If you’re running sales or outreach campaigns with Yesware, you know it’s easy to make a mess. Folders everywhere, confusing campaign names, old templates lingering like leftovers in the fridge, and three different “Q2 Follow-up” sequences that nobody remembers creating. Sound familiar? This guide is for you.
Whether you’re flying solo or wrangling a whole sales team, organizing your Yesware campaigns isn’t just about being tidy. It’s about saving time, reducing mistakes, and making sure you can actually find what you need—fast. Here’s how to set up campaigns that work for you, not against you.
1. Start With a Naming Convention (That You’ll Actually Use)
Let’s get the boring (but crucial) part out of the way. If you don’t have a naming system, everything else falls apart. And yes, you will forget what “Lisa_Prospects” means in three months.
What works:
- Keep it short, clear, and consistent. If you’re running multiple campaigns, use names like 2024-Q2-Outbound-Finance, 2024-Q2-Nurture-Webinar, or 2024-Q2-Followup-Event.
- Include the date or quarter. This way, you know at a glance what’s current and what’s stale.
- Specify the audience or purpose. “Outbound,” “Nurture,” “Reactivation,” “Follow-up”—be specific.
What doesn’t:
- Cryptic abbreviations (“LQF-Upsell”) that mean nothing two weeks later.
- Naming everything after the month (“April Campaign”) without any context.
- Letting everyone make up their own rules.
Pro tip:
Write down your naming convention somewhere the team can see it. Better yet, add it to your onboarding docs and templates.
2. Get Ruthless With Folder Organization
Yesware lets you create folders for your campaigns and templates. Use them. Don’t just let everything pile up in “My Campaigns” until it’s a landfill.
How to set up folders: - By campaign type: Outbound, Nurture, Follow-up, Event, etc. - By audience or segment: SMB, Enterprise, Existing Customers, Cold Leads. - By owner or team (if you have a big group): SDR, AE, Marketing, etc.
What to ignore:
Don’t bother making folders for every little detail (like “March 23 Webinar Attendees in Boston”). That’s overkill and it’s more work to maintain than it’s worth.
Pro tip:
Once a quarter, archive old folders you’re not using. If you’re scared to delete, at least move them out of your main view.
3. Build Templates, Not One-Offs
If you’re writing the same email twice, you’re wasting time.
Best practices:
- Create templates for every stage: Initial outreach, follow-up #1, break-up email, re-engagement, etc.
- Name templates using the same convention as campaigns. E.g., 2024-Q2-Outbound-Intro, 2024-Q2-Followup-Remind.
- Use merge fields smartly. Don’t go overboard with personalization tokens—use what you’ll actually fill out.
What to ignore:
Customizing every template for every prospect. That’s what personal emails are for—keep your templates broad, then customize as needed.
Pro tip:
Review your templates every quarter. If nobody’s using one, delete it or update it. Clutter is the enemy.
4. Keep Campaign Steps Tight and Focused
It’s tempting to cram every possible touchpoint into a campaign. Resist the urge.
What works:
- Stick to 3–5 steps for most campaigns. Initial email, a couple of follow-ups, maybe a LinkedIn touch if you use multichannel.
- Set realistic delays. Don’t spam people daily; 2–3 days between steps is usually enough.
- Make every step count. If a step is just “checking in” with no value, cut it.
What doesn’t:
- 8-step sequences that annoy everyone (including you).
- Steps that add nothing new (“Just bumping this up…” over and over).
Pro tip:
Test your campaigns on yourself or a colleague. If you get annoyed reading them, so will your prospects.
5. Use Tags and Notes—But Don’t Overcomplicate
Yesware lets you tag or annotate campaigns. Tags are great for tracking or filtering, but you don’t need a tag for everything.
Best uses: - Marking key verticals (“SaaS,” “Healthcare”). - Tracking experiments (“A/B Test April 2024”). - Highlighting priority campaigns (“High Value”).
What to skip:
- Tagging every campaign with five different things. You won’t remember what “Q2-Red-Priority-OldList” is supposed to mean six months from now.
Pro tip:
Agree on a short list of tags with your team. Don’t let everyone invent their own system.
6. Audit and Clean Up Regularly
Nothing gets out of hand faster than neglected campaigns and templates. Set a recurring calendar reminder (monthly or quarterly—whatever you’ll actually stick to).
What to do: - Archive or delete old campaigns and templates. - Rename anything that doesn’t match your convention. - Remove duplicates (or at least merge them). - Check performance stats—kill what’s underperforming.
What to ignore:
- The urge to keep everything “just in case.” If it hasn’t been used in the last two quarters, it’s not coming back.
Pro tip:
If you’re on a team, assign a campaign “librarian” each quarter. Rotate the job so nobody feels stuck with the grunt work.
7. Document Everything (But Keep It Simple)
Even if you’re a team of one, future-you will thank present-you for writing things down. If you have a team, it’s non-negotiable.
What to document: - Naming conventions - Folder structure - How to request or edit templates - Who owns which campaigns
Store this in your team’s shared docs, Notion, Google Drive, or wherever you’ll actually look.
What not to do:
- Create a 20-page rulebook nobody reads. One-pager, max.
Pro tip:
Review your docs once or twice a year. Outdated instructions are worse than none at all.
8. Don’t Fall for the “Automate Everything” Trap
Yesware is powerful, but it’s not magic. Automation helps, but if you set it and forget it, things get messy (and your results will tank).
What to automate:
- Standard, repeatable campaigns (cold outreach, event follow-up).
- Reminders and scheduling.
What not to automate:
- Super-targeted outreach (big deals, key accounts).
- Anything that needs a human touch.
Pro tip:
Check your automated campaigns monthly. Are they still getting replies? If not, tweak or pause them.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
The best way to organize your Yesware campaigns is whatever system you’ll actually keep up with. Don’t get bogged down in perfection. Start with a clear naming convention, tidy folders, and a handful of solid templates. Clean up regularly, document what matters, and ignore the rest. If something’s slowing you down or getting ignored, cut it.
Most importantly: your process should make life easier, not harder. Set a reminder to review things every quarter, and don’t be afraid to change your system if it stops working. The goal isn’t to win an organization award—it’s to save time, close deals, and keep your sanity.