Outreach Communication

Overview

Craft and send high-quality outreach communications that maximize response rates

Steps

Step 1: Research and context gathering

Before drafting, gather all relevant context:

1. Recipient research:

   • Full name and correct title
   • Organization and their role in it
   • Any prior interactions or relationship
   • Their likely concerns and priorities
   • Best communication channel

2. Subject matter preparation:

   • Key facts and data to include
   • Quantified impacts (numbers, not vague claims)
   • Before/after comparisons if applicable
   • Supporting materials to attach

3. Strategic considerations:

   • Why would THIS person care?
   • What’s in it for THEM specifically?
   • What objections might they have?
   • Who else might need to approve?

SAFETY: Only use publicly available information or information provided by the user. Do not attempt to access private data.

Step 2: Draft subject line

Create subject line that maximizes open rate:

Format: “[Benefit/Hook] - [Specific Context]”

Good examples:

• “Free Infrastructure Opportunity - [City Name] Railroad Crossing”
• “Zero-Cost Safety Improvement - Request for Brief Support”
• “$30M Tunnel Opportunity - [Organization] Partnership”

Avoid:

• Vague subjects (“Quick question”, “Following up”, “Hi”)
• Clickbait (“You won’t believe…”)
• All caps or excessive punctuation
• Generic (“Request”, “Inquiry”, “Question”)
• Too long (keep under 50 characters if possible)

SAFETY: Subject must be accurate and not misleading.

Step 3: Compose opening hook

First 1-2 sentences must establish relevance immediately:

Purpose: Get them to keep reading Format: Why THIS person should care Max length: 2 sentences

Structure:

• State the opportunity/situation
• Connect it to THEIR role/organization

Example: “The Boring Company is awarding a free 1-mile tunnel to the winning proposal in their Tunnel Vision competition. I’m preparing a submission focused on [their jurisdiction/asset].”

Do NOT start with:

• “I hope this email finds you well”
• “My name is X and I am…”
• Long background before the point
• Apologies for reaching out

SAFETY: Opening must be truthful and verifiable.

Step 4: Describe the situation

Establish shared understanding of the context:

Include:

• Current state (problem or opportunity)
• Quantified impact (numbers, not adjectives)
• Why it matters to THEM specifically

Example: “The railroad crossing at [Location] has seen [X] fatalities in the past decade. For [Railroad], this represents ongoing liability exposure and operational delays. For [City], it’s a persistent safety concern.”

Use data whenever possible:

• “[X] fatalities over [Y] years”
• “[X] vehicles per day affected”
• “[X] minutes of daily delays”
• ”$[X] estimated cost/impact”

SAFETY: All facts must be verified and sourced. Note source of data if not widely known.

Step 5: State the ask clearly

Make the request crystal clear and specific:

Must include:

• EXACTLY what you need
• EXACTLY what form it takes
• EXACTLY by when

Format: “I’m requesting [specific thing] by [specific date].”

Good example: “I’m requesting a brief letter of support (1 page or less) on [Organization] letterhead by February 9, 2026.”

Bad examples:

• “Would you be willing to provide some support?”
• “Let me know if you can help.”
• “Any assistance would be appreciated.”

SAFETY: Ask must be reasonable and appropriate for the relationship. Do not ask for confidential information or inappropriate favors.

Step 6: Articulate their benefit (WIIFM)

Explain why saying yes is in THEIR best interest:

Address:

• What they gain
• What risk is removed
• What cost is avoided
• What recognition they get

Example: “For [Railroad], this tunnel would:

• Eliminate liability from crossing incidents
• Remove train-vehicle delay events
• Demonstrate safety leadership
• Cost nothing (TBC builds for free if selected)”

Key principle: Lead with THEIR benefit, not yours.

SAFETY: Benefits must be real and achievable, not exaggerated.

Step 7: Provide action instructions

Make it as easy as possible to say yes:

Include step-by-step instructions with multiple options:

OPTION A (Easiest): “Reply to this email with ‘Yes, send me a draft’ and I’ll prepare everything for your signature.”

OPTION B (Self-service): “Download the attached draft letter template, modify as needed, print on letterhead, sign, and email back as PDF.”

OPTION C (Need more info): “If you need more information first, reply with your questions or suggest a brief call time.”

Principle: Remove all friction. The easier to say yes, the higher the response rate.

SAFETY: Do not pressure or manipulate. Provide genuine options including graceful ways to decline.

Step 8: Show before/after outcome

Make the outcome concrete with visual comparison:

Format: CURRENT: [Quantified current state] AFTER: [Quantified future state if they act]

Example: “CURRENT: Crossing averages 0.3 fatalities/year, 15 min daily delays AFTER TUNNEL: Zero crossing fatalities, zero delays, permanently

If selected, construction could begin 2027, completion 2028.”

Use tables for complex comparisons:

SAFETY: Projections must be realistic and supportable.

Step 9: Assemble and format

Combine all elements into scannable format:

Structure:

1. Subject line
2. Salutation
3. Opening hook (1-2 sentences)
4. The situation (1 paragraph)
5. The ask (clearly labeled, specific)
6. Why say yes (bulleted benefits)
7. How to act (numbered options)
8. Before/after (table if complex)
9. Closing (offer to discuss)
10. Signature with full contact info

Formatting guidelines:

• Use headers/bold for scanability
• Keep paragraphs short (3-4 sentences max)
• Use bullet points for lists
• Include whitespace
• Put most important info early

SAFETY: Review complete draft before marking ready. Flag any concerns about tone or content.

Step 10: Create follow-up plan

Plan for if no response received:

Follow-up schedule:

• Day 3-4: If no response, send brief follow-up
• Day 7-8: If still no response, try different channel or escalate
• Day 14+: Final attempt or move to next contact

Follow-up principles:

• Acknowledge previous email briefly
• Restate core ask
• Make response even easier
• Provide new information if available

SAFETY: Respect boundaries. Maximum 2-3 follow-ups. If explicit decline received, stop contact immediately.

Step 11: Log and track

Create tracking entry for this outreach:

Record:

• Recipient name and organization
• Date and time sent
• Subject and summary of ask
• Status (sent/pending approval/draft)
• Next action date
• Any response received

Update stakeholder database if applicable.

SAFETY: All communications logged for audit. Human approval required before sending.

When to Use

• Initial contact with stakeholders for support or information
• Follow-up communications when no response received
• Requesting specific action (letters of support, meetings, data)
• Building relationships for project success
• Gathering information from external sources
• Coordinating with multiple parties on shared objectives
• Introducing proposals or opportunities to decision makers
• Re-engaging after previous positive interaction

Verification

• Subject line is specific and benefit-oriented
• Opening establishes relevance within 2 sentences
• Ask is specific, bounded, and has deadline
• WIIFM (benefits to recipient) are clear and specific
• Action steps are easy to follow with multiple options
• Formatting is scannable with clear visual hierarchy
• Tone is professional-warm, not corporate-speak
• All facts are verified and sourced
• Human has approved before sending

Input: $ARGUMENTS

Apply this procedure to the input provided.