# How long should a cold email be?
> Keep it around 50 to 80 words, one idea, one ask. If they have to scroll on a phone to find the question, it is too long.
- HTML: https://omentir.com/help/how-long-should-a-cold-email-be
- Markdown: https://omentir.com/help/how-long-should-a-cold-email-be.md

Short wins on first touch because the job is a reply, not an education. 50 to 80 words is a working range. Over 120 words you are asking for a reading session they did not schedule.

Structure: why them (one line), why you are relevant (one line), a question that is easy to answer. Optional: one proof point. Not optional: a way to say no.

Subject lines should match the body. Mystery and clickbait get opens from robots and distrust from humans. A specific, boring subject is a feature.

Follow-ups can be shorter than the first email. The first email already did the introduction. Do not recap your life story in email three.

If the product needs a diagram, link it after they ask. A cold email is a knock, not a kickoff meeting.

## Related

- [How many follow-up emails should I send after a cold email?](https://omentir.com/help/how-many-cold-email-follow-ups-should-i-send.md)
- [How do I personalize LinkedIn outreach without spending hours?](https://omentir.com/help/how-to-personalize-linkedin-outreach.md)
- [How long should a LinkedIn cold message be?](https://omentir.com/help/how-long-should-a-linkedin-cold-message-be.md)

## Frequently asked questions

**Do paragraphs or bullets work better?**

One short paragraph, maybe two. A stack of bullets from a stranger looks like a brochure.

**Should I include images?**

Skip them on first touch. They hurt some spam filters and look like marketing. Text is enough.

**Is a one-sentence email too short?**

It can work if the sentence is specific. "Saw you hired three AEs, how are you ramping outbound?" is a complete email. "Quick question" is not.

**Can LinkedIn DMs be longer than emails?**

They should not be, on first touch. Same brain, smaller screen. See [how long should a LinkedIn cold message be](/help/how-long-should-a-linkedin-cold-message-be).

[Create an Omentir account](https://omentir.com/signup). Pro is $49/month.