“Hey, it’s Alice. Quick one for you…”
It lands in your LinkedIn inbox.
Not another 500-word block of text.
Not a video you don’t have time to watch.
Just a 28-second voice note, sent in a warm, real voice – but actually powered entirely by AI.
This isn’t hype. It’s happening. And it’s working.
Let me show you how.
Why Voice Notes work (but no one uses them at scale)
Voice is the closest thing to a real conversation.
It builds instant familiarity and cuts through noise in a way text never will.
LinkedIn voice messages get twice the reply rate of text. But barely anyone sends them.
Why?
Because doing them manually sucks.
- You freeze on the mic
- You ramble or sound stiff
- You can’t scale it – personalization is tricky with voice notes.
So most reps skip it.
Enter AI voice notes. With Elevenlabs technology now directly integrated into lemlist, coupled with AI variable personalization, reps
How does AI Voice Notes work?
The concept is simple: clone your voice to read dynamic scripts as LinkedIn voice notes—recorded and sent straight from lemlist.
Here’s how:
- Write a script with personnalisation tokens using AI variables : company, ICP, challenge, icebreaker… there are endless possibilities there.
- Clone your voice in just 2 minutes
- Listen to the result in lemlist, ready to be sent via LinkedIn.
Thanks to the ElevenLabs + lemlist collaboration, your script is transformed into a voice message that sounds just like you and directly automated inside your multichannel campaign.
Why AI Variables make this even smarter
You’ve cloned your voice and got that WAOW effet.
Now here’s the second game changer : AI variables.
They turn generic scripts into personalized voice notes, at scale.
With AI variables, you can automatically generate personalized content like icebreakers and PS lines.
Let’s zoom in on icebreakers, because that’s where it really clicks:
An icebreaker is the first thing your lead hears. It’s the line that says, “this isn’t another mass-blast.”
Mention their recent post, highlight a mutual connection, or drop a nod to their city—small details that make a big impression.
Here’s the magic:
- Create an AI variable like {{icebreaker}}
- Use one of lemlist’s pre-built prompt templates to fetch information on the company or create your own. Here is an example below:
- Now you can use it in your script and campaigns directly!
And that’s just one example
→ Check out our full prompt library to personalizing your emails and voice message scripts at scale
Instead of spending hours personalizing intros, AI variables do the heavy lifting.
When to use AI Voice Notes in outreach
Timing matters. Here’s when we see voice notes drive replies:
- Day 2 follow-up: Pattern interrupt after a no-reply message
- After a connect request is accepted: Warm opener, breaks inbox fatigue
- For demo invites: Add warmth and clarity to your ask
Bonus tip: Send the note in the name of your CEO. Sounds bold? It works. It adds authority and surprise—two key reply triggers.
What to say? Here’s a voice script framework that converts
Here’s a simple structure we use:
Trigger → Question → Teaser → CTA
“Hey {{firstName}}, noticed you’re scaling {{company}}’s outbound team fast. Curious how you’re tackling reply rates across channels. We’ve got a playbook that’s helping folks book 25+ meetings/month with less effort. Want a peek?”
It’s clear, relevant, and gives them a reason to hit reply.
Want more? Here are 3 templates – including AI variables:
1. The No-Reply Follow-Up
“Hey {{firstName}}, just following up on my last message. I shared a webinar on 3 founder-led sales mistakes—one that most early-stage teams fall into. If that resonates, happy to send it over.”
2. The Cold Opener
“Hey {{firstName}}, hope you don’t mind the voice note. Thought it might stand out from the 69 other messages today. Quick one: saw your team tackling [pain point]. Got a quick resource on how others are hitting {{outcome}}. Curious? I’ll send it your way.”
3. The Personalized Hook
“Hi {{firstName}}, noticed your work on {{topic}}. A client of ours helps {{ICP}} struggling with {{problem}}. Sounds familiar? I can show you the exact emails they use to book 25+ meetings/month. Let me know.”
Why It Works: The Perfect Balance
Manual voice notes = high friction. Scripted ones = robotic.
AI hits the sweet spot:
- Sounds human (thanks to Elevenlabs)
- Feels personal
- Scales across your list
- Takes minutes to create
And for reps with mic anxiety? It removes that blocker entirely.
You used to reserve this for tier-1 prospects. Now? You can do it for everyone.
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