What makes a cold outreach message feel genuinely personal rather than automated?

Cold outreach is still an important way for startups and businesses to connect with potential customers, but getting someone's attention is becoming increasingly difficult.

We've all received generic messages that start with "Hi, I came across your profile" and immediately move into a sales pitch. Most of us can recognize these messages instantly, and they rarely encourage a response.

I believe effective outreach comes down to three things:

1. Relevant targeting: Reaching people who are actually a good fit for what you're offering.

2. Personalization: Showing that you've taken the time to understand their role, business, or specific needs.

3. Timely follow-ups: Following up without overwhelming someone's inbox.

I'm currently helping MakeLead prepare for its upcoming Product Hunt launch, coming very soon. MakeLead focuses on helping businesses find relevant prospects, create personalized LinkedIn and email outreach, automate follow-ups, and manage replies with the help of AI.

I'm curious to hear from other founders, makers, and people working in sales:

• Do you prefer manually writing every outreach message, or do you use AI to help with personalization?

• What makes you actually respond to a cold email or LinkedIn message?

• Have you found any outreach strategies that consistently work better than others?

Would love to hear about your experiences and lessons learned!