Saniya Sood
The landscape of executive outreach has dramatically evolved, particularly when it comes to connecting with C-suite leaders. While everyone claims to "personalize" their outreach, true personalization that catches a CEO's attention requires a fundamentally different approach. Let's dive into what's actually working in 2025, backed by real-world examples and data.
Consider Lidiane Jones, CEO of Slack, who receives hundreds of connection requests daily. What made her respond to and eventually collaborate with certain outreach attempts while ignoring others? The answer lies in what we call "contextual resonance" - a sophisticated approach that goes far beyond simply mentioning someone's name or recent accomplishments.
The Traditional Approach Is Dead
Think about how most people approach C-suite executives: "Hi [Name], I noticed your recent post about [topic]. Would love to connect..." This surface-level personalization might have worked in 2020, but today's executives have developed what we call "template fatigue." They can spot these semi-personalized messages from a mile away.
What Actually Works:
The Three-Layer Approach
At Valley, we've discovered that successful executive engagement follows what we call the "Three-Layer Personalization Framework":
Layer 1: Business Context Alignment Instead of just mentioning their recent post, demonstrate understanding of their business context. For instance, when Sasan Goodarzi, CEO of Intuit, responded to outreach during their AI product launch, it wasn't to messages mentioning the launch - it was to those that understood how this initiative fit into Intuit's broader market positioning strategy.
Layer 2: Personal Professional Journey Top executives respond to messages that acknowledge not just where they are, but how they got there. Reference their professional journey in a way that shows you understand their perspective. Barbara Corcoran, for example, engages more with messages that recognize her entrepreneurial journey rather than just her current success.
Layer 3: Timing and Intent This is where AI-powered intent tracking becomes crucial. The most successful outreach happens when executives are actively seeking solutions or insights in your area of expertise. It's about catching them at the right moment with the right message.
The Valley Difference
Personalization at Scale
What's fascinating is how AI is transforming this approach. While maintaining the human touch is crucial, AI can help identify the perfect moment for outreach and gather deep insights about an executive's current priorities and challenges. This enables what we call "intelligent personalization" - outreach that feels personal because it truly is aligned with the executive's current needs and interests.
Let Valley help you master the art of executive engagement. Our AI-powered platform doesn't just help you personalize messages - it helps you understand when and how to reach out for maximum impact. While you're focusing on building meaningful relationships, we ensure your outreach hits exactly the right notes at exactly the right time.
Book a demo and transform your executive engagement from cold outreach to warm conversations that drive real results.
Remember: In 2025, the goal isn't just to get your message read - it's to create connections that resonate on a deeper level. Your approach to executive engagement should reflect the sophistication and value you bring to the table.