10x Your Cold Email Reply Rates with Personalized Video Emails at Scale 🚀
A friend who runs a marketing agency was struggling to get replies to cold emails. In the video above, I explain how we used personalized video and saw a 10× increase in reply rate. That is an anecdote from that campaign, not a forecast for your list or offer.
The original demonstration used HeyGen to personalize a short introduction. The idea is still worth testing, but the product has changed since I recorded the walkthrough.
What has changed in HeyGen
September 2026 update: HeyGen’s standalone Labs Personalized Video product is being retired in favor of its core tools. Its current help guide says built-in email sending is no longer supported, CSV upload is temporarily unavailable, and the old hybrid mode for uploaded videos has been removed temporarily.
The documented replacement uses an existing Video Avatar, API credits, an automation tool such as Zapier, and your own CRM or email platform. Do not sign up expecting the old unlimited-video $24 Creator offer or the exact menus in this video.
Read HeyGen’s current personalized-video guide and confirm account access and API pricing before building a campaign.
What I actually demonstrated
My original method kept most of the message in my real recorded voice and changed only the recipient’s name and company. I used a simple webcam introduction and a short script, rather than a long sales pitch.
The old editor let me mark those words as variables, preview sample recipients, customize a landing page, and send an email with an animated thumbnail. Some pronunciations sounded better than others, which is why I previewed several examples before moving on.
Those are useful lessons about the message and quality checks, but the old CSV, hybrid-recording, and auto-send screens should now be treated as a historical demonstration.
A short script you can adapt
“Hi [Name], my name is Kevin. I wanted to introduce myself and share an idea for [specific business problem] at [Company]. I’ve included the details below. If it looks relevant, you can book a call using the link.”
Give the recipient a concrete reason to watch. Changing a name alone is not the same as making the message relevant. Keep the first test short and use a clear next step.
How to approach a new campaign
Confirm which personalized-video workflow your HeyGen account supports before paying for automation tools.
Prepare a small test list with accurate names and company fields. Use a test address you control for the first email.
Build a reusable avatar template, then map the fields you want to personalize.
Wait for each completed video and return its link to your CRM or email workflow.
Inspect the voice, names, video page, thumbnail, and booking link before sending.
Send a small relevant batch first and compare reply quality, not just clicks.
A linked thumbnail takes the viewer to the video page; it is not the same as a video playing inside every email client. Test the experience on mobile and desktop.
What to check before buying
Budget for video generation, automation runs, and your sending platform separately. A web-app subscription does not automatically cover API generation. The old free-video allowance and unlimited pricing described in the recording should not be used to estimate a new campaign.
Choose the plan based on the workflow and volume you have tested. For a related example that separates video generation from email delivery, see my HeyGen and Brevo personalized follow-up tutorial.
Is personalized video worth trying?
I would test it when a short introduction adds context that a plain message is missing. Start with an offer that already makes sense for the recipient, then see whether video improves meaningful replies.
You can explore the HeyGen website with a free account, then check the current paid requirements for your intended workflow. Create a free HeyGen account.
