Why intro emails should avoid company names

This one mistake is responsible for most outbound failures, and it's not your script. I call it the 'Me-First Trap'. Here's what it looks like: "Hey {{firstName}}, my name is Kushagra, founder of Lead Catalyst. We're an AI-driven outbound agency working with B2B SaaS companies. We've helped clients generate significant pipeline through cold email and LinkedIn outreach. I'd love to hop on a quick 15-minute call to see if there's a fit." Read that again. Every single sentence is about the sender. Who they are. What they built. What they've done. What they want. Your prospect opened that email as a complete stranger. They don't know you. They didn't ask for this. They owe you nothing. And you spent the only 3 seconds you had talking about yourself. They don't care about your agency name. They don't care about your credentials. They don't care about your numbers. Not yet anyway. The only question running through their head the moment they open a cold email is dead simple: What's in this for me? Most outbound never answers it. Just keeps talking about the sender and wonders why nobody replies. Here's what actually works: "Hey {{First Name}}, saw you're scaling the sales team at {{Company}}. We help B2B teams book 15-20 qualified calls a month through cold outreach - without adding headcount. Can I send you a quick video on how it works?" One message is about the sender. The other is about the outcome the prospect actually wants. Cold traffic isn't warm traffic. No prior relationship. No built-up trust. No context carried over from anywhere. You're starting at zero every single time. The messages that cut through aren't the ones with the best credentials. They're the ones that answer that one question fastest - with a specific outcome, not a company introduction. And if you want to go one level further - lead with value before you even pitch. A free audit. A sample list. A teardown of something they're already doing. Give them something real and the conversation starts from a completely different place. → Lead with their outcome, not your story → Hold the credentials until they ask → Give something before you ask for anything → Make the CTA a question, not a calendar link The Me-First Trap is easy to fall into. We're wired to introduce ourselves - it works everywhere else. Job interviews. Networking events. First meetings. Outbound is the one place it doesn't. Because the person on the other end didn't choose to meet you. Earn the introduction. Don't lead with it.

True personalization isn't about first names or company names. It's about market awareness. Let me break this down... Most people's "personalization" looks like this: "Hey [First Name], noticed you're the [Title] at [Company]..." That's not personalization. That's mail merge. Real personalization is understanding where your prospect is in their journey. Example: We helped a client pitch web design services. Instead of: "Hey John, noticed you're the CEO at TechCorp..." We wrote: "Hey John, saw you just raised your Series A. Most founders at this stage struggle with converting their increased traffic into demos..." See the difference? We're not just showing we found them on LinkedIn. We're demonstrating that we understand exactly where they are in their journey, what challenges they're facing right now, and what actually matters to their business at this moment. This approach took their response rate from 2% to 15%. But here's the key: Your messaging needs to match their stage.  A seed-stage startup needs help with foundations.  Series A companies need scaling strategies.  Series B? They're all about optimization and efficiency. The beauty is, your core offer doesn't change. Just your positioning. This subtle shift in approach is what separates 6-figure agencies from 7-figure agencies.

Rookie sellers do this all the time & have crappy meetings or get ghosted. They talk WAY TOO MUCH ABOUT their company, their product and service. They don’t talk enough about the customer. Their goals, their challenges & the state of their business. Whether I’m drafting a prospecting email or prepping for an initial meeting, 95% of the discussion is centered on: 1. The state of the prospects business 2. The outcomes they want to achieve 3. The challenges I believe they’re facing AND ONLY AT THE VERY END… Will i bring up my company and what we sell. The problem is… Most reps are trained to jump on a call and immediately pitch & educate the prospect on their solution. WRONG APPROACH. How do you like it when you meet anyone in any setting and they just talk about themselves? Sucks doesn’t it? Wish you could just leave the convo. Don’t you? Never wanna talk to them again 😂 That’s how your prospect feels too. So, moving forward, in your emails… don’t even mention your company name or your service (they’ll see your company name in your signature). Instead make the email about their problems you think they face and the outcomes you think they’re interested in generating. In your meetings… Also don’t mention your company, services, or go into detail about how your technology works. Why? Because all of that pitching & education is USELESS without a specific problem to solve or goal to achieve. Think about it. You wouldn’t get in the car, if you didn’t have a destination to go to. But so many sellers immediately jump in the car (pitch) without having a destination (outcome or challenge to focus on). Find the destination… then jump in the car. Final lesson here- STOP TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT YOU AND CENTER THE CONVO ON YOUR CUSTOMERS. If you struggle with this, shoot me a DM 🤝

plot twist: your subject line doesn't matter if your sender field sucks. this is my actual inbox earlier in the week… want to guess which emails i'll open first? spoiler: it's not the ones with the most clever subject lines. it's "kelly from goldcast", followed by "aaron carpenter" - because i’ve seen their content before and the content that come from Kelly Cheng and Aaron Carpenter (nice job!). meanwhile, most b2b marketers are obsessing over subject line a/b tests while their emails die because of terrible sender fields. here's what actually works: 🟢 "first name from company" - personal + credible, ideally someone who is known in the industry and works at the company (eg, CEO, founder, or subject matter expert) 🟠 ”employee name” / “CEO name” - if the CEO is well-known in the industry. 🟠 ”employee name” - only if they are known or a subject matter expert, otherwise, who’s that? (who is sean bruce..) ❌ company name only - feels corporate and cold. ❌ “marketing @ company name” - people dont want to be marketed to.. i did a test for a client and switched their newsletters from “[company name]" to "[ceo] from [company]" and saw higher open rates overnight. same content. same timing. different sender. the only difference was adding a human name to the sender field. my inbox behaviour proves this works.. think about why you open emails, because that is probably how your audience thinks about which email to open and read 💡 . your prospects don't buy from companies. they buy from people they trust. —- anyone updating their marketing email sender fields today?

Your name means nothing...😬 At least, as an early-stage startup, it means nothing in a subject line. When you're first starting out and trying to contact a journalist, your subject line really matters. You have to stand out in a chaotic inbox that is receiving a lot of inbound pitches. The first barrier to getting attention is the subject line. (Same as it is when you start sending newsletters...) Sending something like "News...", "Hi from [insert company name]", or "Story about [insert company name]" doesn't exactly thrill anyone with excitement - and it's particularly frustrating when you do have an incredible story to share. First impressions really do count and make a world of difference. Your company name is a waste of valuable subject line space when you're trying to drill a whole story into one punchy, attention-grabbing line - you need to think like a headline (and bluntly, your startup name probably won't be in it). So, what could you use instead? Well, if there's one thing you should know as a startup, it's A/B testing. Come up with a range of subject lines that get across a combination of some of the following: 🌟 The offer: do you have a specific embargo date (launch), or are you offering an exclusive or an interview? Putting the offer or time in the subject line can help guide busy press. i.e. EXCLU: or For Weds: or For 21/09: or Interview: 🌟 Can you summarise your mission, vision or the problem you solve succinctly? i.e. "Built to battle the cost of living crisis", "Decarbonise the construction industry", "Empower factories of the future" 🌟 Did you raise money? If so, money talks - use a figure in the subject line 💵 (Data also talks) 🌟 Where are you located, and what industry are you in? Depending on the journalist you are pitching, the location and industry can be more or less relevant. i.e. "Dutch InsurTech", "German FinTech", "French ClimateTech" - certain sectors and locations can be 'very hot' right now. Use what you have. 🌟 Is there something special about you, the founder? (Un)Fortunately, your gender, race, age, sexuality, and ability can all be factored in being of more or less interest to the media. I would only recommend highlighting anything here if you are comfortable doing so. If you aren't - then don't. Another angle here - if you previously built a successful business or you were part of a major company (i.e. ex-Googler, serial entrepreneur), that can also be worth flagging. I bet "Spotify founder launching..." had a high open rate - but as would "Daniel Ek launches" because his name means something. 🌟 Can you link your news to what is happening right now? Timing is everything in PR. Can you mention a world event, societal tie, or crisis? There are options to try - and each can help you shape your wider pitch. Try different subject lines and see what gets the best results. Tailor it and keep it short! And remember to put your company name in the email. 🙏

Imagine you walk into a cocktail party. You don't know anyone. You see a man wearing a polo shirt with their company logo (nerd party attire, but stick with me). His name is Jack. You introduce yourself by saying: "Hi! I hope you're well. My name is Bob and I work for ACME. Often, people at companies like yours struggle to generate personalized recommendations on your website. We work with leading companies like Alpha and Beta. We're the leading provider of AI-led, personalized recommendation tech. Would you be opposed to hearing how we could deliver a 10X ROI on your investment with us?" Jack would have every right to excuse himself to go talk to LITERALLY ANYONE ELSE. Because this intro is f*cking weird. In real life, most of us don't make overly-generic assumptions about a stranger's ability to do their job, or pitch our solutions before we've received ANY indication they have a reason to care. Yet, we often do it in cold emails. Because most of us have been taught to write cold emails that way. Instead of assuming incompetence and pushing the product, try empathizing with what might make it hard. Here's an example: "Shopped at your Bucktown store last week. The associate gave me a perfect recommendation for my sister's birthday present. Ever wish you could replicate that experience on your website? Bob at Bob's Flowers figured out how to do it, without adding headcount. Open to hearing how?" Nothing NEVER works, and nothing ALWAYS works. But, I'm a big fan of opening a conversation with a problem prompt, not a product push. Often, prospects are more interested in the insight we have, before they're interested in the product we sell.

Candidate: "Can you just give me the name of the company you're reaching out about?!" Before the call? No. I cannot. (sorry) What a lot of people don't know about 3rd party agency recruiting (recruiters who work with multiple clients) IS: When I reach out to candidates I think are great fits for a role and I don't give company name, it's for many reasons. 😈It's not to be shady, cryptic, or trick you into a long involved talk with me. Not that I don't love those. 1. the role may be a backfill and confidential - someone is no longer a fit for the role and therefore …their replacement is being sought discreetly. If that person finds out too soon, it could create unnecessary workplace tension. (rare, but happens). 2. The company may not want to be bombarded with direct applications – many companies prefer candidates to go through recruiters to ensure a smoother process and avoid overwhelming their internal teams. (This is more common than ever!) 3. Protecting your opportunity – If I give out the company name too soon, candidates sometimes apply directly, bypassing me. This can actually hurt your chances, as my relationship with the company helps present you in the best light, highlight your strengths, and advocate for you throughout the process. I'm usually the one prepping you for interviews and giving you all the hidden tips on the HM's true interests, their personality, and relevant interview tips to succeed. (remember if you blow it, I look bad too). 4. Ensuring a good fit before diving in – I want to make sure the role is truly aligned with your background, skills, and goals before sharing the details. If it’s not a match, we’ve saved your time (and mine). I get it – you want transparency, and I do too! Once we determine mutual interest, I’ll absolutely share the company name and all relevant details. My goal is to help you land a great opportunity, not to keep secrets. Let’s focus on whether the role itself sounds like a good fit first—then we can go from there! 🚀

Trying to sell to me? I'm open to exploring new tools, ideas, vendors, etc but this isn't gonna cut it. 1. Don't put my name in the subject. Dead giveaway that I don't know you. Friends and contacts never put a person's name in the subject line. 2. Actually go to my website or have your bot go there, whatever - make an effort, or be smarter with your segmentation. 3. Don't offend or insult current strategies. "Your website is probably not delivering leads..." says who? how would you know? 4. Using my company name in the first sentence along with "being impressed with what I've built" is a dead giveaway. Hang that one up. Many more to add but those are a few big ones... So what should you do? That's still up for discussion but context and relevance is key. While you can try "formulas", guess what, everyone else read that blog too. Or everyone else's AI wrote that too. If curious - here are 2 of best email messages from people I don't know, that I actually opened and engaged with this week (didn't necessarily respond, but they got my attention for the right reasons): "Clients asking for WhatsApp in HubSpot?" -- this one was probably canned, but the targeting and context was relevant, and something we hear and often need new solutions for. "Freelance HubSpot Developer - Reaching out for an intro" -- I like this because it's plain and simple, if I need a dev, I would at least look, if not, moving on. No tricking me to open the email. Plus, it's human explaning who they are and if our agency ever needs help. Again, those hit me. That may not be true for your audience. I really believe getting attention is hard today. But some of the stuff that's out there is making it REALLY easy to stand out and get a response if your strategy and targeting are sound.

Ever wonder why recruiters often keep the company name under wraps when reaching out for the first time about a job opportunity? 🤔 Here's the scoop: 🛡️ Recruiters often operate under confidentiality agreements with their clients. Protecting the company's identity ensures that sensitive information isn't prematurely disclosed, preserving the integrity of the hiring process. 🔍 Several factors surround why a particular position is open. Is this a new position? Was someone fired? Confidentiality also protects current employees at the company. 🤝 By prioritizing your skills and career goals rather than the company name upfront, recruiters aim to gauge your interest and suitability objectively—it's about finding the right match for both parties! After discussing your experiences, if the recruiter determines you're not a fit for the current position, they may identify other opportunities that suit you better. 🔑 Lastly, recruiters don't want to overwhelm you with lengthy email descriptions. LinkedIn imposes character limits with each message, so recruiters often comment on key factors from a candidate's profile, linking them to the highlights of the job description. So, next time you receive a mysterious message from a recruiter, remember, it's not secrecy, but professionalism at play. #AccountingJobs #STLjobs #PEGstaff #workwithPEG #LinkeInInMail

You must have noticed it by now - case studies aren't converting like they used to. It’s because cold email gurus are telling you to write emails like this: "Hey, I worked with Vikram Ashanti’s Custom Bespoke Tailoring & Alterations in Chicago and got them 10 clients last week. Do you want me to do the same for you?" Textbook email, right? Perfect case study placement. Clear results. Direct call to action. So why is it POISON for your cold email campaign? Well… Who the hell is Vikram Ashanti’s Custom Bespoke Tailoring & Alterations? No one knows. And because no one knows, the email falls apart. The client is confused, and now you’re marked as spam or deleted. After working with 14,000+ clients, I can tell you exactly when to use a case study - and when to skip it. Let’s go through it: 1. Only use a full name if a company is FAMOUS When we got Tesla and McKinsey to use our LinkedIn software, we mentioned it in our outreach. Because those names mean something. Anyone reading the email knows Tesla. They know McKinsey & Company. That association instantly builds credibility. If your client is famous - either in general or in their industry - use their name. It makes the prospect think, "If Tesla trusted them, maybe I should too." 2. If the prospect doesn’t know them… Anonymize When a prospect sees "Vikram Ashanti’s Custom Bespoke Tailoring & Alterations in Chicago", they’ll do one of three things: * Google it (and leave your email forever) * Mark it as spam because it looks sketchy * Delete it because they don’t recognize the name Some people will still get the point - "Oh, he worked with a tailor." But most won’t. A confused prospect doesn’t buy… If your client isn’t well-known, generalize it. Instead of: "I worked with Vikram Ashanti’s Custom Bespoke Tailoring & Alterations in Chicago and got them 10 clients." Say: "I worked with a top tailor in Chicago and helped them bring in 10 new clients last week." Now they’re not distracted by some unfamiliar name. They just see: "Oh, a top tailor? I run a tailoring business. Maybe this will work for me too." The goal isn’t just to prove you worked with someone... It’s to prove you get results. 3. When to Skip the Case Study A weak case study is worse than no case study. Instead of: "I worked with a tailor and got him two leads last week." Say: "I specialize in working with tailors and would love to help you get 20 leads next week." Now you’re not stuck with a weak case study, and you’re not lying about past work. Use case studies only when they help the sale. If they don’t, skip the case study and go straight to a strong promise. This is just one of the high-level tactics I teach inside AB Mastermind If you want cold emails that actually convert, join today and start writing emails that bring in leads (use the link in my bio) Talk soon, Alex P.S. Here's a pic of a random tailor shop: