Research is useful when it changes who you contact or what you say. A long company profile that never affects the message adds work without improving the decision.
Five fields to record
- Fit: What makes this company a plausible customer? Record the service need and the criteria it meets.
- Evidence: Link to a company page, job posting, announcement, or other source. Add the date you checked it.
- Relevant change: Identify a recent event connected to your offer. A hiring announcement matters only if it suggests a requirement you can address.
- Buyer: Choose the person responsible for the relevant function. A senior title alone does not establish ownership.
- Angle: Explain, in one sentence, why a conversation might be useful now.
Keep facts and hypotheses separate
A company advertising engineering roles is a fact. Assuming it is struggling to recruit is a hypothesis. An outreach message should not present the hypothesis as knowledge of the company's internal situation.
Use AI with a source check
AI can summarise research and suggest an angle. A person should open the supporting sources and check whether the conclusion follows. Remove stale details and claims you cannot verify.
Review before scaling
Inspect a small batch of accounts and messages together. If you cannot explain why each company belongs in the campaign, revise the targeting before increasing volume.