Sequences

Using Personalization & Messaging

The difference between a message that gets ignored and one that gets responses is often just personalization.

Generic "Hi there" messages get 5-10% response rates. Messages that use a contact's name and mention their company get 40-50% response rates.

This article shows you how to use Dalil's personalization tools (variables, dynamic content, conditional messaging, and A/B testing) to craft sequences that feel personal even when sent to thousands.

Why personalization matters

Personalization isn't just polite, it's foundational to engagement.

When you personalize:

Open rates increase 45-50% – Emails with the recipient's name get opened more
Click rates increase 40-45% – Personalized CTAs drive more action
Response rates increase 30-40% – Customized messages feel less salesy
Unsubscribe rates decrease – People don't bail on relevant messages
Brand reputation improves – You come across as thoughtful, not spammy

Personalization at scale is what separates automation that feels human from automation that feels robotic.

Personalization best practices

As you use merge tags, follow these guidelines.

Personalize the Hook

The hook is your opening line. This is where personalization matters most.

Without personalization:

Hi there,
We help companies improve sales efficiency.
Interested in learning more?

With personalization:

Hi {{first_name}},
I noticed {{company_name}} is in {{industry}} and recently hired 5 new sales reps (per LinkedIn).
We just helped a similar {{industry}} company reduce sales cycle from 90 to 60 days.
Worth a conversation?

The second version:

Uses their name (feels personal)
Mentions their company and industry (shows research)
References specific data (LinkedIn hiring)
Speaks to their likely pain (long sales cycles)
Asks a soft question (not pushy)

Result: 3-5x higher response rate.

Layer multiple data points

Don't just use their name. Layer multiple personalization points:

Company name
Industry
Company size or revenue
Recent news or activity
Specific pain point
Relevant result or ROI

Example:

Hi {{first_name}},
I saw {{company_name}} recently raised Series A (congrats!). With {{company_size}} on the team now, managing sales is getting complex.
We just helped a {{revenue_range}} company like yours go from 20 to 50 deals per month in 6 months.
Open to a brief conversation?

This uses: first name, company name, news event, company size, revenue range, and specific result.

Avoid over-personalization

Don't reference data that might be inaccurate or too specific (it can feel creepy).

Avoid:

Hi {{first_name}},
I see you visited our website 3 times last week. You probably need our solution.
Let's talk.

Why it fails: Too invasive, assumes intent without asking.

Better:

Hi {{first_name}},
Thanks for checking out our platform. Happy to answer any questions.
What interests you most?

This acknowledges engagement without being creepy.

Keep signatures personal

Always close with a personal signature using merge tags:

Best, {{owner}}

Instead of:

Best, The Sales Team

Personal signatures build trust and make conversations feel like they're coming from a human, not a company.

Test your variables

Before publishing a sequence with new merge tags:

Go to Preview tab
Select a sample contact with complete data
See how all variables populate
Check for blank tags or spelling errors
Verify the message reads naturally

Mobile preview

Email clients show subject lines in 40-60 characters on mobile.

Test your personalized subject on mobile:

Good: {{first_name}}, quick thought
Bad: {{first_name}}, we can help {{company_name}} improve {{metric}} by {{improvement_percentage}} in {{timeframe}}

The second gets cut off and looks messy.

Conditional messaging

Conditional messaging means your message content changes based on contact data or engagement.

This goes beyond simple merge tags, it shows different message branches to different contacts.

Basic conditional logic

In Dalil, you create conditional messaging using the Conditions feature in sequences.

Simple example:

Condition: Has LinkedIn URL?
Yes → Send LinkedIn Message
No → Send Email instead

This shows different messages based on data availability.

Advanced conditional messaging

You can create more sophisticated conditional logic:

Example: Different messages by industry

Condition: Industry = "Manufacturing"?
Yes → Send email about cost reduction for manufacturing
No → Send general email

Or:

Example: Different messages by company size

Condition: Company Size > 100?
Yes → Send enterprise-focused email
No → Send SMB-focused email

By crafting different messages for different segments, you dramatically increase relevance.

When to use conditions vs. custom variables

Use custom variables when:

You want to insert a single data point into a template (name, company)
The message is the same regardless of data value
You want fast personalization

Use conditions when:

You want to send completely different messages to different segments
The messaging strategy differs by audience (SMB vs. Enterprise)
You want to respect channel preferences (Email vs. LinkedIn)

A/B testing messages

A/B testing (split testing) means creating two versions of a message and comparing which performs better.

Why A/B test

Testing reveals what actually works:

Subject line: "Hey {{first_name}}" vs. "{{first_name}}, check this out"
CTA: "Let's chat?" vs. "Worth a conversation?"
Opening: Reference their company vs. reference mutual connection
Social proof: Specific number vs. generic claim

Without testing, you're guessing.

How to A/B test in Dalil

Method 1: Duplicate Sequences

Create two nearly-identical sequences:

Sequence A:

Subject: {{first_name}}, quick thought

Sequence B:

Subject: Help {{company_name}} sell faster?

Enroll similar-sized audiences into each and compare:

Open rates
Click rates
Reply rates

Winner gets used for future sequences.

Method 2: Segment and Send

Within a single sequence, use conditions to split audiences:

Condition: Segment = "Test Group A"?
Yes → Send Email (Subject Line A)
No → Send Email (Subject Line B)

Then compare analytics between the two groups.

Analytics comparison

After a sequence runs:

Go to Analytics tab
Filter by step (email step)
Compare open rates, click rates, reply rates
Identify patterns in what works

What to test

Email Subject Lines

Different approaches to test:

Personalized: {{first_name}}, quick thought
Question-based: Can {{company_name}} sell faster?
Social proof: How {{industry}} companies increased sales by 40%
Curiosity: Not sure if this fits...
Direct: Brief conversation about {{company_name}}?

Call-to-Action (CTA)

Different CTA approaches:

Question: Open to a brief conversation?
Soft: Worth exploring?
Curious: Does this fit your situation?
Direct: Let's chat Friday?
Specific: How does Thursday at 3pm work?

Opening Hooks

Different ways to open:

Company research: I noticed {{company_name}}...
Personal connection: {{mutual_connection}} suggested I reach out...
Social proof: We just helped {{similar_company}} in {{industry}}...
Specific problem: Most {{role}} we talk to struggle with {{pain_point}}...
Value prop: We help {{company_size}} companies {{outcome}}...

Message Tone

Test different tones:

Friendly: Hey {{first_name}}, hope you're having a great week!
Professional: Hi {{first_name}}, wanted to reach out about {{topic}}
Casual: {{first_name}} — quick thought on {{company_name}}
Data-driven: Based on {{company_name}}'s growth, here's what could help

Interpreting test results

After running sequences, look at these metrics in Analytics:

Open Rate (% who opened email)

Good: 25-35%
Great: 35-50%
Excellent: 50%+

Click Rate (% who clicked link)

Good: 5-10%
Great: 10-15%
Excellent: 15%+

Reply Rate (% who replied)

Good: 2-5%
Great: 5-10%
Excellent: 10%+

If Subject Line A has 40% open rate and Subject Line B has 25%, Subject Line A is the winner. Use it for future sequences.

Testing best practices

Run tests at scale

Test on at least 50-100 contacts per variation. Smaller samples give unreliable results.

Keep variables isolated

Test only one thing per test. If you change subject line AND message body, you won't know which caused the difference.

Run tests for 5-7 days

Different time zones and contact behaviors need time to show up. Let data settle.

Document results

Keep a log of what you test and results. Over time, you'll see patterns in what your audience responds to.

Segment by audience

What works for CTOs might not work for CFOs. Test different messages for different buyer personas.

Message templates

Templates are pre-written message frameworks you can reuse across sequences.

Dalil comes with standard templates, and you can create custom ones.

Common Template types

First Touch Email

Goal: Introduce yourself and create curiosity without asking for much.

Template:

Subject: {{first_name}}, quick thought
Hi {{first_name}},
I noticed {{company_name}} is in {{industry}}. We just helped a similar company in your space reduce [metric] by [percentage].
Not sure if it's relevant, but worth a 15-minute conversation?
Best, {{owner}}

Follow-Up Email

Goal: Reference first email and add new angle or urgency.

Template:

Subject: Re: {{first_name}}, quick thought
Hi {{first_name}},
Following up on my previous note. I realized {{company_name}} specifically deals with [specific challenge], which is exactly what we solve for {{industry}} companies.
Would love to chat this week.
Best, {{owner}}

LinkedIn Message

Goal: Personalized but brief, create immediate engagement.

Template:

Hi {{first_name}},
Noticed we're both connected with {{mutual_connection}}, and your work at {{company_name}} in {{industry}} is impressive.
We just helped a similar company close 50% more deals. Curious if that's a challenge for you?
{{owner}}

WhatsApp Message

Goal: Direct, friendly, action-oriented.

Template:

Hi {{first_name}},
Quick thought — we helped {{company_name}}-sized companies in {{industry}} go from {{current_state}} to {{desired_state}}.
Open to a quick chat?
{{owner}}

Creating custom templates

To create a template:

Go to Templates in Dalil
Click Create Template
Choose type (Email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp)
Name it descriptively (e.g., "First Touch — Enterprise")
Compose with merge tags and best practices
Save

Now when you create sequences, this template appears in your list.

Using templates effectively

Pros:

Speed up sequence creation
Ensure consistency across sequences
Make testing easier (compare template A vs. template B)
Reduce typos and errors

Cons:

Can feel repetitive if overused
May lack personalization if templates are too generic

Best practice: Use templates as starting points, then customize each sequence for its specific audience.

Channel-specific messaging

Different channels have different norms and character limits. Tailor your personalization to each.

Email personalization

Email allows rich formatting, longer copy, and multiple sections.

Take advantage by:

Using subject line personalization to drive opens
Writing detailed, benefit-focused body copy
Including specific social proof and results
Using personalization to reference their business challenges
Signing with a personal signature

Character limit: Unlimited (though keep body under 200 words)

LinkedIn personalization

LinkedIn is professional but personal and has limits.

Personalization approach:

Reference mutual connections or shared networks
Mention their company or recent company news
Keep message concise (no more than 300-400 characters)
Ask genuine questions
Use their first name but stay professional

Character limit: 300-500 characters recommended

WhatsApp personalization

WhatsApp is direct and immediate but still professional.

Personalization approach:

Use their first name
Keep it conversational and short (2-3 sentences)
Get straight to value or question
Use emojis sparingly (professionalism depends on industry)
Include a clear, soft CTA

Character limit: 1600 characters, but keep messages under 200 characters

Common personalization mistakes

Mistake 1: Variable mismatch

Problem: Using {{company_name}} when the field is actually called {{organization_name}}

Result: Tag shows blank or undefined in the message

Fix: Use the Variables button to select from available tags rather than typing manually.

Mistake 2: Over-personalization

Problem: Cramming 5+ merge tags into a short message

Hi {{first_name}}, I noticed {{company_name}} just hired {{recent_hire}} to lead {{recent_hire_department}}, and {{company_name}}'s revenue in {{industry}} is around {{revenue}}.

Result: Message feels robotic and data-heavy

Fix: Use 2-3 merge tags max per message. Focus on the most relevant information.

Mistake 3: Assuming complete data

Problem: Using merge tags for optional CRM fields that aren't always filled in

We helped {{industry}} companies like {{company_name}} add {{custom_field}}

Result: Messages show blank fields for contacts missing that data

Fix: Preview messages with different contacts before publishing. Use conditions to avoid referencing data you're unsure about.

Mistake 4: Missing variable logic

Problem: Sending the same generic message to all contacts

Hi everyone,
We help companies improve sales.

Result: Low engagement, deleted messages, unsubscribes

Fix: Always use at least {{first_name}} and {{company_name}}. Add 1-2 more data points for stronger personalization.

Why this matters

Personalization is the bridge between automation and human connection.

Sequences feel personal when they reference real data about the contact—their name, company, industry, recent news, specific challenges.

This isn't creepy if done right. It's the difference between:

Generic: "We help companies improve sales" (1% response)
Personalized: "Acme Corp could probably reduce sales cycle from 90 to 60 days like we did for SimilarCorp" (40% response)

The difference is enormous and comes down to merge tags, conditions, and testing.

Key outcome

Personalization transforms sequences from broadcasts to conversations.

By mastering merge tags (names, companies, industries, custom fields), using conditional messaging for segments, A/B testing different approaches, and following channel-specific norms, you'll create sequences that feel personal, relevant, and human—even at scale.

The result is dramatically higher engagement, more responses, and better outcomes for your sales and business development efforts.