If you’re sending a lot of outbound messages—cold email, LinkedIn, whatever—personalization is the one thing that actually moves the needle. Problem is, doing it well at scale usually means a bunch of manual work, or you wind up with those cringe-inducing “Hi {FirstName}” emails that fool exactly no one.
If you’re using Getlancey, you’ve already got a solid outbound platform built for volume. This guide is for founders, marketers, and sales teams who want to add personalization that doesn’t suck, without bogging down your workflow.
Let’s walk through how to do this—step by honest step.
1. Get Clear On What Real Personalization Looks Like
Before you touch a tool, be honest: most “personalization” is just lazy mail-merge. It’s not going to help your reply rates. Here’s what actually works:
- Referencing something specific — company news, tech stack, recent funding, or a problem they’re likely to have.
- Sounding like a real person — not a robot with a spreadsheet.
- Not overdoing it — one or two sharp details beat a wall of forced flattery.
What to ignore:
- Automated “fun facts” nobody cares about (“I see you like hiking!”).
- Fake urgency or “we help companies just like yours” filler.
If you’re not prepared to add some human touch, you might as well just send a newsletter.
2. Prep Your Data: Garbage In, Garbage Out
Getlancey’s power is only as good as your input. If your lead data is messy or too generic, all the templates in the world won’t save you.
Do this: - Start with a clean CSV or connect your CRM. Make sure you have useful fields: company, role, LinkedIn, industry, maybe recent news. - Add custom fields that make sense for your audience. If you sell to SaaS founders, maybe a “Notable Milestone” field. If it’s e-commerce, “Platform Used” or “Growth Signal.”
Pro tip:
Don’t go nuts with 20 fields. Two or three high-signal details are easier to keep updated and actually use.
3. Build Templates That Don’t Smell Like Templates
Here’s where most folks fall down. If your template looks like it was written for “Dear {FirstName},” people will spot it from a mile away.
How to make a decent template in Getlancey:
- Write like you talk. Ditch the formalities. Short, punchy sentences work best.
- Use merge tags sparingly. Only where it adds real value, not just to check a box.
- Add fallback values. Getlancey lets you set defaults for missing data. Use them, but keep it generic and harmless (“your team” instead of “Acme Corp” if the company name is missing).
- Test with real data. Preview your template with actual leads to see if it passes the sniff test.
Example (bad):
Hi {FirstName},
I noticed you’re the {Title} at {Company}. I wanted to connect.
Example (good):
Hey {FirstName},
Saw {Company} just rolled out a new feature—curious how you handled the launch. Got a quick question if you have a sec.
What to ignore:
- Overly clever personalization (“I see you went to Ohio State. Go Buckeyes!”) unless it’s truly relevant.
- Gimmicky emojis or jokes—unless that’s your brand.
4. Use Getlancey’s Personalization Features (But Don’t Let Them Do All the Work)
Getlancey’s main draw is that you can personalize at scale without losing your mind. Here’s what’s worth using:
Dynamic Fields
- Plug in data like role, company, recent news, etc.
- Set fallback values for gaps (see above).
- Don’t try to force every field—if you don’t have a solid detail, skip it.
Custom Snippets
- For high-value leads, write a quick custom note (“Saw your AMA on Reddit—really sharp.”) and drop it into a custom field.
- Use this for your top 10-20% of prospects, not everyone.
Sequencing
- Build multi-step campaigns, but keep each step short and relevant.
- If you’re doing a follow-up, reference your earlier message or something fresh—don’t just resend the same pitch.
What to skip:
- Automated “icebreakers” that scrape generic info (“Congrats on your work anniversary!”). These rarely work and just clutter your message.
5. Layer In Semi-Automation (The Right Way)
You can use tools and scripts to gather data, but don’t trust them to do all the thinking for you.
- Use enrichment tools (like Apollo, Clay, or Clearbit) to fill in basic fields. Great for roles, company size, tech stack.
- For high-priority leads, do a manual pass. It takes 30 seconds to scan LinkedIn or Crunchbase for something actually interesting.
Pro tip:
Assign SDRs or interns the job of adding one “real” insight per high-value lead. This is the stuff that consistently gets replies.
6. Preview Everything—Then Send Small Batches
The fastest way to ruin your sender reputation? Blasting out 1,000 emails with busted merge tags or awkward intros.
- Preview every campaign in Getlancey. Look for weird formatting, off-kilter intros, or missing personalization.
- Send to yourself first. If you wouldn’t reply to it, fix it.
- Start with small batches. If you’re trying a new template, send to 20-30 leads and see what happens. Only scale up if replies aren’t cringeworthy.
What to skip:
- Sending huge lists without a dry run.
- Trusting “AI copy” to write your messages without editing. It’ll sound generic, or worse.
7. Track Responses—And Iterate
Personalization isn’t “set it and forget it.” Your best guess may not work. The good news: Getlancey tracks replies and metrics out of the box.
- Watch your reply rates, not just opens. Personalization should drive conversations, not just clicks.
- Review positive and negative replies. If people are annoyed, your “personalization” probably feels fake.
- Keep a swipe file of what actually gets responses. Copy and adapt your winners.
Pro tip:
Delete templates that bomb. Don’t get attached.
8. What Actually Matters (and What Doesn’t)
If you take nothing else from this, remember:
- One real, relevant detail beats a dozen mail-merge fields.
- Don’t overthink it. You’re not writing a novel—just a real message to a real person.
- You can’t automate trust. The goal is to sound human, not “scalable.”
Most of the flashy personalization tools out there? They’re just lipstick on a pig if your message isn’t honest and relevant. Keep it simple, keep it sharp, and don’t be afraid to iterate.
Take a breath. Start small. Personalize where it counts. Your future self (and your reply rates) will thank you.