Hi guys. Is there anyone here who has experience in using clay + instantly + heyreach for outbound campaigns? Is there any way to optimize for the following:
Positive reply rates on instant
Connection requests, acceptance,s + positive replies
Here is our current context:
We use only 1 signal, which is open jobs, using the Find jobs search in Clay.
We target hiring managers from the company's results and get the LI information through a Claygent prompt (i.e., First Name, Last Name, and LinkedIn profile)
We enrich emails using Icy peas + Full enrich and verify using debounce
We then migrate the FN, LN, and other details to Instantly directly from Clay.
The scripts we are using highlight the profiles of our candidates + highlight the fact that they are hiring based on the open job role availability.
CTA is booking a call with them or sending over the candidate profiles for their review.
Here are the issues for our current campaigns:
Low positive reply rate. Around 1 per month for some campaigns.
High bounce rate. Around 2-5 emails per week.
A lot of out-of-office replies.
Here are some questions I need to answer.
Is there something wrong with our Instantly setup?
Is there something wrong with the target leads? Should we change hiring managers to CEOs, etc?
Is there something wrong with the script?
Should we be focusing on other signals rather than open job roles?
Looking for any suggestions that can speed up our campaigns from those who have seen success in the recruitment and staffing space.
Joshua P. few things you can tweak: 1) Try more signals than just open jobs (funding, team growth, tech stack shifts). 2) Hiring managers are fine but test CXOs too for better replies. 3) Bounce rate likely from email enrichment flow run a single verify at the end instead of every step. 4) Scripts may need personalization beyond job openings. These usually lift reply rates
Don’t limit yourself to open job postings layer in additional signals such as recent funding, headcount growth, or changes in tech stack to strengthen intent. Hiring managers are a fair target, but it’s worth testing outreach to C-suite executives as they often drive final decisions. Your bounce rate likely stems from the enrichment flow rather than verifying at each step, run a single verification at the end to improve accuracy. Finally, the messaging itself may need more personalisation beyond job openings referencing growth signals or business challenges typically increases positive reply rates.
Don’t limit your targeting solely to open job postings. Enhance your outreach by layering in high-intent signals like recent funding rounds, rapid headcount growth, or shifts in tech stack. These indicators provide stronger buying signals and improve engagement quality. While hiring managers are a solid target, it’s definitely worth testing outreach to C-suite executives as well. Founders, CEOs, and COOs often influence or directly make final hiring decisions, especially in smaller or growing companies. Your bounce rate likely stems from the enrichment workflow. Instead of verifying emails at every step, consider consolidating enrichment and running a single verification at the end of your flow. This often results in cleaner, more accurate data and reduces email waste.
