Sales Skills / Make the First Contact Count / Lesson 10

LESSON 10 · MAKE THE FIRST CONTACT COUNT

Personalise in One Line

Forty ways to personalise in one line, so every message feels written for one person.

One real line beats ten generic ones. Show that you looked.

40 tipsEasy things to say7-day plan

40 tips that really help

These ideas come from Fanatical Prospecting (Jeb Blount), Cold Calling Techniques (Stephan Schiffman), The Little Red Book of Selling (Jeffrey Gitomer), and everyday practice. The first six help the most. Pick one and try it today.

TIP 1

Why one line is enough

It signals real interest without taking long, and busy readers notice the effort.

TRY THIS
Aim for one personal line in every message.

TIP 2

Look at their latest post

Fresh content shows what is on their mind this week.

TRY THIS
Read one recent post before you write.

TIP 3

Look at their company news

A launch, award or hire is a natural reason to get in touch.

TRY THIS
Search their name plus “news”.

TIP 4

Look at their website

A small detail from their site proves you actually read it.

TRY THIS
Skim two pages and note one fact.

TIP 5

Look at their profile

Their career path often reveals common ground or a good question.

TRY THIS
Read the “about” and experience sections.

TIP 6

Look at shared contacts

A mutual connection warms a cold message at once, if it is real.

TRY THIS
Check for one shared name.

TIP 7

Look at shared groups

Belonging to the same community creates an instant bridge.

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Note any group you both join.

TIP 8

Look at shared events

Having attended or planned the same event is a simple, true link.

TRY THIS
Check their speaker or attendee lists.

TIP 9

Look at shared places

Living in the same city or studying at the same school builds rapport.

TRY THIS
Find one local connection.

TIP 10

Look at shared interests

A hobby in common makes a business message feel human.

TRY THIS
Spot one interest in their public posts.

TIP 11

Be specific, not flattering

“I love your work” is empty, while “your piece on onboarding made me rethink my first call” is real.

TRY THIS
Name one concrete detail.

TIP 12

Be truthful

Inventing a connection or an admiration will be discovered and costs trust.

TRY THIS
Verify each fact before you send.

TIP 13

Be warm

Genuine interest comes through in simple, friendly words.

TRY THIS
Smile as you write the line.

TIP 14

Be brief

A personal line is a sentence, not a paragraph.

TRY THIS
Trim yours to twenty words.

TIP 15

Be relevant

The detail should lead naturally into your reason for writing.

TRY THIS
Write the sentence that links the two.

TIP 16

Avoid flattery

Fake praise is easy to spot and quickly dismissed.

TRY THIS
Cut every compliment that you cannot back up.

TIP 17

Avoid creepy details

Private information such as family or home makes people uneasy.

TRY THIS
Stay with professional, public facts.

TIP 18

Avoid wrong facts

A mistake in a personal line is worse than no personal line.

TRY THIS
Check each fact twice.

TIP 19

Avoid copied templates

Readers recognise a mail-merge opener within a few words.

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Rewrite your opener in your own voice.

TIP 20

Avoid long personal paragraphs

Heavy openings make the message feel odd and slow.

TRY THIS
Keep to one line.

TIP 21

Place it first

Opening with the personal detail shows right away that this is for them.

TRY THIS
Move it to the top of your message.

TIP 22

Link it to your reason

A smooth bridge turns a nice remark into a useful opening.

TRY THIS
Write one bridging sentence.

TIP 23

Use their own words

Echoing a phrase they used feels respectful and familiar.

TRY THIS
Quote five words from their post.

TIP 24

Use their name correctly

Misspelling a name ruins the effect of the whole message.

TRY THIS
Check the spelling on their profile.

TIP 25

End the line with a question

A question about their view invites a real answer.

TRY THIS
Add a short question after the detail.

TIP 26

Keep a detail list

A running list of good personal lines saves time later.

TRY THIS
Start a file with five examples.

TIP 27

Build a five-minute research habit

A short, fixed time keeps research from taking over your day.

TRY THIS
Set a timer for each name.

TIP 28

Use tools lightly

Alerts and saved searches can surface fresh details quickly.

TRY THIS
Set up two alerts today.

TIP 29

Track the replies

Comparing replies with and without personal lines shows its value.

TRY THIS
Record both groups for a week.

TIP 30

Test personalised against generic

A simple test proves whether the extra minute is worth it.

TRY THIS
Send ten of each.

TIP 31

Learn which details work best

News, shared contacts and posts may perform differently for your audience.

TRY THIS
Note which types get answers.

TIP 32

Teach your colleagues

Explaining the habit helps you do it better and helps the team.

TRY THIS
Show one colleague your method.

TIP 33

Share your best lines

A shared library of good openers lifts everyone’s results.

TRY THIS
Post two in your team chat.

TIP 34

Retire weak lines

Some personal lines never get replies, so replace them.

TRY THIS
Remove one that fails.

TIP 35

Respect privacy and the law

Use only information people have made public for professional purposes.

TRY THIS
Review the rules where you work.

TIP 36

Respect opt-outs

If someone asks you to stop, honour it at once.

TRY THIS
Mark their record.

TIP 37

Review monthly

A monthly look shows which habits to keep and which to improve.

TRY THIS
Set a recurring reminder.

TIP 38

Practise a little every day

Skill grows with small daily repetition.

TRY THIS
Write three personal lines today.

TIP 39

Make it a rule

Every outreach message gets one real personal line, without exception.

TRY THIS
Write the rule on a sticky note.

TIP 40

Personalise one message right now

Today is the best day to begin.

TRY THIS
Pick a prospect and write the line.

Easy things to say

When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many sales conversations.

LINK

“I enjoyed your post on hiring.”

NEWS

“Congratulations on the new shop.”

SHARED

“We both know Sam.”

LOCAL

“I am also based in Calgary.”

QUOTE

“You said customers want simpler orders.”

THANKS

“Thanks for sharing that.”

Your first week

One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.

DAY 1
Find one detail for five prospects

DAY 2
Write five personal lines

DAY 3
Check each one is true

DAY 4
Use them in messages

DAY 5
Track the replies

DAY 6
Learn which details work best

DAY 7
Keep a list of good lines

More lessons in “Make the First Contact Count”

Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.

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