Introduction

The main components of cold email campaigns are the technical setup, list building, copywriting, and campaign management.

You can be the best campaign manager and have nothing to show for it if your setup is messed up.

You can also have the best setup and software tools out there but if your writing is too salesy or boring you will barely get any leads.

Your setup has to be done correctly, your email sequence should be written for that specific target audience you're going after and you'll need to manage campaigns and respond quickly to incoming replies if you want to be successful with cold email as a lead generation channel for your business.

When executed correctly a cold email campaign can be a very cost-effective b2b lead generation and client acquisition mechanism.

Setup

Before sending out any cold emails you’ll need to make sure you have the correct setup.

This is a vital step that will ensure your emails land in the inbox and stay out of spam.

If you’re just getting started and want to see if cold email as a lead generation source can work for you then you won’t need more than 1 domain and 2-4 email accounts.

Depending on your budget, you can scale up your sending with more domains and accounts over time and really make the most out of this underrated client acquisition mechanism.

Domain Forwarding (URL Redirect)

The first thing you should do is to redirect your new domain to your main website or landing page.

This process can differ based on where you purchased the domains. Find out how to do this with GoDaddy and Namecheap from the links below:

• https://uk.godaddy.com/help/edit-my-domain-forwarding-19978

• https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/article.aspx/385/2237/how-to-set-up-a-url-redirect-for-a-domain/

DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail)

A standard email authentication method that signs messages so they can be verified by the receiving mail servers.

Learn how to turn on DKIM for your domain for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 by reading the articles linked below:

• https://apps.google.com/supportwidget/articlehome?hl=en&article_url=https://support.google.com/a/answer/180504?hl%3Den&product_context=180504&product_name=UnuFlow&trigger_context=a

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/email-authentication-dkim-configure?view=o365-worldwide

MX (Mail Exchange)

This DNS record directs where emails sent to your domain should be delivered.

If it's not in place, you'll be unable to send or receive emails. Check out the following pages on how to add an MX record to your domain:

• https://apps.google.com/supportwidget/articlehome?hl=en&article_url=https://support.google.com/a/answer/33915?hl%3Den&product_context=33915&product_name=UnuFlow&trigger_context=a

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/get-help-with-domains/create-dns-records-at-any-dns-hosting-provider?view=o365-worldwide

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

Having an SPF record added to your domain allows identifying the servers and domains that are allowed to send emails from your domain.

Add your SPF record for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 by following the guides below:

• https://apps.google.com/supportwidget/articlehome?hl=en&article_url=https://support.google.com/a/answer/10684623?hl%3Den&product_context=10684623&product_name=UnuFlow&trigger_context=a

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/email-authentication-spf-configure?view=o365-worldwide

DMARC (Domain Message Authentication Reporting & Conformance)

We recommended waiting 48 hours for previous steps to authenticate before proceeding with DMARC.

This email authentication protocol uses previously mentioned DKIM and SPF to help prevent spoofing and spam.

A DMARC policy determines what happens to your email after it passes the SPF and DKIM checkpoints. Prevent your messages from being marked as spam by adding a DMARC record to your domain by following the articles below:

• https://apps.google.com/supportwidget/articlehome?hl=en&article_url=https://support.google.com/a/answer/2466563?hl%3Den&product_context=2466563&product_name=UnuFlow&trigger_context=a

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/email-authentication-dmarc-configure?view=o365-worldwide

It’s a delicate process but only needs to be done once and you’ll be good to go.

If you feel overwhelmed by it consider seeking out expert help.

Warmup

After completing the setup you’ll need to warm up your email accounts for at least 14 days by adding them to a warmup pool that can automate this process for you.

We recommend using Smartlead or Instantly with their auto ramp up features that will get you to 50 sent emails per day.

Right Person

Spend some time identifying your target audience.

Who are the decision-makers in the companies you'd want to do business with?

If you’re not sure who exactly you should target this is your opportunity to start testing and find out.

Relevant Content

Engaging and relevant writing is the cornerstone of effective cold email campaigns.

Start with a captivating subject line that draws prospects attention to your email.

Personalization is key. Tailor your messages to resonate with the prospect in a way that shows interest and understanding.

Stay laser-focused on relevance and keep your writing aligned with their goals, interests, needs or pain points. Address their goals and aspirations directly and explain how your offer can benefit them.

Respectfully guide them with a clear call to action and avoid asking for a call before you get at least one response.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Break the same old boring patterns that everyone else is doing and make your emails stand out from the rest in their inbox.

Signature

Keep your signature simple, don’t go overboard with images or gifs.

For optimal email deliverability it’s best to format it as simple text and avoid using hyperlinks.

Respond Quickly & Follow-Up

This may be the most important part of the equation because it will have a massive effect on your conversion rate.

Do your best to get back to your incoming responses within an hour, if you can do it within minutes you’ll maximize your chances to get that deal closed.

Make sure you have some case studies, guides, docs, slides, videos or whatever ready in case your prospects want to learn more about your services.

Review Performance

Start recording metrics from day 1.

You should at least know how many emails you are sending out each week, how many replies are coming in and how many leads per week are you getting.

Each month you’ll have an opportunity to look back and see what worked best for your campaigns.

Identify the areas that could use improvement and figure out how to improve next month.

Conclusion

While a flawless setup lays the groundwork for deliverability, it's the compelling copy that truly converts leads into clients.

Embrace experimentation and dare to break away from the ordinary to make your emails shine in crowded inboxes.

The money is in the follow-ups, remember that quick responses can make all the difference.