Most sales teams know the pain of sending cold emails that go nowhere. Prospects rarely reply, and when they do, the conversations often fizzle. But there is a powerful tactic that top-performing reps use to get in the door faster. It is called the forwardable email.
Instead of blasting generic cold outreach, a forwardable email is a short, crafted message that your champion, investor, advisor, or colleague can forward directly to the decision-maker you want to reach. It feels like an introduction from a trusted contact rather than an unsolicited pitch.
What Is a Forwardable Email
A forwardable email is not meant to be sent directly by you. It is designed so that someone else can easily forward it on your behalf. The structure is simple:
- Short introduction: Who you are and why you are relevant
- Clear value: Why the recipient should take the meeting
- Simple ask: A direct next step such as a 20-minute call
Think of it as a mini-introduction that makes your champion look good for connecting the right people. Unlike long sales pitches, it strips away the fluff and focuses only on what the decision-maker needs to know.
Why Forwardable Emails Work
- Warm credibility: The recipient receives the note from someone they already know and trust
- Low effort for your contact: They do not need to rewrite or explain anything, just hit forward
- Clear and concise: Busy executives do not have time for long introductions, so a forwardable email gives them exactly what they need in less than a minute of reading
This combination is why forwardable emails often achieve significantly higher response rates compared to traditional cold outreach.
Example of a Forwardable Email
Here is a simple but effective template:
Hi [First Name],
I wanted to introduce you to [Your Name], who is working on [short problem statement]. Their company, [Your Company], helps teams like [prospect’s company] [specific benefit].
I think it would be worth a quick conversation. [Your Name] can share how they helped [reference customer or industry peer].
Best,
[Contact’s Name]
Notice how this version is light, easy to forward, and highlights value without overselling. It positions your champion as helpful and positions you as credible.
Best Practices for Forwardable Emails
- Keep it under 150 words: Anything longer becomes a burden for your contact and the recipient.
- Make it about value, not you: Focus on what the prospect gains, not your product’s features.
- Write it in plain English: No jargon, no acronyms, no heavy marketing language.
- Tailor it to context: If your contact knows the prospect well, you can make it warmer and more casual. If it is a looser connection, keep it more professional.
- Always include a clear next step: Suggest a short call or meeting rather than leaving it open-ended.
How Vieu Makes Forwardable Emails Even Better
Forwardable emails are powerful, but you first need to know who in your network can actually forward it. That is where Vieu comes in.
Vieu maps hidden relationships across your executives, investors, advisors, partners, and customers. It shows you the warmest path to a prospect so you can pair the right forwardable email with the right connector. Instead of sending 100 cold emails, you send one perfect forwardable email through the person who can get you a response.
For example:
- Instead of guessing which investor might know a target CFO, Vieu highlights that your Series A investor once worked with them directly.
- Instead of relying on LinkedIn titles alone, Vieu uncovers that one of your current customers already has a strong connection to your prospect’s team.
The result is a forwardable email that lands in the right inbox at the right time.
Forwardable emails are one of the most effective ways to cut through noise in B2B sales. They combine the trust of a warm introduction with the clarity of a well-crafted message.
With Vieu, you can scale this tactic by identifying exactly who can forward your email into the right inbox. That means more replies, more meetings, and faster deal cycles.
