How to Create Personalized Cold Email Sequences in Lemlist

Lemlist earned its reputation on personalization: dynamic images, personalized video thumbnails, and variables that pull from your lead data. The goal is cold email that reads like you wrote it at your desk, not blasted from a dashboard.

Direct answer: To build a Lemlist sequence, create a campaign, import leads with custom fields, write steps using dynamic variables like {{firstName}} and {{companyName}}, add a personalized image or video, then schedule sending windows. Pricing starts around $59 per seat per month, billed annually.

What makes Lemlist different?

Most cold email tools do plain text and merge tags. Lemlist adds visual personalization — you can generate an image with the prospect’s name or logo on it, and attach a short video that shows their site in the thumbnail. That visual hook lifts reply rates because it proves effort in the first two seconds.

How do you set up a personalized sequence?

1. Prepare custom fields. Your CSV needs columns beyond email — first name, company, role, and one specific detail (a recent post, a funding round). That last field is what separates personalized from templated.
2. Create the campaign. Click New campaign, name it after the target segment, and choose a sending schedule (weekdays, 9am-5pm in the prospect’s timezone).
3. Write step one. One sentence of specific context, one sentence of value, one question. Keep it under 90 words.
4. Insert variables. Use {{firstName}} and your custom detail field naturally. Test the preview on three leads before sending anything.
5. Add a visual. Generate a personalized image or a video step for higher-intent segments. Do not use it on every step — it loses its power.
6. Set follow-ups. Two to three follow-ups spaced 3-4 days apart. No follow-up should repeat the last one.

Is Lemlist free?

There is a 14-day trial, but no meaningful free plan. Paid seating starts near $59 per month, with email warmup and more sending accounts on higher tiers. Lead-based pricing applies if you go over your monthly contact allowance.

Does personalization actually improve replies?

Yes, when it is real. A referenced detail about the prospect beats a first-name merge every time. But fake personalization — a badly stitched image, an obviously templated “loved your recent post” — performs worse than plain text, because it signals you automated the effort of caring.

Who should not use Lemlist?

Teams sending tens of thousands of generic emails a month. Personalization costs setup time per segment, so at extreme volume the math stops working. Lemlist rewards targeting hundreds of well-researched prospects, not blasting thousands of strangers.

Quick Summary

• Lemlist differentiates on visual personalization: dynamic images and video.
• Build sequences with custom fields; one specific detail per lead is the key input.
• Pricing starts near $59/seat/month with only a trial, no real free tier.
• Real personalization lifts replies; fake personalization backfires.
• Best for targeted outreach to hundreds, not generic blasts to thousands.