender, the data source and the right to object. Other countries have their own rules.
Is cold mailing effective in 2026?
Yes, when the campaign is well prepared technically and in terms of content. In InStream Group campaigns the median cost of a hot lead is PLN 664, and 72% of campaigns close below PLN 1,000. Effectiveness depends most on the database, the content of the first email and deliverability.
How much does cold mailing cost?
At InStream Group the Cold Email 2.0 subscription costs €1,700 net per month with minimum guarantees set out in the contract. In the CPL model you pay a one-off fee of €700 net plus a fixed price per hot lead, depending on the industry. Running a campaign yourself requires several specialists, a sending system and databases.
How is cold mailing different from spam and newsletters?
Spam is a mass offer sent without consent to random addresses. A newsletter goes to people who have signed up. A cold email is a single, personalised message to a carefully selected decision-maker, with no offer in the first email, with the sender’s details and an option to object in the signature.
How do I keep cold emails out of spam?
Send from a separate subdomain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, warm up your mailboxes before launch and spread sending across many mailboxes. Verify addresses, do not add attachments or many links to the first email, and keep the spam complaint rate below 0.3%, as Google requires.
What time should I send cold emails?
Half of all replies arrive between 10:00 and 14:00 in the recipient’s time zone. In data from 19.4 million InStream Group messages, emails sent between 12:00 and 15:00 got about 10% more replies than the campaign average, and morning sends between 8:00 and 10:00 about 10% fewer.
How many emails should a cold mailing sequence have?
A sequence of 4 messages works well: the first email on day 1, follow-ups on days 3–4 and 8–10 and a final message on days 14–18. Each email is shorter than the last and adds a new argument, and any refusal ends the sequence.
What is mailing and how does it differ from cold mailing?
Mailing means sending the same message to many people on a list, usually newsletter subscribers or existing customers. Cold mailing is a first, personalised message to selected decision-makers who do not know you and have not signed up for any list. That is why in cold mailing what matters is how well the database and content fit the recipient, not the reach of the send.
How many words should a cold email have?
The first email should be readable on a phone without scrolling: a few short sentences in four elements, that is an intro, a question, a short sales pitch and one call to action. Each follow-up is shorter than the previous one and adds a new argument.
Can I send a cold email to a generic company address such as info@?
You can, but such an email rarely reaches the person who makes the decision. The same rules apply as for named addresses: in Poland the first message cannot be commercial information sent without consent. In InStream Group campaigns we write to specific roles from a database you approve in advance.
Can I buy a cold email database?
You can, but an off-the-shelf database rarely fits your offer and often contains outdated addresses, which damages domain reputation. It is better to build a database for a specific customer profile: industry, company size, region and role. We build it for your target and send it for your approval, usually within 48 hours. You approve it by company name, role and website, never by email address. See how we build B2B company databases.
How does cold email differ from cold calling?
Cold calling is first contact by phone, cold email is first contact by email. The recipient answers an email whenever it suits them, and you reach many decision-makers at the same time. Both channels must comply with the rules on commercial information. Read more in our guide to B2B cold calling.
Who is the data controller in a cold email campaign?
In InStream Group campaigns the controller of the recipients’ data is InStream Group, because we build the database, process the data and control the sending. That is why we fulfil the information duty under Art. 14 GDPR and handle objections. The client becomes the controller only of the data of the hot leads handed over to them.
See what a cold mailing campaign looks like from the inside: the database, the sequence and hot leads in the client panel.
See the demo nowTell us who you want to win through cold mailing
Tell us who you want to reach: industries, roles and markets. We will get back to you and propose a campaign strategy tailored to your target group.
- Campaigns compliant with GDPR and local law
- Minimum guarantees set out in the contract
- A team of 5 specialists on every campaign
About the author
Filip DuszczakCEO and founder of InStream Group, 17 years in B2B sales. He started as a salesperson in a call centre and today leads a team of 70+ specialists that has supported over 1,700 companies in sales across more than 40 markets.
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