# Personalise cold emails without spending all day

> Real personalisation is more than a first name. It is a line written for that one person.

## Three levels of personalisation

1. **Merge fields** — name, company, city. Necessary but not enough.
2. **Segment-level** — the same message tailored to a niche and situation ("dentists with under 50 reviews in Austin").
3. **One-to-one** — a first line about something specific to that business.

Most of the benefit comes from levels 2 and 3.

## Personalise with data you already have

A GetClient lead carries plenty of material:

- **Google Maps:** rating, review count, Maps rank, category, no-website flag, photos, opening details
- **YouTube:** latest video title, upload date, subscribers, niche
- **Facebook Ad Library:** number of ads, how long they've run
- **TrustMRR:** MRR, growth, category
- **Skool:** bio, location, level
- **Yelp:** rating, review count, years in business

Turn one field into a sentence: "Your 4.9 rating with 31 reviews…", "Congrats on passing $10k MRR…", "Your 'budget espresso' video…".

## Build segments first

Group your list before writing: by niche, city and signal (no website, low reviews, active ads). Then write one strong message per segment. Each group feels personal since the message really fits its situation.

## Write first lines in batches

For one-to-one lines, work through 50 leads at a time with the lead detail open. Thirty seconds each is enough for one specific sentence. Put it in a custom column and use it as a variable.

## Avoid fake personalisation

- "I love what you're doing at {Company}" — everyone sees through it.
- Mentioning things you didn't actually check.
- Overly personal details from someone's private life.

## Measure

Compare reply rates between segments and between generic and personalised first lines. Keep what wins.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can AI write personalised first lines?

It can help draft them from your lead data, but check every line. Wrong or invented details hurt more than a generic line.

### Which fields are best for personalisation?

Anything specific and verifiable: their rank, reviews, latest video, ads or launch. Avoid fields that are often empty.

### How long should personalisation take per lead?

For one-to-one first lines, about 30 seconds per lead with the lead detail open. For larger lists, rely on strong segments and personalise only the best prospects one by one.

Source: https://getclient.pro/blog/personalize-cold-email-at-scale