36% Reply rate with cold outreach? Here’s how we did It.
THE BACKGROUND
Eneco OpwekOptimaal is a solution that enables solar panel owners to intelligently manage their solar installations during periods such as negative energy prices, while also contributing to addressing grid congestion challenges.
For this proposition, we wanted to target companies that already had solar panels installed on their rooftops. The goal was to start a relevant conversation and create opportunities for sales discussions around this new Eneco offering.
The challenge wasn’t the proposition itself—it was capturing attention. We therefore looked for a way to combine high relevance and attention-grabbing personalization with scalability and efficient execution.
THE IDEA
We decided to only approach companies for which we could determine with a high degree of certainty that they already had solar panels installed.
We also wanted to demonstrate this immediately within the email itself, so the message would feel less like cold outreach and more like a well-informed observation.
This meant that we:
- Built a targeted list based on industry, building size, and available data indicating the presence of solar panels
- Identified the right decision-makers within these organizations
- Added visual proof in the form of a screenshot of the company’s rooftop
The combination of data, visual proof, and personalization was designed to increase both relevance and attention value.
THE PROCESS
We started by compiling a list of companies that were highly likely to have solar panels installed. Through a workflow in Clay, enriched with data from Company.info, this list was automatically enriched with company and contact information for the relevant decision-makers, including address details and Google Maps links.
Using these Google Maps links, screenshots of satellite imagery were automatically generated. These images were then added to our outreach platform, enabling personalized emails to be sent at scale on behalf of Eneco’s account managers.
To ensure the targeted companies actually had solar panels, the satellite images were manually verified before launch. Organizations that did not meet the criteria were excluded or moved to a different campaign.
By combining automated data enrichment with visual personalization, we created a campaign that felt highly personal while remaining largely automated operationally.
THE RESULTS
The campaign achieved an impressive 36% reply rate and a 4.4% conversion rate.
This approach demonstrates that relevant outreach does not have to be manual. By combining Clay’s data enrichment and automation capabilities with visual proof, personalization can be executed at scale with measurable results to back it up.
