Step by step guide to personalizing cold email campaigns in Lemlist for better engagement

If you’re tired of sending cold emails that get ignored, you’re not alone. Most people delete generic sales pitches before they even finish reading the subject line. This guide is for anyone who wants to use Lemlist to make their cold emails feel like they were written for a real person—because that’s what actually gets replies.

Let’s skip the hype and get into the nuts and bolts of personalizing cold emails in Lemlist, step by step.

1. Get Your List Right (Don’t Skip This)

Before you even open Lemlist, your results are already determined by how you build your list. Personalization starts here.

  • Only email people who fit your offer. No tool can fix a bad list. If your product isn’t relevant, no amount of clever merge tags will help.
  • Collect more than just names and emails. The more context you have (job title, company, recent news, mutual interests, LinkedIn activity), the better your personalization options.
  • Don’t get hung up on volume. Quality trumps quantity. A smaller, tightly focused list will almost always beat a giant, random one.

Pro tip: Most “data providers” promise the moon and deliver outdated info. Double-check your list or build it yourself if you’re serious about results.

2. Import and Organize Your Data in Lemlist

Once your list is ready, upload it to Lemlist. Here’s how to do it so you can actually use that intel:

  • Use Lemlist’s CSV import. Make sure your spreadsheet has columns for anything you might want to personalize: First Name, Company, Job Title, Custom Note, etc.
  • Map your columns carefully. This is where you connect your spreadsheet data to Lemlist’s variables. If you skip this or do it wrong, your emails will sound robotic—or worse, you’ll send “Hi {{FirstName}},” to someone.
  • Double-check for missing data. If some rows are missing key info, either fill it in or create a backup message for those cases. Blank merge tags are the fastest way to look like a spammer.

3. Write Actually-Personalized Email Templates

Here’s the truth: “Hi {{FirstName}}, I saw you work at {{Company}}” is personalization in name only. It’s lazy, and everyone knows it. Instead:

  • Reference something specific. Did they just get promoted? Did their company launch a new product? Drop that in.
  • Use Lemlist’s custom variables. For example, {{CustomNote}} for a line you wrote just for them.
  • Keep it short. No one reads long cold emails. Aim for 3-5 sentences, tops.

Example template:

Subject: Quick question about {{Company}}’s product launch

Hi {{FirstName}},

Noticed your team just rolled out {{ProductName}}—congrats! Curious if you’re open to chatting about how other SaaS teams are handling [problem you solve].

If not, no worries. I’ll stop pestering you after this.

Cheers,
[Your Name]

What works: - Short, specific, and human. - Makes it clear you did your homework.

What doesn’t: - Overusing variables to the point of awkwardness. - Relying only on “first name” and “company”—that’s table stakes.

4. Use Lemlist’s Dynamic Images and Videos (If They Add Value)

Lemlist is known for its dynamic images and videos—think: a coffee mug with the recipient’s name on it, or a “custom” video thumbnail. These can work, but only if they’re not cheesy.

  • Dynamic images: Use for fun follow-ups (“Spotted: {{FirstName}} at the top of my to-email list!”), but don’t overdo it.
  • Personalized video: Record a quick intro and use Lemlist’s dynamic video feature to add their name or logo. Only do this for top targets—it’s not worth the time for everyone.

Honest take: These features get more attention, but they won’t save a bad pitch. If your message is spammy, a personalized meme just makes it more obvious you’re automating.

5. Set Up Conditional Logic for “If/Else” Personalization

Lemlist lets you use conditional logic—basically, “if this, then that”—to make your emails more relevant without writing dozens of templates.

  • Example: If you have a Job Title field, you can insert a different sentence for CTOs vs. Marketing Managers.
  • How to do it: Use Lemlist’s conditional syntax:

{% if JobTitle == "CTO" %} I thought this might help with your tech roadmap. {% else %} I thought this might help your team hit their goals. {% endif %}

  • When to use: If your list has varied roles or industries, this keeps messages feeling custom.

Watch out for: Overcomplicating things. If you’re spending hours writing logic trees, your list is probably too broad.

6. Test, Test, Test (But Don’t Overthink It)

You can preview your emails in Lemlist. Always do this before hitting send.

  • Send test emails to yourself. Make sure variables work, images render, and nothing looks broken.
  • Check for awkward phrasings. Sometimes merge tags make things weird: “Hi Dr. John,” vs. “Hi John,”
  • Look out for fallback text. Add a default (“there”) for missing fields: {{FirstName|there}}

Pro tip: The best test is to send to a colleague and ask, “Would you reply to this?” Brutal honesty beats analytics dashboards.

7. Set Up Follow-Ups (Don’t Sound Like a Robot)

Most replies come after a follow-up or two. Lemlist lets you automate this, but don’t just resend the same email.

  • Write new copy for each follow-up. Reference your last note, add value, or simply check in.
  • Keep it conversational. “Just bumping this up” is fine once. After that, try something like:
  • “Totally understand if now’s not a fit—just wanted to check in.”
  • “If you’re not the right person, can you point me in the right direction?”
  • Limit follow-ups. Two or three is enough. More than that and you’re just annoying.

8. Review Your Results Honestly (And Iterate)

After a week or two, look at your open, reply, and positive response rates. Here’s what actually matters:

  • Don’t obsess over open rates. With all the privacy changes, opens don’t mean much.
  • Focus on replies and booked meetings. That’s what counts.
  • Tweak one thing at a time. Change your subject, intro sentence, or call to action—then see what happens.
  • Ditch what doesn’t work. If a variable or image is flopping, cut it. You’re not married to any tactic.

What to Skip (Seriously, Don’t Bother)

  • Overly complex automations. If you need a flowchart to explain your sequence, it’s too much.
  • Fake personalization. “Saw you’re crushing it at {{Company}}!”—no one buys it.
  • Sending to huge, untargeted lists. You’ll get flagged as spam, or just waste your time.

Quick Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Stay Human

Personalizing cold emails in Lemlist isn’t about using every trick in the book—it’s about making real people feel like you wrote a message just for them. Start with a solid list, write like a human, and use Lemlist’s features to add a personal touch (not a gimmick). Test, tweak, and don’t get discouraged if your first batch flops. The best results come from small improvements, week after week.

Now go write an email you’d actually reply to. That’s the real “secret” to better engagement.