Personalization in cold outreach is one of those things everyone seems to agree is important. It’s what makes your email stand out, shows you’ve done your research, and proves you have a reason to reach out to your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). But here’s the thing—I think the world is over-indexing on it.
Before you get defensive, let’s first understand what personalization actually is.
What Is Personalization?
Personalization in cold outreach doesn’t mean digging into someone’s Instagram to find out their dog’s name or referencing their marathon times. Yeah, you can use it quirkily in the email. But if it sticks like a sore thumb and is part of a mediocre email, it serves nothing. Cold emails are not personal emails; they are business emails. Personalization in this context means tailoring your message to their professional context: their challenges, their goals, their role, and how your product or service can help.
It’s not about dropping some “fake-friendly” line like, “Looks like you’re from Austin—have you been to Franklin’s BBQ?” Sure, that might get a chuckle, but it adds no value to the conversation. Worse, it can feel unrelated and artificial.
Real personalization is connecting with their work realities—the pain points they deal with every day. For example:
- “Most revenue leaders I speak to say forecasting accuracy keeps them up at night.”
- “I noticed your team recently hired SDRs—are you looking at tools to ramp them up quickly?”
These messages don’t feel creepy or forced. They feel relevant. And relevance is what wins.
A Case Study: Less Personalization, Better Results
Let me share an example from one of our recent campaigns. Here’s the premise: almost no personalization. Instead, we focused on putting the problem statement front and center.
Subject line: "Your forecasting accuracy challenge"
Body:
"Hi [First Name],
Are you finding it tough to get accurate forecasts despite having all the data you need? You’re not alone. Many revenue leaders I’ve spoken to say manual adjustments and inconsistent data are holding them back.
Our platform uses AI to clean up CRM data, identify blind spots, and give you reliable forecasts without the extra effort.
Would you be open to exploring this further?”
The results? A 22% reply rate.
Here’s how the campaign broke down:
- Emails Sent: 1,432
- Opened: 1,067
- Replied: 244
- Demos Booked: 36
No mention of their hometown, alma mater, or hobbies. Just a sharp focus on a core challenge that resonated with their role. This campaign worked because it was simple, direct, and relevant.
Core Messaging Comes First
Before you start personalizing your emails, nail down your core messaging. Ask yourself:
- What is the biggest pain point my ICP faces that I can solve?
- How can I articulate this problem in a way that feels specific and urgent?
- Why should they care about my solution?
Your message needs to resonate universally within your target audience. Personalization can enhance a strong message, but it can’t save a weak one.
If your email doesn’t already make the recipient stop and think, no amount of “I saw you went to UT Austin” will fix it.
When to Use Personalization
Personalization has its place. Once you’ve nailed your core message, use personalization to:
- Tailor your message to the recipient’s specific context. For example, referencing their role in a recent company initiative.
- Build credibility. A line like, “I saw your LinkedIn post about scaling your team” works because it’s relevant to their work.
- Stand out in crowded inboxes. If they’re getting 50 generic emails a day, a bit of personalization can make yours pop.
But always remember: personalization is the seasoning, not the main dish.
If you are evaluating an SDR agency, hiring an SDR, or getting an AI SDR tool, check what they index on the most. If it’s all about personalization only, guess you are focusing on the wrong thing. The foundation of success lies in your core messaging, not just the surface-level details.
Final Thoughts
The best cold emails don’t just feel personal; they feel relevant. And relevance starts with core messaging. Personalization is important, but it’s not the foundation of a great email—your message is.
So, before you spend 15 minutes researching whether your prospect prefers cats or dogs, spend that time refining your understanding of their challenges and how you can help.
Personalization is the icing on the cake. But it’s the cake—your core message—that will make them reply.
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