If you send B2B outreach emails, you already know that generic messages go straight to the trash. But “personalization” is a buzzword that gets thrown around without much substance. This guide is for sales reps, founders, and marketers who want to use Reply to send better, more personal emails—without spending hours manually tweaking every single one.
Let’s cut through the fluff. Here’s how to actually personalize your outreach and get more replies (pun intended).
1. Start With a Good List (Don’t Skip This)
Personalization starts before you even write a word. If your list is bad, no tool or tactic will save you.
What works: - Target people who actually need what you sell. Obvious, but ignored all the time. - Collect data that matters: first name, company, job title, industry, recent news, etc. - Ditch the scraped lists full of random titles or irrelevant companies.
What doesn’t: - Relying on just “First Name” and “Company” for mail merges. Everyone does that, and it shows. - Sending to catch-all email addresses (info@, sales@, etc.). Your open rates will tank.
Pro tip: If you can’t find at least one real reason to reach out, don’t put them on the list.
2. Use Reply’s Merge Fields… But Go Beyond the Basics
Reply lets you insert merge fields like {{FirstName}} and {{Company}}. That’s table stakes. The trick is to dig deeper.
How to do this in Reply:
- In your sequence, use custom fields—Reply lets you upload extra columns in your CSV, like “Recent News” or “Pain Point.”
- In your templates, add those fields: {{PainPoint}}, {{RecentNews}}, etc.
Examples: - Instead of “I help companies like {{Company}},” try “Saw {{Company}} just raised a Series B—congrats!” - Mention a product launch, a mutual connection, or something specific from their LinkedIn.
What to ignore: - Fluffy “I loved your recent blog post” lines, unless you actually did. People can spot fake flattery a mile away.
3. Keep It Short—Personalization Isn’t About Writing a Novel
You don’t need to write someone’s life story. In fact, the best-personalized emails are brief and to the point.
What works: - Reference one specific detail. That’s usually enough to prove you’re not blasting everyone. - Ask a relevant question tied to that detail. Example: “Saw you use Salesforce—how are you handling [pain point]?”
What doesn’t: - Overdoing it. Listing three facts you scraped from LinkedIn just feels creepy or forced. - Making the whole email about them without a clear reason for your message.
Pro tip: If you can’t say it in 4-5 sentences, you’re probably losing them.
4. Set Up Conditional Logic (Smart, Not Spammy)
Reply lets you use conditional logic in your templates. It’s a way to tweak sections of your email based on your data—so you can get more personal without writing dozens of versions.
How to use it: - Example: If you have a “UseCase” field, you can write:
{{#if UseCase=="Hiring"}}I noticed you’re expanding your team—are you looking for better ways to onboard?{{/if}} {{#if UseCase=="Sales"}}Saw your sales team is growing—how are you scaling training?{{/if}}
- This works well if you segment your data decently up front.
What to ignore: - Using conditional logic just to swap out buzzwords. It’s only useful if the rest of the email makes sense.
Pro tip: If you find yourself writing complex logic to cover every possible scenario, your segments are probably too broad. Split them up.
5. Personalize the Subject Line—But Don’t Get Cute
Subject lines matter, but personalization here is a double-edged sword. People have seen every trick in the book.
What works: - Reference the company or a relevant detail: “Quick question for {{Company}}” or “Congrats on the launch, {{FirstName}}” - Keep it natural. If you wouldn’t say it to a real person, don’t use it.
What doesn’t: - Using gimmicks like “{{FirstName}}, can you help me?” or “Re: your business”—they scream spam. - Overpromising: “Saw your company, had to reach out!” (But you didn’t say why.)
Pro tip: Test your subject lines, but don’t obsess. If your email body is solid, the subject line just needs to get them to open, not win an award.
6. Automate the Repetitive Stuff, Personalize What Matters
Don’t waste time on things no one cares about. Use Reply’s automation for the basics, but take a minute to add a real detail for your top prospects.
How to do this: - Set up an automated sequence for most prospects, with merge fields for the basics. - For your top 10-20%, pause before sending and add one custom line. Reply makes it easy to edit individual emails in the sequence before they go out.
What works: - A quick LinkedIn scan for big accounts—add a line about a recent post, a mutual connection, or company news. - For everyone else, make sure your data is solid so the merge fields fill in correctly.
What doesn’t: - Personalizing every email by hand unless your list is tiny. It’s just not realistic.
Pro tip: Spend your effort where it’ll count. Not all leads are created equal.
7. Test and Track—But Don’t Chase Vanity Metrics
Reply gives you open, click, and reply rates. Use these, but don’t get obsessed with tiny tweaks.
What to watch: - If your open rate is below 30%, your subject or sender is off. - If your reply rate is below 2%, your targeting or message isn’t landing.
What not to worry about: - Minor differences in open rates between subject lines. Focus on replies and booked meetings. - Tracking links if you’re just starting. Extra links can trigger spam filters. Keep it simple.
Pro tip: Every audience is different. Try two versions, see what works, and move on.
8. Respect the Line Between Personal and Creepy
Not every detail belongs in an email. Just because you can find it, doesn’t mean you should use it.
What works: - Company milestones, recent funding, shared connections, or tech stack. - Industry news or challenges you honestly understand.
What doesn’t: - Mentioning someone’s recent vacation photos or their kid’s soccer game from Facebook. Seriously. - Overly familiar language with someone you’ve never met.
Pro tip: If it would make you roll your eyes as a recipient, don’t write it.
Quick Template: A Solid, Personalized Outreach Email
Here’s a format that balances automation and real personalization:
Subject: Quick question for {{Company}}
Hi {{FirstName}},
Saw {{Company}} recently {{RecentNews}}—congrats! I’m reaching out because we help {{Industry}} teams like yours with {{PainPoint}}.
Curious if you’re open to a quick call to see if this could help {{Company}}. If not, no worries—just figured I’d ask.
Best,
[Your Name]
- Swap out the custom fields as needed.
- For top prospects, add one specific line after the intro.
Bottom Line: Keep It Real, Keep It Simple
Personalization isn’t about writing poetry or tricking people. It’s about showing you did your homework and treating the recipient like an actual human. Use Reply for the heavy lifting, but don’t fall for the hype that says you need to personalize every pixel.
Start simple, send a few test batches, and tweak as you go. The best outreach is the one you actually send—and that gets real replies.