If you’ve ever cringed at a “Hi {First Name}” email, you know that mass outreach can feel cheap fast. But hand-writing every message isn’t possible if you want to reach more than a handful of people. This guide is for anyone who needs to send a bunch of emails—but still wants them to sound like a human wrote them. I’ll walk through how to actually personalize your outreach (without going nuts), using Theswarm templates as your tool of choice. If you sell, recruit, or just want people to write back, keep reading.
Why Most Outreach Sucks (and How to Avoid It)
Let’s not kid ourselves: most templated outreach is terrible. People can spot it a mile away. Usually, it’s because:
- The only “personalization” is a name or company field
- The message is generic and boring
- There’s no sign anyone actually knows or cares about the recipient
But personalizing every message by hand doesn’t scale. The goal is to strike a balance: make messages feel personal, but don’t kill yourself on manual work. Theswarm’s templates claim to help, but—spoiler—they’re only as good as the effort you put in.
Before you dive into tools, make sure you’re clear on one thing: who you’re reaching out to, and what they care about. If you can’t answer that, no template will save you.
Step 1: Get Your List Right (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
Personalization starts with your list, not your template. If your list is a random grab-bag, your messages will sound random too. Here’s what matters:
- Segmentation: Group people by something meaningful—industry, job title, recent event (like a funding round), or shared interest. The tighter your segments, the easier it is to personalize.
- Research: For high-value prospects, invest in a bit of research. LinkedIn, company blogs, and recent news can give you details to mention.
- Data Hygiene: Clean up your CSV or CRM export. Make sure fields like “First Name,” “Company,” and “Recent News” aren’t garbage or blank.
Pro tip: If your data is messy, fix it now. No amount of template magic can make up for calling someone “{First Name}” because you had missing data.
Step 2: Build a Template That Doesn’t Sound Like a Template
Theswarm templates let you use variables (like {First Name} or {Pain Point}), but the trick is to use them in ways that sound natural. Here’s how:
- Start with a strong base: Write a message you’d actually send to one person. Then, look for spots where you can swap in variables.
- Go beyond “Hi {First Name}”: Try referencing a recent post, a shared connection, or a specific detail about their work.
- Conditional logic: Theswarm lets you show or hide lines based on the data. For example, “Congrats on the funding!” only shows up if there was recent funding.
- Keep it short: The more you ramble, the more obvious it is that you’re using a template.
Example (bad):
Hi {First Name},
I saw you work at {Company}. We help companies like {Company}...
Best, Your Name
Example (better):
Hi {First Name},
Saw your team at {Company} just launched {Product}—congrats! Noticed you mentioned {Topic} in your recent blog. I work with folks tackling {Pain Point}, so thought I’d reach out.
If this isn’t useful, feel free to ignore. Either way, keep up the good work.
Best, Your Name
See the difference? The second one actually feels like a person wrote it (at least, if the variables are filled with real details).
Step 3: Set Up Your Theswarm Template
Now for the nuts and bolts. In Theswarm, you’ll create a new template and insert variables where you want personalized info to go.
How to do it:
- Open Theswarm and start a new template.
- Write your message. Use curly braces for variables, like
{First Name},{Industry},{Recent News}. - Add conditional sections: For example, only include a line about “recent news” if that field isn’t blank.
- Preview with real data: Theswarm lets you preview your message with actual row data. Always do this—typos and weird formatting stand out fast.
- Test with edge cases: What happens if a field is blank, or has weird formatting? Tweak your template so it doesn’t spit out “Hi ,” or “Saw you at .”
Pro tip: Don’t overdo the variables. Two or three well-placed details are better than stuffing every line with a field.
Step 4: Feed Theswarm Good Data (Garbage In, Garbage Out)
Templates are only as good as the data you feed them. Here’s how to set up your data sheet:
- Columns for each variable: Make sure your CSV has columns for every variable you use in Theswarm.
- No blank fields: If you don’t have a detail for everyone, use conditional logic or fallback text (e.g., “your recent project” if “{Product}” is blank).
- Check for weirdness: Names in ALL CAPS? Extra spaces? Fix it now, or your emails will look sloppy.
Pro tip: If you want to add a personal touch for your top 10%, hand-edit those rows in your CSV. The rest can run on autopilot.
Step 5: Review, Test, and Send (But Don’t Spam)
Before you blast out 1,000 emails, slow down. Here’s what to check:
- Preview every segment: Make sure messages look right for different groups.
- Send test emails to yourself: You’ll catch awkward phrasing or formatting glitches.
- Avoid spam triggers: Don’t use all caps, too many links, or cheesy sales language.
- Pace your sends: Theswarm can batch emails, but resist the urge to send everything at once. Sudden spikes get you flagged, and it’s better to spot issues early.
What to ignore: Don’t get hung up on making every message 100% unique. If your segments are tight and your variables are meaningful, 80% personalized is plenty.
What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t)
Works: - Tight segmentation and real human details - Conditional logic to make messages feel truly personal - Short, friendly messages that don’t oversell
Doesn’t Work: - Relying on just {First Name} and {Company} - Sending to a giant, random list - Pretending to know someone when you don’t (people can smell fake)
Ignore: - Over-engineering with too many variables - Fancy formatting or images (these often hurt deliverability) - Hype about “AI-powered personalization” unless you vet it yourself
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
Personalizing outreach at scale isn’t magic—it’s just thoughtful prep, a good template, and some common sense. Start with a real message, add smart variables, and keep your data clean. Don’t chase perfection or get lost in features you don’t need. Send, learn, tweak, repeat.
Most importantly: if you wouldn’t reply to your own message, fix it before you send.