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Playbook · Cold email · craft

Anti-patterns: 8 phrases we banned from every campaign

'Quick question', 'hope this finds you well', 'I noticed you' — the list, the data behind banning them, and the specific replacements we use. Each phrase tested across 5K+ sends with measurable reply-rate deltas.

01The play

Summary
'Quick question', 'hope this finds you well', 'I noticed you' — the list, the data behind banning them, and the specific replacements we use. Each phrase tested across 5K+ sends with measurable reply-rate deltas.
Timing window
Use as a checklist on every send + during quarterly campaign audits
Target persona
SDRs and AEs writing any cold-outbound text
Success metric
Zero instances of banned phrases in any sent email over a quarter.

02Expected outcome

Outcome: Banning these 8 phrases improves reply rate 1-3 percentage points without any other change.

Success metric: Zero instances of banned phrases in any sent email over a quarter.

03Anti-patterns · do not run this when

  • Do not assume the list is universal — 'just checking in' works in 2% of contexts
  • Do not lazy-replace one banned phrase with another banned phrase
  • Do not let the ban become a creativity blocker — the phrases exist because they're crutches, not because they're sacred
Playbook entry · ships as-of {date('M Y')}. Operator-written, no theory inflation. If you've run this play and the numbers don't match yours — or the rhythm needs a tweak — write to [email protected] and we'll revise.
Signal-anchored outbound, no theater

Run this play on every account in your CRM.

Connect a CRM. Mama detects the trigger, scores the fit, and drafts the first message in the rhythm above. Free up to 100 accounts. No card.

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