outreach-sequence-builder

name	outreach-sequence-builder
description	Build cold outreach sequences that get replies. Use when the user wants to write cold outreach emails, prospecting emails, cold email campaigns, sales development emails, SDR emails, or multi-channel outbound sequences. Also use when the user mentions 'cold outreach,' 'prospecting email,' 'outbound email,' 'email to leads,' 'reach out to prospects,' 'sales email,' 'follow-up email sequence,' 'nobody is replying to my emails,' 'how do I write a cold email,' 'cold email,' 'LinkedIn outreach,' 'outbound sequence,' or 'book more meetings.' Covers subject lines, opening lines, body copy, CTAs, personalization, multi-touch follow-up sequences, and multi-channel (email + LinkedIn + video). For warm/lifecycle email sequences, see email-sequence. For sales collateral beyond emails, see sales-enablement.
metadata	{"author":"Alfonso Sainz de Baranda (Growth4U)","version":"1.0","system":"SanchoCMO","phase":"Decide (one-to-one)","pillar":"outreach-sequence-builder","layer":"Decide","depends_on":"channel-prioritization, contact-enrichment, signal-definition","chains_to":"email-outreach-executor, linkedin-outreach-executor","context_required":["brand/{slug}/go-to-market/channel-plan.md","brand/{slug}/go-to-market/positioning/*/*.current.md","brand/{slug}/go-to-market/ecps/ecps.current.md","brand/{slug}/brand-voice/brand-voice.current.md","brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/sequence-templates.md","brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/discovery-guide.md"],"context_writes":["campaigns/","brand/{slug}/operational/learnings.md","brand/{slug}/operational/assets.md"]}

Outreach Sequence Builder — Cold to Warm in 5-7 Touches

"Relevance beats volume. One perfectly-timed, signal-based email outperforms 100 spray-and-pray messages."

This skill creates personalized OUTBOUND cold sequences per ECP. It is NOT email-sequences (which handles INBOUND post-opt-in nurture). The distinction matters:

Dimension	email-sequences (INBOUND)	THIS skill (OUTBOUND)
Audience	Opted-in subscribers	Cold prospects
Channels	Email only	Email + LinkedIn + video
Tone	Nurture, educational	Personalized, relevant, peer-to-peer
Trigger	Opt-in event (lead magnet)	Buy signal or ICP match
Goal	Convert subscriber → customer	Book meeting / demo
Personalization	Light (name, segment)	Deep (company, role, signal, pain)

If the user asks for warm nurture sequences, redirect to email-sequences.

Read ./brand/ per _system/intelligence/brand-memory.md (if using SanchoCMO framework)

Follow _system/output/output-format.md (if using SanchoCMO framework)

---

Prerequisites

Required (will not run without these):

• ./brand/{slug}/go-to-market/channel-plan.md — Confirms outreach is a selected channel (from channel-prioritization)
• ./brand/{slug}/go-to-market/ecps/ecps.current.md — Target personas with pain points (from niche-discovery-100x)
• ./brand/{slug}/go-to-market/positioning/*/*.current.md — Value proposition angles per ECP (from positioning-messaging)

Recommended (better output with these):

• ./brand/{slug}/brand-voice/brand-voice.current.md — Tone for email copy (from brand-voice)
• brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/sequence-templates.md
• brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/discovery-guide.md
• brand/{slug}/operational/contacts-enriched.json — Enriched contacts for personalization (from contact-enrichment)
• brand/{slug}/operational/signals-to-track.json — Buy signals for triggers (from signal-definition)

---

Step 0: Tool Detection

Check environment for outreach tool availability:

Check for API keys / tool access:
  INSTANTLY_API_KEY  → Instantly (email sequencing)
  LEMLIST_API_KEY    → Lemlist (email + LinkedIn)
  EXPANDI_API_KEY    → Expandi (LinkedIn automation)
  DRIPIFY_API_KEY    → Dripify (LinkedIn automation)

FULL mode (2+ tools detected): Generate tool-ready sequences with platform-specific merge fields. Include import instructions.

STANDARD mode (1 tool or email client detected): Generate sequences optimized for that tool. LinkedIn touches are manual.

LIGHT mode (no tools): Generate copy-paste sequences. All touches are manual. Include timing calendar for manual tracking.

Announce detected mode to user. If LIGHT mode, note: "No outreach tools detected. Generating manual sequences. Consider Instantly (from EUR 30/mo) for email automation."

---

Workflow: 7 Steps

Step 1: Load ECP Context (~3 min)

For each ECP, extract from Context Lake:

From ecps.md:
  - ECP name and description
  - Pain points (ranked by intensity)
  - Decision maker title
  - Where they spend time online
  - Buying triggers (what makes them look for solutions)
  - Common objections

From positioning.md:
  - Value proposition angle for THIS ECP
  - Key differentiators vs alternatives
  - Proof points (metrics, case studies)

From brand-voice/brand-voice.current.md (if exists):
- brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/sequence-templates.md
- brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/discovery-guide.md
  - Tone guidelines
  - Platform-specific adaptations
  - Words to use / words to avoid

If the user specifies a single ECP, generate for that one. If no ECP specified, ask:

Which ECP should I build sequences for?

  [1] [ECP 1 name] — [brief description]
  [2] [ECP 2 name] — [brief description]
  [3] All ECPs (generates one sequence per ECP)

---

Step 2: Load Signal Context (~2 min)

Read brand/{slug}/operational/signals-to-track.json if it exists. Map signals to sequence triggers:

Signal               → Sequence Variant        → Angle
──────────────────── ─ ──────────────────────── ─ ─────────────────────────
Fundraise            → signal-fundraise.md      → "Scale post-funding"
Hiring VP Marketing  → signal-hiring.md         → "Quick wins for new hire"
Tech stack change    → signal-tech.md           → "Maximize new tool ROI"
Competitor mention   → signal-competitor.md     → "Better alternative"
Content published    → signal-content.md        → "Continue the conversation"

If no signals-to-track.json exists, use the base sequence without signal variants. Note: "Signal variants improve reply rates 2-3x. Consider running signal-definition to define relevant signals."

---

Step 3: Select Sequence Structure (~2 min)

Present structure options from references/sequence-templates.md:

Sequence structure options:

  [1] Multi-Channel Blitz — 7 touches, 14 days (email + LinkedIn + video)
      Best for: high-value prospects, ABM-style
      RECOMMENDED for most B2B outreach

  [2] Value-First — 5 touches, 12 days (email + LinkedIn)
      Best for: thought leadership brands, consultancies

  [3] 3-3-3 Classic — 9 touches, 21 days (3 email + 3 LinkedIn + 3 follow-up)
      Best for: enterprise, long sales cycles

  [4] AIDA 4-Touch — 4 touches, 14 days (email only)
      Best for: clear product, short sales cycle, SMB

Default to [1] Multi-Channel Blitz unless client context suggests otherwise.

---

Step 4: Define Personalization Variables (~3 min)

Using references/personalization-variables.md, determine personalization depth based on available data:

Level 1 (Basic): {first_name}, {company}, {title} — always available Level 2 (Context): {industry}, {company_size}, {funding_stage}, {tech_stack} — from contact-enrichment Level 3 (Signal): {recent_signal}, {trigger_event}, {pain_point_inferred} — from signal-monitor Level 4 (Deep): {mutual_connection}, {content_they_published}, {custom_insight} — manual research

Present detected level: "Personalization Level 2 available (contacts-enriched.json found). For Level 3, run signal-monitor first."

Define fallback values for each variable used.

---

Step 5: Generate Sequence Per ECP (~10 min)

For each selected ECP, generate the full sequence following the chosen template structure.

Each touchpoint file includes:

# Touch [N]: [Channel] — [Name]

**Day**: [X]
**Channel**: Email / LinkedIn / Video
**Goal**: [What this touch achieves]

## Subject / LinkedIn Note
[Subject line with merge fields]

## Body
[Full copy with merge fields and fallbacks]

## Internal Notes
- Personalization level: [1-4]
- Merge fields used: [list]
- Fallback values: [list]
- Signal variant: [if applicable]

Copy rules:

• Email: Max 100 words per email (cold outreach is short)
• LinkedIn connection note: Max 300 characters
• LinkedIn DM: Max 150 words
• Always end with 1 clear CTA (never 2)
• Use the prospect's language (from ECP pain points), not your jargon
• First email: NEVER lead with "I" or "We" — lead with THEM

---

Step 6: GDPR Compliance Check (~2 min)

Present compliance checklist for the generated sequences:

GDPR Compliance Check:

  [x] Legitimate interest basis documented
      → Reaching out about [specific business need relevant to their role]

  [x] Opt-out mechanism in every email
      → "Not interested? Reply 'stop' and I'll remove you immediately."

  [x] Professional context only
      → Using business email + LinkedIn (no personal data)

  [x] Data source documented
      → Contact data from [Apollo/LinkedIn/company website]

  [x] No purchased personal email addresses
      → All contacts sourced from professional databases

  [ ] Data retention policy
      → Delete prospect data after 90 days of no engagement
      → ACTION: Set reminder in CRM/tool

If any item fails, flag it and suggest remediation.

---

Step 7: Present for Approval (~1 min)

Outreach sequence for [ECP name] ready:

  [1] Accept (writes to ./campaigns/outreach-{ecp}/)
  [2] Modify copy tone (more aggressive / more subtle)
  [3] Change sequence structure
  [4] Add/remove signal variants
  [5] Generate for another ECP

Wait for user input before writing files.

---

Output

File Structure

./campaigns/outreach-{ecp-slug}/
  brief.md                       ← Campaign overview + metrics targets
  sequences/
    01-cold-intro-email.md       ← Day 0: Email
    02-linkedin-connect.md       ← Day 1: LinkedIn
    03-value-email.md            ← Day 3: Email
    04-linkedin-engage.md        ← Day 5: LinkedIn
    05-proof-email.md            ← Day 7: Email
    06-linkedin-ask.md           ← Day 10: LinkedIn DM
    07-breakup-email.md          ← Day 14: Email
  signal-variants/               ← Optional (if signals defined)
    signal-fundraise.md
    signal-hiring.md
    signal-tech.md
  personalization-map.md         ← Merge field definitions + fallbacks

brief.md Template

# Outreach Campaign — [ECP Name]

Generated: [date]
ECP: [name] — [description]
Sequence: [template name] — [N] touches over [N] days
Channels: [email, LinkedIn, video]
Personalization: Level [1-4]
Tool mode: [FULL/STANDARD/LIGHT]

## Target Metrics
- Open rate target: 40-60% (cold email benchmark)
- Reply rate target: 5-15%
- Meeting booked rate: 2-5%
- Sequence completion: < 3% unsubscribe

## Signal Variants
[list of signal variants included]

## GDPR Status
[compliance checklist summary]

Append summary to ./brand/{slug}/operational/assets.md:

[date] outreach-{ecp} — [N]-touch sequence ([channels]). Signal variants: [N].

---

Context Lake Integration

Action	File	Description
READ	./brand/{slug}/go-to-market/channel-plan.md	Confirms outreach is selected channel
READ	./brand/{slug}/go-to-market/positioning/*/*.current.md	Value prop angle per ECP
READ	./brand/{slug}/go-to-market/ecps/ecps.current.md	Target persona details
READ	./brand/{slug}/brand-voice/brand-voice.current.md	Tone for email copy

• brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/sequence-templates.md
• brand/{slug}/outreach-playbook/discovery-guide.md | READ | brand/{slug}/operational/contacts-enriched.json | Enriched contacts (optional) | | READ | brand/{slug}/operational/signals-to-track.json | Buy signals for triggers | | WRITE | ./campaigns/outreach-{ecp}/ | Sequence files (multiple) | | APPEND | ./brand/{slug}/operational/assets.md | Outreach sequence summary |

---

Frequency

• Per ECP: Create once, iterate monthly based on reply rates
• Signal variants: Add new variant when new signal type defined
• Refresh: When positioning changes or new case studies available
• A/B testing: After 50+ sends, create variant B for subject lines and opening hooks

---

Feedback Collection

After generating sequences, ask:

"Hay algun angulo de venta que funcione especialmente bien con este tipo de prospect? Alguna objecion comun que deberia anticipar?"

Log feedback to ./brand/{slug}/operational/learnings.md:

[date] outreach-sequence-builder: [ECP] — [feedback summary]

---

Plantillas de Partnerships (SAN-80) — biblioteca + asignación + gates

Para campañas de creators (Outreach·Partnerships) las secuencias y briefs viven como plantillas-asset en brand/{slug}/outreach/templates/*.md (frontmatter + pasos ## Paso N · Título (espera Xd) con **Asunto:**). El catálogo de variables NO se hardcodea en el prompt: se lee de GET /api/partnerships/templates?slug={slug} (campo variables). Cada entrada declara token, sourcePath y example.

Acciones disponibles (paridad UI = chat = MCP — usa SIEMPRE estos endpoints, no toques los .md a mano):

Acción	Endpoint	MCP tool
Listar biblioteca	GET /api/partnerships/templates?slug={slug}	—
Crear/editar plantilla	POST /api/partnerships/templates · PUT /api/partnerships/templates/{id}	—
Asignar (instanciar copia) a una búsqueda	POST /api/partnerships/templates/{id}/assign {searchId|campaignId}	yalc_assign_template
Contactar creators (instancia secuencia → GateItem)	POST /api/partnerships/contact {leads:[{id,campaignId}]}	— (gate vía tools)
Listar gates pendientes	GET /api/yalc/gates?slug={slug}	yalc_list_gates
Aprobar/rechazar gate de envío	POST /api/yalc/gates {runId, action}	yalc_approve_gate

Reglas:

• La biblioteca guarda originales; cada búsqueda congela copias (instancias). Editar el original NO cambia búsquedas ya asignadas.
• Usa únicamente tokens presentes en variables. Nunca inventes placeholders (anchor_topic, anchor_specific, etc.) ni derives su valor mediante LLM/scraping. Si falta el campo, reescribe el copy sin esa variable.
• Antes de guardar, confirma que cada {{variable}} aparece en el catálogo. La API rechazará cualquier variable desconocida.
• Usa solo la forma exacta {{variable}}; fallbacks y sintaxis alternativa no son compatibles con el renderer de envío.
• El plan de discovery puede traer la fila templates: [nombres] — createDiscoverySearch las asigna solo si existen en la biblioteca; ofrece crear las que falten.
• El envío SIEMPRE pasa por el gate humano (dry-run por defecto: jamás un email real sin dryRun:false explícito y proveedor configurado). No apruebes gates sin instrucción del usuario.