Cold Email Templates for Web Designers: How to Pitch a Business With No Website
The easiest cold email to write is to a business with no website, because you can point to a gap the owner can check in ten seconds. Below are four templates for different situations, plus subject lines, a follow-up sequence, and the mistakes that get these emails deleted.
The one idea behind every template
Owners do not buy “a website”. They buy more customers. So every email below does three things, in this order:
- Shows you looked. One specific detail: their rating, their review count, a service they are known for.
- Names a problem they can verify. “There’s no website on your Google listing” is checkable. “Your branding could be stronger” is an opinion.
- Asks for something small. A reply or a 10-minute call, not a purchase.
The templates
Subject: [Business name]'s Google listing
Hi [Name],
I came across [Business name] on Google: [rating] stars from [review count] reviews is a lot of happy customers.
One thing I noticed: there's no website on your listing. When someone searches "[trade] in [town]" and compares a few options, the businesses with a site get the click, because that's where people check prices, hours and what you offer.
I build simple sites for [trade]s: your services, hours, reviews and a call button, live within a week.
Worth a 10-minute call this week? If not, no worries at all.
[Your name]
Subject: Your [Instagram/Facebook] page and Google
Hi [Name],
Your [Instagram/Facebook] is great, and the photos of [something specific] are exactly what makes people book.
The catch is that Google links your listing to that page, and people who don't use [Instagram/Facebook] hit a login wall before they see your prices or can book.
I can build you a simple site that uses the same photos, shows your prices and has a booking button. It works for everyone, and Google can rank it.
Would that be useful? Happy to show you a quick example.
[Your name]
Subject: Your website isn't loading
Hi [Name],
I tried to visit [domain] from your Google listing today and [it didn't load / it showed a "domain for sale" page / it showed an error].
You may already know, but if not: anyone who clicks through from Google is landing on that right now, and most of them will call the next business on the list.
I fix and rebuild sites for [trade]s. If it helps, I'm happy to take a look and tell you what's wrong, free.
[Your name]
Subject: [Competitor] vs [Business name] on Google
Hi [Name],
I searched "[trade] in [town]" on Google. [Competitor] shows up with a website; [Business name] shows up without one, even though you have more reviews ([your count] vs [theirs]).
People comparing the two can see [Competitor]'s prices and services with one click. For you they have to call.
I build sites for [trade]s that close that gap. Could we talk for 10 minutes this week?
[Your name]
Use template 4 carefully. Only name a competitor you actually checked, and keep the tone factual: you are pointing at a comparison the customer already makes, not running anyone down.
Subject lines that get opened
Short, specific, and about them. A few that fit these emails:
- [Business name]'s Google listing
- Quick question about [Business name]
- Your website isn't loading
- [Trade]s in [town] on Google
- Saw your [rating]-star reviews
Avoid anything that reads like marketing: “Grow your business!”, “Special offer”, emoji, all caps.
The follow-up sequence
Most replies come after a follow-up, not the first email. Keep each one shorter than the last:
- Day 1: the original email.
- Day 4: “Just bumping this in case it got buried. Happy to send a quick mock-up of what your site could look like if that's easier than a call.”
- Day 10: “Last note from me. If a website isn't a priority right now, no problem at all. Good luck with [business].”
Then stop. A polite close leaves the door open, and owners do come back months later when a website moves up their list.
Mistakes that get these emails deleted
- Leading with yourself. “I'm a web designer with 10 years' experience…” Nobody has asked yet.
- Unverifiable claims. “You're losing thousands a month” invites the owner to disagree. Stick to what they can check.
- A price in the first email. Talk about the problem first; price once they are interested.
- Long emails. If it doesn't fit on a phone screen without scrolling, cut it.
- Sending to a generic address when a phone call would land. Many of these owners answer the phone more readily than email, and a short call referencing the same facts often works better.
- Ignoring the rules. Follow the anti-spam laws where the business is (CAN-SPAM in the US, POPIA in South Africa, the Spam Act in Australia): say who you are, and honour every “no thanks” straight away.
Who to send them to
Templates only work on the right list. The trades with the most businesses missing a website are barbers, salons, car repair shops and electricians (see the full ranking), and this guide covers how to find them by hand. LeadSweep finds them automatically, checks every website, and drafts an opening email like the ones above for each lead.
Create an account, type a town and a kind of business, and LeadSweep counts them for free. A plan then scans every one: website check, phone number, AI lead score and a drafted opening email.
Count your area free →