Zenn version: https://zenn.dev/mintototo1/articles/buildlog-2026-05-23-cold-email-v2

I sent 100 emails and got 148 opens.

Someone opened multiple times. People were reading. But 0 replies.

Between May 12–14, I sent 100 cold emails through Instantly for Forge — my AI engineering placement side project. Targeted companies actively hiring AI engineers, personalized each one.

Results:

• Opens: 148 (including multiple opens per recipient)
• Replies: 0
• Bookings: 0

The subject lines worked. People were reading. Nobody replied. I couldn't figure out why. So I went back and read the body.

The problem was the offer sequence

My v1 email led with: "Freelance AI engineer placement, 30% fee, I'll send you details."

If you get an email from someone you've never heard of, and it immediately says "want to start a 30% fee arrangement? I'll send details" — you don't reply. That's obvious. I just didn't see it.

The first email should give something for free, not pitch. I skipped that step. The people who opened probably thought "not now" and closed it. That's all it was.

What I changed in v2

Changed first-touch offer to: free 15-min audit + 1-page AI hiring roadmap.

// v1: expecting a reply
I'll send you details.
Please reach out at your convenience.

// v2: calendar booking completes the action
Let me audit your AI hiring setup in 15 minutes
and put together a 1-page roadmap.
Book here → https://cal.com/mint-office-hours/free-15min

Also cut body from 280–400 chars down to 200–320 chars.

One next action: calendar booking. No waiting for a reply.

v2 results aren't in yet — sent this week, will write about it next week. No idea if the 0 moves.