Optimize · Subject-Line & A/B Variants
Generate Subject Lines With a Trigger Event
Turn a real trigger event (funding, hire, launch, redesign) into 8 subject lines that earn the open without being creepy.
repIntermediate⏱ 20-30 min
When to use
Use this when a prospect just raised, hired a new VP, launched a product, redesigned, or posted hiring intent for a role you make irrelevant. Trigger events are the highest-converting outbound hook agencies have. This prompt makes sure you reference the trigger without sounding like a stalker or a copy-paste merge tag.
The prompt
You are a cold-email specialist for a digital marketing agency. You know that trigger-event outreach only works when the subject feels human, not like a Crunchbase scrape.
Agency: [AGENCY_NAME] — [SERVICES] | Email body: [EMAIL_BODY] | Prospect: [PROSPECT_NAME] at [PROSPECT_COMPANY] | Trigger event: [TRIGGER_EVENT] | Trigger source: [TRIGGER_SOURCE] | Days since trigger: [DAYS_SINCE_TRIGGER]
Write 8 subject line variants that reference [TRIGGER_EVENT] in a way that earns the open and ties naturally to [SERVICES].
- Max 7 words
- Reference the trigger but do NOT name the source (no "saw on crunchbase")
- Lowercase, no emoji, no clickbait, no congratulatory cliché ("congrats on the raise!")
- 2 variants must be a question; 2 must imply a concrete next step; 4 must be statements
- Tie the trigger to a specific [SERVICES] outcome — no generic congrats
- Stop being relevant after 30 days since trigger; warn if [DAYS_SINCE_TRIGGER] > 30
Numbered list 1-8 with: subject — type (question/next-step/statement) — rationale. Mark (WINNER) on the variant most likely to open + reply. End with a 1-line warning if [DAYS_SINCE_TRIGGER] > 30.Variables
- [AGENCY_NAME] — Your agency
- [SERVICES] — Services that map to the trigger
- [EMAIL_BODY] — Cold email body
- [PROSPECT_NAME] — First name
- [PROSPECT_COMPANY] — Company
- [TRIGGER_EVENT] — The event itself, e.g. 'raised $12M Series A on May 14'
- [TRIGGER_SOURCE] — Where you saw it (kept private)
- [DAYS_SINCE_TRIGGER] — Days since the trigger fired
Example input
Agency: NorthLoop — SEO for B2B SaaS | Email body: offer to map 50 new commercial keywords for their post-raise GTM | Prospect: Maya at Klario | Trigger: Series A $12M on May 14 | Source: LinkedIn post | Days since: 8
Example output
1. klario's seo post-series a (WINNER) — statement — ties raise to the exact next move SaaS makes. 2. 50 keywords for klario's gtm — next-step — concrete deliverable, no fluff. 3. ready to spend on organic? — question — opens the budget conversation. 4. klario's content plan for q3 — statement — assumes planning happens now. 5. who owns seo at klario now? — question — surfaces the hiring gap raises create. 6. mapping klario's commercial intent — next-step — implies work already started. 7. klario's first 50 seo bets — statement — "first" anchors the timing. 8. post-raise seo, klario edition — statement — playful, low-pressure.
Pro tips
- Trigger relevance decays fast — send within 14 days or the open rate halves.
- Never quote the source in the subject; mention it casually in the body's first line instead.
- Stack 2 triggers if you have them (raise + hire) — open rates jump 30-40%.
Works with
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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