How to set up automated outbound email campaigns in Mailrush step by step

So you want to automate outbound email campaigns—good call. Manual outreach is a drag, and you’ve probably got better things to do than copy-paste personalized intros all day. This guide is for anyone who wants to use Mailrush to set up smart, reliable outbound emails that don’t end up in the spam folder or annoy every prospect you reach.

If you’re looking for a no-nonsense, step-by-step walkthrough (with a few real-world warnings), you’re in the right place.

Step 1: Get the Basics Ready

Before you even touch Mailrush, get your foundation sorted:

  • Have a clean sender domain. Ideally, a dedicated domain just for outbound. Don’t use your main business domain—if something goes wrong, you don’t want your core emails blacklisted.
  • Set up proper DNS records. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC need to be in place. If you skip this, expect to hit spam. Don’t know how? Google “[your domain registrar] set up SPF/DKIM”.
  • Warm up your mailbox. New domains need to send a trickle of real emails for a few weeks before blasting out campaigns. You can use Mailrush’s warm-up tool, but don’t expect miracles—it’s a helper, not a magic fix.

Pro Tip: Don’t buy dodgy lists. Scraped or outdated emails will tank your deliverability, no matter what the sales guy told you.

Step 2: Sign Up and Get to Know Mailrush

Head over to Mailrush and create your account.

  • The interface is basic, which is a good thing. Less clutter, fewer distractions.
  • Poke around the dashboard. You’ll see options for campaigns, lists, templates, warm-up, and reports.
  • If you’re coming from something like Mailchimp or HubSpot, expect fewer bells and whistles. That’s by design—Mailrush is built for cold outreach, not fancy newsletters.

Step 3: Connect Your Sending Email

This is where most people make mistakes, so pay attention:

  1. Go to “Settings” → “Email Accounts.”
  2. Click “Add New Email Account.”
  3. Enter your SMTP details (host, port, username, password). Most business email services (like Google Workspace or Outlook) will have these in their docs.
  4. Don’t skip the “From Name” and signature fields—personal touches help your emails look less robotic.
  5. Test the connection. If it fails, double-check your SMTP settings or app passwords.

Watch out: Free Gmail and Outlook accounts are not built for outbound campaigns. Use a business email tied to your own domain, or you’ll hit sending limits and land in spam.

Step 4: Import or Build Your Prospect List

You need a list of people to email. Here’s how to do it right:

  • Format matters: Mailrush wants a CSV with columns like First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, etc. Keep it clean—no weird headers or extra commas.
  • Upload: Go to “Prospect Lists” → “Upload CSV.” Map your columns to Mailrush’s fields.
  • Check for problems: If a bunch of rows fail, your CSV is probably messy. Fix it before pushing forward.

Pro Tip: Personalization tokens only work if your fields are actually filled in. Don’t upload blank “First Name” columns and expect magic.

Step 5: Write Your Email Sequence

This is where a lot of folks get lazy, but it’s where you stand out:

  1. Go to “Templates” → “Create New Template.”
  2. Write your first email. Keep it short, personal, and specific. Skip the “Hope you’re well” nonsense.
  3. Add follow-ups. Most campaigns work best with 2–4 emails spaced a few days apart.
  4. Use personalization fields (like {{first_name}}) but don’t overdo it. If every sentence is a merge tag, you sound like a robot.
  5. Save as a sequence, not just a single template.

What works:
- A clear reason for reaching out - One simple call to action (not “let’s jump on a quick call”—try “Is this relevant to you?”) - Following up politely (not “Did you get my last email?”—try “Let me know if this isn’t a fit, and I’ll stop bugging you.”)

What to ignore:
- Fancy HTML. Plain text gets better deliverability. - “Re:” in subject lines (you’re not fooling anyone).

Step 6: Set Up Your Campaign

Now it’s time to tie everything together:

  1. Go to “Campaigns” → “New Campaign.”
  2. Name your campaign (keep it descriptive—“June SaaS Founders Outreach” beats “New Campaign 3”).
  3. Pick your sending email and prospect list.
  4. Attach your email sequence.
  5. Set sending limits—start slow. Even if Mailrush lets you send 500 a day, don’t. Try 30–50 per day, per mailbox. Ramp up as you go.
  6. Choose your schedule. Weekdays, working hours, your prospect’s time zone if possible.

Pro Tip: Stagger your emails. Don’t send 100 at 9:00 AM sharp—spread them out to look more natural.

Step 7: Test Before You Launch

Don’t be that person who sends “Hi {{first_name}}”—run a test first.

  • Use Mailrush’s “Preview” and “Send Test Email” features.
  • Send to yourself and a few teammates. Check for typos, broken links, and awkward merge tags.
  • Double-check your unsubscribe link. You need one, even for cold outreach.

Pro Tip: Open your test emails on your phone and desktop. If it looks weird, fix it now.

Step 8: Launch and Monitor

Ready? Hit “Start Campaign.”

  • Mailrush will drip out your emails automatically, based on your schedule.
  • Check your “Reports” tab after a day or two. Look for:
  • Open rates (don’t obsess—they’re not 100% accurate)
  • Reply rates (this matters more)
  • Bounces and spam complaints (if these spike, pause the campaign and clean your list)

What’s normal:
- 1–5% bounce rate is okay. More than that? Your list is junk. - Low open rates? Could be your subject line, or you’re landing in spam.

Step 9: Handle Replies (the Right Way)

  • Don’t send auto-replies to everyone. Real conversations win deals.
  • If you get a “not interested” or “unsubscribe” request, respect it—fast.
  • Set up inbox rules to flag campaign replies, so you don’t miss hot leads.

Pro Tip: Save good replies and objections. They’ll help you tweak your messaging next time.

Step 10: Iterate and Improve

Here’s the thing—no one gets it perfect on the first try.

  • After your first campaign, review what worked (and what flopped).
  • Test one change at a time (subject line, send time, copy).
  • Don’t chase “hacks.” Consistency and a clean process beat clever tricks.

Real Talk: What Not to Expect

A few hard truths:

  • Mailrush is solid for outbound, but it won’t save you from bad lists or spammy copy.
  • “Automated” doesn’t mean “set it and forget it.” You’ll still need to manage replies and tweak campaigns.
  • Don’t expect a 50% reply rate. If you get 5–10% interested responses, you’re doing fine.

Keep It Simple and Keep Going

Setting up automated outbound campaigns in Mailrush isn’t rocket science, but it does take some care. Start with a small, clean list, write like a human, and pay attention to the basics. You can always get fancier later. For now, focus on getting real replies—and remember, even the best tool can’t fix a bad message or a dirty list. Just start, learn, and tweak as you go.