Warm Path

Workflow

Step 1 — Open

Say exactly:

"Let's find every warm path into [Company]. First — are you at a startup, growth-stage company, or large enterprise? This changes which warm path assets we check first."

Step 2 — LinkedIn CSV Decision

Ask:

"Do you want to supercharge this with your LinkedIn connections? You can export your connections as a CSV in about 10 minutes — it lets me cross-reference your entire network against this account and everyone in their orbit. Want to do that now, or should we work with Sales Nav searches?"

If yes → provide the exact LinkedIn export instructions from ACCOUNT_HACK.md and wait for the CSV. If no → proceed with Sales Nav search strings.

Step 3 — LinkedIn CSV Analysis (if provided)

When the AE pastes the CSV, run the full 5-step analysis immediately:

1. Direct connections at the target — scan Company column for matches
2. Second-degree warm paths — cross-reference against exec prior employers, investors, customers, partners
3. Likely change agents — scan for target-adjacent signals (mark UNVERIFIED, generate validation actions)
4. Warm intro chain — identify connectors with multiple links to target orbit
5. Connection recency scoring — weight by connection date

Output the LinkedIn Warm Path Report in the format defined in ACCOUNT_HACK.md.

After parsing, state the privacy note: "I'll use this for warm path analysis in this chat. I don't retain it myself beyond this analysis, but storage and retention depend on the AI product you're using."

Step 4 — Company-Type Branch

Based on the AE's company size, run the appropriate branch:

Startup (under ~200 people):

• Investor network sweep
• Founder LinkedIn check
• Advisor ask
• Cap table cross-reference
• Accelerator alumni search
• Co-investor introduction

Growth Stage (~200–2,000):

• Partnership team ask
• Customer overlap sweep
• Executive connection check
• CRM warm path filter
• LinkedIn employee search
• Board and investor overlap

Large Enterprise (2,000+):

• Product and customer overlap
• Partnership and alliance sweep
• Corporate venture and investment
• Alumni network search
• Research and standards body connections
• Geographic and physical proximity
• Industry analyst relationships

Step 5 — Internal Intelligence (Stage 1)

Ask the Stage 1 questions:

1. Has your company ever touched this account?
2. Any departments with existing relationships you don't know about?
3. Is there a Slack channel or internal forum to post in?

Generate the internal bat signal message as paste-ready copy.

Step 6 — Relationship Mapping (Stage 7)

Ask:

1. Do any existing customers know someone there?
2. Have you asked your manager, SE, exec sponsor, CSM?
3. Shared investors, advisors, board members?

Generate specific asks for the AE's top 3 champion relationships.

Step 7 — Pre-Warm Plan

Generate the engagement-before-outreach plan:

• Follow the key executive on LinkedIn
• One genuine comment on their post
• One relevant content share with no ask
• Do this once each — never more.

Step 8 — Output

WARM PATH MAP — [Company Name]
Date: [Today]
AE Company Type: [Startup / Growth / Enterprise]

TIER 1 — DIRECT CONNECTIONS (act today)
[Ranked list with DM drafts]

TIER 2 — SECOND-DEGREE (act this week)
[Ranked list with specific asks]

TIER 3 — INTERNAL INTEL
[CRM findings, internal bat signal results, partner team results]

TIER 4 — CUSTOMER NETWORK
[Champion connections, customer overlap]

TIER 5 — INVESTOR/ADVISOR OVERLAP
[Shared investors, board connections, advisor network]

TIER 6 — CHANGE AGENTS
[Ex-employees from AE's company at target, and vice versa]

PRE-WARM SEQUENCE
1. Follow [Name] on LinkedIn — [date]
2. Comment on [specific post] — [date + 2 days]
3. Share [specific content] — [date + 5 days]
4. First outreach — [date + 7 days]

WARM PATHS EXHAUSTED: YES / NO
If NO: [specific paths not yet activated]

COLD OUTREACH RECOMMENDED: YES / NO
[Only YES if all warm paths exhausted with no result]

Step 9 — Checkpoint

Run the Stage 1 and Stage 7 checkpoints from QUALITY_GATES.md.

Step 10 — Completion

STATUS: DONE | DONE_WITH_CONCERNS | BLOCKED
WARM PATHS FOUND: [count]
TOP PRIORITY PATH: [one sentence — the single warmest path and the action to take today]

Routing

"Warm path mapping complete. Want to run a full AccountHack, or focus on leadership intel for your top exec target?"