By the end of this guide, you'll know what icebreakers are, why they boost engagement, and how to add them to campaigns, either manually in your CSV or automatically using AI to generate personalized opening lines for each lead.

Icebreakers are personalized, unique sentences tailored to each lead. They're your first impression—the difference between "another generic pitch" and "this person actually researched me." Personalized icebreakers can increase open and reply rates because they show genuine interest. In crowded inboxes, a relevant icebreaker makes your email stand out and signals you're not mass-blasting the same message to everyone.

Before you start:

Effective icebreaker ideas:

Key principle: Icebreakers must be specific and genuine. Generic compliments ("great company!") don't work—they need to prove you did research.

Add custom icebreakers for each lead when preparing your CSV import.

Step 1: Add an icebreaker column to your CSV

Example CSV structure:

email,firstName,companyName,icebreaker
[email protected],John,Acme Corp,"Saw your post about remote team management—spot on about async communication"
[email protected],Jane,StartupXYZ,"Congrats on the TechCrunch feature last week"

Step 2: Import your CSV and map the icebreaker field

Tip: You can name the CSV column anything (for example, icebreaker, personalNote, opener)—just map it to the correct variable during import.

Step 3: Add {{icebreaker}} to your email

Hi {{firstName}},

{{icebreaker}}

I'm reaching out because …

To insert it quickly, click Add personalization in the email composer, then select Icebreaker.

Step 4: Preview before launching

Click Preview in the email step to confirm the icebreaker renders as text (not as {{icebreaker}}) and looks natural in the message.

In the preview, verify the icebreaker is correctly populated for the selected lead.

Let AI automatically generate personalized icebreakers and fill your icebreaker column.

Step 1: Start AI generation from the Icebreaker column

Step 2: Choose a template (recommended)

Step 3: Select an icebreaker template and apply it

Step 4: Generate and review outputs

After generation runs, review the results in your lead list and spot-check for relevance. You can edit any line that feels off or too generic.

Step 5: Add {{icebreaker}} to your email

In your email step, insert {{icebreaker}} (or use Add personalization and choose Icebreaker), then preview the email to confirm the icebreaker displays correctly for each lead.

Where to place icebreakers:

Option 1: After greeting, before pitch (most common)

Hi {{firstName}},
​
​{{icebreaker}}
​
I'm reaching out because …

Option 2: In the opening sentence

Hi {{firstName}}, {{icebreaker}} — which is why I wanted to reach out.
​
I'm …

Option 3: As a P.S. at the end

[Your email body]
​
Best, {{sender.name}}
P.S. {{icebreaker}}

Most effective: After greeting, before pitch. Establishes personalization immediately, then transitions to your message.

Use manual icebreakers when:

Use AI icebreakers when:

Hybrid approach: AI-generate icebreakers, then manually review and enhance the most important leads.

Be specific, not generic - "Great company!" doesn't work. "Your approach to reducing churn by 40% in Q3 is impressive" does.

Keep icebreakers concise - One sentence is ideal. Two sentences only if necessary.

Make it relevant to your pitch - The icebreaker should naturally lead into why you're reaching out.

Avoid forced compliments - If you can't find something genuine to say, a simple personalized greeting (Hi {{firstName}}) is better than fake flattery.

Test and spot-check - For AI, test your prompt/template and review a sample of outputs before launching.

Issue: {{icebreaker}} displays as text instead of personalized content

Root cause: Variable not mapped during CSV import, or the icebreaker field is empty.

Fix: Check the lead data. If importing from CSV, confirm your column is mapped to the icebreaker custom variable during the import flow.

Issue: AI-generated icebreakers are too generic

Root cause: Template/prompt is too vague or lead data is insufficient.

Fix: Use a more specific template (or refine the prompt) and ensure your leads include enough useful context (company data, LinkedIn URL, etc.).

Issue: Icebreaker doesn't match the lead

Root cause: Data quality issue (wrong lead info) or AI misinterpreted context.

Fix: Correct the lead data and edit the icebreaker output in the lead list.

Issue: Icebreaker feels too long or awkward in the email

Root cause: Icebreaker is too verbose or doesn't fit the email tone.

Fix: Edit it down to a short, natural sentence and preview again.