Copywriting Skill
Purpose: Generate personalized LinkedIn messages and emails at scale using Clay's AI Writing best practices. Create targeted outreach that combines research signals with proven messaging frameworks.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- •Generating personalized cold outreach for prospects
- •Creating LinkedIn connection requests and follow-up messages
- •Writing cold emails for job applications or client acquisition
- •Scaling personalized messaging without losing the human touch
- •Following up with researched opportunities from Opportunity Intelligence
Core Framework: FETC
Clay's FETC framework transforms GTM from basic data management to personalized, data-driven outreach at scale.
| Step | Traditional | AI-Powered |
|---|---|---|
| Find | Database queries, list building | AI discovers prospects based on subtle signals and complex attribute combinations |
| Enrich | Basic contact details | Deep firmographics, behavioral data, hiring signals, tech stack |
| Transform | Data cleaning | Structuring, summarizing, extracting insights |
| Create | Export to CRM | Generate personalized messaging, custom content, strategic insights |
AI Snippets Approach
The Clay Way: Generate individual sentences or small chunks, not entire paragraphs.
Why Snippets Work
| Approach | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Full paragraphs | AI drifts off-topic, loses coherence | Generate one element at a time |
| Generic templates | Feels robotic, low response rates | Insert AI snippets into templates |
| Manual personalization | Doesn't scale | AI snippets + merge tags |
Snippet Types
DYNAMIC OPENING LINES ├── Reference recent achievement ├── Note shared connection ├── Comment on content they posted └── Acknowledge company news CONTEXTUAL VALUE PROPOSITIONS ├── Analyze likely pain points ├── Match to your capabilities ├── Address specific challenges └── Tie to their industry context PERSONALIZED SOCIAL PROOF ├── Relevant case studies ├── Similar company results ├── Industry-specific examples └── Role-specific wins
Personalization Signals
Data Points to Reference
| Signal Category | Examples | Personalization Angle |
|---|---|---|
| Content Activity | Blog posts, LinkedIn articles, podcasts | "I read your piece on X and noticed..." |
| Company News | Funding, product launch, expansion | "Congrats on the Series B! Given the growth..." |
| Hiring Patterns | Open roles, team growth | "Saw you're scaling the RevOps team..." |
| Tech Stack | Tools mentioned in job posts | "Noticed you're evaluating HubSpot..." |
| Pain Signals | "Fast-paced", "wear many hats" | "Supporting a lean team requires..." |
| Career Trajectory | Recent promotion, new role | "Stepping into the VP role means..." |
Personalization Depth Levels
LEVEL 1 - BASIC (Low effort, low response) └── First name + company name only LEVEL 2 - CONTEXTUAL (Medium effort, moderate response) └── Industry + role + one specific detail LEVEL 3 - RESEARCHED (High effort, high response) └── Multiple signals + insight + value connection LEVEL 4 - INTIMATE (Highest effort, best response) └── Mutual connections + shared interests + specific problem
LinkedIn Message Templates
Connection Request (< 300 characters)
Formula: Signal + Relevance + Soft Ask
TEMPLATE 1 - Content Reference "Hi [First Name], your [article/post] on [topic] resonated—especially [specific point]. I work on similar challenges at [context]. Would love to connect and exchange ideas." TEMPLATE 2 - Company Signal "Hi [First Name], congrats on [company news]. [Company] solving [problem] is impressive. I help [similar companies] with [relevant value]. Happy to connect?" TEMPLATE 3 - Mutual Connection "Hi [First Name], [Mutual Connection] mentioned your work on [initiative]. I'm doing similar work at [context]. Would be great to connect and compare notes." TEMPLATE 4 - Role Relevance "Hi [First Name], fellow [role type] here—noticed you're building [function] at [Company]. Currently doing the same at [context]. Always learning from peers. Connect?"
Follow-Up Message
Formula: Acknowledgment + Value Add + Clear Ask
TEMPLATE - After Connection "Thanks for connecting, [First Name]! Digging into [Company]'s work on [specific initiative]—really smart approach to [problem]. Based on what I'm seeing, thought you might find [specific resource/ insight] useful. [Brief explanation of why]. Would a quick chat make sense to compare notes on [specific topic]?"
Cold Email Templates
Structure: Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS)
SUBJECT LINE ├── Personalized: "[First Name], quick thought on [specific thing]" ├── Curiosity: "[Company] + [your value] = ?" ├── Value-first: "Saved [similar company] X hours on [problem]" └── Direct: "[Mutual] suggested I reach out" OPENING (1-2 sentences) ├── Observation about their company ├── Reference to signal/trigger ├── Connection to pain point └── NOT: "My name is... I work at..." BODY (2-3 sentences) ├── Agitate the problem ├── Your relevant experience ├── Specific value you provide └── Quick win offer CTA (1 sentence) ├── Clear, low-friction ask ├── Give them an out ├── Time-specific options └── "Worth a 15-min call, or should I share more context first?"
Email Templates by Purpose
Template 1: W2 Job Application
Subject: [Role Title] + quick-win idea Hi [Hiring Manager Name], Saw the [Role] posting and something jumped out—[specific requirement or challenge mentioned]. I've solved exactly this at [Previous Company] where I [specific accomplishment with metrics]. Looking at [Company]'s [current challenge/growth], I put together a quick [teardown/audit/framework] showing [specific insight]. Attached for your review—no strings attached. If it resonates, would love to chat about how I could help [specific outcome]. If not, hope it's useful regardless. Best, [Name]
Template 2: Freelance/Agency Pitch
Subject: [Specific problem I noticed] at [Company] Hi [Name], Noticed [specific signal—hiring, tech stack, growth indicator]. Companies at this stage often struggle with [common pain point]. I've helped [similar companies] solve this by [approach], typically seeing [specific result with metrics]. Rather than a pitch deck, I put together a [quick deliverable: audit, teardown, architecture diagram] for [Company]. [Link or attached] Worth a 20-min call to walk through? Happy to share what I'm seeing regardless of fit. [Name] ClayWorks of Art Agency
Template 3: Trojan Horse Project
Subject: Quick project idea for [specific pain point] Hi [Name], [Signal: funding, hiring, product launch] + [pain that comes with it] is a recipe for [common problem]. Proposal: Let me run a 2-week [specific scoped project] covering: - [Deliverable 1] - [Deliverable 2] - [Clear outcome with metrics] Fixed scope, fixed price. You'll have [tangible output] whether we work together again or not. Interested? [Name]
Prompt Engineering
Prompt Structure for AI Snippets
PROMPT_TEMPLATE = """
You are writing a {message_type} for cold outreach.
CONTEXT:
- Recipient: {name}, {title} at {company}
- Signal: {signal_detected}
- Pain point: {pain_point}
- Your offer: {value_proposition}
CONSTRAINTS:
- Maximum {char_limit} characters
- Must reference the specific signal
- No generic openings like "I hope this finds you well"
- Lead with value, not introduction
- {tone} tone
Generate {num_variations} variations.
"""
Prompt Best Practices
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Tie each command to specific data points | Leave scope too broad |
| Specify character/word limits | Ask for "paragraphs" |
| Include tone and style guidelines | Assume AI knows your brand |
| Request multiple variations | Accept first output |
| Provide examples of good output | Give vague instructions |
Integration with Opportunity Intelligence
Workflow
OPPORTUNITY INTELLIGENCE
│
├── Account Research
│ ├── Company signals
│ ├── Pain points detected
│ └── Quick-win opportunities
│
├── Contact Research
│ ├── Decision maker identified
│ ├── LinkedIn activity
│ └── Career trajectory
│
└── COPYWRITING SKILL
├── Generate LinkedIn connection request
├── Generate follow-up message
├── Generate cold email
└── Generate quick-win attachment pitch
Data Handoff
From Opportunity Intelligence, you'll receive:
- •
company_summary: 2-3 sentence overview - •
pain_signals: List of detected challenges - •
outreach_angles: Personalization hooks - •
recommended_playbook: W2 or FREELANCE - •
quick_win_suggestions: Deliverables to offer - •
contact_info: Name, title, LinkedIn URL
API Configuration
GitHub Secrets
| Secret Name | Purpose |
|---|---|
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY | Claude API for message generation |
Usage
import os
anthropic_key = os.environ.get("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY")
Quality Checklist
Before sending any AI-generated message:
- • Does it reference a specific signal, not generic?
- • Is the opening about them, not you?
- • Is there a clear value proposition?
- • Is the CTA low friction?
- • Does it sound human, not robotic?
- • Is it under appropriate length?
- • Have you verified the data used for personalization?
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Over-personalization | Feels stalker-like | 2-3 signals max |
| Data quality issues | Wrong info damages credibility | Verify before sending |
| Generic templates | Low response rates | Use AI snippets |
| Too long | Won't be read | LinkedIn < 300, Email < 150 words |
| Weak CTA | No clear next step | One specific ask |
| All about you | Ignored | Lead with their problem |
Resources
Included Files
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
resources/templates.md | Ready-to-use prompt templates and message examples |
resources/writing_style_guide.md | Voice, tone, forbidden patterns, and quality standards |
scripts/message_generator.py | Python script for automated message generation |
Writing Style Guide
See resources/writing_style_guide.md for:
- •Forbidden patterns - Phrases to never use ("I hope this finds you well", "Just following up")
- •Voice and tone - Professional but not stuffy, direct but not blunt
- •Email templates - Cold outreach, follow-ups, meeting requests, bad news delivery
- •Client materials - Proposals, case studies, project updates
- •Internal communication - Slack best practices, status updates
- •Technical documentation - System docs, API docs, code comments
- •Style quick reference - Capitalization, numbers, formatting
Sources
This skill is based on Clay University's AI Writing at Scale best practices: