Write a PS line for a cold email — the most-read part of a long email and the last thing they see in a short one.
What you need
- Email body (step the PS line will be added to)
- ICP and persona
- Signal and hypothesis context
- What the PS line should achieve (options below)
PS line goals (pick one per email)
Social proof — reference a result, client, or outcome that's relevant to this persona Relevance signal — name something specific about their company that shows you did research Urgency/timing — reference a real reason now is the right moment Curiosity — introduce a second angle that makes them want to reply to find out more De-risk — remove the fear of commitment ("this isn't a pitch, just a question")
Rules
- PS lines should be 1–2 sentences maximum
- Never duplicate what's in the body — the PS adds new information or a new angle
- The PS line should be self-contained — someone who only reads the PS should understand the point
- No fake urgency ("limited spots", "reaching out to only 5 companies")
- The best PS lines make the reader think "wait, that's interesting" — not "okay, another sales email"
Process
- Read the email body
- Identify what goal the PS line should serve for this persona + signal
- Draft 3 PS line options, each from a different goal category
- Score each: relevant (0–2) + curiosity (0–2) + not salesy (0–2)
- Return ranked options with recommendation
Output format
PS lines for: [step] — [hypothesis]
Email summary: [one line on what the email argues]
OPTION 1 — [goal]
P.S. [text]
Score: [n/6] | [why it works]
OPTION 2 — [goal]
P.S. [text]
Score: [n/6] | [why it works]
OPTION 3 — [goal]
P.S. [text]
Score: [n/6] | [why it works]
Recommended: Option [n] — [one-line reason]
Notes
- PS lines are read before the body by a significant portion of recipients — write them as if they're the first thing read
- Social proof PS lines work best when the proof is specific and role-relevant: "P.S. We ran this for a HubSpot agency similar to yours — they booked 14 meetings in the first 6 weeks."
- Curiosity PS lines work best on Step 2 or 3 — by then you need a new hook
- If the PS line is the strongest line in the email, the email body needs a rewrite