If you’re not using AI to speed up, personalize, and automate your sales outreach, you’re already behind.
Hubspot’s Smarter Selling with AI Report 2023 found that while 74% of sales pros are currently using some form of AI, only 31% are using generative AI tools for writing sales outreach messages or creating sales content.
This is what an opportunity looks like.
If you’re ready to take advantage—but haven’t quite mastered the chat prompt to access AI’s full power, we’re here to help.
We’re going to show you 12 simple prompts that will power your sales outreach, pitches, calls, and LinkedIn messages with AI so that you can get back to the human side of sales.
Key to useful prompts
When working with a new technology, it’s natural to start simple and play.
But to harness generative AI’s full capacity, the world’s best prompt engineers recommend that your prompts be both rich and specific.
The more vivid and clear a picture you paint with your request, including context, expectations, and personas, the better your output will be.
Prompts for building a sales campaign
#1 Personalize cold outreach
There are a few proven ways to warm up cold prospects: speaking to specific pain points, and using key tidbits about the prospect that show you’ve done your homework. This prompt helps use both.
Write a friendly, conversational introduction to [Tal Baker Philips, Sales Leader at lempire] that is no longer than 200 words. In the body, include 3 ways [Zapier] can help with [Simon]’s exact pain points, derived from the [prospect]’s LinkedIn bio [LinkedIn profile URL].
#2 Write a sequence of outreach emails — in seconds
Giving AI context about your target audience or group of prospects can help create next-level outreach campaigns—not just single, one-off emails.
Imagine you’re a [BDR] who needs to write cold outreach emails targeting [Content Marketing Managers] in [HR SaaS companies] about your product, an [AI content editing service]. You want to offer a [custom demo] of your service to [Content Marketing Managers]. Write a [6-email outreach sequence] that explains how our solution works, the top 3 benefits of our solution for [Content Marketing pros], and offer a [custom demo] as the main CTA in all emails.
For example, using the power of Chat by Copy.ai and lemlist’s AI, you can create a 6-email outreach series using a prompt like the example above!
#3 Improve your CTAs (calls to action)
Sometimes, you already have emails done and dusted but need help with that final, crucial CTA. Remember that the more information you feed AI, the more valuable the output.
Write 3 calls to action for the following outreach email. Ensure each CTA directs the recipient to take a specific action or next step. Use a friendly but assertive tone. Keep the writing concise and clear. Each CTA should be up to 5 words.
Outreach email: [Paste]
Prompts for making sales calls
#4 Beat the competition
AI thrives in moments when you just can’t figure out how to say what you need in a different way. (Though double-checking all facts is still important, as the language used can influence or confuse the output.)
You are an experienced sales representative for [ClickUp]. You are looking to win over a project manager who previously used [Trello] for all their [project management] needs but hated that they couldn’t integrate with Google Drive, or customize their workspaces. Write a list of 5 talking points that would be helpful to convince the customer to move to [ClickUp].
#5 Battle common objections
By leveraging both personal information as well as AI’s research capabilities, salespeople will gain talking points that soften prospects and close them at the same time.
For example, you can use AI to help drive insights around competitive intelligence.
You’re a detail-oriented and customer-focused [sales rep] for [Lever, an applicant tracking system]. You’re about to get on a sales call with an [HR leader] whose BIO is pasted below. Use this information to create talking points for the call that overcome [4 common objectives] prospects have about [Lever], based on reviews found on G2.com.
BIO: [paste bio]
#6 Ask insightful questions
The key to getting important answers (mainly, “yes, we will sign up this month!”) is asking good questions, and AI is perfect for crafting those.
You’re a highly organized sales rep who’s been in the [technology] industry for 10 years. You studied customer psychology during your time at Harvard University. Using the customer data and product information shared below, create a 300-word sales script that asks insightful questions and highlights your product, [Sampler.io]. The goal of your questions should be to find out how to best sell your product.
DATA: [Paste data]
PRODUCT: [Add your product’s description]
Prompts for writing cold email subject lines
#7 Free offer
The best way to get something is to give something. That’s why — if you have something to offer — this prompt may increase your open rate. There’s a reason that countdown timers are popular conversion techniques, and that’s because people don’t want to miss out, especially on something free!
Imagine you’re a sales representative for [Mailchimp, an email marketing company,] that wants to win over a new customer in the [florist] category [by the end of the month]. You want to offer them [a free month to test out the premium account]. Write 5 subject lines that get the customer to open your email.
#8 Break the ice
Believe it or not, AI comes equipped with a small sense of humor. Sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed to break through the sales emails piling up in people’s inboxes. If it fits your company’s brand voice, don’t be afraid to play with ideas that jar people from the norm.
You are an account executive from a company that sells [bidets] called [TUSHY], and you’re trying to get the attention of the [CEO] of a [bathroom retailer] named Mike. Write 3 subject lines using the most catchy, effective copywriting techniques used by conversion copywriters that will make Mike laugh.
#9 Pain points
Sometimes, you can prompt AI with extra information about prospects, like the below quip (but also customer pain point!) about marketers not being that great with numbers.
Write 5 options for a gripping subject line that introduces [Xero, an accounting software for small businesses], to a potential client, a [small marketing agency]. Make sure they’re human-sounding and valuable. Don’t sound pushy or salesy. Include a mention of [not being good with numbers, but with words].
Prompts for writing LinkedIn outreach messages
#10 Talk about them
Who doesn’t love to talk about themselves and the topics that get them excited? This prompt will get you to the top of their inbox.
Write a short, upbeat message no longer than 100 words to [John Doe, Head of Growth Marketing at Beverage Co] about his most recent POST on LinkedIn. Make sure the first 7 words catch their attention. Use this post as a talking point to plug your [eCommerce business]. Sign off cheerfully and ask to schedule a call as the final CTA.
POST: [Paste the post from LinkedIn here.]
#11 New position
If you want to easily build rapport with your prospect you can always take advantage of their strategic business move.
Write a short, 50-100 word message to [Graham, the content marketing manager] at [Benevity], congratulating them on their new position. Based on their profile summary, ask how your [Content Marketing Agency] can help in the new company, and list the top 3 ways [Content Marketing Agencies] can help in-house [content marketing managers] look great to their boss.
PROSPECT: [Paste linkedin URL.]
#12 Congratulate your prospect about a company win
A recent update is the perfect “in” to start a conversation with a warming prospect.
Not only can you showcase specific features that your product has that are specific to the update, but you can turn those features into benefits for the employee.
You’re an account executive at [Hubspot, a popular CRM] who is trying to win over the [Head of HR] at a big [talent agency]. Write an enthusiastic yet professional message congratulating the Head of HR on their [recent acquisition of a small group of companies], and offer the top 5 ways a CRM can help talent agencies, especially now that they’re growing their employee headcount.
Company update: [Paste here]
Conclusion
These 12 prompts should give you a massive leg-up when it comes to figuring out how to prompt AI to give you exactly what you need so that you build yourself the best, automated base to start outreach with. And then, you do what you do best: close those deals.
P.S. To make your process of creating AI-powered campaigns even more efficient, you can create a fully customized outreach sequence in seconds with lemlist, and use copy.ai to boost its content!
