This might seem like a cliché answer, but I promise it isn't. I feel like it's made me more empathetic. Ugh, writing that sounds terrible.
But let me explain: I think in order to get backlinks—actual backlinks—you need to understand who you're reaching out to. You should understand who they are, how they value their time, and why they should give you the time of day.
I think having this people-first mindset in outreach has made my campaigns more successful and even led to a few professional relationships. I think people are just tired of the constant spam they receive, so when you add a little more personalization, it can really make a difference.
That's why broken-link building is my personal favorite; instead of just having them insert the link for you, you're helping them identify something broken on their website while offering a quick alternative. To me, it's the best way not to waste their time, and it takes a little more effort than the generic guest-post email.