Sofie warms people up

Cold DM templates for thumbnail designers.

Five first messages to YouTubers and creators who care about click-through rate, written to get a reply rather than to pitch. Fill in the [brackets] from what they wrote.

Write one for a specific personMonty for designersFollow-up writer

What they care about

  • Click-through rate on new uploads
  • Fitting their style without losing their face or brand
  • Quick turnaround on upload day

What gets ignored

  • Redoing their thumbnail and posting it publicly
  • Claims about CTR you can’t back up
  • Long portfolio links
1 · They uploaded a new video

Just watched [video]. Curious, is the thumbnail something you design yourself, or does someone help?

Proof you watched, and the key question.
100 characters
2 · They talked about CTR

Saw your post about [CTR dropping]. Do you test thumbnails after upload, or pick one and leave it?

Speaks their language and invites an easy answer.
98 characters
3 · They just followed you

Thanks for the follow. I design thumbnails for [niche] channels. Want two alternative ideas for your latest video? No strings.

A small, specific give, framed as a yes or no.
126 characters
4 · They’re growing fast

Big month for the channel. Is design keeping up with how often you post, or is it the thing you do at midnight?

Recognises the moment, names a likely pain.
111 characters
5 · A few days later, no reply

Sketched one idea for [video] anyway: the face, three words and a contrast colour. Want to see it?

Asks permission before sending work.
98 characters
Don’t send this

Your thumbnails are boring, that’s why your views are low. I can fix that for $50 each.

Insulting and transactional. They’ll defend their thumbnails, not hire you.
Monty

Monty writes these for every good follower, every morning.

Templates are a start. Monty reads your new X followers, finds the YouTubers and creators among them, and writes a first message from what each one actually posted. You decide and send.

Start a 7-day trial for $0You decide and send every message yourself.

How to use these templates

  1. Pick the moment, not the template. Each one fits a situation: they followed you, posted about a problem, launched, are hiring, or haven’t answered yet. Use the one that matches what just happened.
  2. Fill every bracket with something true. The specific detail is what makes the message worth answering.
  3. Read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like you, change the words until it does. Then send it yourself.

One specific detail, one easy question, and nothing to sell yet. The pitch comes after they reply.

Want more? What to say in a first DM on X has forty openers sorted by situation, from launches to hiring posts.

Questions

How do I write a cold DM as one of the thumbnail designers?

Start from one specific thing the person wrote or did, ask one easy question, and leave your pitch for later. The templates on this page show five common moments to message YouTubers and creators who care about click-through rate, with the parts to fill in marked in brackets.

Can I send these templates as they are?

Fill in every bracket with something true about the person, then change a few words so it sounds like you. If a template could still go to 500 people after you’ve filled it in, it isn’t personal enough yet.

When should I follow up?

After a few days, with a new angle: something useful, or an easier question. Twice is plenty. The last template on this page is a follow-up.

Does Monty send these for me?

No. Monty finds the people worth messaging among your X followers and writes a first message for each, but you always decide and send it yourself.

More templates

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