personalize-email

What this skill does

# Personalize Email

Generate personalized email variants. Calls `get_gtm_context(detailed: true)` unconditionally, resolves the prospect, runs a relationship-context pre-flight, pulls signals + CRM context, and composes 1-3 variants tuned to the chosen use case. Iteratively refinable.

## The bar — adapts by use case

The composition bar depends on what the email is trying to do. Don't force a cold-outbound frame onto a follow-up.

| Use case | Anchor for the variant | Pain-bridge required? |
|---|---|---|
| `cold_outbound` | **Signal → pain → positioning chain** (specific, recent, verifiable signal; concrete inferred pain; GTM-context value prop) | **Yes — mandatory** |
| `re_engagement` | Fresh new signal since the last contact → reconnection frame | Yes (lightweight — the signal IS the reason to reach back) |
| `discovery_follow_up` | Prior conversation reference → next-step framing | No (the prior touchpoint replaces the pain bridge) |
| `demo_recap` | Recap of what was shown / heard → concrete next step | No |
| `renewal` | Outcome recap → renewal moment + stakeholder ask | No (anchor is the contract, not a pain) |
| `expansion` | Existing outcome → adjacent need / persona | Pain-bridge ON the adjacent need, not the existing relationship |
| `objection_handling` | Acknowledge stated objection → reframe | No (the objection IS the anchor) |
| `chaser` (treat as a `re_engagement` variant) | One new fact or framing since the last send → "still relevant?" | No |

Universal — every variant: specific to *this* prospect (no template feel); concrete next action; honest about state; ≤ use-case length cap.

The rule in one line: **never default to "let me find a pain" when the use case calls for "what happens next."**

## Always-on context: `get_gtm_context`

Call `get_gtm_context(detailed: true)` first. Parse offerings into:

```
offering_profile = { offering, pain_points[], value_props[], proof_bank[], cta_ladder[] }
```

Anchor on **one** `offering_profile`. Pick **one** `value_prop`. Never invent stats or customer names — only what GTM context / proof_bank provides.

## Input

- **Prospect identifier (required)** — ZI person ID / email / name+company / name+domain.
- **Use case (default `cold_outbound`)** — drives length, framework, CTA, and bar (see above).
- **Outreach context (recommended)** — natural-language goal ("competitive displacement against [vendor]", "follow up on last week's pricing conversation").
- **Prior touchpoint summary (recommended for follow-ups / recaps / chasers)** — what happened last + named participants + open thread. Without it, the skill falls back to `account_research` + `contact_research` to reconstruct.
- **Sender info (optional)** — name, title, email, phone, signoff. Otherwise omit signature.
- **User-supplied template/content (optional)** — wins over everything below. Use as skeleton; fill placeholders only.
- **Variant count (optional)** — 1 / 2 / 3. Default: governed by persona-fit discipline.
- **Preferred angle (optional)** — `curiosity` / `value-frame` / `urgency`.
- **Recipient email** — required for sending. Refuse if unresolvable.

## Use-case routing

| Use case | Length | Framework | CTA style |
|---|---|---|---|
| `cold_outbound` | 50–80 | AIDA or Becc Holland 4-line | Lowest-friction tease |
| `discovery_follow_up` | up to 120 | PAS (pain known) | 15–20 min fit check |
| `demo_recap` | 80–120 | Recap → next-step | Concrete next-step proposal |
| `re_engagement` / `chaser` | 50–80 | Curiosity / new-signal hook | One-line ask |
| `renewal` | 80–120 | Outcome-recap → renewal step | Tied to contract step |
| `expansion` | 80–120 | Outcome-recap → adjacent need | Fit check on adjacency |
| `objection_handling` | up to 120 | Acknowledge → reframe | Direct one-question response |

Frameworks: **AIDA** (cold) · **PAS** (pain known) · **Challenger** (provocative insight) · **Becc Holland 4-line** (Premise / Hook / CTA / Push-Pull — cold + re-engagement).

## Signal → pain mapping (cold-outbound + re-engagement)

Used when the use case requires a signal → pain bridge. For follow-ups / recaps / renewals, the bridge is the prior touchpoint or contract moment, not a new pain.

| Signal | Recency | Implied pains | Buying window |
|---|---|---|---|
| **M&A — acquirer** | 90d | Integration complexity, redundant tooling, vendor consolidation, IT security review | 3–9mo post-close |
| **M&A — acquiree** | 90d | Loss of autonomy, vendor contract review, rip-and-replace risk | 0–6mo post-close |
| **New CEO / C-suite hire** | 30d | Strategy reset, 100-day plan, vendor relationship reset, budget reallocation | 60–180d |
| **Funding round** | 90d | Enterprise-grade tool need, hiring acceleration, scaling pains. A: replace founder tools · B: process formalization · C+: enterprise readiness | 3–6mo |
| **Hiring plans / surge** | 30d | Onboarding load, tooling gaps revealed by scale | 0–6mo |
| **Layoffs / restructuring** | 60d | Cost pressure, consolidation, automation appeal. Sensitivity > urgency | 6–12mo |
| **Product launch** | 90d | GTM readiness, sales/marketing alignment, enablement gaps | 0–6mo |
| **Earnings / financial results** | 30d | Public commitments → execution pressure | 30–90d |
| **Intent topic spike** | 14d | Active research; score 80+ + audience A/B = warm | 0–60d |
| **Partnership announcement** | 60d | Co-sell pressure, competitive disruption to incumbent vendors | 3–6mo |
| **Pain Point scoop** | 90d | ZI-curated pain — already the bridge | 0–90d |

When multiple signals exist, choose by **(recency × buyer-relevance × stage-alignment)**. Recency weighted heavily — a 14-day signal beats a 60-day one.

## Personalization ladder — use **exactly one**, never stack

| Tier | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| **P0** | Neutral trigger (role + market trend) | Last-resort fallback |
| **P1** | Role/segment insight (ICP-level) | When company-specific signal is thin |
| **P2** | Company-specific event (news / product / metric) | Default for cold_outbound |
| **P3** | Individual-specific (quote, prior interaction, CRM note) | Strongest; re_engagement / discovery_follow_up |
| **Tier 0 override** | User-supplied template content | Always wins; fill placeholders only |

## Proof-source hierarchy — use **exactly one**, in order

1. Direct prior result with this account/contact (from `contact_research` / CRM).
2. Peer / segment outcome (from `proof_bank`).
3. Product evidence without metrics (capability → expected outcome).
4. Fallback: generic capability statement.

**Never invent stats or customer names.** If proof_bank is empty, drop to tier 3 or 4 — never fabricate.

## Tone calibration

When tone isn't supplied, infer by seat:
- **Executives** (C/EVP/SVP) — outcome-first, concise, numeric proof, direct CTA.
- **Directors / Managers** — problem → approach → outcome → CTA.
- **Practitioners / ICs** — workflow friction → concrete benefit → quick next step.

Universal: ~Grade 8 reading level. Slightly casual; slightly unsure phrasing ("might be off-base, but…").

## Anti-patterns — fail-fast checklist

If any fires, regenerate.

1. **Generic congratulations.** Banned openers: "Congrats on", "Saw the news about your", "Hope this finds you well", "Loved your recent post about" (without naming + thesis).
2. **"Just checking in" / "circling back".** Dead. Use a signal or don't follow up.
3. **Self-introduction-first.** "We're a leading provider of…" / "Hi, I'm…" / "We help [persona]…" — lead with the prospect.
4. **"I noticed..." crutch.** Stating a public fact without doing something with it.
5. **Signal without payoff.** Naming a signal then jumping to product pitch — skips the bridge.
6. **Forcing a pain bridge on a non-cold use case.** Follow-ups, recaps, renewals don't need a freshly invented pain. The anchor is the prior touchpoint or contract moment.
7. **Generic praise.** "Love what you're building" / "Big fan." Must tie to a specific achievement.
8. **Meeting ask as primary CTA on cold.** Tanks reply rate. Use a te