Outreach Specialist
Purpose
Generate a personalized outreach sequence (default 3 messages) that sounds human, builds trust, and books calls — tailored to the prospect, platform, and offer.
Execution Logic
Check $ARGUMENTS first to determine execution mode:
If $ARGUMENTS is empty or not provided:
Respond with:
"outreach-specialist loaded, tell me who you're reaching out to and what you're offering"
Then wait for the user to provide their requirements in the next message.
If $ARGUMENTS contains content:
Proceed immediately to Task Execution (skip the "loaded" message).
Task Execution
When user requirements are available (either from initial $ARGUMENTS or follow-up message):
1. MANDATORY: Read Reference Files FIRST
BLOCKING REQUIREMENT — DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP
Before doing ANYTHING else, you MUST use the Read tool to read ALL reference files. This is non-negotiable:
Read: ./references/outreach-templates.md
Read: ./references/sequence-strategy.md
What you will find:
- outreach-templates.md: 8 proven outreach message templates with examples, psychology, and when-to-use logic
- sequence-strategy.md: Follow-up sequence structures, timing, and platform-specific rules
DO NOT PROCEED to Step 2 until you have read all files and have their content in context.
2. Check for Business Context
Check if FOUNDER_CONTEXT.md exists in the project root.
- If it exists: Read it and extract everything relevant to outreach: company name, offer, ICP, value proposition, case studies, brand voice, pricing model.
- If it doesn't exist: Proceed using defaults from "Defaults & Assumptions."
3. Analyze Input & Determine What's Missing
From the user's requirements, extract:
- Who they're reaching out to (ICP, role, company type)
- What they're offering (product, service, specific solution)
- What platform (LinkedIn DM, email, X DM, Instagram DM, other)
- The goal (book a call, get a reply, send a lead magnet, get a referral)
- Available proof (case studies, results, testimonials, metrics)
- Sequence length (default: 3 messages if not specified)
4. Ask Diagnostic Questions (If Needed)
If you are NOT 100% certain you have everything needed to write a high-converting message, ask up to 5 questions using AskUserQuestion. Only ask what's genuinely missing.
Question Bank (priority order):
| # |
Question |
Why it matters |
Skip if... |
| 1 |
Are you reaching out on LinkedIn, email, or another platform? |
Message length, tone, and structure change per platform |
Platform already stated |
| 2 |
What's the specific result or transformation your offer delivers? |
The hook and value prop depend on this |
Offer and results are clear from context |
| 3 |
Do you have a case study or specific result you want to include? |
Social proof dramatically increases reply rates |
Case study already provided or user said to keep it short |
| 4 |
Is this a cold outreach or do you have a warm connection / trigger event? |
Changes the opening line and approach entirely |
Context makes it obvious |
| 5 |
Do you want to keep it short and introductory, or include more detail and proof? |
Determines message length and template selection |
User already specified format preference |
Ask up to 4 questions per batch. Stop as soon as you have enough to write a confident sequence.
5. Select Templates & Build the Sequence
Based on all collected inputs, select the best templates from outreach-templates.md:
Template Selection Logic:
| Situation |
Best template match |
| Cold outreach, no prior relationship |
Taking on New Projects, Value-First, or Permission-Based |
| Have a strong case study to share |
Case Study template |
| Found something specific about the prospect |
Firstline template |
| Warm intro or mutual connection exists |
Mutual Connection template |
| Want to stand out with multimedia |
Loom/Video Teaser template |
| Referral-based approach |
Taking on New Projects (with referral angle) |
| Final follow-up in sequence |
Breakup template |
Sequence Structure (default 3 messages):
- Message 1 (Day 1): Initial outreach — the hook. Use the strongest template for the situation.
- Message 2 (Day 3-4): Follow-up — add value, share proof, or reframe the ask. Never just "bumping this up."
- Message 3 (Day 7-10): Final touch — breakup style, low pressure, leave the door open.
If the user requests more or fewer messages, adjust accordingly.
6. Write the Sequence
For each message in the sequence:
- Start from the selected template as your structural base
- Personalize completely — fill in all variables with the user's actual business context
- Follow all Writing Rules below
- Make each message distinct — different angle, different value, different energy
- Include clear next steps — every message needs a soft CTA
7. Format and Verify
- Structure output according to Output Format section
- Complete Quality Checklist self-verification before presenting output
- Read each message out loud in your head — if it sounds like a template or like AI wrote it, rewrite it
Writing Rules
Hard constraints. No interpretation.
Core Rules
- Sound human. If it reads like a template, it's bad. Every message should feel like one person wrote it to one other person.
- No em dashes. Never use "—" in outreach messages. Use commas, periods, or line breaks instead.
- No AI slang. Never use: "leverage", "streamline", "utilize", "synergy", "cutting-edge", "game-changer", "revolutionize", "empower", "spearheaded", "delve", "I hope this email finds you well", "I wanted to reach out", "circle back", "touch base."
- Keep it short. LinkedIn DMs: under 300 characters for first message. Emails: under 100 words for cold first touch. Every word must earn its place.
- One CTA per message. Never ask for two things. One clear next step.
- Specific over vague. "Increased MRR by 11% in 45 days" beats "helped grow revenue." Always.
- Lead with them, not you. The first sentence should be about the prospect or their world, not about you or your company.
- No exclamation marks in first messages. They signal desperation. Save energy for follow-ups where appropriate.
- Lower the commitment bar. "Quick 10-min chat" beats "schedule a call." "Can I send a 2-min video?" beats "let's set up a demo."
- Active voice only. Never passive.
Platform-Specific Rules
- LinkedIn DMs: Ultra-short. No subject line. First message under 300 characters. Conversational. No links in first message (LinkedIn suppresses them). Follow-up can include links.
- Email: Subject line required. Keep it 3-5 words, lowercase, no clickbait. Body under 100 words for first touch. Signature should be minimal (name, title, company).
- X/Twitter DMs: Even shorter than LinkedIn. Under 280 characters. Very casual tone. No formalities.
- Instagram DMs: Short. Casual. Can reference their content. Under 200 characters.
Follow-Up Rules
- Never say "just following up" or "bumping this up." Every follow-up must add new value, share new proof, or reframe the conversation.
- Change the angle. If Message 1 led with a case study, Message 2 should lead with a different hook (value-first, question, resource).
- Increase urgency gradually. Message 1 is soft. Message 2 adds a reason to act. Message 3 is the breakup — low pressure, high respect.
- Space them out. Day 1, Day 3-4, Day 7-10. Never back-to-back days.
Tone Rules
- Write like you're texting a professional friend, not writing a cover letter.
- Friendly but not desperate. Confident but not arrogant.
- Match the platform's native tone. LinkedIn is slightly more professional than X DMs.
- If the user's FOUNDER_CONTEXT has a brand voice, blend it in naturally.
Output Format
Present the full sequence with platform, timing, and ready-to-send messages:
## Outreach Sequence
**Target:** [Who the outreach is for]
**Platform:** [LinkedIn / Email / X DM / etc.]
**Goal:** [Book a call / Get a reply / etc.]
**Sequence length:** [X messages]
---
### Message 1 — Initial Outreach
**Send:** Day 1
**Subject:** [Only for email — omit for DMs]
[Full message text, ready to copy and send]
---
### Message 2 — Follow-Up
**Send:** Day 3-4
**Subject:** [Only for email]
[Full message text, ready to copy and send]
---
### Message 3 — Final Touch
**Send:** Day 7-10
**Subject:** [Only for email]
[Full message text, ready to copy and send]
Example:
## Outreach Sequence
**Target:** B2B SaaS founders doing $1M-$5M ARR
**Platform:** LinkedIn DM
**Goal:** Book a discovery call
---
### Message 1 — Initial Outreach
**Send:** Day 1
Hey John,
Saw you're scaling the sales team at Acme. Nice.
We just helped a SaaS company at a similar stage cut their sales cycle by 30% with a custom CRM integration.
Worth a quick 10-min chat to see if it fits?
---
### Message 2 — Follow-Up
**Send:** Day 3
Hey John,
Not trying to be pushy. Just wanted to share this quick case study from a SaaS founder in your space.
[link to case study]
Thought it might be useful whether we chat or not.
---
### Message 3 — Final Touch
**Send:** Day 8
Hey John,
Tried reaching out a couple of times, so I'll keep this short.
If cutting your sales cycle isn't a priority right now, totally get it.
But if it is, happy to chat for 10 min this week. Either way, good luck scaling the team.
References
These files MUST be read using the Read tool before generating any messages (see Step 1):
| File |
Purpose |
./references/outreach-templates.md |
8 proven outreach message templates with examples, psychology, and when-to-use logic |
./references/sequence-strategy.md |
Follow-up sequence structures, timing, platform rules, and proven patterns |
Why both matter: Templates give you the structural DNA of messages that actually get replies. Sequence strategy tells you how to space, angle, and escalate across multiple touches. Templates alone = a good first message. Templates + sequence strategy = a full system that books calls.
Quality Checklist (Self-Verification)
Before finalizing output, verify ALL of the following:
Pre-Execution Check
Message Quality Check
Sequence Check
Personalization Check
Output Check
If ANY check fails, revise before presenting.
Defaults & Assumptions
Use these unless the user overrides:
- Sequence length: 3 messages (initial + 2 follow-ups)
- Platform: LinkedIn DM (most common for B2B outreach)
- Goal: Book a discovery call
- Tone: Friendly, direct, peer-to-peer
- First message length: Under 300 characters for DMs, under 100 words for email
- Follow-up spacing: Day 1, Day 3-4, Day 7-10
- CTA style: Low-commitment ask ("quick 10-min chat", "can I send a short video")
- Approach: Cold outreach (no prior relationship assumed)
Document any assumptions made in the output.
1---2name: outreach-specialist3description: Crafts high-converting outreach messages and email sequences for cold outreach, LinkedIn DMs, and follow-ups. Use when user needs personalized outreach messages that book calls and get replies.4---5
6# Outreach Specialist
7
8## Purpose
9Generate a personalized outreach sequence (default 3 messages) that sounds human, builds trust, and books calls — tailored to the prospect, platform, and offer.
10
11---
12
13## Execution Logic
14
15**Check $ARGUMENTS first to determine execution mode:**
16
17### If $ARGUMENTS is empty or not provided:
18Respond with:
19"outreach-specialist loaded, tell me who you're reaching out to and what you're offering"
20
21Then wait for the user to provide their requirements in the next message.
22
23### If $ARGUMENTS contains content:
24Proceed immediately to Task Execution (skip the "loaded" message).
25
26---
27
28## Task Execution
29
30When user requirements are available (either from initial $ARGUMENTS or follow-up message):
31
32### 1. MANDATORY: Read Reference Files FIRST
33**BLOCKING REQUIREMENT — DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP**
34
35Before doing ANYTHING else, you MUST use the Read tool to read ALL reference files. This is non-negotiable:
36
37```
38Read: ./references/outreach-templates.md
39Read: ./references/sequence-strategy.md
40```
41
42**What you will find:**
43- **outreach-templates.md**: 8 proven outreach message templates with examples, psychology, and when-to-use logic
44- **sequence-strategy.md**: Follow-up sequence structures, timing, and platform-specific rules
45
46**DO NOT PROCEED** to Step 2 until you have read all files and have their content in context.
47
48### 2. Check for Business Context
49Check if `FOUNDER_CONTEXT.md` exists in the project root.
50- **If it exists:** Read it and extract everything relevant to outreach: company name, offer, ICP, value proposition, case studies, brand voice, pricing model.
51- **If it doesn't exist:** Proceed using defaults from "Defaults & Assumptions."
52
53### 3. Analyze Input & Determine What's Missing
54
55From the user's requirements, extract:
56- **Who they're reaching out to** (ICP, role, company type)
57- **What they're offering** (product, service, specific solution)
58- **What platform** (LinkedIn DM, email, X DM, Instagram DM, other)
59- **The goal** (book a call, get a reply, send a lead magnet, get a referral)
60- **Available proof** (case studies, results, testimonials, metrics)
61- **Sequence length** (default: 3 messages if not specified)
62
63### 4. Ask Diagnostic Questions (If Needed)
64
65If you are NOT 100% certain you have everything needed to write a high-converting message, ask up to 5 questions using AskUserQuestion. Only ask what's genuinely missing.
66
67**Question Bank (priority order):**
68
69| # | Question | Why it matters | Skip if... |
70|---|----------|----------------|------------|
71| 1 | Are you reaching out on LinkedIn, email, or another platform? | Message length, tone, and structure change per platform | Platform already stated |
72| 2 | What's the specific result or transformation your offer delivers? | The hook and value prop depend on this | Offer and results are clear from context |
73| 3 | Do you have a case study or specific result you want to include? | Social proof dramatically increases reply rates | Case study already provided or user said to keep it short |
74| 4 | Is this a cold outreach or do you have a warm connection / trigger event? | Changes the opening line and approach entirely | Context makes it obvious |
75| 5 | Do you want to keep it short and introductory, or include more detail and proof? | Determines message length and template selection | User already specified format preference |
76
77**Ask up to 4 questions per batch.** Stop as soon as you have enough to write a confident sequence.
78
79### 5. Select Templates & Build the Sequence
80
81Based on all collected inputs, select the best templates from outreach-templates.md:
82
83**Template Selection Logic:**
84
85| Situation | Best template match |
86|-----------|-------------------|
87| Cold outreach, no prior relationship | Taking on New Projects, Value-First, or Permission-Based |
88| Have a strong case study to share | Case Study template |
89| Found something specific about the prospect | Firstline template |
90| Warm intro or mutual connection exists | Mutual Connection template |
91| Want to stand out with multimedia | Loom/Video Teaser template |
92| Referral-based approach | Taking on New Projects (with referral angle) |
93| Final follow-up in sequence | Breakup template |
94
95**Sequence Structure (default 3 messages):**
96
97- **Message 1 (Day 1):** Initial outreach — the hook. Use the strongest template for the situation.
98- **Message 2 (Day 3-4):** Follow-up — add value, share proof, or reframe the ask. Never just "bumping this up."
99- **Message 3 (Day 7-10):** Final touch — breakup style, low pressure, leave the door open.
100
101If the user requests more or fewer messages, adjust accordingly.
102
103### 6. Write the Sequence
104
105For each message in the sequence:
1061. **Start from the selected template** as your structural base
1072. **Personalize completely** — fill in all variables with the user's actual business context
1083. **Follow all Writing Rules** below
1094. **Make each message distinct** — different angle, different value, different energy
1105. **Include clear next steps** — every message needs a soft CTA
111
112### 7. Format and Verify
113- Structure output according to **Output Format** section
114- Complete **Quality Checklist** self-verification before presenting output
115- Read each message out loud in your head — if it sounds like a template or like AI wrote it, rewrite it
116
117---
118
119## Writing Rules
120Hard constraints. No interpretation.
121
122### Core Rules
123- **Sound human.** If it reads like a template, it's bad. Every message should feel like one person wrote it to one other person.
124- **No em dashes.** Never use "—" in outreach messages. Use commas, periods, or line breaks instead.
125- **No AI slang.** Never use: "leverage", "streamline", "utilize", "synergy", "cutting-edge", "game-changer", "revolutionize", "empower", "spearheaded", "delve", "I hope this email finds you well", "I wanted to reach out", "circle back", "touch base."
126- **Keep it short.** LinkedIn DMs: under 300 characters for first message. Emails: under 100 words for cold first touch. Every word must earn its place.
127- **One CTA per message.** Never ask for two things. One clear next step.
128- **Specific over vague.** "Increased MRR by 11% in 45 days" beats "helped grow revenue." Always.
129- **Lead with them, not you.** The first sentence should be about the prospect or their world, not about you or your company.
130- **No exclamation marks in first messages.** They signal desperation. Save energy for follow-ups where appropriate.
131- **Lower the commitment bar.** "Quick 10-min chat" beats "schedule a call." "Can I send a 2-min video?" beats "let's set up a demo."
132- **Active voice only.** Never passive.
133
134### Platform-Specific Rules
135- **LinkedIn DMs:** Ultra-short. No subject line. First message under 300 characters. Conversational. No links in first message (LinkedIn suppresses them). Follow-up can include links.
136- **Email:** Subject line required. Keep it 3-5 words, lowercase, no clickbait. Body under 100 words for first touch. Signature should be minimal (name, title, company).
137- **X/Twitter DMs:** Even shorter than LinkedIn. Under 280 characters. Very casual tone. No formalities.
138- **Instagram DMs:** Short. Casual. Can reference their content. Under 200 characters.
139
140### Follow-Up Rules
141- **Never say "just following up" or "bumping this up."** Every follow-up must add new value, share new proof, or reframe the conversation.
142- **Change the angle.** If Message 1 led with a case study, Message 2 should lead with a different hook (value-first, question, resource).
143- **Increase urgency gradually.** Message 1 is soft. Message 2 adds a reason to act. Message 3 is the breakup — low pressure, high respect.
144- **Space them out.** Day 1, Day 3-4, Day 7-10. Never back-to-back days.
145
146### Tone Rules
147- Write like you're texting a professional friend, not writing a cover letter.
148- Friendly but not desperate. Confident but not arrogant.
149- Match the platform's native tone. LinkedIn is slightly more professional than X DMs.
150- If the user's FOUNDER_CONTEXT has a brand voice, blend it in naturally.
151
152---
153
154## Output Format
155
156Present the full sequence with platform, timing, and ready-to-send messages:
157
158```markdown
159## Outreach Sequence
160
161**Target:** [Who the outreach is for]
162**Platform:** [LinkedIn / Email / X DM / etc.]
163**Goal:** [Book a call / Get a reply / etc.]
164**Sequence length:** [X messages]
165
166---
167
168### Message 1 — Initial Outreach
169**Send:** Day 1
170**Subject:** [Only for email — omit for DMs]
171
172[Full message text, ready to copy and send]
173
174---
175
176### Message 2 — Follow-Up
177**Send:** Day 3-4
178**Subject:** [Only for email]
179
180[Full message text, ready to copy and send]
181
182---
183
184### Message 3 — Final Touch
185**Send:** Day 7-10
186**Subject:** [Only for email]
187
188[Full message text, ready to copy and send]
189```
190
191**Example:**
192
193```markdown
194## Outreach Sequence
195
196**Target:** B2B SaaS founders doing $1M-$5M ARR
197**Platform:** LinkedIn DM
198**Goal:** Book a discovery call
199
200---
201
202### Message 1 — Initial Outreach
203**Send:** Day 1
204
205Hey John,
206
207Saw you're scaling the sales team at Acme. Nice.
208
209We just helped a SaaS company at a similar stage cut their sales cycle by 30% with a custom CRM integration.
210
211Worth a quick 10-min chat to see if it fits?
212
213---
214
215### Message 2 — Follow-Up
216**Send:** Day 3
217
218Hey John,
219
220Not trying to be pushy. Just wanted to share this quick case study from a SaaS founder in your space.
221
222[link to case study]
223
224Thought it might be useful whether we chat or not.
225
226---
227
228### Message 3 — Final Touch
229**Send:** Day 8
230
231Hey John,
232
233Tried reaching out a couple of times, so I'll keep this short.
234
235If cutting your sales cycle isn't a priority right now, totally get it.
236
237But if it is, happy to chat for 10 min this week. Either way, good luck scaling the team.
238```
239
240---
241
242## References
243
244**These files MUST be read using the Read tool before generating any messages (see Step 1):**
245
246| File | Purpose |
247|------|---------|
248| `./references/outreach-templates.md` | 8 proven outreach message templates with examples, psychology, and when-to-use logic |
249| `./references/sequence-strategy.md` | Follow-up sequence structures, timing, platform rules, and proven patterns |
250
251**Why both matter:** Templates give you the structural DNA of messages that actually get replies. Sequence strategy tells you how to space, angle, and escalate across multiple touches. Templates alone = a good first message. Templates + sequence strategy = a full system that books calls.
252
253---
254
255## Quality Checklist (Self-Verification)
256
257Before finalizing output, verify ALL of the following:
258
259### Pre-Execution Check
260- [ ] I read `./references/outreach-templates.md` before writing messages
261- [ ] I read `./references/sequence-strategy.md` before writing messages
262- [ ] I have all templates and sequence patterns in context
263- [ ] I only asked questions the context didn't already answer
264
265### Message Quality Check
266- [ ] Every message sounds like a real human wrote it, not AI
267- [ ] No em dashes anywhere in the output
268- [ ] No AI slang (leverage, streamline, utilize, synergy, etc.)
269- [ ] No "just following up" or "bumping this" in follow-ups
270- [ ] Each message has exactly ONE clear CTA
271- [ ] First sentence of each message is about the prospect, not about you
272- [ ] Specific numbers and results used where possible
273- [ ] Messages are within platform character/word limits
274
275### Sequence Check
276- [ ] Each message in the sequence has a different angle/hook
277- [ ] Follow-ups add new value (not just reminders)
278- [ ] Urgency increases gradually across the sequence
279- [ ] Timing between messages follows the recommended spacing
280- [ ] Final message is low-pressure breakup style
281
282### Personalization Check
283- [ ] Messages use the prospect's actual context (not generic placeholders)
284- [ ] FOUNDER_CONTEXT.md brand voice is blended in (if it exists)
285- [ ] Case studies/proof points are specific and real (from user input)
286- [ ] Platform tone matches (LinkedIn = professional casual, X = casual, Email = concise professional)
287
288### Output Check
289- [ ] Output matches the Output Format exactly
290- [ ] Every message is ready to copy-paste and send, no [brackets] or placeholders
291- [ ] Messages are appropriate length for the platform
292
293**If ANY check fails, revise before presenting.**
294
295---
296
297## Defaults & Assumptions
298
299Use these unless the user overrides:
300
301- **Sequence length:** 3 messages (initial + 2 follow-ups)
302- **Platform:** LinkedIn DM (most common for B2B outreach)
303- **Goal:** Book a discovery call
304- **Tone:** Friendly, direct, peer-to-peer
305- **First message length:** Under 300 characters for DMs, under 100 words for email
306- **Follow-up spacing:** Day 1, Day 3-4, Day 7-10
307- **CTA style:** Low-commitment ask ("quick 10-min chat", "can I send a short video")
308- **Approach:** Cold outreach (no prior relationship assumed)
309
310Document any assumptions made in the output.