FAQ
Warm outbound, answered.
The questions founders and sales teams ask most, in one place.
What is warm outbound?
Warm outbound is reaching out to people who have already shown interest in you, such as your LinkedIn profile viewers, post engagers, followers and website visitors, but who haven't contacted you themselves. It sits between inbound and cold outbound. Full definition.
How is warm outbound different from cold outbound?
Cold outbound contacts strangers who fit your target profile. Warm outbound contacts people who fit the profile and already know you exist. In Valley's 2025 data across 7.3 million prospects, warm campaigns got 2.3 times the reply rate of cold. Comparison.
What reply rate can I expect from warm outbound?
Cold outbound usually gets 1-3%. Warm outbound on LinkedIn commonly gets 15% or more, and Valley's beta users averaged 47% on warm lists against 8% on their cold campaigns. Results depend on how well you qualify and how quickly you act. What to measure.
Should I mention that they viewed my profile?
No. Use the profile view to decide who to message and when. Write about their business. Pointing out that you saw them look at you makes most people uncomfortable and lowers replies. Message examples and the profile viewer guide.
Who counts as a warm lead?
Someone who fits your ICP and has interacted with you or your space: profile viewers, post engagers, followers, website visitors, and people engaging with competitors' content. Recency matters as much as the type of interaction. The rings.
I don't have an audience. Can I still do warm outbound?
Yes. Borrow one. People engaging with your competitors' posts and with creators in your category are interested in the problem right now. Start there, and post regularly so your own orbit grows. Warm outbound without an audience.
How quickly should I message a warm lead?
Within one to three days for profile viewers, post engagers and website visitors. Warmth fades fast; a lead you message a week later is close to cold again.
Is warm outbound only for LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is where most warm signals live, because profile views and post engagement are visible there. Website visitors can be reached by email or LinkedIn. The principle, reach people who already noticed you, works on any channel.
Is warm outbound the same as signal-based outbound?
Warm outbound is the part of signal-based outbound that focuses on people who already know you. Signal-based outbound also includes company triggers like job changes, hiring and funding. More on signal-based outbound.
What tool should I use for warm outbound?
You need something that collects your warm leads daily, qualifies them against your ICP, and helps you write a researched message to each. Valley does all three for LinkedIn: it pulls profile viewers, post engagers, followers and competitor engagers every day, scores them, researches each one and drafts in your voice for you to approve.
How much does Valley cost?
Valley Starter is $199 a seat a month, or $149 a month billed quarterly, with a 7-day free trial. A card is required; cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing. Larger teams can book a demo for Plus, Growth and Scale. See pricing.
