If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you already know how much time gets eaten up by manual email outreach. The good news: tools like Ring promise to automate the grind, run smarter campaigns, and—hopefully—get more real conversations started. The catch? Automation is only as good as your process, and it’s way too easy to let your outreach turn into spam.
This guide is for anyone who wants to set up practical, honest-to-goodness email sequences in Ring that actually get replies (not just opens). You’ll get a step-by-step walkthrough, with plenty of real talk about what works, what doesn’t, and what’s just marketing fluff.
Why Automate Email Outreach (and Where People Go Wrong)
Automating your email outreach is supposed to save you time and make you more effective. But if you’re not careful, you end up blasting out generic emails that annoy people and trash your domain reputation.
Here’s what automation can actually do for you:
- Free up hours each week by handling repetitive follow-ups
- Keep prospects from falling through the cracks
- Make it easier to test what works (and ditch what doesn’t)
- Help you send at the right time—without staying up all night
But automation can’t magically fix:
- Bad lists (if you’re emailing the wrong people, you’re wasting your time)
- Terrible messaging (no robot can make a boring pitch interesting)
- Deliverability issues if you overdo it
A lot of tools claim to solve all your problems. They don’t. Use Ring or any automation tool as a helper, not a replacement for good targeting and writing.
Step 1: Get Your List Together (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even touch Ring, get serious about your prospect list. No amount of automation will help if you’re sending to the wrong crowd.
What matters:
- Relevance: Are these people actually decision-makers or influencers for what you’re offering?
- Accuracy: Double-check emails. Bad data means bounces, which means trouble for your sender reputation.
- Segmentation: Don’t treat all prospects the same. Group them by role, industry, pain point, whatever makes sense.
Pro Tip:
Don’t buy giant lists off the internet. Build your own or use reputable sources. It’s slower, but your response rates will be miles better.
Step 2: Set Up Your Outreach Sequence in Ring
Once you’ve got a solid list, you’re ready to build your sequence. In Ring, a sequence is just a series of emails (and sometimes other steps, like calls or LinkedIn touches) sent to each contact on a set schedule.
Here’s how to do it:
- Create a New Sequence
- Head to the sequences section and hit “New Sequence.”
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Name it something you’ll recognize (not “Test”).
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Add Your Steps
- Start with your initial email. This should be short, specific, and human.
- Add follow-up emails. Two or three is usually enough. More than five and you’re probably annoying people.
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You can mix in manual steps (like a phone call reminder) if that fits your process.
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Set Timing and Delays
- Don’t send follow-ups every day. Give at least 2-4 days between emails.
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Avoid sending on weekends or odd hours—unless your audience is likely to be reading then.
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Personalization Variables
- Use Ring’s merge fields to drop in first names, company names, or recent events.
- But don’t get lazy—“Hi {{first_name}}” isn’t real personalization. Reference something relevant to them when you can.
What to Ignore:
You’ll see options for adding GIFs, emojis, or “catchy” subject lines. Skip these unless you know your audience loves them. B2B buyers aren’t usually impressed by gimmicks.
Step 3: Write Emails That Sound Like a Human
Automated doesn’t mean robotic. The fastest way to get ignored is to sound like a template.
What works: - Plain language. Ditch the sales-speak. - A real reason for reaching out—not just “I wanted to connect.” - One clear call to action (e.g., “Are you the right person to discuss hiring freelancers?”)
What doesn’t: - Sending long paragraphs about your company - Asking for 30-minute calls in the very first email - Using “Re:” in your subject line when you’ve never talked before
Sample First Email:
Subject: Quick question about [Their Company]
Hi [First Name],
Saw that [Their Company] is growing fast in [Industry/Area].
Are you the person who handles [specific challenge]?
If not, could you point me in the right direction?
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Keep it short. Be specific. Always easy to answer.
Step 4: Warm Up Your Sending Account
Automation means volume, but don’t go from zero to 500 emails a day overnight. That’s a great way to land in the spam folder.
Tips: - Start with small batches (20-50 per day), then ramp up slowly. - Use a dedicated sending domain if you can. That way, if something goes wrong, your main domain isn’t blacklisted. - Watch your bounce and reply rates. If you see lots of bounces or no replies, pause and figure out why.
Ignore:
Anyone who promises “instant results” with mass sending. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Step 5: Launch, Monitor, and Tweak
Once your sequence is built and your emails are ready, it’s time to start sending. But don’t just set it and forget it.
In Ring, track: - Open rates: Low? Your subject lines probably stink, or you’re landing in spam. - Reply rates: This is the real scorecard. If you’re not getting answers, change your messaging or targeting. - Unsubscribes/bounces: High numbers mean you need to clean your list.
What actually helps: - A/B testing subject lines and first sentences. - Pausing sequences that start to tank. - Regularly updating your list and messaging. Trends and interests shift fast.
What doesn’t help: - Obsessing over open rates. Focus on replies and conversations. - Chasing every new “AI copywriter” feature. Most of them pump out generic copy.
Common Mistakes (and How to Dodge Them)
Even with all the right tools, people trip up on the same things:
- Sending too many emails, too fast. Triggers spam filters and annoys prospects.
- Forgetting to follow up. Most responses come after the second or third touch.
- Writing for yourself, not your reader. Nobody cares about your product’s features—show how you solve their problem.
- Ignoring replies. If someone writes back—even to say “not now”—respond like a human.
Pro Tip:
Set aside a few minutes each day to reply personally to responses. Automation gets you in the door, but real conversations close deals.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Get Distracted
Automating your B2B outreach with Ring can save you hours and boost your results—but only if you keep it real. Start small, keep your emails human, and focus on the basics: good list, good message, steady follow-up. Don’t get sucked into the latest “growth hack” or shiny feature. The teams that win are usually the ones who do the simple stuff, consistently.
Try it, tweak it, and when in doubt, ask yourself: would you reply to this email? If not, neither will your prospects.