Cold email after a conference or event
Writing to a speaker or attendee from a conference or meetup you both went to, when you did not actually talk. It uses the shared event as context without pretending you met.
- Category:
- Cold outreach
- Length:
- 73 words
Subject line options
- Your {{event}} talk on {{topic}}
- Following up from {{event}}
The email
Hi {{first_name}},
I was in the audience for your talk on {{topic}} at {{event}} last week. We didn't get a chance to meet, but your point about {{specific_point}} stayed with me.
We see the same thing at {{company}}: {{related_observation}}.
I'd like to hear how your team decided {{decision}}. Would you be up for a 15-minute call in the next couple of weeks? Happy to share what we've learned in return.
{{your_name}}
{{your_title}}, {{company}}Highlighted {{placeholders}} are the parts to replace. If you cannot fill one with something true and specific, cut the sentence rather than leaving it generic.
When to use it
Send it within a week or two of the event, while the talk is still fresh for both of you. Reference something the person actually said; if you cannot remember a specific point, watch the recording first or do not send.
Never write "great to meet you" to someone you did not meet. They will know, and it makes everything after it suspect.
Why it works
- The opener is true. Saying plainly that you did not meet is more credible than implying a conversation that never happened.
- The specific point proves you were paying attention. It is also a compliment speakers rarely get.
- It offers something back. Sharing what your team learned turns the call into an exchange instead of a favour.
Before you send
Event attendee lists and badge scans are full of typos and personal addresses. Put the list through the free list check to catch typo domains like gmial.com and addresses that would bounce, before your post-event follow-ups all go out at once.