draft-outreach▌
anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins · updated Apr 8, 2026
MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.
Research a prospect, then draft personalized outreach based on findings.
- ›Researches prospects first using web search by default, enhanced with optional enrichment tools (verified contact info, background) and CRM data (prior relationship context)
- ›Generates email drafts with personalized opening, relevant hook, and clear CTA, plus LinkedIn alternatives when email unavailable
- ›Supports three delivery modes: auto-create email draft if email connector enabled, output text for manual copy,
Draft Outreach
Research first, then draft. This skill never sends generic outreach - it always researches the prospect first to personalize the message. Works standalone with web search, supercharged when you connect your tools.
Connectors (Optional)
| Connector | What It Adds |
|---|---|
| Enrichment | Verified email, phone, background details |
| CRM | Prior relationship context, existing contacts |
| Create draft directly in your inbox |
No connectors? Web research works great. I'll output the email text for you to copy.
How It Works
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| DRAFT OUTREACH |
| |
| Step 1: RESEARCH (always happens first) |
| - Web search (default) |
| - + Enrichment (if enrichment tools connected) |
| - + CRM (if CRM connected) |
| |
| Step 2: DRAFT (based on research) |
| - Personalized opening (from research) |
| - Relevant hook (their priorities) |
| - Clear CTA |
| |
| Step 3: DELIVER (based on connectors) |
| - Email draft (if email connected) |
| - Copy for LinkedIn (always) |
| - Output to user (always) |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
Output Format
# Outreach Draft: [Person] @ [Company]
**Generated:** [Date] | **Research Sources:** [Web, Enrichment, CRM]
---
## Research Summary
**Target:** [Name], [Title] at [Company]
**Hook:** [Why reaching out now - the personalized angle]
**Goal:** [What you want from this outreach]
---
## Email Draft
**To:** [email if known, or "find email" note]
**Subject:** [Personalized subject line]
---
[Email body]
---
**Subject Line Alternatives:**
1. [Option 2]
2. [Option 3]
---
## LinkedIn Message (if no email)
**Connection Request (< 300 chars):**
[Short, no-pitch connection request]
**Follow-up Message (after connected):**
[Value-first message]
---
## Why This Approach
| Element | Based On |
|---------|----------|
| Opening | [Research finding that makes it personal] |
| Hook | [Their priority/pain point] |
| Proof | [Relevant customer story] |
| CTA | [Low-friction ask] |
---
## Email Draft Status
[Draft created - check ~~email]
[Email not connected - copy email above]
[No email found - use LinkedIn approach]
---
## Follow-up Sequence (Optional)
**Day 3 - Follow-up 1:**
[Short, new angle]
**Day 7 - Follow-up 2:**
[Different value prop]
**Day 14 - Break-up:**
[Final attempt]
Execution Flow
Step 1: Parse Request
Input patterns:
- "draft outreach to John Smith at Acme" → Person + company
- "write cold email to Acme's CTO" → Role + company
- "reach out to [email protected]" → Email provided
- "LinkedIn message to [LinkedIn URL]" → Profile provided
Step 2: Research First (Always)
Use research-prospect skill internally:
1. Web search for company + person
2. If Enrichment connected: Get verified contact info, background
3. If CRM connected: Check for prior relationship
Must find before drafting:
- Who they are (title, background)
- What the company does
- Recent news or trigger
- Personalization hook
Step 3: Identify Hook
Priority order for hooks:
1. Trigger event (funding, hiring, news) → Most timely
2. Mutual connection → Social proof
3. Their content (post, article, talk) → Shows you did research
4. Company initiative → Relevant to their priorities
5. Role-based pain point → Least personal but still relevant
Step 4: Draft Message
Email Structure (AIDA):
SUBJECT: [Personalized, <50 chars, no spam words]
[Opening: Personal hook - shows you researched them]
[Interest: Their problem/opportunity in 1-2 sentences]
[Desire: Brief proof point - similar company result]
[Action: Clear, low-friction CTA]
[Signature]
LinkedIn Connection Request (<300 chars):
Hi [Name], [Mutual connection/shared interest/genuine compliment].
Would love to connect. [No pitch]
LinkedIn Follow-up Message:
Thanks for connecting! [Value-first: insight, article, observation]
[Soft transition to why you reached out]
[Question, not pitch]
Step 5: Create Email Draft
If email connector available:
1. Create draft with to, subject, body
2. Return draft link
3. Note: "Draft created - review and send"
If not available:
1. Output email text
2. Note: "Copy to your email client"
Capability by Connector
| Capability | Web Only | + Enrichment | + CRM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personalized opening | Basic | Deep | With history | Same |
| Verified email | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Background details | Public only | Full | Full | Full |
| Prior relationship | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-create draft | No | No | No | Yes |
Message Templates by Scenario
Cold Outreach (No Prior Relationship)
Subject: [Their initiative] + [your angle]
Hi [Name],
[Personal hook based on research - news, content, mutual connection].
[1 sentence on their likely challenge based on role/company].
[Brief proof: "We helped [Similar Company] achieve [Result]".]
Worth a 15-min call to see if relevant?
[Signature]
Warm Outreach (Have Met / Mutual Connection)
Subject: Following up from [context]
Hi [Name],
[Reference to how you know them / who connected you].
[Why reaching out now - their trigger].
[Specific value you can offer].
[CTA]
Re-Engagement (Went Dark)
Subject: [Short, curiosity-driven]
Hi [Name],
[Acknowledge time passed without being guilt-trippy].
[New reason to reconnect - their news or your news].
[Simple question to re-open dialogue].
[Signature]
Post-Event Follow-up
Subject: Great meeting you at [Event]
Hi [Name],
[Specific memory from conversation].
[Value-add: article, intro, resource related to what you discussed].
[Soft CTA for next conversation].
Email Style Guidelines
- Be concise but informative — Get to the point quickly. Busy people skim.
- No markdown formatting — Never use asterisks, bold (text), or other markdown. Write plain text that looks natural in any email client.
- Short paragraphs — 2-3 sentences max per paragraph. White space is your friend.
- Simple lists — If listing items, use plain dashes. No fancy formatting.
Good:
Here's what I can share:
- Case study from a similar company
- 15-min intro call this week
- Quick demo if helpful
Bad:
**What I Can Offer:**
- **Case study** from a similar company
- **Intro call** this week
What NOT to Do
Generic openers:
- "I hope this email finds you well"
- "I'm reaching out because..."
- "I wanted to introduce myself"
Feature dumps:
- Long paragraphs about your product
- Multiple value props at once
- No clear CTA
Fake personalization:
- "I noticed you work at [Company]" (obviously)
- "Congrats on your role" (without context)
Markdown in emails:
- Using bold or italic asterisks
- Headers or formatted lists that won't render
Instead:
- Lead with something specific you learned
- One clear value prop
- One clear ask
- Plain text formatting only
Channel Selection
IF verified email available:
→ Email preferred (higher response rate)
→ Also provide LinkedIn backup
IF no email:
→ LinkedIn connection request
→ Follow-up message template for after connection
IF warm intro possible:
→ Suggest mutual connection outreach first
Company Configuration [CUSTOMIZE]
## Outreach Settings
- My name: [Your Name]
- My title: [Your Title]
- My company: [Company Name]
- Value prop: [One sentence - what you help with]
## Signature
[Your preferred email signature]
## Proof Points
- [Customer 1]: [Result]
- [Customer 2]: [Result]
- [Customer 3]: [Result]
## CTA Options
- Default: "Worth a 15-min call?"
- Softer: "Open to learning more?"
- Specific: "Can I send over a quick demo?"
## Tone
- [Professional / Casual / Direct]
- Industry-specific language: [Yes/No]
Example
Input: "draft outreach to the Head of Engineering at Notion"
Research finds:
- Name: David Tibbitts
How to use draft-outreach on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add draft-outreach
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches draft-outreach from GitHub repository anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate draft-outreach. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /draft-outreach) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
User Story & Requirements Generation
Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs
Example
Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios
Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage
Competitive Analysis
Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps
Example
Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities
Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days
Roadmap Prioritization
Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs
Example
Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale
Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster
Stakeholder Communication
Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations
Example
Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement
Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
- ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
- ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
- ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels
Time Estimate
30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements
Installation Steps
- 1.Install product management skill
- 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
- 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
- 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
- 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
- 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
- 7.Share effective prompts with product team
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
- ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
- ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
- ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
- ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
- +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
- +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
- +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
- +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
- +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition
✗ Don't
- −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
- −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
- −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
- −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
- −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
- ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
- ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
- ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.
Learning Path▌
- 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
- 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
- 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
- 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.7★★★★★41 reviews- ★★★★★Diego Khan· Dec 28, 2024
draft-outreach reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Shikha Mishra· Dec 12, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: draft-outreach is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Dev Kapoor· Nov 19, 2024
I recommend draft-outreach for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Yash Thakker· Nov 3, 2024
We added draft-outreach from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Dhruvi Jain· Oct 22, 2024
draft-outreach fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Xiao White· Oct 10, 2024
Useful defaults in draft-outreach — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
- ★★★★★Liam Diallo· Sep 21, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: draft-outreach is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Isabella Flores· Sep 17, 2024
draft-outreach is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Rahul Santra· Sep 13, 2024
Registry listing for draft-outreach matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
- ★★★★★Tariq Bansal· Sep 5, 2024
Useful defaults in draft-outreach — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
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