Cold outreach cadence templates for SDR teams
The cadence is where many SDR teams leak meetings. One sequence gets cloned for every motion. Two touches, then silence. No rule for when a contact leaves. Build one on purpose for each motion instead.
Four starter cadences
| Cadence | Shape |
|---|---|
| Inbound demo request | 8 touches over 7 days. Call within 5 minutes, voicemail plus email, second call within 2 hours |
| Outbound to named accounts | 11 touches over 21 days, 3 to 5 contacts per account. Warm up on email and LinkedIn, then call |
| Event or webinar follow-up | 7 touches over 12 days. Thank-you with one takeaway inside 24 hours, then call target accounts first |
| Re-engage closed-lost | 6 touches over 14 days after an enrol step. Only on a trigger, such as a new leader or a renewal window |
Five choices to make for each motion
- Attempts: 8 inbound, 10 to 12 cold outbound.
- Channel mix: phone, email and LinkedIn in every outbound cadence.
- Duration: about 7 days inbound, 21 outbound.
- Spacing: front-load week one.
- Content: every touch has a reason. A trigger, an insight, peer proof or an offer, never "just checking in".
See inside
Write short touches
Under 80 words, plain text, one low-friction ask. "Worth a 15-minute call?" beats "Schedule a demo". Keep the phone in every outbound cadence.
A worked example: one named account
This illustrates the outbound cadence for named accounts. It has 11 touches over 21 days. It shows two of the 3 to 5 contacts for brevity. Change the timing for your market.
| Day | Channel | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger-led opener to contact 1 | |
| 2 | Connect note to contact 1 | |
| 4 | Call | Call contact 1, leave a short voicemail |
| 5 | Trigger-led opener to contact 2 | |
| 8 | Call | Call contact 2 |
| 10 | One insight for contact 1, no ask beyond a reply | |
| 12 | Short message to contact 2 | |
| 15 | One approved proof point to contact 1 | |
| 17 | Call | Call contact 1 |
| 19 | Call | Call contact 2 |
| 21 | Closing note to both contacts |
A reply at any step stops the sequence. Book the meeting and log it. The exit rules below show what happens to every other outcome.
Decide what ends a cadence
A positive reply exits to a booked meeting. "Not now" exits to nurture with a dated task. A wrong person becomes a referral ask. An opt-out is suppressed in every tool within two days. For what to measure once the cadences run, read SDR and BDR KPIs.
Questions
How many touches should a cold cadence have?
Ten to twelve over about three weeks for cold outbound.
Are the cadences compliant in the UK?
The template includes a UK, Germany and US checklist, but it is not legal advice. Get a one-page position from your legal team.
What is in the template?
A cadence builder with 33 steps across the four cadences, and the five design choices. Email and call openers, objection replies, exit rules and a monthly review checklist.
Also: account research checklist, ideal customer profile template, LinkedIn message examples for SDRs.
Related guides
SDR and BDR KPIs
What to measure, and 2024-2025 benchmarks to sense-check against.
SDR onboarding checklist
What to set up, teach and check in a new rep's first 90 days.
SDR and BDR playbook template
What a good playbook includes, and how to build it in Notion.
SDR follow-up email after a call
Three short templates for no answer, a chat and a booked meeting.
Follow up email after no response
Four templates with timing, ending in a clean exit.
Load four cadences into your sequencer this week
The cadence builder, openers and exit rules as a Notion template. Works on the free Notion plan.
Need the comp calculator too? Get the SDR Toolkit: the comp calculator and the cadences together for £12.99 + VAT.
Not legal advice. Check outreach rules with your legal team.