If you’re tired of spray-and-pray email blasts getting ignored, this guide is for you. Whether you’re a founder bootstrapping your first outbound campaign, or a sales pro trying to get smarter (not louder) with your outreach, you’ll find real steps here—not recycled “add their first name” tricks. We’ll walk through how to create genuinely personalized outreach sequences using Getcorrelated, a tool built for teams who want to skip the guesswork and actually connect.
Let’s get to it.
1. Understand What “Personalized Outreach” Really Means (and Doesn’t)
Before you start clicking around in any tool, take a minute to gut-check what “personalized” should mean. It’s not just mail merges or swapping in a company name.
Real personalization is about showing the recipient you’ve done your homework and have a reason to reach out to them specifically. That means:
- Referencing something specific to their role, company, or recent activity
- Making your message relevant to why they’d care
- Not sounding like a robot or a template
What to ignore:
- Overly clever merge fields (“Hey {{FirstName}}, noticed you work at {{Company}}!”)
- Gimmicks that don’t add value (e.g., forced jokes, emojis in subject lines unless you know your audience)
- Personalization for its own sake—if it doesn’t help your case, skip it
2. Get Your Data Right Before You Write
Getcorrelated is only as smart as the data you feed it. Garbage in, garbage out. So before building any sequence, get your contact data in order.
Here’s what actually matters: - Accurate contact info: Obvious, but check for typos and outdated emails. - Firmographics and triggers: What’s changed at their company? Did they just raise money, hire a new exec, launch a product? - Personal context: LinkedIn activity, blog posts, podcast appearances—anything that gives you a legit reason to reach out now.
Pro Tip:
Don’t go overboard collecting every field under the sun. Focus on a handful of useful signals you’ll actually use in your outreach.
3. Map Out Your Sequence Before Building It
You can use Getcorrelated to automate a lot, but don’t start writing emails blind. First, sketch out:
- How many steps? (Email, LinkedIn, phone call, etc.)
- Timing between steps? (Don’t be a pest, but don’t wait weeks.)
- What’s the “hook” for each touch? (Why should they care?)
Example basic sequence: 1. Email: Reference a recent company event or announcement 2. LinkedIn connection: Quick, non-pitchy note 3. Follow-up email: New angle or resource, not just “bumping this up” 4. Phone call or voicemail: If you have a valid number
What to skip:
- 14-step sequences that recycle the same message
- Anything that feels like “checking in” without a real reason
4. Write Like a Human (and Use Getcorrelated’s Tools the Right Way)
Getcorrelated offers templates, snippets, and dynamic fields, but don’t let automation kill your voice. When you’re drafting, keep these in mind:
- Short beats long. Two to four sentences is plenty for the first touch.
- Ditch the fluff. Cut any line you wouldn’t say out loud.
- Use merge fields with care. Only pull in data that’s actually relevant (like a recent funding round, not just their city).
Example template:
Subject: Congrats on the Series B—quick question
Hi {{FirstName}},
Saw {{Company}} just closed your Series B—impressive in this market. I’ve worked with other SaaS teams post-raise to help them scale onboarding without burning out CS. Would it make sense to share some quick ideas?
Why this works:
- Mentions a real event
- Shows you know their world
- Offers value, not just a demo
What to ignore:
- Templates that sound like templates
- Over-engineered personalization (don’t say “I saw you like hiking” unless it’s 100% relevant)
5. Use Getcorrelated’s Personalization Features—But Don’t Overdo It
Getcorrelated lets you set up “if-this-then-that” logic, so you can tweak messaging based on job title, industry, or trigger events. This is handy, but only use it where it makes a difference.
Good uses: - Custom value props per role (e.g., “Heads of CS” hear about churn, “VPs of Sales” hear about pipeline) - Different follow-up timing if someone opens but doesn’t reply
Bad uses: - Overcomplicating your sequence with 12 different branches for hypothetical situations - Personalizing just for the sake of it—sometimes simpler is better
Pro Tip:
Test one or two variables at a time. If you try to personalize everything, you’ll just create a mess that’s impossible to troubleshoot.
6. Set Up Tracking, But Don’t Obsess Over Vanity Metrics
Getcorrelated gives you open rates, reply rates, and more. These are useful, but don’t chase numbers that don’t matter.
- What matters: Replies (real conversations), meetings booked, deals started
- What doesn’t: Open rates (they’re often skewed), click rates unless you’re sharing valuable content
If a sequence gets replies—even if the open rate is “just” 30%—that’s a win. Tweak based on real feedback, not just what looks nice on a dashboard.
7. Iterate Quickly—And Ruthlessly
The best outreach pros don’t get precious about their copy. They ship, learn, and tweak.
- Change one thing at a time (subject line, call to action, step timing)
- Don’t be afraid to kill a sequence that isn’t working
- Save what works as a template, but keep it fresh—stale templates stop working fast
What to ignore:
- “Best practices” that don’t fit your audience or offer
- Advice that says you need 15 touches to break through—focus on quality over quantity
8. Stay Out of the Spam Folder
You can have the best personalization in the world, but if your emails go to spam, it’s all wasted.
- Use a real reply-to address and signature
- Avoid “spammy” words (free, act now, etc.)
- Don’t send huge images or attachments
- Slowly ramp up sending volume if you’re using a new domain
Getcorrelated helps manage sending limits and monitors deliverability, but it’s still on you to keep things looking real.
Keep It Simple. Ship. Learn. Repeat.
There’s no magic sequence or hack that works forever. The best outreach is specific, respectful, and as personal as you can make it while still being efficient. Use Getcorrelated to take the busywork off your plate, but focus your energy on what really moves the needle: sharp messaging, the right prospects, and a sequence that respects their time.
Start simple. Track what’s working (and what’s not). Iterate. And above all, don’t let the tool—or the “best practice” hype—get in the way of just being human.