Importance of Personalization

How many times have you logged on to Linkedin and found yet another email that starts with: "Hey [First Name]," followed by a generic pitch that does not concern your interests or needs. Sound familiar? We've all been there. And it's frustrating. As a fractional CMO/Consultant, I've seen this happen repeatedly. Businesses think they're doing personalization right but need to do better. It's not enough to use someone's name or company. 👉🏾 True personalization is about understanding their challenges, goals, and needs. For example, on LinkedIn, scroll through their feed and see what they post, talk about, like, and comment on. This helps as a starting ground on how to approach them and what to discuss. So, instead of sending a LinkedIn message that says: "I'd love to connect and learn more about your business," try something like: "I noticed you're working on [specific project]. I have some ideas on how you could [achieve a specific goal]. Would you be open to a quick chat?" See the difference? It's not just about being personal; it's about being relevant. And when you're relevant, you're not annoying — you're helpful. 👉🏾 So, think about this the next time you craft a personalized outreach campaign. →"Would I find this message valuable? →Does it address my specific needs and interests?" If the answer is no, it's time to return to the drawing board. 👉🏾 Also, tools like Crystal Knows help you fine-tune your message and tone when reaching out to maximize the impact of every conversation. Let's aim for genuinely helpful messages, not just another annoyance in their inbox. What do you think about personalized outreach? #b2bmarketing #demandgeneration #leadgeneration #ABM

Tired of generic LinkedIn messages filling your inbox? Brex just set the bar higher with their Champagne Campaign 🥂— and it’s not about cold outreach, it’s about thoughtfulness and results. Most days, my inbox 📩 is flooded with cold, non-personalised LinkedIn messages. Sure, some of these may convert, but they lack connection. Compare this with what Brex did—an ABM campaign that targeted the right audience, at the right time, and made a real impact. In 2018, Brex was a small team with 30 employees and no customers. Instead of blasting out messages, they targeted 300 startups that had recently raised funding. They didn’t stop there—each of these startups received a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne 🍾 with a handwritten note 🗒 from Brex’s CEO and a personalised followup email a week later to ask for a demo. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭? A 75% demo booking rate. Of those demos, 75% converted to customers. Net result - 169 new clients from just 300 prospects. All of this with a campaign spend of only $19,000. This approach worked because it’s intentional and personal — Brex took the time to target companies who were at the perfect moment to need their product and followed up with a thoughtful touch. It’s a far cry from the mass outbound methods so many agencies push, which often fail to create meaningful connections. 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲: Outbound works—but it works better when it’s personal. Stop sending generic messages and start crafting thoughtful, targeted campaigns that create real results. Have you tried personalised outreach in your campaigns? Let’s connect and talk about how ABM can transform your sales approach. #OutboundSales #ABM #PersonalisedMarketing #LeadGeneration #MarketingStrategy #BusinessGrowth #SalesTactics #MarketingROI

Outbound isn’t dead. Old-school outbound is. In B2B today, success doesn’t come from sending more emails or making more calls. It comes from knowing when to engage — and why. 👉 Signals beat sequences 👉 Timing beats volume 👉 Intent + AI beats lead lists Why? → 70% of B2B buyers do deep research before ever speaking to sales (Forrester). → Cold calls convert at just 2.3% — unless hyper-targeted, they kill ROI. → WhatsApp and SMS open rates hit 98%, but mistimed outreach burns trust instantly. Here’s what works in 2025: 1️⃣ Layering 3 types of signals: → Public: job postings, funding rounds, PR announcements. → 3rd-party intent: Bombora, 6sense, ZoomInfo. → 1st-party: pricing page visits, product downloads, high-intent behaviors. 2️⃣ AI-led prioritization: → AI filters noise → surfaces the top 5% of leads who are truly in-market. 3️⃣ Precision outreach at the moment of intent: → No mass emails. → No spammy sequences. → Thoughtful, highly personalized outreach — when the buyer is ready. A real example: Deel (global payroll / HR SaaS, fastest SaaS to $400M ARR): → Deel built an AI-driven GTM engine monitoring 3K+ signals globally: → New funding → hiring ramp → global payroll need. → Job postings in new markets → expansion signal. → PR on new market launches → likely fit for Deel. Results: → SDRs contact prospects within 24h of the trigger. → Win rate = 4x higher than traditional cold outbound. → Sales cycle 35% faster vs legacy approaches. Why this works: → You meet the buyer at the moment of need. → Your message matches what’s top of mind. → Personalization + timing builds trust fast. Bottom line: Mass outbound is no longer a competitive edge. Intent-driven, signal-based, AI-powered sales is what scales today. If I were building a GTM stack in 2025: → I’d start with intent + AI + orchestration. → I’d cut 90% of legacy outbound. Because in sales today — first to the signal wins the deal.

Stop talking to all your buyers as if they're the same. 🚨 They're not, and it's costing you opportunities and new customers. Let say: You're at a party. Everyone's chatting. There's John, who loves sports. And Sarah, who loves books. You wouldn't talk to John about a novel, right? And you wouldn't chat with Sarah about last night's game. But many businesses do this all the time. They talk to all their buyers the same way. John is a business coach. He helps people grow their businesses. He needs tips and strategies to help his clients. Sarah owns a marketing agency. She needs fresh marketing ideas and ways to keep her clients happy. If you send John and Sarah the same message, what happens? They feel ignored. Unseen. Unimportant. Talk to John like this: "Hey John, feeling stuck with your business growth? Let's discuss some new strategies." Simple. Direct. Just what he needs. Talk to Sarah like this: "Hey Sarah, curious about the latest marketing trends? Let’s brainstorm some creative ideas." Again, simple. Direct. Just what she needs. (I'm not saying these are the perfect messages to use, but you get the idea, right?) Think about getting a letter. It’s addressed to you. It mentions your interests, your needs. Feels good, right? That's the power of personalization. When you speak directly to your buyer’s needs, they listen. They feel valued. They trust you. So, think about John and Sarah next time you write a message... Ask yourself: Who am I talking to? What do they care about? How can I help them? Personalize your messages. Use their name. Mention their interests. Solve their problems. Don’t be a robot. Be human. When you stop talking to all your buyers as if they're the same, magic happens. You build connections. You gain trust. You win customers. Every buyer is different. Treat them that way. Dee "rainy morning!" 🌦

Most sales outreach isn’t bad. It’s worse than bad. It’s invisible. Reps are blasting cold emails at scale, cranking out cookie cutter LinkedIn messages, and making calls that sound like they’re reading from a hostage script. And then they wonder why no one responds. Always keep the following in mind: Buyers don’t ignore you because they’re busy. They ignore you because you’re forgettable. If you want to separate yourself from the noise, stop making noise and start making impact. Here’s how: 1. Cut your target list in half...then cut it again. Narrow your focus to the most qualified, highest value prospects. You don’t need more at-bats. You need better at-bats. 2. Personalization > Personalization Tokens - “Hey {First Name}, I saw {Someone} left you a recommendation” isn’t personalization. It’s AI-generated small talk. Connect the dots between their world and your value. 3. Lead with insight, not inquiry - “Can I get 20 minutes?” isn't a good closer. Give them a reason to want the conversation before you ask for it. 4. Become a student of your buyer’s business - If your email could be sent to any random company in their industry, you’ve already lost. Show you’ve done your homework. 5. Play the long game - The goal of outbound isn’t just meetings. It’s credibility. It’s differentiation. It’s making them remember you when the timing is right. Lazy outreach is just noise. Thoughtful outreach is leverage. Outreach isn’t a numbers game. It’s a value game. If you want to separate yourself from the noise, stop making noise and start making impact.

Personalization is supposed to be the difference-maker in outbound. But most of it still feels like spam with a {first name} tag. “Hey Alex, saw you went to [School Name]!” Cool. So did 30,000 other people. Delete. Surface-level personalization doesn’t move the needle anymore. Everyone’s doing it and nobody’s buying because of it. What works? ✅ Relevance > personal details I don’t care if you saw my podcast episode. I do care if you know I just hired two AEs and might need pipeline help. ✅ Contextual triggers  “I noticed your company just announced a partnership. Are you seeing new demand from that segment?” ✅ Persona fluency If you sell to RevOps, speak like someone who’s spent time inside Salesforce. If you sell to founders, get to the business case in two sentences. ✅ Industry fluency Different verticals, different pain. If you’re writing one email for SaaS and one for manufacturing then you’re doing it right. ✅ Make it about them fast The best emails are about the buyer’s world, not yours. No intro paragraph, no flexing. So before you call it “personalized,” ask yourself: Would I respond to this? Or would I immediately know I’m one of 200? You don’t need to write 1:1 emails. You need to write 1:many that feel 1:1 because they’re based on real pain, not just profile stalking.

In business development, we often hear that messaging needs to be personalized. But what's frequently overlooked 👀 is the equally, if not more, important concept of relevance. Whether writing a cold email, building a landing page, crafting website copy, or producing thought leadership, understanding the difference between being relevant and being personalized is essential. 💭 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲? 🥅 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 means the message speaks to a real challenge or goal the prospect is experiencing. It answers: "𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄?" Examples include:  • A shift in strategic priorities  • A recent hire, funding round, or campaign  • Engagement with your content or brand 🙋♀️ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 adds specificity to make the message feel unique for them. It answers: "𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗺𝗲?" Examples include:  • Name, company, industry, or job title  • Insights from interviews, articles, or social posts  • Background details like interests or affiliations Here's the nuance: if personalization is surface-level or disconnected from their challenges, it's just noise. Referencing someone's alma mater or favorite sports team doesn't move the needle if you're not addressing a business problem they care about. 📊 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲/𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝗯𝘆-𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅:  • 𝗫-𝗮𝘅𝗶𝘀: Low to High Personalization  • 𝗬-𝗮𝘅𝗶𝘀: Low to High Relevance ↙️ 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺-𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 (𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻): The spray-and-pray approach. Generic and forgettable. ↘️ 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺-𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 (𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻): You reference something personal, but the message lacks strategic value. Today's buyers spot this quickly. ↖️ 𝗧𝗼𝗽-𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 (𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻): Still effective. A well-timed, well-targeted message can resonate even without deep customization. ↗️ 𝗧𝗼𝗽-𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 (𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻): This is the goal. You've identified a pivotal problem and connected the dots with tailored messaging that proves you understand them. If resources are tight, prioritize relevance. But for maximum impact, combine it with smart, thoughtful personalization. That's how messaging earns attention—and drives real conversations. ___ 📥 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Join 40,000+ agency and consulting leaders getting smarter about business development—subscribe to my "𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘯" newsletter. https://lnkd.in/gv2CvHNU

Its no longer about Email Personalization, you need Contextual intelligence. When your outreach references real challenges at the right moment, you’re not just getting attention. You’re sparking conversations that matter. And those conversations can turn into real pipeline. So, what’s the difference? Personalization is what you see—job titles, company size, recent posts. Contextual intelligence is understanding what’s happening in your prospect’s world right now—market shifts, company triggers, strategic hurdles. The problem with surface-level personalization? It can come off as fake. It’s often disconnected from what actually drives business value. Here’s what true contextual intelligence sounds like: "Donna, with ABC’s 40% growth quarter, I imagine managing the complexity that comes with scaling is top of mind. How are you handling the increased demand for pipeline visibility?" Why does this work? Because prospects feel safe when they don’t feel “sold to” or manipulated. They feel understood. Contextual intelligence creates that safety—by addressing real business challenges. What outreach approach are you leaning into right now?