Examples of Perfectly Personalised Outreach

Ok, so it isn’t enough to just blast out templates obviously

Well it can - but it takes much more emails, and the quality of the links will inevitably go down. The best websites get a LOT of emails. ANd if we
want to stand out, we need to stand out from the billions of other people who sent an email (I’m exaggerating btw!)

What’s that saying?

So there is no “system” you can really teach to do this - and no template will do personalisation because honestly… its about being a human and
realising your emailing another person. Think of it like you’re emailing someone you’ve worked with for years. Or your emailing an old friend.
Obviously you want to be professional - but that doesn’t mean you need to sound like a robot!

Anyway - here’s a few ideas of emails where being super personalised or doing good customisation worked.
Example 1 - Using humour and curiosity

Ok so this is a bit different in that I was trying to get clients, rather than a link. But it illustrates the point still.
It was very different and made him laugh! And after I talked to him I was told he gets hundreds of sales calls and emails - and body approached
him like this - so this works!
So why did this work?
Subject line - This creates curiosity, but only works because we’re leading into the opening line.
(1) The punchline! His brand is about gemstones (opals), you get them by digging them out the ground… Yes a rubbish joke, but thats the point!
(2) Honesty - we just wanted to get his attention! (this only works because we used humour)
(3) Compliment - he does actually have a lot of good content on the blog section, I’m not just saying that.
(4) more compliments
(5) Curiosity again - he’s missing something - but what is it?
Example 2 - Use their Language!

Ok, so this is where we’re not trying be too clever, but just making very subtle changes to emails and templates - but just enough so it makes it
very very relevant to them - in other words we are using the right “angle”

Here’s an example of a template we made for Plunc - as you can very generic template

Subject Line : would love to contribute a piece

Hi {{name}},

I know that you probably receive a tonne of emails every day. So, I'll keep it as short as possible.

I'm Stu - the Director of Plunc.com.

Our company recycles high end electronics - everything from iPads & iPhones to PS4's and GoPro's. And without blowing our own trumpet (ok, I'll do it anyway!) - I can say we
are the UK's most trusted online recycling company, according to TrustPilot.

We'd absolutely be interested in writing a guest post for {{SITE NAME}} that I think would be tie in quite well with some subjects I had in mind and will be original and high-
quality, written just for your site (that your audience will love) and will not be posted elsewhere.

Here are a few examples of high-quality piece we've written recently.

· https://myelectriccar.com.au/phone-recycling-and-the-ev-industry/

· https://www.energycentral.com/c/ec/effective-data-security-when-recycling-corporate-tech-e-waste

· http://futurescot.com/recycling-electronics-best-worst-manufacturers/

Let me know your thoughts and if you'd like us to write up a draft. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,
And we saw we had a target like Carbonaction.co.uk
Of course, Plunc exchange cash for gadgets. But our “angle” here, was that when people recycle gadgets instead of just throwing them
away, its actually better for the environment. So look at how it was adapted.
(1) Subject line mentions “ a piece to spread greater awareness” - that will get their attention, as that’s exactly what their company
does - spread awareness about certain environmental issues.
(2) “really interested in spreading awareness of green living, climate change, and electronic recycling” - again, reiterating things
WE want to do - and making sure its in line with what Carbon Action does - these are things which they do talk about in some
form.
Looking at their blog for example

(3) Again reiterating WHY we are reaching out, but more stuff about why its in line with their site

“would love to write a completely unique and original guest post for your website that aligns with your environmental
educational needs and content. “
(4) A bit of an extra thing, but the outreacher also added another article as an example of a recycling-themed guest post we did
for .renewableenergyhub.co.uk , which would have got their attention.
And when he replied, he said he also noticed the piece we wrote on “how blockchain can solve recycling” , so it does show it
pays off to have an email which talks directly to them!
Example 3 : Nothing fancy, just making sure it's super-relevant.

When it comes to resource links, it's sometimes not going to take heavy customisation (especially if you have a good template), its
just about making sure the prospector is adding targets which are super relevant and that the URL you are pitching, is perfectly in
line with theirs.

Here’s an example of a resource link outreach email - nothing fancy, and actually in the end, they wouldn’t insert the link, BUT, did
offer for us to do a guest post and we would be allowed a link in the guest post, which was fine.
Why did it work and why did it get their attention? Well look at their content piece: https://www.pcr-online.biz/2017/12/22/apple-is-
being-sued-for-slowing-down-old-iphones/
And look at ours: https://plunc.com/blog/built-to-fail-apple-forcing-expensive-upgrades

Theirs talked about apple being sued for having software which slowed down iPhones once they got old. And out piece was talking
about exactly HOW Apple did that, and what it meant for users

For Laura, that showed that we must have read the website and that it couldn’t be a generic template.
Example 4: Using an industry pun as humour and rapport building

So like example 1 , humour is a great one. Breaks the ice and actually gives the illusion of heavy customisation - especially if you can
tell a joke about their industry or something that’s based on their site theme.
(1) we used the pun “You’ll Harley believe you eyes”, as a play on words for “You’ll hardly believe your eyes” and we’re being a
bit cocky and funny here because we’re saying our articles are so good they’ll “harley” believe their eyes.
(2) Bit of honesty and goofiness “Sorry for the dad joke, but it was a shameless attempt to get your attention”
(3) Again, more humour - the article’s going to be better than “my silly jokes”
Example 5: Building relationships / rapport

So when you are reaching out to the right people and paying the right compliments you’ll get replies that this one below

So he obiously, didn’t quite get the hint that we wanted a link - but I would say let’s use what he said in our next email. Don’t just say
“ok thanks can I have a link please??”

So we came up with email which was a bit more thoughtful, mentioned the family business he was talking about, but still alluded to
having a link.
Example 6: A “super personalised” email (this is from https://pitchbox.com/blog/anatomy-of-outreach-email/)
So that is a long email (hence why I cut it into 3 parts) But it hits all of the following points
1. This is a play on their tag line (“business marketing for winners”)= proves I’ve looked at their site and triggers them
to open
2. Apologies which will be referred to in the email= different and triggers to open
3. Pitch in the subject line = honesty about intent
4. Playful way of apologizing
5. Showing I know their site
6. Showing quality
7. Relating to them as being the same
8. Not asking, but proposing as a peer
9. Prove I know what they’re about
10. Prove I know their audience
11. Showing my quality by outlining
12. Prove I know their content and showing my equal quality
13. Prove I know their content and part of the value proposition (internal link)
14. Proof of quality
15. Talking like a peer
16. Value proposition
17. Charming and different
Example 7: Catchy subjects, having the right “angle” and just explaining WHY what we have is
so good.
So this one wasn’t really for a link, but started with email outreach. We reached out to the editor of Forbes CMO, to see if they’d want the CEO of
our client, ICONN to speak at their Forbes Live event
Here was the email as well as why it worked and got us on a call.