Cold emailing is a grind. Copy-paste messages don’t cut it anymore—people can spot a generic pitch from a mile away. If you’re using cold outreach for sales, recruiting, or partnerships, you need replies, not just opens. That’s where personalizing your cold email templates in Bettercontact comes in.
This guide is for anyone who’s tired of sending generic emails that get ignored. Whether you’re new to cold outreach or just want to squeeze more results out of your campaigns, you’ll get a no-nonsense walkthrough on making your emails feel like they were written just for the reader (without burning hours of your day).
Why Most Cold Email Templates Flop
Let’s be honest: ninety percent of cold emails are boring, irrelevant, or just plain lazy. Here’s what doesn’t work:
- Generic intros: “Hope this email finds you well…” (Translation: I don’t know who you are.)
- Irrelevant offers: Blasting the same pitch to everyone, hoping something sticks.
- Fake personalization: “I saw you work at {Company}”—with nothing else relevant to back it up.
Real personalization isn’t about plugging in a first name. It’s about showing you’ve done enough homework to make your message worth someone’s time.
The Right Way to Personalize Cold Emails in Bettercontact
Ready to get actual replies? Here’s how to make your cold emails stand out using Bettercontact’s features—without getting buried in manual work.
Step 1: Start With a Solid (But Flexible) Template
You need a base template that’s easy to tweak. The trick is to balance structure (so you’re not writing from scratch every time) and room for personalization.
What to include: - A clear subject line (not clickbait) - A quick, relevant intro - The value prop—why they should care - A specific ask - A simple sign-off
What to avoid: - Long-winded intros - Jargon or buzzwords - “We’re the best” claims—people tune these out
Pro tip: Don’t try to be witty if it’s not your style. Being clear beats being clever.
Step 2: Identify What Actually Matters to Your Audience
Before you even open Bettercontact, figure out what your recipients care about. This isn’t about stalking LinkedIn for hours. Look for patterns:
- Industry pain points
- Recent company news (funding, product launches, hiring)
- Shared connections or communities
- Specific tools or platforms they use
A single relevant detail can make your email feel custom-built.
Step 3: Create and Organize Custom Fields in Bettercontact
Bettercontact lets you use dynamic fields (a.k.a. merge tags) to slot in personalized info. But most folks just upload “First Name” and “Company.” You can do better.
How to set it up: 1. Decide on custom fields you’ll use for real personalization. Examples: - “Recent Project” - “Mutual Connection” - “Pain Point” - “Favorite Tool” 2. Add these fields to your contact list spreadsheet before uploading. 3. Import your list into Bettercontact, mapping your columns to custom fields. 4. Double-check for typos and blanks—nothing kills credibility like “I loved your recent work on {Recent Project}.”
What to ignore: Don’t create a field for every tiny detail. Stick to info that actually helps your pitch land.
Step 4: Build Your Template With Merge Tags (But Don’t Overdo It)
When editing your email in Bettercontact, use merge tags for the custom fields you set up. This way, each email pulls in unique info for the recipient.
Example:
Hi {First Name},
Saw your recent work on {Recent Project}—really impressive. I help companies like {Company} streamline {Pain Point} with {Your Solution}...
Would you be open to a quick call next week?
What works: - Personalized first lines: Reference their project, blog, or company news. - Relevant value props: Tie your offer to their situation.
What doesn’t: - Stuffing every sentence with a merge tag. It gets weird and robotic.
Pro tip: Always preview a few emails before sending. If anything looks off or impersonal, fix it.
Step 5: Personalize at Scale—But Know When to Go Manual
Bettercontact is built for automation, but sometimes you need to go the extra mile. For high-value prospects, edit their emails one by one:
- Edit the intro to mention something ultra-specific (like a recent podcast they were on).
- Tailor your ask based on what you genuinely think they’ll respond to.
When it’s worth it: - Big accounts or dream clients - Influencers or connectors - Anyone who could move the needle for your business
When to skip it: Low-priority leads or huge bulk lists. There’s no shame in using “lite” personalization here.
Step 6: Test, Track, and Tweak
No template is perfect out of the gate. Use Bettercontact’s analytics to see what’s working:
- Open rates: Did your subject line resonate?
- Reply rates: Are people actually engaging?
- A/B tests: Try slight variations—intro lines, CTAs, value props.
What to watch for: - High open, low reply = Subject works, body needs help - Low open = Subject or sender name isn’t getting attention
Cut what’s not working. Double down on what gets replies.
What Actually Moves the Needle (And What’s Overhyped)
Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s what consistently helps:
- A real reason for reaching out: Even one line of genuine context beats a wall of generic text.
- Brevity: Busy people don’t read essays from strangers.
- A clear next step: Don’t make them guess what you want.
What doesn’t matter as much as people say:
- Fancy HTML or templates—plain text often works better.
- “Hyper-personalization” at the expense of your own time.
- Over-engineered sequences with 10+ follow-ups. Two or three is plenty.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink
Personalizing cold emails in Bettercontact isn’t rocket science. Get your basics right: a solid template, a few meaningful custom fields, and a genuine reason to reach out. Start small, see what works, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s getting real replies from real people.
Cut the fluff, focus on what matters, and just keep sending. You’ll get better (and so will your results).