Cold emails get a bad rap because most of them deserve it. If you’re tired of sending out bland, cookie-cutter messages that never get a reply, this guide is for you. Whether you’re a founder, a sales rep, or just someone who hates wasting time, here’s how to use Apollo to send cold emails that people might actually care about.
Let’s cut through the fluff and get straight to it.
Step 1: Build a Targeted List, Not a Giant One
Most people think more emails = more replies. That’s wishful thinking. The real game is about who you reach out to.
How to do it in Apollo: - Use filters to zero in on the right people—think job title, company size, industry, tech stack, or recent funding. - Skip the “spray and pray.” Sending 10 good emails beats 100 generic ones. - Use Apollo’s “intent” data if you have it, but don’t trust it blindly. It’s not magic—just a signal.
Pro tip: Always eyeball your list before you hit send. If you wouldn’t take a meeting with half these folks, why should they reply to you?
Step 2: Decide What Kind of Personalization Actually Matters
Not every email needs to mention someone’s college mascot or their latest tweet. That stuff can feel forced.
Here’s what real personalization looks like: - Reference a recent company event (funding, product launch, new hire). - Mention a problem they might have, specific to their role or industry. - Connect your outreach to something they care about—not just what you’re selling.
Apollo’s Role:
Apollo pulls in basic info like first name, company, industry, and sometimes recent news. It’s a solid starting point, but don’t expect deep insights.
What to skip:
- Don’t use “Hey [FirstName], saw you went to [University]!” unless you have a real reason to care.
- Avoid fake flattery or stuff you clearly scraped from LinkedIn.
Step 3: Set Up Dynamic Fields (The Right Way)
Dynamic fields (aka mail merge tags) are Apollo’s bread and butter for “personalization at scale.” But sloppy merge tags are how you end up with “Hi {First Name},” in someone’s inbox. Yikes.
Best practices:
- Stick to the basics: {first_name}, {company_name}, {job_title}.
- Double-check your list for weird entries. “Hi Dr. Bob Smith, Junior” is a quick way to the spam folder.
- Use Apollo’s preview feature to spot mistakes before sending.
If you want to get fancy: - Add a custom field for a line of true personalization (“reason for reaching out” or “personal note”). - This takes more effort, but even a sentence tailored to each prospect can double your reply rate.
What doesn’t work:
- Relying only on dynamic fields. If your email reads like “Hi {first_name}, I help {company_name} with {vague_benefit}…”—it’s obvious and easy to ignore.
Step 4: Write Templates That Don’t Sound Like Templates
If you can’t tell the difference between your email and 50 others in your inbox, neither can your prospects.
How to write (and test) decent templates: - Keep it short. 3-5 sentences is plenty. - Ditch the pleasantries (“Hope this email finds you well”). Nobody cares. - Say why you’re reaching out, what’s in it for them, and what you’re asking. - Use Apollo’s A/B testing for subject lines and opening lines. Keep what works, drop what doesn’t.
Template example (steal this structure):
Subject: Quick question about [specific topic]
Hi {first_name},
Saw {company_name} just [did something relevant]. I work with [similar companies] to [solve a specific problem]. If you’re open to chatting about [concrete value], let me know. Otherwise, happy to point you to resources.
Best, [Your Name]
Pro tip:
Read your email out loud. If you cringe, your prospect will too.
Step 5: Automate Without Sounding Like a Robot
This is where most folks get it wrong—automation is great, but Apollo won’t save you from lazy outreach.
How to set up sequences in Apollo: - Create a sequence with 2-4 steps: initial email, follow-up, maybe a LinkedIn touch. - Space out your emails. Back-to-back messages scream desperation. - Personalize at least the first email—use custom fields or manual touches where it makes sense.
What to avoid: - Over-automating. The more steps you add, the more impersonal it feels. - “Just bumping this up in your inbox” as your only follow-up. At least try a different angle.
A/B test your sequences:
Apollo lets you see what’s working (opens, clicks, replies). Use real data. If nobody’s replying after two steps, adding five more won’t save you.
Step 6: Respect Deliverability (or Your Emails Go Nowhere)
All the personalization in the world won’t matter if your emails land in spam.
Keep your deliverability healthy: - Don’t blast huge lists all at once. Warm up new sending domains. - Use Apollo’s built-in deliverability tools, but don’t ignore warnings. - Mix up your templates—spam filters hate repetition. - Never buy sketchy lead lists, even if Apollo makes it easy to pull a lot of contacts.
Pro tip:
Set up domain authentication (like SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Boring, but it works.
Step 7: Track Replies and Actually Follow Up
Sending is the easy part. The real work is in the follow-up.
How to stay on top of it: - Use Apollo’s inbox and CRM integrations to track opens, clicks, and replies. - Tag hot leads, snooze cold ones, and actually reply to people (sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised). - Don’t overthink “cadence” or “touchpoints.” Just be human and respectful.
What doesn’t work:
- Endless “just checking in” emails. If they’re not interested, move on.
Honest Takes: What Works, What Doesn’t, What to Ignore
- Works: Short emails, clear value, a real reason for reaching out, a sprinkle of genuine personalization.
- Doesn’t work: Superficial merge tags, mass blasts, gimmicky subject lines, or anything that looks like AI wrote it.
- Ignore: Shiny features promising “AI-powered hyper-personalization.” Most of it is just lipstick on the same old pig.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
Cold outreach isn’t about outsmarting the system—it’s about not wasting people’s time (including your own). Use Apollo to automate the boring stuff, but put in the extra effort where it counts: picking your targets and writing like a real person.
Start small, see what works, and tweak as you go. And if you wouldn’t reply to your own email, don’t send it.
Good luck—and remember: less is usually more.