Waterfall Enrichments?
Jan 19, 2025
What is a Waterfall Enrichment? A Basic Guide
When it comes to personalizing email campaigns or prospecting, it can often be challenging to create relevant, engaging messages for every individual. This is where the concept of a "Waterfall Enrichment" comes in. This strategy offers a structured approach to leveraging recent and relevant information to make outreach meaningful, even when limited contextual data is available.
What is Waterfall Enrichment?
Waterfall enrichment is a systematic way of finding recent events, activities, or updates that can serve as the basis for reaching out to a prospect. The idea is to prioritize information that is:
Recent: Events or changes that have happened in the past few days or weeks.
Relevant: Topics that matter to the recipient—whether related to their role, company, or industry.
Actionable: Insights that provide a clear reason for outreach and facilitate meaningful conversations.
This strategy is particularly useful when crafting cold emails or engaging leads for whom highly personalized or specific relevance is not readily apparent.
How to Use Waterfall Enrichment Effectively
1. Start with Valid Email Addresses
Before any outreach begins, ensure your contact data is accurate. Verify email addresses to avoid wasting time on undeliverable messages.
2. Use LinkedIn Posts as a Trigger
One of the most effective triggers for outreach is LinkedIn activity. Look for:
Recent posts from the individual within the last 14 days.
Company LinkedIn posts that you can reference.
Crafting your message around recent LinkedIn activity adds a personal touch and demonstrates genuine interest.
3. Highlight New Leadership or Promotions
Identify new hires or promotions within the prospect’s company. For example:
"I noticed Emma recently joined as Head of HR."
"It must be an exciting time with new leadership in place."
Acknowledging internal changes can create a natural opening for discussing strategy or potential challenges.
4. Focus on Career Updates
Check for job changes or promotions within the individual’s profile. If someone has been recently promoted or is new to a company, it’s a good opportunity to acknowledge their career growth and tie it to your outreach.
5. Leverage Company News and Insights
If individual-level recency data is lacking, shift focus to the company. Examples include:
New partnerships or acquisitions.
Recent product launches.
Press mentions or awards.
6. Add a PS Line for Engagement
Including a thoughtful postscript can humanize your outreach. For instance:
"I saw the recommendation Matthew Marks wrote about your impact at Evocalize—kudos on the adaptability!"
"I noticed you were connected to David Brown; LinkedIn suggested I reach out."
These PS lines often serve as icebreakers and add credibility.
A Sample Workflow for Waterfall Enrichment
Here’s a step-by-step approach to organizing your enrichment efforts:
Verify Data: Start with clean, verified email addresses.
LinkedIn Activity: Check for recent personal and company posts.
New Roles: Identify and highlight new leadership or promotions.
Company Events: Look for relevant company news.
Compose Your Message: Combine these elements into a structured email:
First Line: Reference recent activity (e.g., LinkedIn post or company news).
Second Line: Highlight a company mission or achievement.
Closing: Use a PS line for an additional personal touch.
Example Email Template
Subject: Congrats on the recent [event]!
Hi [Name],
I noticed your recent [LinkedIn post/company news] about [specific topic] and thought it was a great insight into [industry-related topic]. On top of that, I saw how [company] is helping to [specific mission or goal], and I wanted to reach out to connect.
PS: I came across the recommendation [name] wrote about you—impressive work!
Looking forward to hearing from you, [Your Name]
Final Thoughts
Waterfall enrichment is a practical way to ensure your outreach efforts feel timely and relevant, even when deeper personalization isn’t possible. By focusing on recent events and leveraging tools like LinkedIn and company updates, you can craft messages that stand out in crowded inboxes.
Start building your waterfall enrichment process today and watch your engagement rates improve!