If you’re in B2B sales, you already know: most deals don’t close on the first email. You need a system that nudges prospects without driving them nuts—or getting you bogged down in reminders. That’s where automated follow-ups come in. This guide is for sales teams who want to get real results from their outreach, not just add more noise to the inbox.
We’ll walk through exactly how to set up automated follow up emails in Mailstand, what settings actually matter, and what to avoid if you don’t want to end up in spam folders or just get ignored. If you’ve been burned by clunky “automation” before, or you just want a straight answer, you’re in the right place.
1. Get Mailstand Ready for Your Team
Before you do anything, make sure you and your team have the basics covered. Mailstand is built for sales teams, but it’s not magic out of the box—there’s a bit of setup.
- Sign up and pick a plan: Don’t overthink it. Start with the plan that matches your team size and the number of emails you’ll actually send. You can always upgrade later.
- Connect your email accounts: Mailstand lets you hook up Gmail, Outlook, or your own SMTP. Make sure you use “real” addresses, not throwaway ones—deliverability depends on it.
- Warm up new inboxes: If you’re using fresh domains or new email addresses, let Mailstand’s warmup feature run for a couple of weeks. This trains spam filters to trust you. Skip this, and you’ll wonder why nobody replies.
Pro Tip: Don’t add your whole team at once. Get one seat running, test, then roll out. Less chaos, fewer mistakes.
2. Build Your Lead List (And Don’t Get Lazy Here)
Automation is tempting, but if your list is garbage, your results will be too. Spend the time to:
- Source real leads: Use LinkedIn, your CRM, or lead databases—whatever works. Just don’t buy sketchy lists. Those get you flagged fast.
- Clean up data: Make sure names, companies, and emails are correct. If your “personalized” email says “Hi FNAME,” you’re dead in the water.
- Import into Mailstand: Upload a CSV or connect to your CRM. Double-check that columns match up (first name, last name, email, company, etc.).
What to ignore: Don’t spend hours segmenting at first. Just get a clean, relevant list. You can get fancy later.
3. Create Your Email Sequence
This is where most teams screw up. It’s not about how many emails you send—it’s about saying something worth reading, and not sounding like a robot.
a. Map Out Your Sequence
A simple, effective sequence for B2B:
- Initial outreach – Short, specific, and tailored.
- First follow-up (2-3 days later) – A quick nudge, not a guilt trip.
- Second follow-up (5-7 days after first) – Offer value, maybe a resource or insight.
- Breakup/final note (a week later) – Keep it human. “If it’s not a fit, let me know.”
That’s it. Three or four emails. More than that, and you’re bordering on spam.
b. Write the Emails
- Keep it under 100 words. People skim. If you wouldn’t read it, don’t send it.
- Personalize, but don’t fake it. Use smart tags (like {{FirstName}}) for real info. Don’t pretend you “loved their recent blog post” unless you actually did.
- Skip jargon. Plain language always wins.
Example first email:
Subject: Quick question, {{FirstName}}
Hi {{FirstName}},
I noticed {{Company}} is [relevant observation]. Are you the right person to chat about this? If not, could you point me in the right direction?
Thanks, [Your Name]
What doesn’t work: Long-winded intros, aggressive CTAs, or “just checking in” with zero context.
4. Set Up Your Sequence in Mailstand
Now, put it all into Mailstand. Here’s how, step by step:
- Go to Campaigns → New Campaign.
- Name your campaign so you’ll recognize it later (e.g., “Q2 SaaS Outreach – Healthcare”).
- Upload your lead list or connect your CRM integration.
- Add your sequence emails:
- Paste each email and use Mailstand’s merge fields (like {{FirstName}}, {{Company}}).
- Set delays between emails (e.g., 2 days after previous).
- Choose “stop on reply” so prospects don’t get spammed after they respond.
- Preview and test: Mailstand lets you send test emails. Do it. Check formatting, links, and personalization.
Pro Tip: Send test emails to yourself and a teammate. If anything feels off or looks weird, prospects will notice too.
5. Fine-Tune Your Sending Settings
Getting the timing and pacing right is more important than you think. Too many emails too fast, and you’ll land in spam. Too slow, and leads forget who you are.
- Sending window: Pick business hours for your recipients’ time zones. Avoid weekends unless you’re selling to people who work weekends.
- Daily sending limits: Start low—maybe 30-50 emails per sender per day. Ramp up slowly if you want to avoid spam filters.
- Randomize send times: Mailstand can stagger sends within your window. Use it. Nothing says “bot” like 100 emails at 9:00 AM sharp.
Ignore: Fancy AI “optimal send time” promises. Nobody’s cracked the code. Stick to common sense.
6. Monitor Results and Adjust
Don’t just set it and forget it. You need to watch what’s actually happening.
- Track replies, not just opens: Opens are nice, but replies are what matter. Mailstand tracks these for you.
- Watch for bounces and blocks: If you see a lot, pause and check your list quality or sending reputation.
- Tweak subject lines and copy: If you’re getting ignored, change one thing at a time and see what moves the needle.
- Keep an eye on unsubscribes: Getting a bunch? You’re emailing the wrong people or your message stinks.
Pro Tip: Don’t chase perfection. An 8% reply rate is better than zero. Keep improving, but don’t get paralyzed.
7. Scale, But Don’t Lose the Plot
Once you’ve got a sequence that works, you’ll want to add more leads or teammates. Do it slowly.
- Add team members: Train them on your best-performing sequence. Don’t let everyone freestyle—consistency wins.
- Rotate sending accounts: If you’re sending lots of emails, spread them across multiple real addresses and domains. This helps avoid spam traps.
- Review performance monthly: What worked last month might flop this month. Make small changes, not wild swings.
What to skip: Don’t buy more tools or add-ons until you actually need them. Mailstand covers the basics well—don’t get distracted by shiny extras.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
Automated follow-ups can save your team a ton of time, but only if you set them up right and keep them tight. Don’t get sucked into over-automation or tricked by “growth hacks.” Start small, stick to what works, and keep improving as you go. Most teams never get past the basics—if you do, you’ll stay ahead of 90% of your competition.
Now go write some emails that people actually want to receive. And if you mess up, tweak and try again. That’s how real sales teams win.