Recruiters write great emails to candidates and stiff ones to clients. The client pitch tends to read like a brochure: "full-cycle talent solutions," "our extensive network." A busy owner deletes it in two seconds because nothing in it is about their business.
The templates below fix that. Each one is short, names a specific role or situation, and asks for something small. They are written for recruiters pitching small and mid-sized local businesses: clinics, trades, restaurants, agencies, dealerships. Adapt the roles to your niche.
Before you paste anything
A template only works if the list behind it is right. Three checks first:
- Pick one niche per campaign. "Dental practices in Leeds" beats "businesses that hire." You can name the roles they struggle with, which is the whole point of the email.
- Find a hiring signal if you can. A job ad on their site, a new location, a "we're hiring" post. Even without one, the category alone tells you which roles they need.
- Get the owner's name. An email to the person who signs the cheque does better than one to info@. If you build lists from Google Maps, tools that return the owner's name with a confidence score save a lot of manual digging. See our comparison of Google Maps scrapers.
The merge tags below are written exactly as GetClient fills them: {{params.name}} (business name), {{params.firstname}}, {{params.website}}, {{params.city}} and {{params.category}}. If your tool uses a different format, swap them in. Always preview a few emails before sending so a blank first name doesn't produce "Hi ,".
Template 1: The specific-role opener
Use this when you know the roles that category always needs.
Subject: {{params.category}} hires in {{params.city}}
Hi {{params.firstname}},
I recruit for {{params.category}} businesses around {{params.city}}, mostly front-line and supervisor roles that are hard to fill from job boards alone.
If {{params.name}} has a role that's been open longer than you'd like, I can send you two or three pre-screened candidates to look at before you commit to anything.
Worth a look?
[Your name] [Agency], [phone]
Why it works: it names their world, offers a low-risk first step, and ends with a yes/no question.
Template 2: The job-ad spotter
Use this when you saw an open role on their site or elsewhere. Write the role in by hand.
Subject: Your [role] opening
Hi {{params.firstname}},
I noticed {{params.name}} is hiring a [role]. I placed a similar role in {{params.city}} recently and still have a couple of strong candidates who didn't get that job.
Want me to send over their anonymised profiles? No fee unless you hire one.
[Your name]
Only use the "placed a similar role" line if it's true. Swap in your real fee terms.
Template 3: The growth trigger
Use this for businesses that just opened, expanded or moved. Finding newly listed businesses is covered in how to find new local businesses.
Subject: Staffing the new {{params.name}} location
Hi {{params.firstname}},
Congrats on the growth. Opening or expanding usually means hiring several people at once, which is where owners lose the most time.
I help {{params.category}} businesses in {{params.city}} fill a batch of roles in one go, screened for availability and experience before you meet anyone.
Would a 10-minute call this week help you plan it?
[Your name]
Template 4: The candidate-first pitch
Sometimes the easiest way in is a person, not a service. Use this when you have a strong candidate in a niche.
Subject: Experienced [role] available in {{params.city}}
Hi {{params.firstname}},
I'm working with a [role] with [X] years in {{params.category}}, looking to move to a business like {{params.name}}. Available within [timeframe].
Even if you're not actively hiring, would you want a short profile? Good people in this field don't stay on the market long.
[Your name]
Never share identifying details of a candidate without their permission.
The follow-up sequence
One email is rarely enough for a busy owner. A simple plan: first email, then a nudge a few days later, then a final short note about a week after that. Those gaps are a rule of thumb; test your own.
Follow-up 1 (3 to 4 days later, same thread):
Hi {{params.firstname}}, just bumping this up. Is hiring on your list for the next couple of months at {{params.name}}, or is the team set for now?
Follow-up 2 (about a week later):
Hi {{params.firstname}}, last note from me. If a role opens up later, reply "later" and I'll check back in a few months. Otherwise I'll leave you be.
If your tool supports branching, you can tailor the follow-up. In GetClient's flow builder, for example, an If Opened branch could get a softer "thought this might be relevant" note, while If NOT Opened gets a new subject line on the same message. Keep both short.
Sending without burning your domain
- Start slow. A new inbox sending hundreds a day looks like spam. Ramp up over weeks, and consider several accounts; see rotating multiple sending accounts.
- Verify the list. Bounces hurt your sender reputation. Run verification before the first send.
- Include an easy opt-out and honour it. Rules differ by country (for example, the UK and EU are stricter about emailing individuals than the US). Work through the outreach compliance checklist and check the rules that apply to you. This isn't legal advice.
- Send on weekdays, in business hours for the recipient's time zone.
Making it a habit
Client development dies when the desk gets busy with placements. Block a set time each week to build a list for one niche and load a campaign. The weekly prospecting plan gives a simple structure you can copy.
If you'd rather keep the list, verification and sending in one place, GetClient lets you pull businesses from Google Maps by category and city, verify emails and run the sequence above from your own Gmail or SMTP account. New accounts get free credits to try it; details are on plans and credits.