From Profile to First Email: The SMYKM Method
The SMYKM Method guides LinkedIn users through identifying personal, professional, and company-related connection points from a prospect’s profile or social media, crafting authentic, humanized introductory emails by collaboratively selecting the best connection and composing personalized, non-salesy opening sentences that reference specific shared interests or recent activities.
FROM PROFILE TO FIRST EMAIL: THE SMYKM METHOD
BREAKOUT 1:
As a group, find three things about your chosen prospect that can be connection points on a personal level, on a professional level, and/or about their company from their LinkedIn profile and/or other social media.
Remember, nothing related to your value prop, just simply a human connection.
Choose one of the following profiles to work with based on difficulty:
Easy: Samantha McKenna, CEO + Founder, #samsales
Medium: Brian Benfer CRO, Clari/Salesloft
Hard: Your Buyer of Choice
TIPS:
• What have they recently posted about? • Have they recently commented on a post? • Past companies you share in common? • Past experiences you share? • Featured content? • Gems in their "About" section that you relate to? • Any company initiatives or materials posted by their company that this buyer would have been a part of? • Any podcasts they've been on recently? • A link to their biography on their company page that might reveal more personal connections? • A regularly updated social media page? • Company charity projects or other interesting topical news?
BREAKOUT 2:
Decide as a group which is the best connection point of the ones you've uncovered, and write your 3–4 connect-the-dots sentences.
Sentence one: Where did you find the information and what is the connection/SMYKM you are using?
Sentence two: What is your point of view / why did this catch your attention?
Sentences three–four: Why is this relevant or interesting to them?
TIP:
Look at your first sentence and how that will populate as preview text. Make sure it sounds human and not like AI or salesy.
EXAMPLE:
Hi, Paige! I was thrilled to see that you have Heidi Jones coming up as a guest on your Who Runs the World webinar. I have been following her Who's Who podcast since she started at Acme. If you haven't had a chance to catch her interview with April Smith, it is a great listen!
BREAKOUT 3:
Now it's time to add a subject line. Work as a group to figure out what would be the most relatable subject line for your email.
AVOID:
• Words in all caps: "Written by a HUMAN" • Excessive punctuation: "Fellow Swifty?!?!" • Emoji overload: "🚀 More Leads 🚀" • Money/urgency words: "free," "act now," "limited time" • Currency symbols and percentages: "150% ROI on Average" • Vague mystery-box lines: "Quick question," "Following up," "Touching base" • Sales pitches in the subject: "Transform your sales pipeline!"
GOOD EXAMPLES:
Remember, the best subject lines are the ones that are so unique to the buyer that they can only be sent to that one person. • Switzerland a LeDip Cheeseburger and [Your Company] • Fellow Rush Fan / Exit the warrior / [Your Company] • SUB: Expressions, Equations, and Algebraic Sales Dreams!
WANT TO GO DEEPER?
This worksheet covers the opening of Email 1, but there's a full cadence to build from here, including how to complete the rest of Email 1 with SMYKM incorporated into your value prop, how to nurture, and beyond.
Check out Samantha McKenna's Cadence series on Salesloft for a step-by-step guide on how to finish your email and build out your full SMYKM-powered cadence.
FROM PROFILE TO FIRST EMAIL: THE SMYKM METHOD
NOTES
WANT TO GO DEEPER?
This worksheet covers the opening of Email 1, but there's a full cadence to build from here, including how to complete the rest of Email 1 with SMYKM incorporated into your value prop, how to nurture, and beyond.
Check out Samantha McKenna's Cadence series on Salesloft for a step-by-step guide on how to finish your email and build out your full SMYKM-powered cadence.
Clari/Salesloft. #samsales
FROM PROFILE TO FIRST EMAIL: THE SMYKM METHOD
NOTES
WANT TO GO DEEPER?
This worksheet covers the opening of Email 1, but there's a full cadence to build from here, including how to complete the rest of Email 1 with SMYKM incorporated into your value prop, how to nurture, and beyond.
Check out Samantha McKenna's Cadence series on Salesloft for a step-by-step guide on how to finish your email and build out your full SMYKM-powered cadence.
Clari/Salesloft. #samsales