If you’re tired of sales outreach that gets ignored or stuck in spam, you’re not alone. “Personalization” gets tossed around a lot, but most B2B emails still sound like they’re written by robots. If you want to actually get responses—and not just tick a box—here’s a real-world guide to building a personalized sales sequence in Rhetora. This is for B2B sales teams, founders, and anyone who wants more than just “Hi {FirstName}” and a prayer.
No fluff, no magic hacks—just step-by-step instructions and honest advice on what works (and what’s a waste of time).
Step 1: Get Clear on Who You’re Reaching (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even log in to Rhetora, take a breath. The best platform in the world won’t help you if you’re blasting the wrong people, or everyone at once.
What to do: - Define your ideal customer profile (ICP). Not “anyone with a LinkedIn account.” Be specific about industry, company size, role, pain points. - Make a list of actual accounts or people you want to target. - Find out what matters to them. Recent funding? Hiring sprees? Outdated tech? The more concrete, the better.
Pro Tip:
Don’t overcomplicate segmentation. Start with one or two clear variables (e.g., SaaS CMOs at companies with 50–200 employees). You can always add more later.
Step 2: Map Out Your Sequence Before Writing a Word
Tools like Rhetora make it easy to jump straight into templates. Resist the urge. A good sequence isn’t just a bunch of emails—it’s a conversation broken into parts.
How to plan your sequence: - Decide on the number of steps (usually 4–7 for B2B). More than 7 and you’re probably annoying people. - Mix up your channels: start with email, but consider adding LinkedIn, calls, or even video. - Outline the purpose of each touch. For example: - Step 1: Get their attention (first email) - Step 2: Show you’ve done your homework (LinkedIn message) - Step 3: Follow up with a relevant resource - Step 4: Try a short, direct call or voicemail
What doesn’t work:
Just sending the same “checking in” email three times. If you don’t add value, you’re just spamming.
Step 3: Personalize—But Don’t Waste Hours on It
Here’s the reality: “Personalization” doesn’t mean writing a novel about every prospect’s dog. Focus on what actually moves the needle.
How Rhetora helps: - Rhetora lets you pull in dynamic fields (like {FirstName}, {CompanyName}, {RecentNews}), but don’t stop there. - You can set up conditional logic—so people in different industries or roles get different talking points. - Upload your research (e.g., recent press, LinkedIn snippets) as custom fields for each prospect.
What to personalize: - The opening 1–2 lines. Reference something specific about their company or role. - The “why you” part—why are you reaching out to them, not just anyone? - Subject lines—keep them short, specific, and not “salesy.”
What not to personalize: - Don’t fake it. If you’re just copying a sentence from their About page, they’ll know. - Don’t spend 30 minutes on each email. Find a balance—aim for relevant, not exhaustive.
Example:
Bad: “I see you’re a leader in innovation!”
Better: “Saw Acme just rolled out a new onboarding flow—bet that took some wrangling.”
Step 4: Build Your Sequence in Rhetora
Now, log in to Rhetora and start building. Here’s how to avoid the most common pitfalls.
a. Set Up Your Sequence
- Create a new sequence and name it clearly (e.g., “June 2024 SaaS CMO Outreach”).
- Import your prospect list—make sure your CSV includes any custom fields you want to use.
- Map your columns to Rhetora’s fields. Don’t skip this or your emails will look weird.
b. Write (or Edit) Each Step
- Use Rhetora’s templates as a starting point, not a crutch.
- For each step:
- Write like a human. If you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t write it.
- Use your custom fields where relevant.
- Aim for 2–4 short paragraphs, max.
- End with a real call to action (“Is this a priority for you this quarter?” beats “Let me know your thoughts.”)
c. Adjust Timing and Channels
- Space your steps 2–4 days apart. Nobody wants a barrage.
- If you’re using multi-channel (email, LinkedIn, calls), Rhetora can help you automate or remind you when to reach out.
- Don’t be afraid to drop people from the sequence if they’re not a fit. Quality > quantity.
What to ignore:
- Fancy graphics or HTML-heavy emails. Simple, plain-text emails get better deliverability and feel more personal.
- Overpromising. Don’t say “I’ll double your revenue” unless you actually can.
Step 5: Test, Send, and Watch for Red Flags
You’re not done just because you hit “launch.”
What to check before you send: - Send test emails to yourself and a colleague. Look for broken merge fields, weird formatting, or subject lines that scream “template.” - Double-check your custom data. If your intro references the wrong company, you’re toast.
After sending: - Watch your open, reply, and bounce rates. Rhetora gives you these stats, but don’t obsess over vanity metrics—replies and meetings booked matter most. - If no one replies to Step 1, tweak and try again. Don’t just keep adding more steps.
What doesn’t work:
- “Set it and forget it.” Sequences need tuning, especially early on.
- Panicking over unsubscribes. Some people will always say no—move on.
Step 6: Learn and Iterate (Without Overthinking It)
The beauty of sales sequences is that you can always adjust them. The downside: it’s easy to overcomplicate things and get stuck in “tweaking” mode forever.
How to keep it simple: - Set a schedule to review your sequence results every week or two. - Change one thing at a time (subject line, intro, CTA) and see what actually improves. - Save what works, ditch what doesn’t. Don’t be sentimental about your copy.
Pro Tip:
Share your results with your team—what’s working, what’s flopping. Everyone gets better, faster.
Honest Advice: What Matters (and What Doesn’t)
Focus on: - Relevance over volume. Ten tailored emails beat a hundred generic ones. - Clear, honest messaging. If you can’t explain your value in two sentences, go back to the drawing board. - Adapting. Don’t get attached to your first draft.
Don’t stress about: - Fancy automation features you won’t use. - Hitting some mythical “personalization at scale” goal. Start small and improve.
Keep It Simple, Ship It, and Improve
Getting more B2B engagement isn’t about tricking people or using the latest AI buzzword. It’s about reaching the right people, saying something worth their time, and following up like a human. Rhetora gives you helpful tools, but it can’t do the thinking for you.
Pick one target segment, write a sequence that sounds like you, and put it to the test. Iterate based on what actually gets replies. That’s how you build a sales sequence that doesn’t suck—and gets real results.