How to Master Writing Cold Emails (Part 1) – Research and Prep

In this three-part series, I will be discussing how to turn cold emails into a reliable method for building professional relationships as someone who has gotten many opportunities through cold emailing. In this part, we will focus on research and preparation: what a cold email is, why prep multiplies replies, and exactly how to lay the groundwork before drafting a single sentence. By the end of this series, you will have a step-by-step blueprint to boost your response rate, earning yourself more potential opportunities.

What are Cold Emails, and Why Does Prep Matter?

When I was a sophomore, eager for lab experience, I sent over 500 generic emails—only two people answered. That's when I realized I’d treated cold emailing like a numbers game instead of a personalized outreach. Fast forward two years: I researched four researchers, tailored each message meticulously, and all four replied.

That change didn’t come from better writing alone. It came from preparation: investing time in understanding who I was contacting, what they cared about, and how I could provide value to what they already had. A cold email is not spam; it is a personalized introduction. Without prep, you rely on luck. With prep, you control the conversation.

My Definition: A cold email is an unsolicited message to someone you have not met before. Its purpose is to request advice, collaboration, feedback, or opportunities by demonstrating that you have done your research and respect the recipient’s time.

Step 1: Define Your Goal

Clear goals guide every other decision. For cold emailing someone, you should ask yourself: what outcome do I want from this email? In the email itself, you should write your goal in one sentence. Here are some broad examples:

• Meeting Request: “Can we schedule a 15-minute call to discuss your paper on...?”

• Feedback on Work: “I would appreciate your insights on my paper about...”

• Collaboration: “Would you be open to co-authoring a short review article on...?”

• Mentorship: “Could I check in quarterly to learn about your career path in...?”

• Internship Opportunity: “Are there summer research assistant positions available in your lab?”

  
  

If you can’t express your ask in one concise sentence, your recipient won’t either. A tight goal makes your email easier to write and easier to reply to.

Step 2: Identify the Right Recipient

For every single cold email you write, you only get one chance at a first impression. Therefore, choose contacts whose work aligns with your interests. Here are some ways you can do it:

• University and Company Websites

  • Navigate faculty or team directories. Note research areas and recent publications.

  • Pay attention to postdoc and graduate student listings. You can consider emailing them instead of the faculty member themselves, as they may be more responsive.

  
  

• LinkedIn and ResearchGate

  • Filter by institution, keywords, or research interests.

  • Recent activity (a new paper, project update, or shared post) signals openness.

  
  

• Advanced Tip – Google Dorking

  You can use this trick and tailor it to your interests. You would have to open Google and type, for example:

site:stanford.edu "spatial transcriptomics" filetype: pdf

This uncovers PDF papers on Stanford’s site on spatial transcriptomics.

• Conference Programs and Abstracts

  • Download the PDF schedule of a relevant conference. Note speakers whose topics resonate with your project.

    
    

For this research, try to aim for a shortlist of 5–10 names. Too many and your prep quality suffers; too few and you limit your chances.

Step 3: Deep Contact Profiling

Once you have a name, dig deeper to craft a message that feels custom-made:

• Read Their Most Recent Work: Note at least 1–2 very specific points that interest you. Quoting those details shows genuine engagement.

• Find Mutual Connections: Check LinkedIn for shared alumni, former TAs, or collaborators. A one-sentence mention of that connection builds rapport.

• Review Talks and Webinars: If they presented at a symposium or webinar in the last year, reference it (For example: “I enjoyed your talk on January 10 about model calibration”).

  
  

You should aim to store all of this in a single spreadsheet row for each contact so you never lose track of your notes.

Step 4: Organize Your Research

Good organization prevents confusion and redundancy.

• Master Spreadsheet: Create columns for:

  • Name, Title, Institution/Affiliation

  • Key insights (quotes or paraphrases)

  • Mutual connections or shared background

  • Date you plan to email

• Version Control: If you update your notes, highlight changes or keep a “last updated” date so you know when you revisited the profile.

• Email Cadence Plan: Note in your spreadsheet when to send a first email, follow-up, etc.

Step 5: Gather Your Supporting Materials

To prove that you’re committed, capable, and ready, prepare some of these:

• Portfolio/Code

  • Host your best projects on GitHub or a personal website.

  • Share direct links to files or live demos.

• One-Page Summary

  • Condense your résumé or research overview into a PDF no more than one page long.

  • Use bullet points, metrics, and white space to highlight achievements.

• Hosting Tip: Upload PDFs and portfolios to Google Drive or Dropbox. Generate shareable links instead of bulky attachments. That avoids spam filters and makes your message lighter.

• Email Signature: Include:

  • Full name and role (e.g., “Jophy Lin | Rising Senior, Manalapan High School”)

  • Email address and phone number

  • One-click links: GitHub profile, personal website, etc.

Step 6: Craft Your “Why Me” Statement

This short paragraph answers the question, “Why should I spend my time on you?”, and is crucial to answer. When writing it, make sure you answer these:

1. Who You Are: Ex. “I’m a rising senior at Manalapan High School who researches using AI for medical imaging.”

2. What You’ve Done: Ex. “Last semester, I built...”

3. Why You’re Writing: Ex. “After reading your 2024 article on... I would value your feedback on...”

   
   

You should keep writing and refining this until it reads naturally—no jargon dumps or vague praise. It must feel like a genuine, confident introduction.

Additional Tips

Here are some additional tips that I think might serve you well through the process:

• Quality Over Quantity: Limit each batch of emails so you can maintain high personalization.

• Email Timing: Speaking from experience, mid-week, mid-morning (10 AM in their timezone) tends to have some of the best open rates.

• Avoid Spam Triggers: Steer clear of all-caps, exclamation points, and large attachments. Plain text emails often perform better.

• Snippet Text Preview: The first line of your email appears in inbox previews. So, it'd be good to start with a personal note or hook (Example: “I enjoyed your recent webinar on…”).

• Interest Alignment: Only email people whose work truly excites you. If you’re lukewarm, your follow-through and questions will suffer.

Key Takeaways

The key takeaway is that successful cold emailing hinges entirely on research and preparation rather than on luck or volume. By first defining a single, clear objective for your outreach, then carefully identifying and profiling a handful of recipients whose work genuinely aligns with your interests, and by organizing all your notes and assets in a master spreadsheet, you set yourself up to send highly personalized messages that demonstrate respect for the recipient’s time and expertise. When you back that preparation with a concise “Why Me” statement and polished supporting materials, you shift from shooting in the dark to controlling the conversation and dramatically increasing your response rate.

Wrap-Up and What’s Next

You have now built a solid foundation for every cold email you send. You know how to define your ask, find and profile the perfect recipient, and prepare all the assets that demonstrate your value. In Part 2, we will turn that prep into a compelling email: you will learn subject-line formulas that get opened, body structures that hold attention, and more. Stay tuned and get ready to write emails that earn replies almost every time!

About the Author: I'm Jophy Lin, a high school junior and researcher. I blog about a variety of topics, such as STEM research, competitions, shows, and my experiences in the scientific community. If you’re interested in research tips, competition insights, drama reviews, personal reflections on STEM opportunities, and other related topics, subscribe to my newsletter to stay updated!