"I noticed you're the VP of Sales at [Company]..."
Delete.
"Congrats on the recent Series B!"
Delete.
"I saw your post on LinkedIn about [generic topic]..."
You guessed it. Delete.
Generic personalization is worse than no personalization. It signals that you're mass-emailing while pretending you're not.
Here's what actually works.
The Problem with "Personalization"
Most personalization is surface-level:
- Name and company (everyone does this)
- Title acknowledgment (so what?)
- Generic congratulations (you and 50 other vendors)
- LinkedIn post reference (often feels stalker-y)
This isn't personalization. It's mail merge with extra steps.
Real personalization demonstrates you understand their specific situation and timing.
Signal-Based Personalization
Instead of personalizing based on static information (title, company, industry), personalize based on signals that indicate why they need your product right now.
The Formula
[Specific signal] + [Why it matters to them] + [How you help] = Reply
Let's break this down with examples.
Example 1: Funding Signal
Bad:
Hi Sarah, Congrats on the Series B! I'd love to show you how Acme can help with your growth.
Why it fails: Every vendor sends this. It's generic and self-serving.
Good:
Hi Sarah,
Saw you closed the $30M Series B last month—congrats. Based on the announcement, it looks like you're expanding the sales team significantly.
Most post-Series B companies we work with face the same challenge: ramping new reps fast enough to hit the aggressive targets that come with fresh funding.
We helped [Similar Company] cut ramp time from 6 months to 3 after their Series B. Happy to share how.
Worth a conversation?
Why it works:
- Specific signal (Series B + sales expansion)
- Their challenge (ramp time vs. growth targets)
- Social proof (similar company, specific result)
- Clear ask
Example 2: New Executive Signal
Bad:
Hi James, Congrats on the new role! As the new VP of Sales, you're probably looking at your tech stack...
Why it fails: Obvious, generic, assumes too much.
Good:
Hi James,
Noticed you joined Acme from Gong three weeks ago. The transition from a $2B company to a Series A startup is intense—I've seen a lot of new sales leaders struggle with inheriting systems that worked at a different scale.
One thing that tends to surface quickly: the pipeline your predecessor left you was probably built on a different ICP. New leadership usually means new strategy.
If you're re-evaluating who to target, I'd be happy to share the signal-based approach we use with companies in similar transitions.
Open to a quick call?
Why it works:
- Specific signal (new VP, previous company known)
- Acknowledges the real challenge (inherited systems, new strategy)
- Positions as peer, not vendor
- Offers value, not a demo
Example 3: Hiring Signal
Bad:
Hi Lisa, I saw you're hiring SDRs. We help with sales training...
Why it fails: Correlation isn't causation. Hiring SDRs doesn't mean they need training.
Good:
Hi Lisa,
I noticed Acme posted 5 SDR roles in the last two weeks, plus a Sales Enablement Manager role yesterday.
That combination usually means one of two things: either you're scaling a motion that's working, or you're rebuilding after some turnover. Either way, getting 5+ new reps productive fast is going to be critical.
Most enablement leaders I talk to say their biggest challenge isn't training content—it's knowing which accounts new reps should actually prioritize.
We help teams identify which accounts have active buying signals so new reps spend time on real opportunities, not static lists.
Worth exploring?
Why it works:
- Multiple signals combined (SDR hiring + enablement hire)
- Acknowledges possible scenarios without assuming
- Addresses real challenge (new rep productivity)
- Clear, specific offer
Example 4: Tech Stack Signal
Bad:
Hi Mike, I saw you use Salesforce. We integrate with Salesforce...
Why it fails: So does everyone. This is a feature, not a reason to talk.
Good:
Hi Mike,
Noticed your team added Outreach last quarter but removed SalesLoft. That switch usually happens when teams are getting serious about scaling outbound.
One thing that often gets overlooked in that transition: the sequences work great, but they're only as good as the lists you're feeding them.
We've been helping teams pair Outreach automation with buying-signal data so reps sequence accounts that are actually in-market, not just ICP-fit.
The teams we work with see 3-4x higher reply rates than generic ICP lists.
Open to a quick call to see if this could help your team?
Why it works:
- Specific tech change signal (tool switch)
- Infers intent from the change
- Addresses a gap in their current approach
- Quantified result
The Signal Hierarchy
Not all signals are equal. Here's how to prioritize:
Tier 1: Active Buying Signals (use immediately)
- RFP issued in your category
- Removing a competitor's product
- Job post mentioning your tool category
- Direct inquiry or demo request
Tier 2: Change Signals (use within 2 weeks)
- New executive in target department
- Funding announcement
- Merger or acquisition
- Significant hiring spike
Tier 3: Growth Signals (use within 30 days)
- Revenue/growth announcements
- New office or market expansion
- Product launches
- Partnership announcements
Tier 4: Contextual Signals (use as supplementary)
- Industry events or trends
- Competitive moves
- Regulatory changes
- Earnings call mentions
Making It Scalable
"This sounds like a lot of work for each email."
It is. That's why it works.
But you can scale it:
- Build signal templates - Create email frameworks for each signal type
- Automate signal detection - Use tools that surface signals automatically
- Batch by signal - Write to all "new VP" signals at once
- Prioritize ruthlessly - Only personalize for high-value accounts
The math works out: 20 highly-personalized emails to signal-verified accounts outperform 200 generic emails to a static list.
Start Today
Pick one signal type. Write one great email template. Send to 10 accounts.
Measure the results against your current approach.
You'll never go back to generic personalization.
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