Start of main content

Email Marketing Glossary.

Clear, no-fluff definitions of every email marketing term that matters—from open rates to double opt-in. 

 

Cold Email

A cold email is an unsolicited message sent to a recipient who has no prior relationship with the sender, typically for outreach, sales, or prospecting.

Also known as: cold outreach email, unsolicited email, prospecting email

Cold email is the opposite of permission-based marketing: you're reaching out to someone who never asked to hear from you. It's common in B2B sales, but it carries real deliverability and legal considerations.

How is cold email different from email marketing?

Email marketing goes to subscribers who opted in; cold email goes to prospects who didn't. That difference affects engagement, deliverability, and which regulations apply.

Is cold email legal?

It depends on jurisdiction. In the US, CAN-SPAM permits certain unsolicited commercial email if you follow its rules; in the EU, GDPR generally requires a lawful basis and is much stricter. Always check local law.

Cold email and deliverability

Because recipients didn't opt in, cold email risks low engagement, high complaints, and spam-trap hits — all of which damage sender reputation. For ecommerce, permission-based email marketing is far more effective.

Related terms

Email Newsletter Promotional Email Email Blast Broadcast Email Re-Engagement Campaign

Related reading from Drip

The Guide to Email Marketing in 2026: Best Practices + 26 Examples

Frequently asked questions

What is a cold email?
A cold email is an unsolicited message sent to someone who has no prior relationship with the sender, usually for sales, outreach, or prospecting. The recipient did not opt in to receive it.
How is cold email different from email marketing?
Email marketing is sent to subscribers who opted in, while cold email targets prospects who didn't. That distinction affects engagement, deliverability, and which laws apply to the message.
Is cold email legal?
It depends on the jurisdiction. In the US, CAN-SPAM allows certain unsolicited commercial email if you follow its rules; in the EU, GDPR generally requires a lawful basis and is much stricter. Always check the laws that apply to your recipients.
Does cold email hurt deliverability?
It can. Because recipients didn't opt in, cold email risks low engagement, high spam complaints, and spam-trap hits, all of which damage sender reputation. Permission-based email marketing is safer and, for ecommerce, far more effective.
An illustration of a an envelope with a thumbs up.
An illustration of an envelope with an arrow.

Come for the automated marketing. Stay for the endless revenue growth.

Start a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

Try Drip today