How I Have Used AI Today: Crafting Cold DMs

I’ll admit it—cold outreach isn’t my favourite thing.

In fact, I usually overthink it, spend too much time second-guessing every word, and ultimately put it off.

But the data doesn’t lie: cold DMs, emails, and outreach campaigns do work.

So, instead of procrastinating, I decided to let AI do the heavy lifting.

The result? AI got me started, gave me a solid foundation, and helped me personalise messages quickly and confidently.

Let’s Set the Scene…

Imagine sitting down to write a cold DM.

You know it needs to feel personal, professional, and persuasive, but every sentence feels like a chore.

You start overthinking—“Am I being too pushy? Does this even sound like me?”

This was my mindset before I turned to AI.

Rather than trying to get every word perfect from scratch, I asked AI to get me into the ballpark with a solid first draft.

It was like having a brainstorming partner who works at lightning speed.

The AI Advantage:

Here’s how AI transformed my approach to cold outreach:

• It stopped me from overthinking. Instead of getting stuck on where to start, I had a draft in seconds that I could build on.
• It got me 80% of the way there. The AI’s suggestions gave me a structure and tone that worked, so I could focus on refining and adding personal touches.
• It saved me time. With the foundation ready, all I needed to do was tweak the message based on the specific prospect.

How I Used AI to Craft Cold DMs:

Here’s the simple process I followed:

1. Start with a clear prompt. I told AI my goal (e.g., booking a meeting), the tone I wanted (e.g., approachable but professional), and included any key details about the recipient.
2. Generate a draft. AI produced a message that was clear, concise, and professional—enough to get me started without feeling generic.
3. Add a personal touch. Using insights about the prospect (like their role, achievements, or challenges), I customised the draft to make it relevant and authentic.
4. Test and improve. After sending a few messages, I reviewed the responses and refined my approach, tweaking the AI prompts for even better results.

Why This Will Benefit You and Your Business:

AI helps overcome the biggest hurdle of cold outreach: getting started.

It saves time and mental energy by delivering a strong first draft, which you can then personalise to match your voice and the recipient’s needs.

The result?

• Less overthinking: You focus on refining, not rewriting from scratch.
• Faster personalisation: Tailored messages feel authentic without hours of effort.
• Improved confidence: With a solid draft in hand, hitting send feels much easier.

AI doesn’t replace your input—it amplifies it, giving you the tools to craft outreach that’s efficient and effective.

Questions to Ask Your Team About Cold Outreach:

1. How can AI streamline the way we draft outreach messages?
2. Are we using data effectively to personalise our messaging?
3. How do we balance AI-driven efficiency with maintaining an authentic voice?
4. Can AI help us test and optimise different approaches to cold outreach?
5. What metrics should we track to measure the success of AI-supported outreach?

Want to learn more?

At Toro Digital, we’re all about giving you tips to make your business smarter, more efficient, and more impactful—even in cold outreach.

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