If you’re tired of copy-pasting the same cold emails or running manual follow-ups, you’re in the right place. This guide is for folks who want to set up automated email sequences in ExportApollo—whether you’re running cold outreach for sales, recruiting, or just don’t want to become another spammer with a bad sender score.
I’ll walk you through the nitty-gritty, skip the fluff, and point out what’s worth your time (and what isn’t). You don’t need to be a tech whiz, but you should be comfortable clicking around web tools and want real results.
Step 1: Get Your List Ready
Before you even think about automation, you need a list of people to email. ExportApollo ([exportapollocom.html]) makes it easy to pull lists, but garbage in, garbage out. Here’s how to get your data straight:
- Export or upload a clean CSV: Name, email, company, whatever you plan to use in your emails.
- Check for duplicates and obvious junk: If your list is full of “info@” or typos, fix it now. You don’t want bounce rates tanking your sender reputation.
- Add useful columns: First name, company name, maybe job title. The more specific your data, the more natural your emails can be.
Pro tip: Don’t buy sketchy email lists. They’ll only hurt your deliverability and response rates.
Step 2: Import Your List into ExportApollo
Now, log in to ExportApollo and get that data in:
- Go to the Contacts section.
- Upload your CSV: Use the import button. Map columns (like “First Name” → “first_name”).
- Fix import errors: If ExportApollo flags issues, correct them now. Missing emails or weird formatting? Clean your file and re-upload.
What works: ExportApollo usually does a decent job matching columns, but always double-check. If you’re stuck, their support articles are actually pretty straightforward.
Step 3: Set Up Your Email Account
You can’t send emails if you haven’t connected a sender account.
- Connect Gmail, Outlook, or any SMTP account: ExportApollo supports the big ones.
- Use a real, warmed-up email address: If you send cold outreach from a brand-new account, you’ll go straight to spam.
- Set limits: Don’t blast 500 emails at once. Start with 25–50 emails/day and ramp up slowly.
Ignore the hype: No tool, ExportApollo included, can “guarantee inbox delivery.” Deliverability is about your sender reputation and sending habits.
Step 4: Build Your Email Sequence
Here’s where you set your automated steps. Don’t overcomplicate it.
- Go to Sequences (or Campaigns).
- Create a new sequence.
- Write your first email: Keep it short, relevant, and avoid spammy phrases (“act now,” “limited time,” etc.).
- Add follow-ups: Space them out—usually 3–5 days apart. Each should add value or a new angle (“Thought I’d circle back,” “Saw your recent post on X…”).
What works: - Personalization tokens: Use {{first_name}}, {{company}}, etc. But only if your data is clean. - Keep it human. If it sounds like a robot, people will ignore it.
What doesn’t: - Don’t do 8-step sequences. More isn’t better; it’s just annoying. - Don’t cram in “unsubscribe” links unless you’re sending newsletters. For cold outreach, a simple opt-out line (“If this isn’t relevant, just let me know”) is usually enough.
Step 5: Set Up Triggers and Conditions
Automation isn’t just about sending X emails every Y days. You want smart triggers.
- Stop sequence on reply: Make sure ExportApollo is set to pause follow-ups if someone responds. Nothing kills credibility like chasing someone who already replied.
- Track opens and clicks: Helpful, but don’t obsess. Open rates can be misleading (hello, Apple Mail privacy).
- Optional: Branching logic (“If opened but didn’t reply, send this version”). Only do this if you have a clear use case—don’t overengineer.
Honest take: Fancy triggers sound cool, but most small teams just need “send, wait, follow up, stop on reply.” Get that right before playing with the advanced stuff.
Step 6: Test Everything
Don’t trust that it “just works.” Test your sequence before you hit GO.
- Send test emails to yourself and a colleague: Check formatting, links, and personalization.
- Look for weird placeholders: If you see “Hi {{first_name}},” your data mapping is off.
- Check for spam triggers: Use a tool like mail-tester.com. If you’re in the red, rewrite your copy.
Pro tip: Actually reply to your test email. Make sure ExportApollo detects the reply and pauses the sequence.
Step 7: Launch, Monitor, and Adjust
Now you’re ready to ship.
- Start your sequence.
- Monitor results: ExportApollo will show opens, replies, bounces, etc.
- Pause if you see weird stuff: Sudden spike in bounces, lots of emails going to spam? Stop and figure it out.
What works: - Tweak subject lines if open rates are low. - Adjust sending times—sometimes a morning send works better than afternoon. - Clean your list monthly.
What doesn’t: - Don’t expect magic overnight. A 10% reply rate is solid for cold outreach. - Don’t harass prospects with endless follow-ups. If they’re not interested, move on.
Step 8: Stay Out of Trouble
A little caution goes a long way.
- Don’t send bulk blasts from your main company email. Use a separate domain or subdomain if you’re scaling up.
- Respect unsubscribe requests—even informal ones. If someone says “please remove me,” do it.
- Follow local laws: In the US, cold outreach is legal but you need a real address. In Europe, GDPR can get hairy. Don’t ignore this.
Step 9: Iterate (But Don’t Overthink It)
Automation is about saving time, not setting and forgetting. Every month or so:
- Review your best and worst-performing emails.
- Cut what isn’t working.
- Refresh your list and your message.
Don’t get lost in the weeds with advanced settings or “AI optimization hacks.” Most results come from better targeting and tighter copy, not fancy automation tricks.
Wrapping Up
Setting up automated email sequences in ExportApollo doesn’t need to be intimidating or complicated. Start simple, keep your data clean, and tweak as you go. Don’t get distracted by every new feature or promise—focus on what works for your team and your audience.
Remember: good emails, sent to the right people, at a reasonable pace. That’s 90% of the game. The rest is just details.