Don't unleash a generic AI agent on your entire database. To get high response rates, segment contacts into specific sub-personas based on role, behavior, or status (e.g., churn risk). Then, train dedicated sub-agents or campaigns for each persona, allowing for true personalization at scale in batches of around 1,000 contacts.

Don't start with messaging. Build a hyper-specific list based on observable public data that signals a clear pain point. This data-driven list itself becomes the core of a highly relevant message, moving beyond generic persona-based outreach and hollow personalization.

Personalization is not one-size-fits-all. Director-level and above prospects are 50% more likely to respond to company-level relevance (e.g., business initiatives). In contrast, individual contributors and managers are more receptive to individual-level personalization.

Combine two specific audience identifiers in your subject line, like role and company attribute ("Mid-market CMOs") or interest and a pain point ("Beauty fans with sensitive skin"). This "double personalization" tactic reportedly increases B2B open rates by 24% and B2C by 29% by making the message feel hyper-relevant.

Modern AI enables hyper-personalization where every email element—copy, images, discounts—is generated uniquely for each shopper based on real-time site behavior. This moves beyond simple segmentation to a one-to-one communication standard.

Instead of pitching features, Katera builds AI agents that find sales opportunities for their prospects (e.g., relevant Reddit threads) and sends those leads directly. This "show, don't tell" approach provides immediate value and dramatically increases response rates.

The 'creepiness' factor in marketing doesn't come from using data, but from using it poorly. A generic, timed 'you left this in your cart' email feels more intrusive than a highly-tailored message that reflects specific user behavior, which feels helpful.

To achieve personalization efficiently, Samsung creates a few core email templates. They then use third-party tools like Movable Ink to dynamically insert content modules based on individual customer data, such as products owned or purchase propensity. This avoids massive versioning complexity.

For cold outreach, hyper-personalizing every prospect is inefficient. Instead, identify patterns across similar roles or industries and develop 'targeted messaging' that speaks to these common challenges. This allows for scalable and relevant outreach without time-consuming individual research.