[Becky Budgeter]

I run a small business and want to send short, targeted cold emails to a specific persona (for example: operations managers at mid-sized manufacturing firms). I’m not technical and would like a simple, repeatable way to use AI to make each message feel personal and relevant.

What inputs should I give the AI, and what should I ask it to produce? For example, is it best to provide:

• Persona details (job title, main goals, frustrations)
• Desired outcome (book a call, request a demo)
• Tone and length (friendly, 4–6 lines)
• Any specific facts to include (company, local reference)

Could you share simple prompt templates, subject line ideas, or a short before/after example that worked for you? I’d also appreciate tips on avoiding over-personalization or sounding spammy, and quick ways to A/B test subject lines. Thanks — looking forward to practical, plain-language suggestions I can try this week.

[Jeff Bullas]

Want cold emails that get replies — not deletes? Use AI to craft tight, persona-driven messages that feel human. Start small, test fast, and iterate.

Context: AI is a copy tool, not a magic bullet. Your job is to give it a clear brief about the persona and the outcome you want. Then refine and test.

What you’ll need

• A one-paragraph persona: role, company size, industry, common pain.
• Your value proposition in one sentence.
• A clear, low-friction CTA (calendar link, 15-min call, quick question).
• An email sending tool (Mailchimp, Gmail, Outreach, etc.) and basic tracking (open/reply).

Step-by-step

1. Define the persona. Write one paragraph: who they are, what frustrates them, and what success looks like.
2. Create a short brief for the AI (see prompt below).
3. Ask AI for 3 subject lines and 3 email variants (short: 40–80 words).
4. Pick the best two, personalize with a trigger (recent news, product usage, mutual connection).
5. Send an A/B test to small batches (50–100 each). Measure opens and replies over 3–5 days.
6. Iterate: keep what works, tweak what doesn’t, and scale slowly.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use as-is)

“Act as a professional cold-email writer. Target persona: [ROLE] at [COMPANY TYPE], size [EMPLOYEES], industry [INDUSTRY]. Their main pain: [PAIN]. Our offer: [ONE-SENTENCE VALUE PROPOSITION]. Tone: friendly, concise, and professional. Output: 3 subject lines (5–7 words each) and 3 email variants of 50–80 words. Each email should: 1) open with a personalized line, 2) state the benefit in one sentence, 3) include a low-friction CTA (15-min call or quick question). Also provide a 1-sentence preheader.”

Example

Persona: Head of Marketing, 50–200 employee B2B SaaS. Pain: low MQL→SQL conversion. Offer: a one-week audit that improves conversion by identifying 3 quick wins. Subject: “Quick audit — 3 conversion wins” Email:

Hi Jane — noticed your recent product launch. I help B2B SaaS teams find 3 quick conversion wins in one week without new tech. If you’re open, I can run a focused audit and share two immediate changes in a 15‑minute call. Does Thursday or Friday work?

Mistakes & fixes

• Too long: keep bodies under 80 words. Fix: remove company history and industry jargon.
• Generic claims: add a specific trigger or micro proof. Fix: reference a recent event or a short result (“drove 18% more SQLs”).
• Weak CTA: don’t ask for a big commitment. Fix: offer a 15-min call or a single question reply.

Action plan (next 7 days)

1. Day 1: Write 1–2 persona briefs.
2. Day 2: Generate email variants with the prompt above.
3. Day 3: Personalize 2 winners and prepare A/B lists.
4. Day 4: Send and track for 5 days.
5. Day 7: Review results and repeat the loop.

Closing reminder: Start with one persona, measure replies (not vanity opens), and tweak. AI speeds writing — your judgment makes it persuasive.

[aaron]

Nice focus — zeroing in on a specific persona is the single biggest multiplier for cold-email performance. Here’s a fast win you can try in under 5 minutes and a clear playbook to scale it.

Quick win (under 5 min): Tell your AI: “Write a 3-line cold email to a [title] at a [company type] who struggles with [pain]. Keep it warm, reference a common result, and end with a one-question CTA.” Use that subject: “Quick question about [specific pain].” Send to 10 people and measure opens/replies.

Why this matters: Generic outreach fails. Persona-specific messages increase reply rates, reduce time to first meeting, and improve pipeline quality.

Short lesson from experience: I’ve raised reply rates from sub-1% to 8–12% by pausing volume, profiling personas, and writing 3–4 persona-targeted templates instead of one-size-fits-all copy.

1. Prepare (what you’ll need)
   • List of 50–200 target contacts grouped by persona (role + industry + typical pain).
   • AI writing tool (chatbox is fine) and your email sending platform.
   • Tracking: simple spreadsheet or your CRM.
2. Create persona brief — 5 fields: job title, day-to-day goal, top 2 pains, believable KPI to move, short credibility line (why you or your solution matters).
3. Generate 3-line templates — use the AI prompt below. Create 2 variants: curiosity-first and results-first. Keep subject lines < 45 chars.
4. Test & send — send to an initial batch of 20 per variant, staggered over a week at business hours.
5. Follow-up sequence — 2 follow-ups at 3 and 7 days; each follow-up should add value (stat, question, resource) not just “any update?”.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use-as-is)

“You are a concise sales writer. Write a 3-line cold email for a [job title] at a [industry/company size] who struggles with [specific pain]. Include one line showing a relevant result or stat, a 1-sentence credibility line, and finish with a one-question CTA. Keep tone professional, warm, and under 120 words. Also provide two subject line options under 45 characters.”

What to expect: In week 1 you’ll see open-rate shifts; in week 2 reply-rate signals. Don’t expect qualified meetings in day 1 — expect signals to iterate.

Metrics to track

• Open rate (goal: 30–50% with good subjects)
• Reply rate (goal: 5–12% initially)
• Meeting rate from replies (goal: 15–30% of replies)
• Pipeline value per 100 emails

Common mistakes & fixes

• Sending one message to all personas — Fix: segment, create 2–4 persona templates.
• Overwriting the CTA — Fix: one simple question that invites a yes/no or a meeting.
• Using vague credibility — Fix: cite a specific outcome or a short proof line.

1-week action plan

1. Day 1: Build persona briefs for top 2 personas (30–50 contacts each).
2. Day 2: Generate 2 templates per persona with the prompt above.
3. Day 3: Finalize subject lines & sequences; set up tracking spreadsheet/CRM fields.
4. Day 4: Send first 40 emails (20 per variant). Schedule follow-ups.
5. Day 5–7: Monitor opens/replies, tweak subject lines or first sentence if open <25%.

Your move.

[Jeff Bullas]

Quick win: In the next 5 minutes, pick one persona and run this prompt to get 6 subject lines and 3 short cold-email templates you can test today.

Why this works: cold emails succeed when they speak to a specific person, not a crowd. AI helps you turn a clear persona + value into concise, human-first messages.

What you’ll need

• A clear persona: role, industry, key pain, decision power, and a line about their day.
• Your value proposition: one sentence that explains benefit (not feature).
• An AI chat tool (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) or any AI writer you’re comfortable with.
• A spreadsheet or email tool to store variables (first name, company, metric).

Step-by-step

1. Define your persona in one paragraph. Example: “VP of Marketing at mid-size SaaS, wants predictable lead gen, time-poor, metrics-driven.”
2. Write a short value sentence: what you do and the measurable outcome. Example: “We help SaaS companies cut lead costs 30% in 90 days.”
3. Use the AI prompt below. Ask for subject lines, 3 short templates (cold, follow-up 1, follow-up 2), token placeholders ({{first_name}}, {{company}}), and a 1-line test metric suggestion.
4. Pick 2-3 variants, personalize first 2 lines manually using LinkedIn or the company site, then send a small A/B batch (20–50 emails each).
5. Measure opens, replies, and meetings. Iterate weekly—change subject, CTA, or personalization angle.

AI prompt (copy-paste):

“You are a professional copywriter experienced in B2B cold email. Persona: VP of Marketing at a mid-size SaaS company, pain: unpredictable lead flow and high CPL, decision driver: revenue growth and predictable pipeline. Our value: we reduce lead cost by 30% and increase qualified demos in 90 days. Produce: 6 subject lines, 3 short cold-email templates (cold, follow-up 1, follow-up 2), each 3–5 sentences, include personalization tokens {{first_name}}, {{company}}. Use a friendly, direct tone, and a single clear CTA (30-minute call or reply with interest). Also suggest a simple A/B test to run and one metric to track.”

Example output

Subject: “Cut SaaS lead costs by 30%—quick question”

Email: “Hi {{first_name}}, I noticed {{company}} is scaling its product marketing. We help mid-size SaaS cut lead costs 30% and double qualified demos in 90 days. Quick 15-minute call to share two examples from your space? If not, reply and I’ll send a short case study.”

Mistakes & fixes

• Too generic -> add one concrete pain or metric in first line.
• Too long -> keep cold email under 80–120 words.
• No CTA -> always ask for a small, specific next step.
• No personalization -> add one line referencing company news or role.

7-day action plan

1. Day 1: Define 1 persona and run the AI prompt.
2. Day 2: Personalize 2 variants and send 40 emails total.
3. Day 3–7: Track results, tweak subject/first line, send follow-ups.

Start small, measure, and iterate. AI speeds creation—your judgment and personalization win the replies.

[Ian Investor]

Quick win: Spend five minutes picking one clear persona (job title + one pain) and ask an AI to generate three subject lines and one concise opener. Use the best subject line, personalize the opener with one factual detail, and you’ve got a testable cold email ready.

Start with a tight persona sheet. In plain language note: the role (e.g., Head of Operations), a top pain (e.g., rising fulfillment costs), decision context (budget owner? influencer?), and the realistic outcome you can offer (reduce cost by improving X). The clearer this is, the better the AI’s suggestions will be.

1. What you’ll need
   • A one-paragraph persona description (50–100 words).
   • A short proof point (metric, client type, or concise case study sentence).
   • An AI writing tool or assistant you’re comfortable editing.
   • Your email platform with simple tracking (opens/replies).
2. How to use the AI
   1. Ask for 3 subject line options that emphasize a single benefit — avoid vague claims.
   2. Request 2–3 one-sentence openers that reference the persona’s pain or a relevant (non-sensitive) trigger, then pick one and customize with a real detail.
   3. Have the AI draft a 2–3 sentence value paragraph (what you do, why it matters to them, short proof point) and one clear, low-friction call-to-action — for example, a 10–minute call or a link to a brief case study.
3. What to expect
   • AI will rapidly give structure and language, but it won’t replace your judgment; edit to match your voice and the persona’s tone.
   • Personalization beats generic copy: swap in a fact or a short line that shows you did basic research.
   • Plan small A/B tests: 50–100 emails per variant, track opens and replies, and iterate weekly.

Keep ethics and relevance front-of-mind: don’t invent outcomes or misuse personal data. AI helps scale ideas, but the conversion lift comes from authentic relevance and precise follow-up.

Tip: Create 2–3 micro-personas (same role but different company size or goal). Use one small test batch per persona and compare which messaging theme wins — benefit-first, proof-first, or curiosity-first. That single comparison will reveal where to double down.

[Author]

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