How to automate outbound email campaigns with enriched data from Datagma

If you're tired of sending cold emails that get ignored, you're not alone. Most outbound campaigns flop because the data is stale, generic, or just plain wrong. This guide is for folks who want to automate outbound emails using better data—specifically, by pulling enriched info from Datagma and actually making it work for real-world sales or recruiting teams. No fluff, no magic bullets—just a clear, step-by-step way to get more replies without losing your sanity.

Why Enriched Data Matters (And What to Ignore)

Let’s get real: “personalization at scale” is mostly marketing speak. But using enriched data—extra details about your prospects beyond name and email—can help you:

Skip dead leads (no more emails to people who left the company)
Tailor messages with actual relevance (“Congrats on the funding” beats “Dear Sir/Madam”)
Automate without sounding like a robot

What not to do: Don’t buy into the hype that data enrichment will instantly 10x your response rates. It’s a tool, not a magic trick.

Step 1: Set Up a Clean Prospect List

Before you even touch Datagma, you need a list worth enriching. Here’s what works:

Start with clear criteria. Who should get your emails? Be picky.
Collect the basics: Name, company, job title, and email. Don’t worry about missing details—Datagma can fill some gaps.
Use a spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) or a CRM export. Format matters: one row per person, with columns for first name, last name, email, company, and any extras you already have.

Pro tip: Don’t try to enrich thousands of contacts at once. Start with a small batch (100-200) to iron out wrinkles.

Step 2: Enrich Your Data with Datagma

Now, let's put Datagma to work. Here’s how to get more intel on your prospects without drowning in complexity:

Sign up and log in to Datagma.
Basic plans let you enrich lists, but some features cost credits. Check your quota before you start.
Upload your prospect list.
CSV is the easiest format. Make sure columns are labeled clearly.
Datagma can enrich by email, LinkedIn URL, or company domain. The more you provide, the better the results.
Choose your enrichment fields.
Useful fields: direct phone, LinkedIn profile, recent company news, funding info, tech stack, job changes.
Skip fluff like “personality insights.” Focus on data you’ll actually use in your emails.
Run the enrichment.
This takes a few minutes to a few hours, depending on size.
Download the enriched file when it’s done.

What works: Company news, recent promotions, and tech stack info are gold for outreach.
What doesn’t: Overly detailed psychographic data. No one replies because you guessed their Myers-Briggs type.

Step 3: Clean and Organize Your Enriched List

Automated enrichment isn’t perfect. Here’s how to avoid embarrassing mistakes:

Check for blanks or obviously wrong data. Some fields won’t fill for every contact. That’s normal.
Spot-check a few entries. Make sure the job titles and company names still make sense.
Delete or flag outdated contacts. If someone left the company, don’t email them.
Standardize columns. Rename them to match what your email tool expects (e.g., “First Name” instead of “first_name”).

Pro tip: Filter out anyone missing a key field you plan to use in your template (like {{first_name}} or {{industry}}).

Step 4: Connect to Your Email Automation Tool

Pick an email tool that supports mail merge and can handle custom fields—think Mailshake, Lemlist, Woodpecker, or even a well-set-up Mail Merge in Gmail. Here’s what matters:

Import your enriched CSV. Map fields like {{company}}, {{job_title}}, {{recent_news}}.
Set up your sending account. Use a dedicated domain or subdomain if you’re sending high volume (so you don’t burn your main domain’s reputation).
Warm up your sending account. Don’t blast hundreds on day one—start with 20-30 per day and ramp up.

What doesn’t work: Bouncing between tools without a clear process. Keep it simple—one source of truth for your list, and one tool for sending.

Step 5: Write (Actually) Personalized Email Templates

Here’s where most people trip up. The point of enriched data isn’t to cram every field into a Frankenstein email. Instead:

Pick one or two details to personalize. Example: “Saw your company just raised a Series B—congrats!”
Keep templates short and human. Under 100 words usually works best.
Use merge tags for your chosen fields. Double-check your syntax (e.g., {{first_name}}, not {first name}).
**Avoid “Hi {{first_name}}, I noticed you’re a {{job_title}} at {{company}}.” That’s a giveaway you’re automating.

Pro tip: Write your templates to sound like you—not like a robot or a marketer. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, rewrite it.

Step 6: Automate Sending and Track Results

You’ve done the prep—now let it run.

Schedule your campaign. Spread emails over several days to avoid spam filters.
Track opens, clicks, and replies. But don’t obsess over vanity metrics. Replies matter most.
Set up automatic follow-ups. A simple “just bumping this to the top of your inbox” can double your response rate.

What to ignore: Don’t stress over open rates. Apple’s privacy changes have made them unreliable. Focus on real conversations started.

Step 7: Iterate, Don’t Overthink

No campaign is perfect out of the gate. Here’s how to get better:

Review replies and bounces. Update your list to remove bad addresses and unsubscribes.
Tweak your templates. If you’re getting crickets, try a different hook from your enriched data.
Test small changes. Don’t rewrite everything at once. Change one variable per batch.

Pro tip: Sometimes the simple, direct emails work best. If you’re not sure, ask a colleague to read your template and give honest feedback (or just send it to yourself first).

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Keep It Human

Automating outbound emails with enriched data isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of setup and common sense. Start small, use data that actually matters, and don’t get caught up in the latest automation fad. The goal is to start more real conversations—not to send prettier spam. Iterate as you go, and remember: relevance beats volume every time.