Cold Email Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Here’s the thing about cold emails—they might look the same in your drafts folder, but the moment they land in someone’s inbox, their purpose changes everything.
A sales cold email is like knocking on someone’s door with a solution in hand. A networking cold email? That’s more like stopping to say hello because you recognize their face from somewhere and want to start a conversation.
Both can be powerful. Both can crash and burn. And both get a whole lot better when you use a framework that’s been quietly running in the background of great copy for over a century: AIDA.
If you’ve ever wondered how to craft a cold email that doesn’t feel cold, this is one of the best mental models to start with.
The AIDA Formula, Without the Textbook Jargon
AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action—and yes, it sounds like something you’d hear in a 1960s ad agency boardroom. But stripped down, it’s just a way of thinking about how people engage with a message.
- Attention: Make them stop scrolling and actually notice you.
- Interest: Give them a reason to keep reading.
- Desire: Make them want something—whether that’s a product, a chat, or just more info.
- Action: Show them exactly what to do next.
Where people mess this up is treating AIDA like a checklist instead of a conversation. Real emails breathe—they shift tone, they pause, they adapt to the person reading.
And if you’ve ever compared cold emailing for networking vs sales, you already know: the way you create “desire” is completely different in each case.
Networking Cold Emails – The Softer Approach
Networking emails are about planting seeds, not harvesting crops. You’re not asking for the sale. You’re asking for connection.
Attention:
With networking, you’re often better off starting with context rather than a hooky promise. Mention a shared connection, reference their recent talk, or note the article you just read of theirs. It signals you’re a human, not a mail merge.
For example, I once reached out to someone after reading their take on storytelling in cold emails—it immediately gave me a warm lead-in.
Interest:
Here’s where you show you actually listened or read or paid attention. This isn’t “I loved your blog post”—it’s “The point you made about pricing psychology really stuck with me because…”
Desire:
The desire here is mutual curiosity. You’re giving them a reason to think, Maybe this person’s worth a chat. That could be shared work, similar career paths, or even overlapping networks.
Action:
A small, low-pressure ask—think coffee chat, intro, or feedback. For tone ideas, see how to follow up after a cold email without feeling weird about it.
Example:
Hi Jamie,
I caught your panel at SaaSCon last week—the bit about how onboarding emails can double retention really hit home for me. I’ve been building onboarding flows for early-stage SaaS, and I’d love to swap notes.
Any chance you’d be up for a quick virtual coffee next week?
– Alex
Sales Cold Emails – The Direct but Human Pitch
Sales cold emails have a bigger hill to climb. You’re not just asking for attention—you’re asking for time, trust, and (eventually) money. That means your AIDA steps have to be sharper.
Attention:
Here, you might lead with a relevant pain point or quick-win result. Something that signals, “This is about you and a problem you care about.” If you’re wondering about timing, check out the best times to send cold emails.
Interest:
Tie your offer to something specific about them. “I noticed your team just launched a mobile version—our tool helped [similar company] grow mobile signups by 30% in two months.” This is also where you can subtly handle objections in cold emails before they’re even raised.
Desire:
Sketch the picture of a better outcome—without overpromising. If you want to get creative, consider using humor in cold emails to build rapport.
Action:
One clear step—demo, call, trial. Keep it simple. For stronger response rates, think about crafting an irresistible CTA.
Example:
Hi Jamie,
Saw you launched the new mobile onboarding flow—looks sharp. We helped [Competitor] cut churn by 22% in their first quarter after launch by adding a personalized welcome sequence.
If that’s on your radar, would you be open to a quick call next week?
– Alex
Common Pitfalls When Applying AIDA
Even seasoned senders fall into traps:
- Sounding like a template – If your “Attention” line could be sent to anyone, it’s not really attention-grabbing.
- Skipping Interest – Jumping straight to Desire without giving them a reason to care.
- Weak Action steps – “Let me know” is vague. “Are you free Thursday at 2pm?” is better.
- Over-selling in networking – Nothing kills a relationship faster than turning it into a pitch too soon.
If you’re not sure whether your message will land, check whether it would pass the main inbox test.
Making AIDA Feel Natural in 2025
People’s patience for cookie-cutter emails is shorter than ever. That means:
- Micro-personalization: referencing LinkedIn posts, podcasts, or launches. (Here’s a full prospecting research guide.)
- Shorter hooks: one tight sentence can outshine a long paragraph.
- Light personality: a subtle joke, a “you know what?”—something human.
- Useful extras: share a quick win or a resource they can apply now.
And yes, sometimes the right email automation workflow can make this easier—just don’t let automation strip away the personal touch.
For more measurable improvements, think about using data to improve cold email results, or testing whether adding links to cold emails helps or hurts your reply rate.
AIDA Is a Map, Not a Script
The beauty of AIDA is that it mirrors how people process new ideas: grab their attention, keep them interested, build desire, and give them a clear next step.
But it’s flexible. Maybe you weave Desire into Interest. Maybe your Action comes sooner because the conversation’s already warm. And maybe—just maybe—you follow cold email ethics and persistence without being pushy.
Whether you’re networking or selling, the goal is the same: make the person glad they opened your email. If you can do that, AIDA almost takes care of itself.