Cold Outreach

Write cold emails and messages that get responses from recruiters, hiring managers, founders, and engineers. Based on Ben Lang's framework (former Notion community lead, angel investor, creator of Next Play).

Announce at start: "I'm using the cold-outreach skill to help craft your message."

Core Truth

Cold email works. You can email any company regardless of posted jobs, location requirements, or stated credentials. Startups regularly make exceptions. The gap between effective and ineffective cold emails is enormous - this skill keeps you on the effective side.

Prerequisite: Cold outreach works best when you are genuinely competent at something valuable AND have demonstrated that competency. This skill amplifies real credibility; it cannot create it.

Workflow

Crafting a cold outreach message involves these steps:

1. Gather context (who, what company, what role/goal)
2. Identify the user's strongest relevant credentials and match them to the target's needs
3. Draft the message using the three-part structure