If you're tired of sending cold emails that get ignored—or worse, marked as spam—this guide is for you. I'm not here to sell you a magic bullet. But if you actually want to automate cold email outreach that feels personal (and gets replies), you can get a lot done with Sendpotion. This walkthrough is for founders, sales pros, or anyone who’d rather spend time talking to humans than copy-pasting emails all day.
Let’s get into what works, what doesn’t, and how to automate wisely so you don’t sound like a robot.
Step 1: Figure Out Why People Should Reply
Before you even open Sendpotion, get brutally honest with yourself: why would someone open your email, read it, and bother to reply? If your answer is “because my product is great,” you’re not ready yet.
- Find a real hook: Something that matters to your audience, not just to you.
- Be specific: “Increase revenue” is meaningless. “Double your inbound leads with 3 minutes of setup” is better.
- Don’t fake personalization: “Saw you’re crushing it at [CompanyName]” is tired and everyone knows it.
Pro tip: If you can’t write an email you’d reply to, neither will anyone else.
Step 2: Build a Legit Target List
Automated emails are only as good as your data. Garbage in, garbage out.
- Scrape responsibly: Don’t buy lists. Use LinkedIn, company sites, or tools like Apollo or Clay to find real, relevant leads.
- Collect more than just names and emails: Grab job titles, company size, location, or anything useful for personalization.
- Clean your list: Remove obvious bad emails, duplicates, and anyone who’d never buy from you.
What to ignore: Don’t get fancy with “AI-powered intent data” unless you really know what you’re doing. Most of it’s hype.
Step 3: Prep Your Email Content (The Right Way)
Personalization is more than “Hi {{first_name}}.” You want each email to feel like it was written just for them, without writing them one by one.
- Write a solid base template: One that stands on its own without personalization tokens.
- Add smart merge tags: Pull in real info from your spreadsheet or CRM, like “Saw your team at {{company}} just raised a Series A…”
- Keep it short: 3-5 sentences max. No one reads long cold emails.
- One clear ask: Don’t ask for a “quick call” and feedback and a demo. Pick one.
Common mistake: Overdoing it with merge tags. If your template looks like a Mad Lib, you’re trying too hard.
Step 4: Set Up Sendpotion for Automation
Now you’re ready for Sendpotion. Here’s how to get your campaign running without sounding like a mass mailout.
1. Import Your List
- CSV is your friend: Make sure your file has clear headers (first_name, company, etc.) that match your merge tags.
- Check for formatting issues: A single broken email address can tank your deliverability.
2. Create a New Campaign
- Name it clearly: So you don’t mix up lists or messages.
- Paste your email template: Use Sendpotion’s merge tag syntax (usually
{{field_name}}).
3. Personalization Fields
- Map fields correctly: Double-check that “first_name” in your CSV matches the merge tag in your email.
- Preview: Sendpotion lets you preview each email with real data—do it. Catch weird formatting or missing info now, not after you hit send.
4. Set Sending Schedule
- Warm up your sending domain: If you’re new, start slow (20-30 emails per day). Ramp up over time.
- Randomize sending times: Don’t blast everyone at 9:00 AM sharp. Spread them out so it looks human.
- Respect time zones: No one likes a “Let’s chat at 3 AM” email.
5. Add Follow-Ups
- Simple sequences: 1-2 well-timed follow-ups work. Don’t send six nagging reminders.
- Change up your message: Don’t just resend the same ask. Try a new angle or share a useful resource.
Step 5: Avoid the Spam Folder
Deliverability is the difference between “sent” and “seen.” Here’s how to keep your emails out of the void:
- Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: These are authentication records for your domain. Not optional.
- Use a “sending” domain: Don’t risk your main company email getting blacklisted. Set up a similar domain (like getyourcompany.com if your main is yourcompany.com).
- Send to real people: Avoid role inboxes like info@ or sales@.
- Keep it personal: Don’t use too many links, attachments, or spammy phrases (“Act now!”, “Once-in-a-lifetime offer!”).
- Warm up your inbox: Use a tool or just email back and forth with friends to build sender reputation.
Ignore anyone selling “guaranteed inboxing.” If it sounds too good to be true…
Step 6: Track, Measure, and Actually Improve
Sendpotion gives you open rates, reply rates, and more. Don’t get obsessed with vanity metrics, though.
- Replies > Opens: An opened email means nothing if no one writes back.
- A/B test carefully: Change one thing at a time—subject line, call to action, etc.
- Ditch what doesn’t work: If a template or list flops after 100 sends, don’t just “send more.” Fix the root cause.
What to skip: Don’t waste time tracking click rates for cold outreach. Focus on getting real conversations started.
Step 7: Keep It Legal (Yes, Really)
Cold emailing has rules. They’re not that hard to follow, but ignoring them can get you blacklisted or worse.
- Include a clear way to opt out: Even just “Reply ‘unsubscribe’ to stop emails” is enough in most cases.
- Don’t scrape or spam EU citizens: GDPR is real, and fines are no joke.
- No bait-and-switch: Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.
Pro Tips: What Actually Moves the Needle
- Real personalization beats fake familiarity. A quick note about something recent (“Congrats on your new product launch…”) goes further than “Hope you’re well.”
- Timing matters: Midweek mornings are usually best, but test with your audience.
- Follow-up is where most replies come from. Don’t just send one and hope.
- Don’t overthink tracking: If you’re not getting replies, it’s probably your message or your list, not your subject line.
Wrapping Up: Don’t Overcomplicate It
Automating personalized cold emails with Sendpotion isn’t rocket science, but it’s also not “set it and forget it.” Start small, keep it human, and always tweak based on real results. Most importantly: don’t chase hacks or shortcuts. Consistency and honest messaging will beat “AI-powered magic” every time.
Now go send a few good emails—and see who writes back.