How to set up automated email sequences in Icypeas for nurturing b2b leads

Automated emails can save your sanity and your sales pipeline—if you set them up right. If you’re in B2B and tired of chasing cold leads, this guide’s for you. We’ll walk through setting up automated email sequences in Icypeas, with zero fluff and a hard look at what actually moves the needle.

Why Bother With Automated Email Sequences?

Here’s the reality: most B2B leads aren’t going to reply to your first email. Or your second. But if you follow up consistently—with something that’s actually relevant—you’ll eventually catch the right person at the right time. That’s where automated sequences shine. You tee them up once, and they quietly do the grunt work.

But a word of warning: automation isn’t magic. Bad emails, sent automatically, just annoy more people faster. The goal here is to set up smart, human-sounding touchpoints, not to spam your entire list.

Step 1: Get Your Foundations in Place

Before you even open Icypeas, make sure you’re set up for success:

Clean Your Lead List: Don’t dump in every business card you’ve ever found. Focus on leads who at least fit your ideal customer profile.
Have a Clear Goal: Are you booking calls? Pushing a demo? Don’t start writing until you know what you want them to do.
Warm Up Your Sending Email: If you’re using a brand new email address, send a few manual emails for a week or so first. This helps avoid spam filters.

Pro tip: If your reply rates are awful, it’s almost never the tool—it’s usually the list or the message.

Step 2: Log in and Connect Your Email

Let’s get into Icypeas:

Log Into Your Icypeas Account: If you don’t have one, there’s a free trial. (Skip the upsell popups; you can always upgrade later.)
Go to Settings > Email Accounts: Connect your primary sending email—usually Gmail or Outlook. Icypeas uses OAuth, so you won’t need to mess with SMTP settings unless you’re old-school.
Set Your Sender Name and Signature: Make it sound like a person, not a robot. Double-check your signature for weird formatting.

What to ignore: All those “advanced deliverability” settings? Unless you’re doing high-volume cold outreach, the defaults are fine. Don’t overthink it.

Step 3: Import Your Leads

Icypeas gives you a couple of ways to add leads:

CSV Upload: Easiest. Download your list as a .csv, map the columns (name, company, email, etc.), and upload.
Manual Add: For small batches, just enter them one by one.

After uploading:

Check for Duplicates: Icypeas does some basic deduping, but it’s not perfect. Scrub obvious repeats.
Tag Leads: Use tags like “Q2 Prospects” or “Webinar Leads.” You’ll thank yourself when segmenting later.

Heads-up: Don’t import junk emails “just to see what happens.” Bad data = bad results.

Step 4: Plan Your Sequence (Don’t Wing It)

Before you start typing, sketch out a simple flow:

How many emails? (3-5 is enough for most B2B nurture sequences.)
Timing: Don’t hammer people daily. 2-4 days between emails feels human.
Content: What’s your angle for each touch? Start with value, not a sales pitch.

Example Sequence:

Intro/Value: “Saw you’re using XYZ tool—thought this resource might help.”
Follow Up: “Did you get a chance to look at that?”
Social Proof: “Here’s how Acme Co. solved this problem.”
Breakup/Last Nudge: “Should I close your file?”

You don’t need fancy diagrams. A sticky note or doc outline works.

Step 5: Build the Sequence in Icypeas

Now, let’s get hands-on:

Go to Campaigns > New Campaign. Name it something you’ll recognize later (not “Test 5”).
Add Steps: For each email, add a new step. Icypeas lets you set delays after each send.
Write Your Emails: Use merge tags like {{first_name}} and {{company}} for a personal touch. But don’t go wild—if your email reads like Mad Libs, it’ll sound fake.
Set Triggers: Choose what happens if someone replies (e.g., stop the sequence). Usually, you want to stop sending once they engage.
Review: Preview each step. Send test emails to yourself—formatting glitches are common.

Copywriting tips:

Short paragraphs. No walls of text.
Lose the “just circling back” clichés.
One clear CTA per email (“Reply if interested,” not “call, email, or visit our booth”).

Step 6: Add Personalization (But Don’t Overdo It)

Personalization helps, but only if it’s real. Icypeas will auto-fill names and companies from your CSV, but don’t try to fake deep familiarity.

Safe bets: First name, company name, maybe a recent news item if you’re sure it’s accurate.
What to avoid: Weird fields like {{industry_trend}} or {{random_fact}} unless you’re checking every single one.

Pro tip: If you can’t personalize at scale, personalize for the hottest leads only.

Step 7: Set Sending Limits and Test

It’s tempting to blast out hundreds of emails at once, but that’s how you end up in spam.

Daily Send Limit: Icypeas defaults to around 100-150 emails/day. That’s reasonable for most small teams.
Randomize Sending Windows: Use Icypeas’s “spread over day” feature to avoid obvious patterns.
Test With a Small Batch: Start with 10-20 emails to friends or colleagues. Watch for bounces, weird formatting, or spam traps.

What to ignore: Fancy “AI send time optimization.” It’s mostly guesswork. Stick to business hours in your leads’ time zones.

Step 8: Launch and Monitor

Hit send, but keep your eyes open:

Reply Handling: Make sure replies land in your main inbox. Nothing’s worse than a hot lead lost in a spam folder.
Track Opens and Clicks: Icypeas shows open/click stats, but don’t obsess. Focus on replies and actual conversations.
Tweak as You Go: If a step gets zero replies, rewrite it. If you get angry responses, tone it down.

Quick reality check: Most sequences get single-digit reply rates. That’s normal. You’re aiming for progress, not perfection.

Step 9: Keep It Clean

After a few runs, clean up your process:

Remove Unengaged Leads: If someone’s ignored 4+ emails, move on.
Update Your Templates: Steal from your own best-performing emails.
Stay Legal: Include an unsubscribe link if you’re in a regulated country. Icypeas can handle this for you.

What Works, What Doesn’t

Works:

Short, direct emails with a real reason to connect.
Clear call to action (“Can I send more info?” beats “Let’s jump on a call”).
Following up—most replies come after the second or third email.

Doesn’t work:

Overly clever subject lines (“Quick question…” gets old fast).
Templates ripped from generic sales blogs.
Sending more than 1-2 emails a week to the same person.

What to ignore:

Most “AI writing” tools for emails. They’re not foolproof and often sound off.
Over-customization. If it takes you an hour per lead, you’ll burn out.

Final Thoughts: Start Simple, Iterate Fast

Don’t wait for the “perfect” sequence. Get something basic out there, see what works, and tweak it. Icypeas makes it easy to change things on the fly, so don’t stress over every detail. Clean list, clear message, consistent follow-up—that’s 90% of winning at B2B nurture. The rest is just noise. Good luck!