With the right strategies and techniques, cold email can be a powerful sales tool for sales teams looking to increase their top-of-the-funnel (TOFU) pipeline.

The purpose of this guide is to provide a step-by-step action plan for planning, building and delivering a properly executed cold email program that delivers results. This action plan is based entirely on our proven methodology and approach that's outlined in 'Cold Email: Do This, Not That.'.

This guide and action plan are designed for anyone that is new to cold email and does not require any specific IT skills.

Email Marketing vs. Cold Email for Sales

Email is still the 'killer app' and plays a signification role in both marketing campaigns and sales outreach. The approach and delivery of cold email as an outreach channel with a Sales Engagement Platform, like Leadfwd, is much different than traditional email marketing.

It's important to understand the key differences in order to build a proper cold email program:

Cold Email Plan Summary

This launch guide applies our Cold Email methodology using Google Domain's (domain registrar) and Google Workspace (email provider). However you can opt to use any domain registrar you prefer and different email providers, such as Office 365.

Scaling email volume can be accomplished simply by adding more mailboxes (horizontal scale). As an example, if you wish to deliver 1000 cold emails per day you would want to register and activate 29 unique domains with 1 mailbox per domain (29 mailboxes x 35 emails per day = 1015 emails sent).

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1. Domain Registration & Email Setup

• Register Domains with Google
• Add Google Workspace (Gmail) for Each Domain

Step 2. Setting Up Domains

1. Set up SPF ✅ Automatic with Google Domains
2. Set up DKIM ✅ Automatic with Google Domains
3. Set up DMARC
4. Set up Forwarding
5. Set up a CNAME for Branded Links (Optional for Open and Click Tracking)

Step 3. Setting Up Google Workspace Emails Accounts in Leadfwd

• Set up a Password for the New Email Account
• Enable SMTP/IMAP for Each Email Account with App Passwords (3 mins / Per Email Account)
• Or, Create a Google Oauth Project for Each Domain (5-10 mins / Per Domain)

Step 4. Configure Mailbox Options

• Enable Ramp up Mode
• Delays Between Email Sends

Step 5. Find Leads to Engage or Import From Your CRM or a Spreadsheet

• LinkedIn Prospector
• Sales Navigator Prospector
• Built-in B2B Prospect Search
• Import from a Spreadsheet (CSV)
• SugarCRM, Salesforce, HubSpot or Pipedrive
• Zapier or Custom Webhook
• Email Verification

Step 6. Create a Cold Email Sequence with Leadfwd

• Create and Configure
• End Sequence on Reply
• Automate Opt-Out Requests
• Set Daily Enrollment Limit
• Split Sending Using Multiple Mailboxes
• Sequence Sending Schedule
• First Email Touchpoint, Access Email Template Library (450+ proven sales emails to help guide you)
• Writing Cold Email Copy
• Spintax
• One-click Unsubscribe / Opt-out
• Add Delay/Pauses and Automatic Follow Up Email Steps

Step 7. Analyze and Optimize

• Monitor Replies, Opt-Outs and Failed Deliveries (Bounces)
• Measure Each Individual Email Steps Performance
• Drill-down into Replies By Email
• Visualize Performance Overtime with Robust Graphs

Step 1. Domain Registration

You never want to use your corporate domain for cold outreach. Never, ever.

You simply don't want to accidentally burn and destroy the domain that you run your business email through.  Instead, purchase cold email domains that will be specifically utilized for your outbound program.

Register Domains with Google (now via Squarespace)

We recommend Google Domains for domain registration. At $12 per domain they're not the cheapest option, but their interface and tools are extremely easy to use, no matter what your skill-set is. So no IT experts required here. They also make it seamless to add a Google Workspace (Gmail mailbox) to your domain and manage the simple DNS changes we'll need to make. Again, NO IT expert required.

Start by navigating to: https://workspace.google.com/business/signup/welcome

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Choose a Domain

1. Using .com domains is preferred. Definitely stick to top-level domain names.
2. Make sure your domain name includes your company or brand name.
3. You can use prefixes like 'go', 'try', 'get', etc. to build unique domain names. You can also add terms that represent your core offering, example for Acme Web: 'tryacmewebapp.com'.

Step. Pick the email address for your Google Workspace account and mailbox.

We recommend a ratio of one (1) mailbox per one (1) unique domain. So this email address that will serve as the admin login for your Google Workspace account, will also be the mailbox that you connect to Leadfwd.

Step . Don't be fooled. You're not going to use Business Plus.

This can be confusing for folks, our team included, but don't worry.. you're not going to pay $21.60 for your plan. Google provides a 14-day trial of Plus for every new account. We're going to switch to the $6.00 ($7.20 with tax) plan after we finish this process.

Now, click check out and let the magic happen.

Account Email Verification

If this is the first domain you've registered, check the mailbox you used during the registration process for an email verification and link. You'll need to click that link to verify your account/billing email address is valid. This is not the email address for the new domain that you just registered. 

Login to the Google Admin Console

With your account successfully created, proceed to login to your new Admin Console (https://admin.google.com) use the user@yournewdomain.com login that you created above in Step 6.

If you have multiple Google account sessions / users logged in, it will be important to make sure that you select the right account to login and manage. Opening the Admin Console in an Incognito tab can help avoid any account confusion as well.

Managing your domain

Google makes it easy to manage your domain settings, like DNS, directly through the Admin Console.

1. From the main console view: Under Domains, select Manage domains
2. From the domain list view, find your domain (i.e. leadfwdgrowth.com) and click on View Details
3. A drawer will open on the right, click Manage Domain
4. The domain manager will now open in a new tab. If for some reason you do not see any domains in this view, it's likely that a different Google session/user was used for the Google Domain session. Simply click the user orb in the top right and switch to the correct Google user:

Add a DMARC record

If you're not familiar with DMARC, that's OK, remember no IT experience required. DMARC is critical to optimizing your email infrastructure for maximum deliverability. Fortunately there are some simple tools that can be utilized to create the record and Google makes it super-simple to add DMARC records to DNS.

You may have noticed DMARC in emails you've received in your own Gmail mailbox, it looks something like this:

Create the record using Dmarcly

Dmarcly makes a simple tool that will generate a DMARC record for you: https://dmarcly.com/tools/dmarc-generator

For the aggregate and forensic email addresses, you can use any email address that you or your team have access to. You'll receive daily reports for any blocked emails that failed to validate your DMARC policy. 

The settings above are as we'd recommend them as well.

Now, click Generate DMARC Record

1. Your DMARC record will appear below the button in a green table. Highlight the text and copy it to your clipboard.
2. Return to Admin console / Google Domains and click DNS
3. Expand the Custom records row, Click Manage custom records and then Click Create new record
4. In the Host name text field, type 'dmarc_'
5. From the Type menu, select TXT
6. Paste the DMARC record in the Data text field, from your clipboard
7. Click Save

Forwarding

Next step, we'll want to make sure if anyone visits your cold email domain directly that they're immediately redirected to your corporate site. It's common for recipients to investigate and validate your brand before replying to an email. This can include copying the domain from your sending email address and taking a quick peek around. So you don't want to miss this traffic.

1. From the Google Domain Manager, click on Website
2. Select Forward domain in Website URL
3. Enter your 'forward to' domain for your current corporate site
4. Select Permanent redirect (301)
5. Select SSL On
6. Click Forward to save

CNAME for Branded Links (Open and Click Tracking)

If you plan to enable open or click tracking in your cold emails, you'll need to setup a personalized CNAME for your domain. Branded links will replace the Leadfwd domain for the open tracking pixel path and in the click-tracking path. When the domain used inside the body of your email doesn't match the domain in the From: header, it can land your message in the spam folder quickly.

Step 3. Setting Up Google Workspace (Business Starter) Email Accounts in Leadfwd

Now that we have our domain and DNS fully configured, we can proceed with setting up credentials for our new email account / mailbox. We support two methods for connecting a Gmail Email Account to Leadfwd:

Connecting Gmail using IMAP and SMTP using App Passwords

• Enable 2-factor authentication for your email account
• Create an App Password
• Enable IMAP for your email account
• Pro: Quickest option and requires no IT expertise or skills
• Con: SMTP does not support email threading

Connecting Gmail using Oauth

• Requires you create a Google Project to access their API (video walk-through below)
• Google Project applies to the entire domain, not just a single mailbox. Makes adding more mailboxes very easy in the future.
• Some IT experience is helpful, though not required. Makes it easier.
• Pro: Oauth supports email threading with Gmail.
• Pro: Adding future mailboxes to the domain is just one-click.
• Con: Takes about 10 mins to complete. Longer for less technical folks.

Step 4: Configure Mailbox Options

For new domains we recommend that you wait at least 7 days before you send any email through Leadfwd. Even avoid test messages. We've found that even small amounts of email within that initial period that are sent outside of the Gmail interface, leads poorer inbox placement for weeks. Waiting at least 7 days seems to draw much less scrutiny from the spam gods. 

Ramp Up Mode

Warming up mailboxes is essential for maintaining a successful cold outreach program. Properly ramping up your email volume helps ensure your emails make it to the recipient’s inbox and don’t get caught in spam filters. This can give you a better chance of engaging with prospects and ultimately converting.

Leadfwd's approach to warming mailboxes is a sustained and gradual ramp up of email volume for the individual mailbox. Our ramp up mode is available for every connected mailbox and is fully customizable depending on your domain(s) sending history. Ramp Up mode utilizes your actual Sequences, Messaging, Contact data and practices to help develop your sender reputation.

Enabling Ramp up Mode

1. Navigate to Engage
2. Select Mailbox Connector
3. From the Mailbox Connector table, click the gear icon for a specific mailbox and select Mailbox Options.
4. Scroll down to Mailbox Ramp Up Mode and from the pick list, select Enabled.

Enabling Delays Between Email Sends

We recommend enabling our AI Optimized Delivery throttle as it dynamically sets delays based on your email program.

Step 5. Find Leads to Engage or Import Using a CSV

LinkedIn Prospector

Turn LinkedIn or Sales Navigator searches into contacts with verified email address that can be enrolled in Sequences.

• LinkedIn has very powerful search capabilities with their standard freemium product. It's great for Account-Based Sales programs when you're looking for the latest roster of key decision makers at target accounts.
• Sales Navigator takes the cake. The search capabilities with Sales Navigator will allow you to find the most niche prospects based on a variety of filters that aren't available in LinkedIn's standard search. 
• Ideal for accounts that are outside of the United States.
• Enroll contacts from LinkedIn into your Cold Sequences with just a click.

Step 6. Create a Cold Email Sequence

Brevity and relevance are key to successful cold email programs. You have access 450+ proven sales email templates in your Leadfwd account to help inspire and guide your outreach. 

Create and configure

1. Navigate to Engage
2. Select Sequence Manager
3. Click Create Sequence

End Sequence on Reply

When a reply is received from a prospect, their Sequence will be completed and no further automated steps will be taken. At this point a human sales rep should take over the dialog directly.

Automate Opt-Out Requests

Leadfwd can detect many opt-out requests and automatically set a contact record to a status of 'unsubscribed'.

Set Daily Enrollment Limit

Daily enrollment limits help prevent your sequence from becoming overloaded with too many 'Working' contacts. We recommend an enrollment limit of 50% of the daily sending limit for each mailbox assigned to a Sequence as a sender. If you have one mailbox/sender with a daily limit of 30 emails, then set the daily enrollment to 15. This will ensure you can completely touch any newly enrolled contacts and also contacts that are due for follow up emails.

Split Automatically Using Multiple Mailboxes

Scale your email volume properly with multiple mailboxes and Sequences will automatically split and rotate email sends equally over each assigned mailbox. Enable Smart Sender Rotation and select or create a grouping of connected mailboxes.

Sequence Sending Schedule

Select the specific days and times that your email steps will be sent to your enrolled contacts. The schedule alone does not control the frequency of your emails, that will be determined by the delay/pauses that are added between each email step. The schedule just specifies which days of the week and times a recipient can be touched, if they're pending in an email step and not in a delayed/paused holding pattern. An example would be Monday - Friday, excluding Saturday and Sunday.

First Email Touchpoint, Accessing Sales Templates

• Click Add Step
• Select Send Email
• From the Send Email drawer, click the Template icon in the bottom left. Alternatively you can simply begin creating an email from scratch by typing into the email drawer.
• Click Save Message to continue building

Writing Cold Email Copy

TL'DR

• Text-based email messages. No images. No fancy layouts. Look human.
• Brevity is key. Be short, sweet and relevant. Shoot for less than 50 words.
• Context wins. Tell a prospect about a problem they specifically have (or their industry) and how your solution solves it.
• No calendar links or fancy signatures.
• Soft CTA. "Worth a discussion?" "Can I send you some more info on XYZ?" "Let me know if you think this is something to chat about."
• Goal: Spark up a conversation and dialog.
• Personalize your first email with an Icebreaker.
• Use Spintax to maximize inbox placement.

Open Ended Questions That Work

🔥 What happens if {        }?
🔥 Does {        } ever concern you?
🔥 Have you ever considered {        }?
🔥 How are you currently doing {        }?
🔥 How do you typically approach {        }?
🔥 When was the last time you did {        }?
🔥 Is anything withholding you from {        }?
🔥 How urgent is finding a solution for {        }?
🔥 What has been your experience with {        }?
🔥 How would you feel if you could overcome {        }?
🔥 Can you tell me more about how you handle {        }?
🔥 What challenges have you encountered with {        }?
🔥 What are your top priorities when it comes to {        }?
🔥 In what ways do you think {        } could be improved?
🔥 How does {        } impact your day-to-day operations?
🔥 What's something surprising you've learned about {        }?
🔥 What do you think is holding you back from achieving {        }?
🔥 If you could change one thing about {        }, what would it be?

Add Delays and Automatic Follow Up Emails

Your cold email sequence will continue touching contacts until they reply or until they finish all of the steps. Timed delays should be used to separate individual email steps in your sequence. 

Step 7. Analyze and Optimize

Leadfwd delivers real-time, granular stats that measure every aspect of your outbound program. Gain a birds-eye view of what's working and what's not and compare against your other outbound sequences.