Updated on: 18 July 2025

TL;DR - Alex Berman's Volume Psychology Strategy

The Strategy: Alex evolved from generic volume to "tribal alignment" - finding hidden psychological signals (religion, politics, personal interests) and using them to create instant connection through cold email.

The Key Insight: Instead of basic personalization, find psychological triggers that make prospects think "this person is like me" before they even read your pitch.

The Framework:

• PC Formula: Pain point + Call to action
• PEC Formula: Personal fear + Evidence + Call to action
• PPC Formula: Pain point + Partial solution + Call to action

The Signal Detection:

1. Tribal Signals: Use AI to analyze photos, social follows, school affiliations to identify religion, politics, interests
2. Competitor Analysis: Use BuiltWith to find companies using specific technologies
3. Psychological Profiling: Analyze Twitter follows, LinkedIn activity, personal details to create "tribal alignment"

Current Results: 5,000 qualified leads monthly for "a few hundred bucks" using custom SMTP infrastructure with super low volume per inbox.

Alex Berman shifted from sending millions of basic emails to using psychological triggers and "tribal alignment" to create instant connection. Here's his exact 2025 system powered by modern cold email infrastructure.

Who Is Alex Berman?

Alex Berman is the author of "The Cold Email Manifesto" who generated over $100 million through cold email campaigns. He's evolved from high-volume, low-conversion approaches to sophisticated psychological targeting that achieves higher conversion rates with fewer emails.

Current Focus: Custom SMTP infrastructure + AI-powered psychological profiling + tribal alignment at scale

AB Mastermind: His program that provides the custom SMTP setup and advanced psychological targeting methods

Alex Berman's 2025 Smart Volume Strategy

The Core Philosophy: "Tribal Alignment"

Alex's current approach focuses on finding hidden psychological signals that create instant tribal connection. Instead of generic personalization, he finds psychological triggers that make prospects think "this person is like me" before they even read the pitch.

The Evolution:

• Old Way: 30+ emails per domain daily with basic personalization
• New Way: Super low volume per inbox with psychological triggers and tribal alignment
• Result: Higher conversion rates, lower costs, better engagement

The Infrastructure Requirements

2025 Stack Requirements:

• Custom SMTP: Not Google Workspace or traditional providers
• Super Low Volume: Per inbox to maintain deliverability
• Advanced Qualification: Clay automation to qualify leads before outreach
• Cost Structure: 5K leads per month for "a few hundred bucks"

This shift aligns with industry trends toward dedicated cold email infrastructure that prioritizes psychological targeting over volume.

The Psychological Signal Detection System

Alex's "Forbidden" Signal Detection Methods

Alex uses AI to detect private psychological signals that most people try to hide, then creates emails that reference these signals to build instant tribal connection.

Specific Signal Detection Tactics

1. Visual Analysis Using Salesforce Image API

• Analyze LinkedIn profile photos for physical characteristics
• Use AI to detect personal details from background objects
• Example: "Noticed you have a signed Trump photo behind you..."

2. Social Media Follow Analysis

• Analyze Twitter follows to detect interests and affiliations
• Example: Following Snoop Dogg = likely cannabis-friendly
• Email: "Hey Aaron, want to buy my SaaS? We can do a little sessions when we're done talking biz."

3. Educational Institution Targeting

• Search LinkedIn Sales Navigator by specific schools
• Example: Delphi Academy (affiliated with Scientology according to GPT)
• Email: "Your name actually came up while I was trying to get clear in an audit yesterday..."

4. Religious/Cultural Identification

• Use name analysis to identify religious/cultural background
• Example: Jewish names → "Hey Rivka, fellow member of the tribe here. Just got back from my nephew's bar mitzvah..."

5. Political Alignment Detection

• Analyze social media activity for political signals
• Create subtle references that align with their viewpoint
• Example: Liberal joke for SF founders vs. conservative reference for others

The Technical Implementation

Data Collection Process:

1. Apollo Search: Generate initial lead list by geography, job titles, company size
2. Social Media Scraping: Extract Twitter handles, LinkedIn profiles, Instagram follows
3. AI Analysis: Use Salesforce Image API or GPT to analyze photos and social follows
4. Psychological Profiling: Categorize leads by detected tribal signals
5. Email Generation: Create emails that reference specific psychological triggers

Tools Used:

• Apollo: Initial lead generation
• Salesforce Image API: Visual analysis of profile photos
• Clay: Advanced automation and qualification
• GPT Integration: Social media analysis and psychological profiling
• Galladon Email Finder: Email address discovery

The Three Core Email Frameworks

Framework 1: PC Formula (Pain + Call to Action)

Structure: Pain point + Call to action

Example - Digital Sales Manager Role:

Subject: Quick question

Hey Andrew,

Noticed that Workday still hasn't found a digital sales manager. Bummer.

I run a cold email automation tool that can make this role irrelevant and flood you with meetings.

Want me to send more info?

Example - Website Speed Issue:

Subject: Quick question

Hey Mike,

Your website speed is worse than 87.6% of your competitors based on a test our dev team just conducted.

We developed software that can drastically improve this so you can increase your sales and make more money.

Want to try it out?

Framework 2: PEC Formula (Personal Fear + Evidence + Call to Action)

Structure: Address their biggest fear + Provide evidence + Call to action

Example - Video Messaging Company:

Subject: Quick question

Julia,

I know you're worried about missing out on building personal connections and trust with your clients and prospects by solely relying on text-based emails instead of utilizing the power of video messaging.

With that in mind, I created a tool that will help BombBomb qualify leads faster and better connect with real estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance agents that come into your site.

Just like we did for MailChimp, this can be a game changer for your sales team.

Want to see how?

Framework 3: PPC Formula (Pain + Partial Solution + Call to Action)

Structure: Pain point + Partial solution + Call to action for full solution

Example - Agency Spending on Clutch:

Subject: Quick question

Hey Scott,

Noticed your team was spending a ton of money to sponsor Clutch.

Did you know that by tweaking the wording on your profile every day you can rank higher organically? The clients I've done this for have seen no reduction in lead flow even after they stopped their sponsorships, saving them thousands each month.

If you like that, I've got three more ideas for you to implement to increase your agency lead flow.

Let's do a call this week?

Alex's Complete 2025 Tech Stack

The Infrastructure Stack

The Psychological Profiling Stack

The Cost Structure

Alex's Current Economics:

• 5,000 leads per month: Highly qualified prospects
• Total cost: "Few hundred bucks" monthly
• Infrastructure: Custom SMTP through AB Mastermind
• Conversion: Higher rates than million-email campaigns

This approach helps avoid the common infrastructure problems that plague high-volume campaigns.

ColdSend Implementation Guide

Replicating Alex's System with ColdSend

While Alex uses custom infrastructure through AB Mastermind, you can replicate his psychological targeting approach using ColdSend's platform.

Infrastructure Setup:

• Pro Plan: $100/month for 3 domains
• Smart volume: 50-100 emails per inbox per day
• Psychological focus: Quality over quantity
• Advanced tracking: Monitor psychological trigger effectiveness

Signal Detection Implementation

Step 1: Lead Generation with Psychological Profiling

prospect_email, company, psychological_signal, trigger_type, tribal_alignment, competitor_used

Step 2: AI-Powered Research Automation

1. Visual Analysis: Use GPT-4 Vision to analyze LinkedIn photos
2. Social Media Scraping: Extract Twitter follows and interests
3. Educational Background: Search LinkedIn for specific schools
4. Religious/Cultural Markers: Analyze names and affiliations
5. Political Alignment: Social media activity analysis

Step 3: Email Template with Psychological Triggers

Subject: {{psychological_hook}}

Hi {{first_name}},

{{tribal_alignment_opener}}

{{pain_point_with_evidence}}

{{partial_solution_or_case_study}}

{{call_to_action}}

{{signature}}

ColdSend Template Examples

PC Formula Template:

Subject: Quick question

Hi {{first_name}},

{{pain_point_observation}}

{{solution_statement}}

Want me to send more info?

PEC Formula Template:

Subject: {{fear_based_hook}}

{{first_name}},

I know you're worried about {{biggest_fear}}.

{{case_study_evidence}}

{{call_to_action}}

PPC Formula Template:

Subject: {{pain_point_hook}}

Hey {{first_name}},

Noticed {{specific_pain_point}}.

{{partial_solution}} - the clients I've done this for have seen {{specific_result}}.

If you like that, I've got {{number}} more ideas for you.

Let's do a call this week?

Unlike traditional approaches requiring weeks of warmup, ColdSend enables immediate campaign deployment for testing psychological triggers.

Advanced Psychological Targeting

The "Tribal Alignment" Process

Step 1: Psychological Signal Detection

• Analyze visual cues from profile photos
• Map social media follows to interests/affiliations
• Identify educational and cultural markers
• Detect political and religious alignment signals

Step 2: Tribal Categorization

• Religious Groups: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc.
• Political Alignment: Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian
• Interest-Based: Cannabis-friendly, Tech enthusiasts, etc.
• Educational: Ivy League, specific schools, certifications
• Cultural: Geographic, industry-specific, lifestyle

Step 3: Psychological Trigger Mapping

• In-Group References: "Fellow member of the tribe"
• Shared Experiences: "Just got back from my nephew's bar mitzvah"
• Cultural Signals: "Want to do a little sessions when we're done?"
• Educational Bonds: "Your name came up in an audit yesterday"

Ethical Considerations and Boundaries

Alex's Approach:

• Uses publicly available information
• Creates connection through shared identity
• Focuses on psychological alignment, not exploitation
• Maintains professional boundaries while being personally relevant

Risk Mitigation:

• Test psychological triggers with small segments
• Monitor response rates and sentiment
• Avoid offensive or inappropriate references
• Focus on positive tribal alignment rather than exclusion

Scaling and Optimization

Alex's Current Volume Strategy

Monthly Framework:

• 5,000 highly qualified leads: Selected through psychological profiling
• Custom SMTP infrastructure: Super low volume per inbox
• Advanced qualification: Clay automation before outreach
• Psychological segmentation: Different triggers for different tribes

Performance Metrics:

• Response rates: 5-15% (vs. 1-3% for mass email)
• Conversion rates: Higher due to psychological alignment
• Cost per lead: Lower than traditional high-volume approaches
• Relationship quality: Stronger connections through tribal alignment

Testing and Optimization Process

A/B Testing Framework:

1. Psychological Trigger Testing: Different tribal alignment approaches
2. Signal Detection Accuracy: Validate psychological profiling
3. Email Framework Testing: PC vs. PEC vs. PPC formulas
4. Tribal Segmentation: Different approaches for different groups

Optimization Areas:

• Signal Detection Accuracy: Improve psychological profiling
• Tribal Alignment Messaging: Refine connection language
• Framework Selection: Match framework to psychological profile
• Volume Management: Balance reach with personalization depth

For detailed performance tracking, see our guide on maximizing cold email deliverability.

The Bottom Line

Alex Berman's 2025 strategy proves that psychological targeting beats volume. By finding hidden tribal signals and creating instant connection through shared identity, you achieve higher conversion rates with fewer emails.

Why This Strategy Works:

• Psychological connection trumps generic personalization
• Tribal alignment creates instant trust and rapport
• Signal detection provides unfair advantage in crowded inbox
• Quality targeting generates better ROI than mass email

ColdSend Implementation Advantages:

• Immediate deployment without warmup delays
• Transparent pricing that makes psychological targeting economically viable
• Advanced tracking to measure psychological trigger effectiveness
• Scalable infrastructure for growing psychological targeting programs

Unlike traditional platforms with complex pricing, ColdSend provides the infrastructure needed to execute Alex's sophisticated psychological targeting at scale.

Ready to implement Alex's psychological targeting method? Try ColdSend and see how our infrastructure can power your tribal alignment campaigns with the reliability and deliverability that psychological approaches require.

Want to discuss implementing psychological targeting for your specific industry? Schedule a call for advanced psychological profiling and tribal alignment strategies.