Most cold DMs on X get no reply for one reason: they open with a pitch. Below are 12 scripts you can copy. Each is short, has no link, and asks one thing. Swap the first line so it fits that person. That line does the job.
- No link, no pitch, three lines. Proof you looked, one bridge, one easy ask.
- Two follow-ups: three days later, then a week after. Stop when they reply.
- The median cold DM campaign gets a 0.57 percent reply rate. Solo senders get about 2.2 percent.
Checked September 2026. Rules come from X's help pages; reply rates from a vendor dataset, named at the end.
I run Xsender, so most days I read cold openers that got a reply and openers that got filed away.
Five cold DM outreach rules first
- No link in the first message. X's spam policy names link-heavy DMs as spam, and link previews stay hidden until the person accepts anyway. Leaving links out of message one is our stricter rule.
- Never the same text twice. The same message, or the same link, sent to several people can freeze your sending for at least 30 minutes, in X's words.
- Stay under the cap. First DMs to non-followers are capped per 24 hours: 7 free, 35 Premium. Details in the X DM limit guide.
- Expect a sort. Grok files a stranger's request into a Priority or a Hidden tab.
- Keep it short. Three lines, four at most. A request that needs scrolling gets deleted.
What gets read, and what gets deleted?
| Gets deleted | Gets read | |
|---|---|---|
| Opener | "Hi! I help founders grow on X with done for you outreach." | "Saw your post on the pricing page rewrite. The before and after was brutal." |
| Middle | A paragraph about you and your results. | One line that ties their thing to your thing. |
| Ask | "Book a call here" plus a link. | "Want the two line version of what we changed?" |
The first line does all the work. Swap the opener and a plain script beats a clever one.
The 12 scripts
Ten openers, two follow-ups, each a Twitter DM template you can paste. {{firstName}} is a merge field a tool fills in per lead.
1. The one line audit
Hey {{firstName}}, read your thread on churn. One thing stood out: you never mention the day 7 email. Is that on purpose?When you noticed one real thing in something they posted. Do not pitch.
2. The shared problem
{{firstName}}, we hit the same wall you posted about. Reply rates falling off after week one. Fixed it in an odd way. Want the short version?When they complained in public about a problem you solved. Keep the fix for the reply.
3. The mutual
Hey {{firstName}}, Sam said you are rebuilding your onboarding flow. We did ours last quarter. Happy to share what broke, if useful?Only with a real mutual.
4. The customer of theirs
Been using your tool for six months {{firstName}}, and one thing keeps sending me back to a spreadsheet. Want to hear it, or is that a known one?Founders answer users. No praise padding.
5. The recruiter's opener
Hey {{firstName}}, your write up on the cache rewrite made the rounds on our team. Not a job pitch. If you ever want to compare notes on how we run infra, I am around.Never say "exciting opportunity".
6. The job seeker's opener
{{firstName}}, I saw the open role on your team. Before I apply: what is the one thing the last person in that seat got wrong?Ask first. No CV, no link.
7. The partnership
Hey {{firstName}}, our users keep asking for what you built. No pitch, just curious: have you done partner deals, or is that not a thing for you yet?Test interest first. Terms come after a yes.
8. The creator collab
{{firstName}}, your last three posts on pricing did numbers with our audience too. Would a joint thread on it be of any interest? No ask beyond that.Check the numbers claim first.
9. The agency opener
Hey {{firstName}}, noticed you post daily but the replies are thin. We ran a test on that for a client last month. Want to see the one change that moved it?Point at one visible gap. Quote only results you can show.
10. The founder to founder
{{firstName}}, we are about a year behind you on the same road. Can I ask one question about how you priced the first version?Do not follow a yes with a pitch.
11. The first follow-up
Hey {{firstName}}, one more nudge and then I will leave it. Still curious about the day 7 email. Yes or no is fine.Three or more days after the opener. Never repeat message one.
12. The last follow-up
{{firstName}}, closing this out so I am not clutter in your inbox. If it is ever useful, the offer stands. Good luck with the rewrite.A week after the first follow-up. Then stop.
How many follow-ups, and when?
- Wait at least three days. Xreacher's benchmark: a follow-up after three or more days of silence rescued 1.5 to 2.3 times more replies.
- Two follow-ups, then stop. A third costs you the person.
- Stop the moment they reply. Even "no thanks" ends the sequence.
When the name field is empty
"Hey , read your thread" is the fastest tell that a message went to a list. Write every script so it still reads with the name gone.
Check the lead list first. The first word of "Acme Labs" is not a first name.
What reply rate should you expect?
Lower than any vendor page says. The only large public dataset is Xreacher's: 43.7 million first DMs in the 180 days to 3 July 2026.
| Cut of the data | Reply rate |
|---|---|
| Median campaign | 0.57 percent. |
| One account, one sender | 2.24 percent. |
| 11 or more accounts | 0.39 percent. |
| Sends between 19:00 and 02:00 UTC | About 1.4 percent. |
A solo sender beat the account farms by about six times, in the farm vendor's own data. The first line moves reply rate; volume moves it the wrong way.
Do this now: pick one script and rewrite the first line so it is true for one real lead. Send that one by hand first.
FAQ
How long should a cold DM be?
Three lines, four at most. The shape is always the same: one line that proves you looked, one that ties their thing to yours, one easy question.
Should you put a link in a cold DM?
No. Link previews stay hidden until they accept. X names DMs that are mostly links as spam, and the same link sent to several people can freeze your sending. Send it after they reply.
Is cold DMing against X's rules?
One message written for one person is not what X's automation rules forbid. Bulk or automated sending is, and any tool works inside that risk. Check first that they can receive it: how to DM someone who does not follow you. Then stay under the cap and never repeat a text.
Sources and method
Show the sources and dates behind this guide
Every claim above traces to one of these.
- Link-heavy DMs and copied text as spam: X's Authenticity policy, archived copy of 7 September 2026.
- The duplicate freeze: X's DM FAQ, archived copy of 9 April 2026.
- Caps and the Priority and Hidden sort: X's help page on Chat, archived copy of 4 August 2026, confirmed live 10 September 2026.
- Media hidden until accept: X's Direct Messages help page, archived copy of 6 September 2026.
- Reply rates: Xreacher's benchmark, 43,672,794 DMs, published 3 July 2026, read 10 September 2026.
- The scripts and the length rule are our own. All of it was checked on 10 September 2026.
Written by Oscar Antana.
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