If you're tired of sending prospecting emails that get ignored, you're not alone. Most cold emails sound like they were written by a bot—and it’s painfully obvious to anyone reading. Personalizing your outreach is the only way to stand out, but who has time to research every prospect from scratch? This guide is for anyone who wants practical steps to use data from Voilanorbert to make prospecting emails actually worth reading (and replying to), without losing hours to research rabbit holes.
Why Bother Personalizing Prospecting Emails?
Let’s be honest: nobody likes getting templated, generic sales emails. You don’t. Your prospects don’t. Personalization is about showing you’ve done your homework, even just a little. It doesn’t mean writing someone a love letter. It means making it clear your email isn’t spam.
Done right, personalizing increases your odds of getting a real response—not just an unsubscribe. But not all “personalization” is equal. Swapping in someone’s first name isn’t enough. You need context: their company, role, pain points, and why you’re reaching out.
That’s where tools like Voilanorbert can help. But only if you use the data well.
Step 1: Get the Raw Data (Don’t Overthink It)
Before you can personalize anything, you need information about your prospects. Voilanorbert’s main job is finding and verifying email addresses, but it also pulls in company and role data. Here’s what you’ll typically get:
- Name (first and last)
- Company name
- Job title
- Email address
- Sometimes: company website, location, or LinkedIn profile
What’s useful?
Don’t get distracted by “enrichment” features that promise the world. All you really need to start is name, company, and job title. If you get more, great. But don’t wait for a full dossier—you’ll be waiting forever.
Pro Tip:
Export your Voilanorbert data as a CSV and open it in Google Sheets or Excel. It’s a lot easier to scan and organize.
Step 2: Group Prospects by What Actually Matters
Personalization doesn’t mean writing 100% unique emails for every person. That’s not scalable, and honestly, it’s overkill. Instead, group your prospects by factors that change how you’d talk to them. The most common (and useful) groupings:
- Industry or sector (e.g., SaaS startups, law firms, non-profits)
- Job function (e.g., sales, marketing, operations)
- Seniority (e.g., C-suite, manager, individual contributor)
- Company size (if you have it)
- Pain points (if you actually know them, not just guessing)
You can do this quickly in your spreadsheet by adding a new column for “Segment” and filling it in based on what you know.
Ignore:
Tiny details like “favorite sports team” or “recent tweet” are overrated for cold prospecting. Unless it’s wildly relevant, focus on business context.
Step 3: Write a Core Email Template for Each Group
Now, for each group, write a base email that addresses what matters to them. Don’t just fill in the blanks with “Hi [First Name], I see you work at [Company].” That’s not personalization—that’s Mad Libs.
Here’s what a good core template does:
- Speaks to the group’s real-world challenges (“As a marketing director at a SaaS startup, you probably...”)
- Talks about outcomes, not features
- Is short and to the point (3–5 sentences tops)
- Sounds like a human wrote it
Example (for SaaS Marketing Directors):
Hi Sarah,
Saw you lead marketing at AcmeSoft. Most SaaS teams I talk to are trying to squeeze more results out of paid ads without blowing the budget. I’ve helped a few in your space set up low-effort A/B tests that actually move the needle.
If you’re up for it, happy to share what worked for them—no pitch.
Notice what’s missing? No fake flattery. No “I hope this email finds you well.” Just relevance.
Step 4: Layer On Micro-Personalization
This is where the data from Voilanorbert can shine—if you use it right. For each email, add one genuine detail that shows you didn’t just blast everyone in Salesforce.
Quick ways to personalize using Voilanorbert data:
- Reference their exact job title (“As Head of Customer Success…”)
- Mention something specific about their company (if it’s in your data: “Congrats on the recent funding round at [Company]”)
- Tie your message to a role-specific pain point (“Most [Job Title]s I talk to mention X is a headache…”)
What to skip:
Don’t try to shoehorn in irrelevant trivia (“I see you’re based in Cleveland!”). If it feels forced, it reads as fake.
How to speed this up:
Draft “snippets” for each segment and paste them in. Or, use mail merge fields in your email tool to insert job titles, company names, etc.
Step 5: Clean Up Your Emails—Don’t Sound Like a Robot
Even with personalization, mass emails can still feel stiff. Before you hit send, check for:
- Weird formatting (common with mail merge)
- Placeholder mistakes (“Hi [FNAME],”)
- Overly formal language—ditch the “I hope this finds you well”
- Lengthy intros—get to the point by the second sentence
Read your email out loud. If you wouldn’t say it on the phone, don’t type it.
Pro Tip:
Send a test email to yourself. If you wouldn’t reply, your prospect probably won’t either.
Step 6: Set a Realistic Follow-Up Process
Most replies come after the second or third email, not the first. But don’t just resend the same message. For follow-ups:
- Reference the first email (“Just bumping this up in your inbox” is fine)
- Add a new tidbit or reason to connect (“Noticed your team is hiring in marketing…”)
- Keep it short—one or two sentences is enough
What to avoid:
Don’t guilt-trip or pester people. If you get no response after 2–3 tries, move on.
Step 7: Track What Works (and Drop What Doesn’t)
Personalization isn’t magic. Some segments will respond, others won’t. Track basic stats:
- Open rates (to see if your subject lines are working)
- Reply rates (the real measure)
- Which segments get the most replies
Don’t waste time perfecting emails for groups that never answer. Focus on where you see traction.
Tools:
You don’t need fancy analytics. A simple spreadsheet or your email tool’s built-in tracking is enough to start.
Quick Checklist: Personalizing Prospecting Emails with Voilanorbert
- [ ] Export prospect data (name, company, job title) from Voilanorbert
- [ ] Group prospects by what actually matters (role, industry, pain point)
- [ ] Write core templates for each group—keep it relevant and human
- [ ] Add one or two details per email (job title, company, real context)
- [ ] Check for robotic or awkward language
- [ ] Set up simple, non-annoying follow-ups
- [ ] Track results and adjust—don’t chase dead ends
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Personalizing prospecting emails isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of effort. Use tools like Voilanorbert to get the basics fast, focus your energy on groups that matter, and don’t get bogged down trying to craft the “perfect” email for every single person. The real-world approach? Start simple, keep it short, and tweak as you go. Your future self (and your reply rate) will thank you.