Write the Best Outreach Message and Make Sure They Can’t Say No

Mastering Passive Talent Sourcing: Find and Engage the Right Candidates

There are two crucial steps in passive talent sourcing:

1. Finding the right talents
2. Engaging them with compelling outreach

At Perfect, we’ve got the first part fully covered. Our platform helps you discover the best-fit talents in just a few minutes per day by analyzing your company’s hiring history and your talent pool’s career trajectory.

As for the second part—getting those talents to actually respond?
That’s where a great outreach strategy comes into play.

Read on to learn how to write outreach messages that grab attention and drive results.

1. Start with an Engaging Subject Line

First Impressions Matter

No matter how good your message is, it won’t matter if it never gets opened. Whether you’re reaching out via LinkedIn, email, or SMS, your subject line (or opening line) is your first and only chance to hook them.

Tips for Strong Open Rates

• Use personalized titles with the candidate’s name or recent achievements
• Try curiosity-driven or benefit-focused subject lines
• A/B test different versions and optimize based on open rates

If they don’t open it, you’ll never get the chance to impress them.

2. Keep the Message Personalized and Relevant

Don’t Sound Like a Robot

You did the hard work of finding the right candidate—don’t lose them with a generic, copy-paste message. If your outreach sounds like a mass campaign, it can instantly turn off top talent.

How to Win Them Over

• Show you’ve done your research
• Mention specific details from their experience
• Make a clear connection between their background and your opportunity

With Perfect, you don’t have to start from scratch. Our platform automatically generates AI-powered personalized messages, using both your company data and the talent’s career journey—so you can personalize at scale.

3. Finish Strong with Follow-Ups

Persistence Pays Off

We analyzed data from over 1,000 users and found that more than 50% of talent responses happen after the third follow-up.

How to Follow Up Effectively

• Use message sequences to stay on their radar
• Be kind, timely, and respectful yet assertive
• Don’t be afraid to nudge—they’re busy, not disinterested

Consistency is key. Make sure they can’t ignore you (in the nicest way possible 😉).

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