Networking Outreach

Workspace Context

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.

Operating Contract

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.

Relationship-first outreach built on research and value. The goal is to start a conversation by giving something, not asking for something.

Quick Start

Mode 1 — Identify targets:

1. Tell me your networking purpose (e.g. "break into AI safety", "find hiring managers at fintech startups")
2. I'll build a target persona matrix and suggest 5–10 specific people to reach

Mode 2 — Draft outreach for a specific person (cold networking):

1. Share their LinkedIn URL (or screenshot if profile is private)
2. I'll research them + their company via the web
3. We'll pick the best value-add angle together
4. I'll draft: email (≤200 words) + LinkedIn connection request (≤300 chars)

Mode 3 — Hiring manager follow-up:

1. Share their LinkedIn URL + the role you applied for
2. Tell me any referral context and your core proof points
3. I'll draft a personal follow-up email that leads with a specific reference to their work, states your value clearly, and ends with a soft CTA

---

Mode 1: Identify Targets

Intake Questions

Before generating targets, establish:

Target Persona Matrix

Target Prioritization

Rank targets by:

1. Warm path — mutual connection, shared community, same alumni network
2. Content match — they've written or spoken about your exact interest
3. Accessibility — they respond publicly, actively post, have open DMs
4. Seniority fit — close enough to relate, senior enough to open doors

Output Format

For each target:

• Name + LinkedIn URL
• Why they're relevant
• Best angle to approach
• LinkedIn search query to find similar people

---

Mode 2: Research & Draft Cold Outreach

Step 1: Pull Their LinkedIn Profile

Use whatever browsing or screenshot tools are available in the host environment to read the full profile. If direct LinkedIn access is unavailable, ask the user for profile text or screenshots instead of inventing details.

Extraction steps:

1. Navigate to the LinkedIn URL
2. Screenshot or get_page_text the full profile
3. Note: headline, current role, recent posts, skills, education, shared connections

Step 2: Web Research

Search for additional context beyond LinkedIn:

• [Name] [Company] interview OR podcast OR talk
• [Company] goals challenges [current year]
• [Name] article OR newsletter OR writing
• [Company] funding hiring news

Capture:

• What they've said publicly (opinions, priorities)
• Their company's current focus (fundraise, launch, hiring push)
• Anything they're building or working toward

Step 3: Brainstorm Value-Add Angles

Generate 5–10 ideas. Every angle must answer: "What's in it for them?"

Step 4: Draft Two Formats

Cold Email (max 200 words)

Structure:

Subject: [2–4 words, lowercase, looks internal — not a pitch]

[Specific hook — one observation about them, their work, or their company]

[One sentence connecting it to why you're reaching out]

[Your value offer — what you're giving, not asking for]

[Soft CTA — "Worth a look?" / "Thought you'd find this useful" / "Happy to share more if helpful"]

[Name]

Rules:

• No "hope this finds you well"
• No "I'm reaching out because"
• "You/your" outnumbers "I/me" 2:1
• One ask max — low-friction (share, reply, yes/no)
• Never ask for a referral or coffee chat in the first message

LinkedIn Connection Request (max 300 characters)

Structure:

[Specific observation about their work] + [one-line reason to connect] + [optional: soft opener]

Examples:

• "Your post on [X] was the clearest take I've seen on [Y]. I work on [related thing] — would love to be connected."
• "Loved the piece on [X]. I'm building [Y] and ran into the same problem — would value being in your network."
• "You spoke at [event] about [topic]. I'm [context]. Your work on [specific thing] is exactly what I'm exploring."

Rules:

• No "I came across your profile"
• No "I'd love to pick your brain"
• Must fit in 300 characters — count before sending
• Specific > flattering

---

Mode 3: Hiring Manager Follow-Up

Use when you've applied for a role and want to reach out personally to the hiring manager. This is not a cold pitch — it's a human note that shows you did the homework and know why you specifically fit.

When to Use

• You've already submitted an application
• You have a name and some public context on the hiring manager
• You want to stand out from the applicant pile without being pushy

Structure

Subject: [role name] — a specific note

[One concrete reference to something they've written, built, or said publicly —
connect it directly to the problem you'd solve in the role]

[One paragraph: who you are + your most relevant proof point + a link]

[Optional: honest acknowledgment of any prior attempt at this company —
honesty + persistence reads well]

[Soft CTA — 15 minutes / calendar link]

[Name]

Rules

• Lead with THEIR work, not your credentials
• One specific reference beats three generic ones
• Include a concrete proof point (project, demo, portfolio, event with numbers)
• If you've applied or interviewed before and didn't make it — say so
• No "I'm excited about this opportunity" — show it instead
• CTA: calendar link or "15 minutes" — never "let me know if you're interested"
• Target length: 120–160 words

Key Principle

Admit the obvious about yourself — state the thing that's been true all along that makes you the right fit, as if you're finally saying it out loud. Don't hide behind credentials. Open with identity, not job title.

Example opening pattern:

"Your piece on [X] is exactly the problem I've been working on from [the other side / a different angle]."

Then: who you are in one line → one proof point with a link → honest context → soft ask.

---

Research Checklist

Before drafting any format, verify you have:

• Current role + company + headline
• 2–3 recent posts, articles, or public content (themes, opinions)
• Company's current priority (launch, hiring, raise, expansion)
• Career trajectory (what they're moving toward)
• Any external writing, interviews, or talks
• Shared connections, communities, schools, or past companies
• Something they're building or publicly excited about

---

Authenticity Rules

• Sound like yourself, not a template
• Lead with their world, not your pitch
• Personalization must connect to a real point — not filler
• No flattery without specifics ("Your work is impressive" = delete)
• One CTA, low friction — share, reply, or yes/no
• Tweak the draft to match your voice before sending

---

Common Mistakes

---

Related Skills

• outbound-email-strategy (../outbound-email-strategy/SKILL.md) — when the relationship converts to a sales conversation
• linkedin (../linkedin/SKILL.md) — optimize your own profile and publish content that attracts inbound interest

---

Supporting file: skills/linkedin/SKILL.md

LinkedIn

Workspace Context

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.

Operating Contract

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.

Two modes — often used together:

1. Profile Audit — analyze and optimize your LinkedIn profile (photo, headline, About, experience, skills, SSI, engagement rate)
2. Content Creation — write high-engagement posts, build thought leadership, grow your audience

Check for strategy/brand.md and about/me.md before starting. If they exist, use them to calibrate voice, audience, and positioning.

---

Mode 1: Profile Audit

Analysis Types

• Full Profile Audit — all elements, complete report with scores
• Quick Profile Review — priority action items and quick wins only
• Visibility Optimization — keyword/SEO discoverability
• Content Strategy Analysis — posting frequency, engagement performance

Accessing LinkedIn via Chrome DevTools

Requires LinkedIn profile open in Chrome, user logged in.

Workflow: list_pages → find linkedin.com/in/ → select_page → take_snapshot → take_screenshot → hover lazy-loaded sections → re-snapshot.

Playwright fallback: If Chrome DevTools unavailable, use mcp__playwright__browser_* equivalents.

Sections to analyze: photo, banner, headline, About, custom URL, experience, education, skills/endorsements, recommendations, featured section, activity/posts, followers/connections, groups.

Common errors:

Profile Scoring

Score guide: 90–100 Elite · 80–89 Excellent · 70–79 Good · 60–69 Average · <60 Needs Work

Mandatory Metrics

Engagement Rate:

(Reactions + Comments + Shares) / Impressions × 100

Target: 3%+. Example: (15+1+0)/1,376×100 = 1.16% → below target.

SSI Score (target: 70+/100):

• User visits linkedin.com/sales/ssi to share actual score, OR
• Estimate: All-Star + active + engaged network → 70–85; complete + regular posting → 55–70; basic + occasional → 40–55

Profile Element Best Practices

Photo: 400×400px min, professional attire, approachable expression, face 60–70% of frame, clean background.

Banner (1584×396px): Branded, value proposition text, no small text or clutter.

Headline (220 chars): [Who you are] | [Problems you solve] | [Benefit/result] | [Keywords]

• ❌ "Marketing Manager"
• ✅ "Marketing Manager | Helping B2B Companies Grow Through Data-Driven Strategies | 45% Revenue Increase Specialist"

About (2,600 chars): Hook → story → what you do/who you help → achievements with metrics → skills → CTA. First person, short paragraphs, relevant keywords.

Experience: Quantified achievements (%, $, #), scope, key projects demonstrated.

Featured: 3–6 curated items — portfolio, case studies, articles, lead magnets.

Audit Report Structure

1. Executive Summary
2. Classification (Industry, Profile Type, Target Audience)
3. Profile Scorecard
4. Calculated Metrics (Engagement Rate, SSI)
5. Element-by-Element Analysis
6. Quick Wins (high impact, low effort)
7. Strategic Recommendations
8. 30-60-90 Day Action Plan

See references/scoring_framework.md, references/metrics_benchmarks.md, and assets/profile_audit_template.md for detailed criteria, industry benchmarks, and report templates.

Industry tone calibration: Conservative industries (Legal, Finance, Healthcare) → formal tone, 2–3x/week, minimal emojis. Progressive industries (Tech, Marketing, Startups) → casual/personal, 4–5x/week, emojis acceptable.

---

Mode 2: Content Creation

Core Principles

Authenticity over performance. LinkedIn readers instantly spot manufactured vulnerability and engagement bait. What resonates is genuinely useful or genuinely human.

• Real experiences with honest reflection
• Specific insights from your actual work
• Admitting what you don't know
• ❌ Performed vulnerability for engagement
• ❌ Stories that feel too perfectly structured

One idea per post. If you have five points, that's five posts.

Value without strings. Ask: "Would I find this valuable if a stranger posted it?"

Post Anatomy

[HOOK — first 1-2 lines]          ← Visible before "...see more" (~210 chars)
...see more
[BODY — story or value]
 - Short paragraphs (1-2 sentences)
 - Line breaks for readability
[CTA — last 1-2 lines]
#hashtags (3-5, at the end)

Character limits:

Hook Formulas

Hooks to retire:

❌ "This one thing made me $X"
❌ "The CEO pulled me aside and said..."
❌ "I'm excited to announce..."
❌ "In today's rapidly evolving landscape..."
❌ Starting with a hashtag or emoji

See references/hooks.md for comprehensive examples.

Formatting

❌ Dense paragraph: "I learned something about leadership last week. My team was
struggling and instead of pushing harder, I removed scope. The result was incredible."

✅ LinkedIn formatted:
"I learned something about leadership last week.

My team was struggling with a deadline.

Instead of pushing harder, I removed scope.

The result?

We shipped faster.
And the quality was BETTER."

Rules: one sentence per line, blank lines between paragraphs, numbered lists for tips, 3–5 hashtags at the very end (never inline), one emoji max.

Post Formats

Story Post (personal experiences, lessons):

[Honest admission or surprising outcome]
[One sentence of context]
[What happened — the tension]
[The turning point]
[What you learned]
[Question for reader]

List Post (frameworks, actionable advice):

[Hook — clear value promise]
[Why this matters — one sentence]
1. [Point with brief context]
2. [Point with brief context]
3. [Point with brief context]  (3-7 items max)
[Closing insight or question]

Contrarian Post (challenging conventional wisdom):

[Your position, stated directly]
[The common belief you're challenging]
[Your reasoning — why you see it differently]
[Evidence or experience]
[Nuanced conclusion — acknowledge complexity]
[Invite discussion]

Guardrails: Have genuine expertise, argue against ideas not people, offer an alternative, be open to being wrong.

Observation Post (industry insights, trends):

[What you've observed]
[Specific evidence or examples]
[Why it matters]
[Your interpretation]
[Question to test if others see it too]

Content Pillars

Rotate through 3–5 pillars:

Algorithm Signals

Link post workaround: Post without link → add link as first comment → edit post to say "Link in comments."

Vulnerability Guidelines

Share when: The experience taught something others can learn, you've processed it enough to offer perspective, it serves the reader.

Don't share when: The wound is still fresh, you're seeking sympathy not providing value.

Test before posting: Am I sharing to help others or to process my own feelings? Would I be comfortable if this went viral?

CTAs

Avoid: "Comment YES if...", "Share this with 3 people", "Follow me for more" — engagement bait destroys trust.

Engagement Strategy

• First hour: Respond to every comment, ask follow-up questions to extend conversations
• Daily comments on others: Add insight, not just agreement — "Great post!" without substance builds nothing
• Posting schedule: Tue–Thu 7–8 AM, 12 PM, or 5–6 PM; avoid posting >1x/day

Anti-Patterns

• "I'm excited to announce..." (corporate speak)
• Humblebrags disguised as lessons
• Recycled viral formats (the Uber driver wisdom, the airport conversation)
• Every. Sentence. As. Its. Own. Line. (when overused)
• Hashtag stuffing (>5)
• Engagement pods (LinkedIn detects and penalizes)

Pre-Posting Checklist

• Hook: Would this stop MY scroll?
• Focus: Is there ONE clear idea?
• Value: Would I find this useful if someone else posted it?
• Authenticity: Does this sound like me, not "LinkedIn me"?
• Format: Short paragraphs, scannable with line breaks?
• CTA: Genuine engagement question (not bait)?
• Links: External links in comments, not the main post?

---

References

• references/hooks.md — Complete hook patterns with examples
• references/scoring_framework.md — Detailed profile scoring criteria
• references/metrics_benchmarks.md — Industry benchmarks for SSI, engagement, growth
• assets/profile_audit_template.md — Complete audit report template
• assets/quick_review_template.md — Rapid assessment checklist
• assets/action_plan_template.md — 30-60-90 day roadmap template

---

Supporting file: skills/outbound-email-strategy/SKILL.md

Outbound Email Strategy

Workspace Context

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.

Operating Contract

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.

Expert outbound email execution for B2B sales and business development. Build high-response cold outreach campaigns that feel personalized and drive conversations.

Quick Start

1. Define ICP — Who are you targeting and why?
2. Research Prospects — Find personalization signals
3. Craft the Hook — Lead with value, not a pitch
4. Build Sequence — 5-7 touches across channels
5. Handle Responses — Script for every outcome

---

ICP Framework

Define Your Target

Questions to Answer

1. What's their job title/role?
2. What company size/type?
3. What industry or vertical?
4. What pain are they experiencing RIGHT NOW?
5. Why should THEY specifically care?

---

Writing Principles

Write Like a Peer, Not a Vendor

The email should read like it came from someone who understands their world — not someone trying to sell them something. Use contractions. Read it aloud. If it sounds like marketing copy, rewrite it.

Every Sentence Must Earn Its Place

Cold email is ruthlessly short. If a sentence doesn't move the reader toward replying, cut it.

Personalization Must Connect to the Problem

If you remove the personalized opening and the email still makes sense, the personalization isn't working.

Lead with Their World, Not Yours

"You/your" should dominate over "I/we." Don't open with who you are.

One Ask, Low Friction

Interest-based CTAs ("Worth exploring?" / "Would this be useful?") beat meeting requests.

---

Subject Lines

Short, boring, internal-looking. The subject line's only job is to get the email opened.

Rules:

• 2-4 words, lowercase, no punctuation
• Should look like it came from a colleague
• No product pitches, no urgency, no emojis

Examples:

• "reply rates"
• "hiring ops"
• "Q2 forecast"

---

Email Sequence Framework

Sequence Types

Sequence Flow

Optimal Send Times

Tue–Thu, 10–11 AM or 2–3 PM in recipient's timezone.

---

Personalization Framework

4-Level System

Research Sources

• LinkedIn posts and activity
• Company news/press releases
• Job postings (indicate priorities)
• Podcast appearances
• Conference presentations
• Mutual connections

Personalization Patterns

Content-Based:

"Your post on X resonated — especially the point about Y."

Hiring Signal:

"Noticed you're hiring X — usually means Y pain."

Company News:

"Saw the news about X. Insight: Y."

Mutual Connection:

"X mentioned you're working on Y. Made me think of Z."

---

Message Components

The Hook (First Line)

Make it impossible to ignore. Prove you know them.

Good:

• "Saw your post about X — made me think of Y"
• "Noticed you're hiring X — usually means Y"
• "Your talk on X was Y"

Bad:

• "Hope this email finds you well"
• "I'm reaching out because..."
• "I came across your profile..."

The Observation

Show you understand their world.

"Companies at your stage usually struggle with X" "Saw you're scaling — that usually creates Y"

The Value Offer

Give before you ask.

• "Made you a quick audit"
• "Put together resource that might help"
• "Happy to share how we solved this for X"

The CTA

Make it natural and low-friction.

Good:

• "Worth a look?"
• "Interested?"
• "Want me to send it over?"

Bad:

• "Let's book a 30-minute call"
• "When are you free to chat?"

---

Follow-Up Sequences

Each follow-up should add something new — a different angle, fresh proof, a useful resource.

Follow-Up Templates

Email 2 (Value Bump):

"Quick follow-up — additional insight. [Restate offer]."

Email 3 (Different Angle):

"New observation about their business. Thought this might be relevant."

Email 4 (Social Proof):

"Just helped similar company with result. Thought of you."

Email 5 (Break-Up):

"Closing the loop. If problem isn't a priority, no worries. Door's open."

---

Response Handling

Classification & SLA

Response Scripts

Positive Response:

"Thanks! Here's what I promised. Quick question: [qualifying question]? If [condition], [next step]."

"Not Now" Response:

"No problem. Would it make sense to reconnect in [timeframe]?"

"What's This?" Response:

"In short: [1-sentence value]. [Reoffer value]. Worth a look?"

Skeptical Response:

"Fair to ask. [Proof point]. Happy to share case study if useful."

---

Cold Call Scripts

Talk Track

1. Opener: Permission + value in one line
2. Discovery: 3 questions (current flow, pain metric, priority)
3. Value Hits: Match pain, cite proof, propose next step
4. Objections: Acknowledge → brief proof → micro-commit
5. Close: Time-bound CTA + send calendar while on call

---

Performance Benchmarks

High Reply Rate Signals

• Personalized opening
• Clear value prop in first 2 sentences
• Similar-company social proof
• Low-friction CTA
• Clean plain-text formatting

---

A/B Testing Strategy

Test Elements

Method

Send 50/50 split to 100 prospects. Wait 48h, measure opens + replies. Winner goes to remaining list.

---

Volume Guidelines

Rule: Never sacrifice personalization for volume.

---

Compliance & Deliverability

Authentication (Required)

• SPF: Sender Policy Framework
• DKIM: DomainKeys Identified Mail
• DMARC: Domain-based Message Authentication

Spam Rate Thresholds

• Hard ceiling: 0.3% complaint rate
• Target: <0.1% for reliable inbox

Best Practices

• Keep sending identity stable
• Warm up new domains gradually
• One-click unsubscribe (List-Unsubscribe-Post)
• Follow CAN-SPAM requirements

---

Common Mistakes

---

The Outbound Math

Example:

• 100 emails/day × 5 days = 500 emails/week
• 5% response rate = 25 responses
• 50% positive = 12-13 interested
• 50% book calls = 6-7 calls/week
• 20% close = 1-2 customers/week

That's 4-8 customers/month from outbound.

---

Related Skills

• lead-generation-and-demand (../lead-generation-and-demand/SKILL.md) - Demand generation
• sales-and-revenue-operations (../sales-and-revenue-operations/SKILL.md) - Sales processes
• conversion-rate-optimization (../conversion-rate-optimization/SKILL.md) - CRO frameworks