The Three-Tier System That Changed Everything
HeyReach developed a sophisticated lead-tiering system that categorizes every free trial signup into three distinct buckets:
Tier 1: White-Glove Treatment
These are the high-value prospects that keep the head of sales up at night. When a tier 1 company signs up, they receive immediate, personalized attention from senior sales leadership through coordinated email and LinkedIn outreach.
Tier 2: Balanced Approach
Mid-level prospects receive attention from sales reps with messaging that feels tailored to their specific needs, though not quite as intensive as tier 1 treatment.
Tier 3: The Forgotten Opportunity
Here's where things get interesting. Traditionally, these smaller companies would receive a generic "Thanks for signing up" email and little else. As Maclin candidly explained, these leads typically ended up "in a dumpster somewhere"—not because they lacked potential, but because manual outreach didn't make economic sense.
The Hidden Revenue in Tier 3 Leads
The numbers told a compelling story. HeyReach discovered they had nearly 800 tier 3 companies in their pipeline—almost as many as their tier 1 and tier 2 leads combined. With conservative projections showing a potential 20-25% conversion rate improvement, they were looking at nearly $100,000 in additional annual revenue just sitting there, untapped.
The challenge? Hiring salespeople to handle these leads didn't make financial sense. The cost of salaries, benefits, and training would eat up any potential gains. They needed a different solution.
Enter Twain: AI-Powered Personalization at Scale
This is where Twain's AI copywriting capabilities transformed the game. Instead of hiring expensive copywriters (which Maclin tried and admits "did not pay off"), they automated personalized outreach that actually converts.
How It Works
Using Clay's native integration with Twain (announced just recently), HeyReach created a system that:
- Researches each company automatically
- Understands their specific use case and needs
- Crafts personalized LinkedIn messages that feel genuinely human
- Matches relevant offers to each prospect's situation
The Secret Sauce: Context That Converts
Every message follows a proven framework:
- Acknowledge specific details about the prospect's business
- Explain relevance of HeyReach's solution to their particular situation
- Present a compelling offer matched to their needs
- Include timely hooks (like limited-time promotions)
For example, when reaching out to a fundraising platform, the system might mention how HeyReach can help their canvassers reach more donors through automated LinkedIn prospecting—showing clear understanding of their specific challenges.
Why This Approach Works
The brilliance of this system extends beyond just the numbers. As Ilya pointed out, there's a meta-level benefit: HeyReach is using LinkedIn automation to sell LinkedIn automation. They're demonstrating their product's capabilities through their own outreach.
When prospects ask, "Was this automated?" the answer is a confident yes—followed by, "Want to do the same for your business?"
Key Takeaways for SaaS Companies
1. Don't Ignore Your Tier 3 Leads
Those "small" accounts you're neglecting could represent significant revenue when approached correctly.
2. Automation Doesn't Mean Impersonal
With the right tools and approach, automated outreach can feel more personalized than rushed manual efforts.
3. Eat Your Own Dog Food
Using your own product to sell your product creates authentic proof of concept that resonates with prospects.
4. The Math Matters
Before investing in headcount, calculate whether AI-powered automation could deliver better ROI.
5. Context Is King
The difference between spam and effective outreach is research and relevance—both of which AI can now deliver at scale.
The Bottom Line
By treating their tier 3 leads with the same strategic thinking they applied to enterprise accounts—just with different execution—HeyReach unlocked hidden revenue that was always there. They just needed the right technology stack to access it profitably.
The lesson is clear: in today's AI-powered sales landscape, no lead should be left behind. The question isn't whether to engage your tier 3 leads, but how to do it in a way that makes economic sense. For HeyReach, that answer was Twain, Clay, and a willingness to rethink traditional sales approaches.
AI Disclaimer: AI helped us summarize the key points from these videos, and our editorial team reviewed everything to make sure it's clear and correct.
