| name | cold-outreach-sequence |
| description | Build personalized cold outreach sequences for LinkedIn and email. Use when someone needs to reach prospects, warm up cold leads, or build a systematic outreach engine. Covers research, connection requests, follow-ups, and conversion. |
Cold Outreach Sequence
Here's what I've learned about cold outreach: the word "cold" is the problem.
If you're sending messages to strangers who've never heard of you, with templates you copied from some guru — yeah, that's cold. And it doesn't work.
But if you've done even 10 minutes of research, found something specific about them, and have a genuine reason to reach out? That's not cold. That's just... reaching out.
This skill helps you do the second thing.
Before You Write a Single Message
The research is the work. Skip it and you'll sound like everyone else in their inbox.
For each prospect, find:
- Recent news — Funding, launches, hires, press
- What they're posting about — Their content tells you what they care about
- Their likely pain — Given their role and stage, what's keeping them up?
- Your connection point — What can you genuinely comment on?
Where to look:
- Their LinkedIn activity (posts, comments, shares)
- Company news (Crunchbase, TechCrunch, press releases)
- Their website (about page, blog, careers)
- Podcasts they've appeared on
Time investment: 10-15 minutes per high-value prospect.
This is what separates you from spam.
The Connection Request (LinkedIn)
You have 300 characters. Don't waste them on a pitch.
The formula:
[Specific observation] + [Simple reason to connect]
Examples:
"Following [Company]'s growth — the [specific thing] is smart positioning. Would love to connect."
"[Their recent post] resonated. Been thinking about the same thing. Happy to connect."
"Congrats on [news]. Impressive trajectory."
The rules:
- No pitching. At all.
- Be specific (prove you looked)
- Keep it human
- No "I'd love to pick your brain"
First Message (After They Accept)
Wait 24-48 hours. Then:
The formula:
[Thanks] + [Bridge to relevance] + [Light value] + [Soft question]
Example:
Thanks for connecting. I've been working at the intersection of [relevant area] — [one-line credibility].
Curious if you have someone owning [relevant function] as you scale, or if that's still founder-led?
Either way, happy to share what I'm seeing work in the space.
The rules:
- Still not a hard pitch
- Demonstrate relevance, not desperation
- Ask a question that invites dialogue
- Offer value without strings attached
First Follow-Up (If No Response)
Wait 5-7 days. Then:
The formula:
[Light nudge] + [New value or angle] + [Easy out]
Example:
Bumping this up — know you're slammed. Came across [relevant thing] and thought of your situation at [Company]. Worth a look if helpful.
Or:
Following up — been seeing [trend] hit companies at your stage. Happy to share what's working if useful. If not, no worries.
The rules:
- Don't just say "following up"
- Add something new
- Give them an easy out (takes the pressure off)
The Break-Up (Final Attempt)
Wait 7-10 days. Then move on gracefully:
Example:
I'll assume timing isn't right — totally get it. If [relevant pain point] becomes a priority down the road, happy to reconnect. Best of luck with [specific thing they're working on].
The rules:
- No guilt trips
- No "just checking in one last time"
- Leave with class
- They may come back later
Email Version
Same principles, different format.
Subject lines that work:
- "[Company]'s marketing as you scale"
- "Saw your [post/news] — quick thought"
- "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out"
- "Question about [specific thing they're doing]"
Structure:
[1-line hook tied to them]
[2-3 sentences: why you're reaching out + relevance]
[1 sentence: soft CTA]
[Simple signature]
Example:
Subject: [Company]'s GTM as you scale
Hey [Name],
Saw the [news] — congrats. [One specific observation].
I work with growth-stage companies on [relevant thing]. Helped [similar company] with [specific result].
Worth a quick chat to see if there's a fit?
[Your name]
The Full Sequence Calendar
| Day | Action | Platform |
|---|
| 0 | Research + Connection request | LinkedIn |
| 1-2 | Accept → Wait 24h → First message | LinkedIn |
| 7 | Follow-up #1 | LinkedIn |
| 14 | Follow-up #2 or try email | LinkedIn/Email |
| 21 | Break-up message | Same |
Personalization Tiers
Not everyone deserves 15 minutes of research. Here's how to think about it:
Tier 1 — Top 10 prospects: Full research, fully custom messages
Tier 2 — Next 20: Template with personalized opener
Tier 3 — Volume: Template with minimal customization
The math: 10 highly personalized messages often beat 100 spray-and-pray.
What You Get Back
A complete outreach doc for each prospect:
# Outreach: [Prospect Name]
## Research
- Company: [stage, news, situation]
- Their likely pain: [what they're dealing with]
- Connection point: [what you'll reference]
## Sequence
### Connection Request:
[Your message]
### First DM:
[Your message]
### Follow-up #1:
[Your message]
### Break-up:
[Your message]
What Kills Outreach
❌ "I'd love to pick your brain"
❌ "Can I get 15 minutes of your time?"
❌ Long paragraphs about yourself
❌ Immediate pitch in connection request
❌ Same message to everyone
❌ Following up every 2 days
❌ "Hope this finds you well"
Need help building an outreach system that actually works?
→ Book a strategy call
Skill by Brian Wagner | AI Marketing Architect | brianrwagner.com
