Apollo
Stephen Gould · User Training · Apr 2026
User training · 45 min · 12 prompts

Context loaded. Let's run it.

Your AI Context Center is configured with 10 products, 4 buyer personas, and a copywriting skill tuned to your market. Twelve prompts across three motions: Locate, Prioritize, Engage. The AI already knows your business. Today you learn how to use it.
Audience
Stephen Gould Sales Team
Length
45 min live + Q&A
Outcome
12 prompts + Context Center live
Presenters
Jason De Leon + Kerri Ann Fahey
Why we're here

Your AI already knows your buyers.

Your Context Center has 10 products, 4 buyer personas (CPG, Pharma, Industrial, Executive), and a copywriting skill loaded. When you paste a prompt, the AI reads all of this and writes like someone who understands packaging and supply chain. Today you learn 12 prompts that turn that context into pipeline.
Context Center
10 products configured
Before: generic output
After: persona-matched
What you walk out with
12 prompts + your playbook
01
The framework

Three motions. Twelve prompts. One playbook.

Motion 01 · Locate
4

Find the right audience.

Lookalike CPG brands that match Fenty or Maude. Full account research on a pharma target in seconds. Buying committees mapped across Procurement, Operations, and Sustainability. Expansion openings inside existing accounts.

→ Lookalike list → Account research → Committee map → Expansion sweep
Motion 02 · Prioritize
4

Rank by fit plus signal.

Score by buying signal: new VP Packaging, EPR deadline looming, containerboard spike. Tier A through D. Find displacement windows against regional packaging houses. Re-surface dormant accounts with a fresh trigger.

→ Signal scoring → A/B/C/D tiering → Displacement → Dormant re-open
Motion 03 · Engage
4

Reach out with context built in.

Cold emails that lead with the packaging pain, not the firmographic. Follow-ups that layer new signal (a new CPO, a DSCSA deadline shift). Full sequences in one prompt. Call prep with tailored objections for each persona.

→ First-touch email → Contextual follow-up → Full sequence → Call prep
04 prompts · 01 / 03
Section 01 · Motion

Locate.

Find the right accounts and the right people inside them. Skip the hours of filter-stacking and browser tabs.
Locate · 01 of 04 Prompt 01 / 12

Build a lookalike list from your best customers.

Give the AI two or three of your wins (Fenty Beauty, Maude, a Tier 1 auto supplier) and it finds 50 CPG brands or industrial manufacturers that match on size, funding, packaging complexity, and sustainability exposure.
Paste into AI Assistant
I want to find new companies that look like my best customers. Start by asking me for the names of two or three of my top accounts. Then find 50 similar companies, match them on what actually made those customers good (industry, size, funding, tech stack, anything else you spot), and rank them by fit. Exclude any account I've already worked in Apollo. Show me your matching logic so I can adjust.
Where in Apollo
AI Assistant → Chat
Pro tip

Give it a beauty brand that looks like Fenty and ask for 50 more. Or feed it Northrop Grumman and ask for aerospace and defense manufacturers with asset tracking needs. Follow up with "tighten to CPG brands launching 20+ SKUs this year" and watch the list sharpen.

Motion · LocateApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Locate · 02 of 04 Prompt 02 / 12

Research and summarize an account in seconds.

Full brief on a CPG brand or pharma manufacturer in one prompt: packaging vendor stack, EPR exposure, recent launches, new hires in Procurement or Supply Chain. Replaces 30 minutes of browser tabs.
Paste into AI Assistant
Research this company and tell me everything that matters for prospecting. Cover recent funding or financial news, where they're hiring, the leaders I should know about, anything they've announced publicly in the last six months, and two or three problems they probably have that a sales team could solve. Cite sources where you can. If you need a specific angle (like a product category), ask me.
Where in Apollo
Companies → [Company] → AI Assistant tab
Pro tip

Ask follow-ups: "which state EPR laws apply to this brand?" or "is the CPO new in the last six months?" For pharma targets, add: "what DSCSA deadline are they facing and are they retrofitting or serialization-ready?" The AI holds context.

Motion · LocateApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Locate · 03 of 04 Prompt 03 / 12

Map the buying committee and multi-thread.

VP Packaging (budget), Packaging Engineer (user), Director of Sustainability (validator), CFO (skeptic). Full committee, not a single contact. Flag anyone who joined in the last six months.
Paste into AI Assistant
Help me figure out who to talk to at this company. I want four people: the person who owns the budget, the person who'd use what I'm selling day to day, the technical or operations person who has to approve it, and the person most likely to block it. For each, give me name, title, how long they've been there, and a one-line read on what they probably care about. Flag anyone who joined in the last six months.
Where in Apollo
Companies → [Company] → People
Pro tip

A new VP Supply Chain or Director of Packaging is your hottest target. They own the vendor review, want an early win, and have no attachment to the incumbent packaging house. Flag them every time. Never open with "congrats on the new role."

Motion · LocateApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Locate · 04 of 04 Prompt 04 / 12

Surface expansion openings in existing accounts.

You sell packaging design to the CPG brand team: the AI finds the Supply Chain team launching 50 new SKUs, the Distribution team fighting cold chain failures, or a new acquisition that needs fulfillment. Expansion closes faster than net-new.
Paste into AI Assistant
I already sell to one team inside an existing customer and I want to find expansion openings. Ask me the customer name and which department I sell to today. Then suggest two or three other teams inside that company that probably have the same problem. For each, give me the senior leader, why they'd care in their own language, one recent signal at the company that opens the door, and the warmest path in. Rank by how likely it is to close this quarter.
Where in Apollo
Accounts → [Customer] → AI Assistant
Pro tip

Run this every Monday on your top 10 accounts. If you're already inside a beauty brand's primary packaging program, the Distribution team probably needs fulfillment help and the Operations team is staring down EPR reporting. Two or three warm openings a week, inside a relationship that already trusts you.

Motion · LocateApollo · Stephen Gould Training
04 prompts · 02 / 03
Section 02 · Motion

Prioritize.

Rank by buying intent, not just by title. Focus your hours on who is ready now. Re-tier weekly because signals move.
Prioritize · 01 of 04 Prompt 05 / 12

Score your list by buying intent signals.

Rank by live signals: new VP Supply Chain hire, EPR deadline inside 90 days, cold chain failure in Q1, packaging RFP posted on the company site. Focus on who is ready right now, not who looks good on paper.
Paste into AI Assistant
Score my prospect list by how ready each one is to buy right now. Weight the things that usually matter: a new leader hired in the target function, recent funding, growth or layoffs that signal change, recent job changes at the prospect level, and any engagement they've had with my outreach. Return the top 20 for this week with a one-line "why now" for each so I know what to lead with.
Where in Apollo
Lists → [Your List] → AI Assistant
Pro tip

One strong signal (a new CPO on an EPR-exposed CPG brand) beats ten weak ones. Always ask for the "why now" so your opening references the exact trigger. If the list is thin, pull in softer signals: containerboard cost exposure, SKU expansion, acquisition activity.

Motion · PrioritizeApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Prioritize · 02 of 04 Prompt 06 / 12

Tier your book by fit plus signal.

A-tier: CPG brand with a new VP Packaging and an EPR deadline. B-tier: pharma manufacturer facing the November DSCSA deadline. C-tier: right profile, no trigger yet. D-tier: parked. Fit plus signal beats either alone.
Paste into AI Assistant
Take my list and tier it on two things: how well each account fits my ideal customer, and how strong their buying signals are right now. Use A tier (work today), B tier (work this week), C tier (work next month), D tier (park). Show me the A and B tier accounts with a short reason for each. If you need to know what my best customers look like to set the fit score, ask me for two or three examples.
Where in Apollo
AI Assistant → Chat
Pro tip

A dream CPG brand with no trigger is a cold call. A high-signal account that ships out of a factory you can't serve is a wasted hour. Re-tier every Monday: a new VP hire or a blown cold chain shipment turns a C into an A overnight.

Motion · PrioritizeApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Prioritize · 03 of 04 Prompt 07 / 12

Triage competitive displacement targets.

Brands using a regional packaging house or a logistics giant (GXO, DSV, FedEx) with signs of strain: missed ship dates, quality complaints, contract-end window, new leadership reviewing the vendor stack. Timing beats pitching.
Paste into AI Assistant
Find accounts in my list that use a competitor of mine and look ready to switch. Ask me which competitors to check. Then for each account, surface signals that suggest dissatisfaction or change: a new leader reviewing vendors, public complaints or bad reviews, hiring for internal replacements, or support quality dropping. Return the top 15 ranked by how ripe they look, with a one-line opening angle that doesn't sound like I'm trashing the competitor.
Where in Apollo
AI Assistant → Chat
Pro tip

Never trash the incumbent. Lead with the gap the signal reveals: a new CPO with a consolidation mandate, a cold chain failure the current vendor couldn't absorb, an EPR reporting deadline the logistics provider isn't built to support. Timing, not positioning.

Motion · PrioritizeApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Prioritize · 04 of 04 Prompt 08 / 12

Re-surface dormant accounts that just got interesting.

The CPG brand that passed last year just hired a new VP Packaging. The pharma account that stalled is now staring at a November DSCSA deadline. Fresh trigger, warm relationship, second bite is easier than the first.
Paste into AI Assistant
Find accounts I've worked before that went cold but now have a real reason to reopen. Look for: prior conversations that didn't close, a new leader in the function, fresh funding, hiring, or any public change in the last 90 days. Return the top 10 with what changed, who the new person to approach is, and an honest re-engagement angle. No "just checking in" language.
Where in Apollo
AI Assistant → Chat
Pro tip

Dormant accounts with new Procurement or Supply Chain leadership are the best second-chance plays. The new leader wants an easy consolidation win and has no attachment to the prior packaging vendor. Lead with the EPR deadline or the containerboard cost spike, not with "checking in on our last conversation."

Motion · PrioritizeApollo · Stephen Gould Training
04 prompts · 03 / 03
Section 03 · Motion

Engage.

Reach out with outreach that reads like real research. Context embedded, not bolted on. Every follow-up needs a new reason.
Engage · 01 of 04 Prompt 09 / 12

Draft a cold email with research embedded.

Opening that leads with the packaging pain the prospect lives every Monday: containerboard up 7%, EPR reporting deadline, cold chain failure, SKU sprawl. Your Context Center drops in the right persona and proof point automatically.
Paste into AI Assistant
Write me a first-touch email to this contact. Research the person and their company, find the most interesting recent signal (funding, a hire, a launch, a reorg), figure out what they probably care about in that role, and open with the signal instead of a generic hook. Keep it under 120 words, direct, no buzzwords, no "I hope this finds you well." End with a low-commitment ask, not a meeting request. If you can't find a signal, tell me and ask what I want to lead with instead.
Where in Apollo
Contacts → [Contact] → Email Composer
Pro tip

Research and writing in one prompt. If the signal is weak, say "open with containerboard cost pressure instead" or "lead with the EPR deadline." Your Context Center will pick the right proof point (Fenty, Maude, Northrop, Farmakeio) for the persona so you don't repeat the same logo in every email.

Motion · EngageApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Engage · 02 of 04 Prompt 10 / 12

Write a contextual follow-up that layers new signal.

New trigger since your first send: the brand just announced a retailer sustainability commitment, the pharma company hired a new Regulatory Packaging Manager, containerboard jumped again. If nothing new is on the table, don't send.
Paste into AI Assistant
Write a follow-up email to this contact. Pull up their recent activity and look for something new at their company since my first email (funding, a hire, a launch, a reorg, anything public). Open with the new signal, tie it to the original reason I reached out, and give them a fresh ask that's easy to say yes to (a resource share, a one-question reply, a single link). Keep it under 100 words. Do not say "just checking in" or "bumping this."
Where in Apollo
Sequences → [Sequence] → Step
Pro tip

If there's no new signal, wait. A packaging buyer can smell a "bumping this to the top" email from across the room. Better to skip a week and come back when the May 31 EPR deadline is 30 days out, or when a new CPO posts on LinkedIn.

Motion · EngageApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Engage · 03 of 04 Prompt 11 / 12

Build a full multi-step sequence in one prompt.

A six-step outbound flow for Directors of Packaging at mid-market CPG brands, or VPs of Supply Chain at pharma manufacturers. Copy, timing, personalization, exit logic. Review, fix the two weakest steps, launch to 50 contacts.
Paste into AI Assistant
Build me a 6-step outbound sequence for a specific audience. Ask me who the audience is in one line (role and company type is enough). Then design the whole flow: a cold email, a short follow-up referencing an industry trigger, a value drop with a resource and no pitch, a LinkedIn touch with light social proof, a last-touch email that reads like a real send-off, and an auto-exit on day 25. For each step write the copy, call out where personalization goes, and set exit rules for replies and meetings booked.
Where in Apollo
Sequences → Create New → AI Assistant
Pro tip

Build the sequence in one prompt so tone stays consistent. Tell the AI which persona the list targets (CPG Packaging Buyer, Pharma Supply Chain Manager). The Context Center rotates proof points across steps so no single email leans on Fenty Beauty twice. Fix the two weakest steps before you launch.

Motion · EngageApollo · Stephen Gould Training
Engage · 04 of 04 Prompt 12 / 12

Prep for a call with talk track and tailored objections.

Opening tied to their packaging stack, discovery questions on vendor count, damage rate, EPR readiness, cold chain integrity. Positioning against the logistics giants. Responses to "we already have a packaging partner." 45 min of prep becomes 10.
Paste into AI Assistant
I have a call coming up and I need to prep fast. Ask me the contact name, company, and when the call is. Then research them and give me: a 30-second opening that references something real and recent at their company, five discovery questions tailored to the pain they probably have (not generic qualification), how I should position against their likely alternatives (including doing nothing), and strong responses to the three objections they're most likely to raise.
Where in Apollo
Contacts → [Contact] → AI Assistant
Pro tip

Ask for objections tailored to their category. A CPG brand will push back on "switching costs during a launch cycle." A pharma buyer will push on "validation timelines and regulatory risk." An industrial plant will ask about JIT reliability. Generic objection lists sound generic. Specific ones sound like homework.

Motion · EngageApollo · Stephen Gould Training
02
Craft

Eight patterns that make the AI indispensable.

01
Be specific about what "specific" means.
"VP Packaging at CPG brands, $100M to $1B, launched new SKUs in last 12 months, EPR-exposed state" beats "packaging buyers." Specificity cuts noise fast.
02
Layer context into every prompt.
"This Director of Packaging joined a beauty brand six months ago, the company just signed a retailer sustainability commitment. What is her priority for the next two quarters?" Chain context instead of starting from zero.
03
Always include negative filters.
Exclude in-house packaging operations, brands still on their first vendor, companies in recent layoff cycles, anything outside your fulfillment footprint. Saves hours of dead-end outreach.
04
Specify tone every time.
"Direct, no fluff" for a CPO or VP Supply Chain. "Practical, plant-floor voice" for a Plant Manager. "Regulatory-aware" for pharma. Generic tone is what makes AI emails feel canned.
05
Chain with Lists, Sequences, Workflows.
Find 100 pharma supply chain leaders staring at the November DSCSA deadline, save to a list, build the sequence, route unverified emails to enrichment. The AI plugs into every Apollo motion.
06
Iterate, do not restart.
"That list is good. Now exclude anyone outside the 7 EPR states and add packaging engineers who changed roles in the last 90 days. Re-rank by buying signal." The AI holds context inside the chat.
07
Ask for three options, pick the best.
"Write three openings: one on the EPR deadline, one on containerboard cost pressure, one on consolidating from four vendors to one." Variants beat single-shot drafts every time.
08
Use the AI for post-call work.
Paste a discovery call transcript. Ask for pain points, promised next steps, an updated opportunity record, and a followup email. Cuts 30 minutes of admin per call.
03
Avoid

Six mistakes that waste the AI Assistant.

!
Prompts that are too vague.
"Find packaging buyers" returns junk. Replace with: persona, industry, revenue band, EPR exposure, recent hire triggers, exclusion filters. The more specific the ask, the sharper the list.
!
Research and writing as separate steps.
Research the brand, then ask for an email without re-supplying the context, and you get a generic send. Do both in one prompt so the EPR deadline, the new VP, and the proof point all land together.
!
One-off AI use instead of workflows.
A single email to one contact leaves value on the table. Build a six-step sequence for 50 CPG Packaging Buyers, let it run, measure replies. Scale is where the Context Center pays back.
!
Not specifying tone.
Default AI tone reads corporate. Always say: direct for a CPO, practical for a Plant Manager, regulatory-aware for pharma, warm and consultative for a long-relationship account.
!
Forgetting negative signals.
Targeting by title alone wastes time. Exclude brands with in-house packaging ops, anyone outside your fulfillment footprint, companies in post-merger integration freezes, prospects you already sold.
!
Taking the first output as final.
"Too salesy, cut the second paragraph." "Swap Fenty for the Northrop Grumman proof point, this is an industrial buyer." "Shorter, one ask." The AI improves with feedback. Feed it.
04
Operating rhythm

How this looks in your calendar.

Daily

A sharper 80 minutes, every day.

15 min
Morning focus. Top 20 packaging and supply chain targets by signal. Ten first-touches before 10 AM.
10 min
Pre-call prep. Opening tied to their packaging stack, three discovery questions, objection responses. Paste contact and go.
5 min
Post-call extract. Paste notes. Pull pain points, promised next steps, follow-up email. Update opportunity.
Weekly

Two touch-points that compound.

20 min
Monday list refresh. Re-score on new CPO hires, EPR deadline proximity, containerboard moves. Promote and demote.
30 min
Friday sequence build. Six-step sequence to 50 CPG or pharma buyers. Context Center rotates proof points. Launch.
15 min
Expansion sweep. Top 10 existing accounts. New teams (Supply Chain, Distribution) and new pain (DSCSA, EPR).
Always

Principles that never change.

Rule
Spend on high-value work. AI generation limits are real. Spend them on A-tier first-touches, not bulk generic copy.
Rule
Signal-led, always. Every email opens with a real trigger: a new VP, a deadline, a cost spike. No "just checking in."
Rule
Re-tier weekly. A new Director of Packaging on Tuesday turns a C-tier brand into an A-tier. Re-score, don't coast.
05
Meetings app + Apollo Conversations

Your meetings do the research for you.

01
Pre-call: the last three conversations, auto-pulled
Before a call with a CPG brand, the AI surfaces the last three interactions across email and calls: the EPR question the Director of Packaging asked, the pricing range you already floated, and the next step promised last time. No digging through Salesforce.
02
Post-call: auto-generated summary, pushed to Salesforce
What you discussed, what they committed to, what you committed to, the follow-up due date. The summary lands in the opportunity as a task and a next-step field update, automatically. Five minutes of admin becomes zero.
03
Multi-call analysis: themes across 20 discovery calls
Apollo Conversations finds patterns across your pipeline. "How often did prospects mention sustainability mandate in the last 30 days?" or "Which deals surfaced EPR compliance as a decision driver?" Real data, not gut feel.
04
Pro tip for packaging conversations
Review past calls with CPG or pharma prospects to pull the exact phrases they used for their pain. Then feed those phrases into the Write with AI prompt. Matching their language matters more than matching your marketing.
06
Your AI Context Center

Turn on all sliders. The AI uses everything.

01
Open AI Assistant, click "Context"
You will see 10 products listed. Each has buyer personas, pain points, value props, and proof points that the AI reads before writing anything. Toggles reset per chat, so turn them on at the start of every new thread.
02
Toggle ALL sliders ON
The AI matches the contact's title to the right persona automatically. More context on means sharper, more relevant output. No penalty for having everything enabled.
03
The Copywriting Skill controls your voice
Write like a colleague in packaging and supply chain, not a salesperson. Emails open with workweek scenarios (containerboard cost, EPR deadline), not employee count or revenue.
04
4 buyer personas are loaded
CPG Packaging Buyer, Pharma Supply Chain Manager, Industrial Manufacturing Procurement, Supply Chain Executive. The AI matches by title automatically.
05
Subject lines: lowercase, 2-4 words
"packaging costs", "vendor consolidation", "epr reporting", "cold chain risk." No title case, no marketing language. Looks like an internal email from a colleague.
06
Proof points rotate automatically
$950M revenue, 40+ locations, Fenty Beauty, eBay, Northrop Grumman, Farmakeio cold chain. The AI picks the right one per persona and never repeats the same logo twice in a sequence.
07
Sequences

Write with AI in sequences. Context does the work.

01
Open any sequence, click "Write with AI" on an email step
The AI reads your Context Center, matches the contact's title to one of the 4 personas (CPG, Pharma, Industrial, Executive), and drafts an email using the right pain point and proof point.
02
Review the output, not the prompt
You do not need to write a detailed prompt. The Context Center already loaded the personas and the voice rules. Just generate and review the draft.
03
Iterate in the editor
"Lead with the EPR deadline instead." "Swap Fenty for the Northrop Grumman proof, this is an industrial buyer." "Shorter, one ask." The AI holds context and adjusts in place.
04
Before vs. After: the Context Center difference
Before: "I noticed your company has 500 employees." After: "When containerboard goes up 7% and the budget stays flat, does your team redesign the package or just negotiate harder?" Same AI, different context.
05
A/B subject lines on every sequence
Test two per send: "packaging costs" vs. "vendor consolidation", or "epr reporting" vs. "cold chain risk." Measure reply rate, not open rate. Both stay persona-matched.
06
Verified emails only
Before enrolling contacts, check email verification. Route unverified to enrichment first. Sending to a bad list burns the domain reputation every sequence depends on.
08
Build your system

Three saved searches. One verification workflow.

Saved Search 1

Your target buyers

Filter
Titles by persona Director of Packaging, VP Supply Chain, Regulatory Packaging Manager, Plant Manager, CPO.
Filter
Industry + revenue band CPG, pharma, industrial manufacturing. $100M to $2B revenue.
Save
Pin to sidebar One-click access to your priority buyers every morning.
Saved Search 2

Recent signals

Filter
Job changes in last 90 days New VP Supply Chain, Director of Packaging, CPO, Head of Sustainability.
Filter
Trigger keywords "packaging RFP", "EPR compliance", "sustainability mandate", "cold chain."
Save
Run weekly Signal-led outreach starts here. Feed this list to Write with AI.
Verification Workflow

Never send to bad emails

Step 1
Contact enters sequence Trigger on sequence enrollment.
Step 2
Check verification status Verified: continue. Unverified: route to enrichment.
Step 3
Re-check after enrichment If verified now, enroll. If not, flag for review.
Apollo
End of training
A few things worth trying

Pick a prompt.
Turn on the context.
See what comes out.

Try
Open the AI Assistant and flip on the context sliders. 10 products loaded. The AI already knows your buyers.
Try
Run a Locate prompt against your own book. Lookalike or account research. Save the search.
Try
Write with AI inside a sequence and read the output. The Context Center does the persona-matching for you.
Apollo · Stephen Gould · AI Assistant Trainingapollo.io/ai/assistant