So you want to automate your outreach—smart move. Manual cold emails are a pain, and keeping track of follow-ups is a recipe for missed opportunities. If you’re using Closelyhq or thinking about it, this guide breaks down how to build a sequence that actually gets replies, not just opens. No fluff, no trendy hacks—just steps that work.
Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or just tired of chasing prospects one by one, this is for you.
Step 1: Get Your List Ready (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even open Closelyhq, have your prospect list in shape. Automation can’t fix a bad list—if you start by blasting the wrong people, you’ll get unsubscribes and spam complaints, not leads.
Here’s what matters: - Relevance: Only include folks who are a legit fit for your offer. - Basic info: At minimum, you’ll need first name, last name, and email. The more fields (like company, title), the more you can personalize. - Cleanliness: Remove duplicates and obvious junk. If your data is a mess, clean it up in a spreadsheet first.
Pro tip: Don’t buy sketchy email lists. They’re usually outdated, and your sender reputation will tank.
You can upload your list directly into Closelyhq as a CSV. Make sure the columns match what Closelyhq is expecting (there’s usually a template).
Step 2: Connect Your Email Account (and Warm It Up)
You can’t send emails on autopilot if Closelyhq isn’t hooked up to your actual inbox.
To connect: - Go to the mailbox settings in Closelyhq. - Add your work email (Gmail, Outlook, or any SMTP/IMAP account). - Follow the prompts to authenticate.
Why “warming up” matters: If this is a new domain or inbox, don’t blast 200 emails on day one. You’ll get flagged as spam. Start by sending a handful of messages daily, then ramp up gradually. Closelyhq usually has a “warm up” feature—turn it on and let it run for a week or two.
Things to ignore: Don’t obsess over fancy inbox deliverability tools right away. Focus on sending relevant, low-volume messages first.
Step 3: Map Out Your Sequence (Before You Build It)
It’s tempting to jump right in and start drafting emails. Resist the urge. Take 10 minutes to sketch out your sequence first.
A good outreach sequence usually includes: - 1–2 initial emails (the “cold” outreach) - 2–3 follow-ups (spaced out over several days) - Optional: LinkedIn touches or calls, if you want to get fancy
Decide on: - Number of steps: Don’t overdo it. Three to five total is plenty. - Timing: Leave at least 2–3 days between emails. Daily follow-ups scream desperation. - Messaging: Each step should have a reason to exist—not just “bumping this up.”
Quick example: 1. Day 1: Intro email 2. Day 4: Helpful resource or case study 3. Day 8: Soft bump (“Any thoughts?”) 4. Day 14: Breakup email (“Should I close your file?”)
Pro tip: Write out your sequence in a doc first. It’ll make building it inside Closelyhq much faster.
Step 4: Create a New Campaign in Closelyhq
Now, log into Closelyhq and start a new campaign. This is where your automation lives.
To do this: - Click “Campaigns” in the dashboard. - Hit “Create new campaign.” - Name it something you’ll recognize later. (“Q2 SaaS CEOs Outreach” beats “Test 9”)
Next: - Upload your cleaned contact list (from Step 1). - Map the CSV columns to the right fields (first name, last name, company, etc.).
Watch out for: If Closelyhq throws errors during import, it’s almost always a column mismatch or a missing required field.
Step 5: Build Your Outreach Sequence
This is where you set up each step of your outreach.
5.1. Add Your First Email
- Click “Add Step” > “Email.”
- Write your email. Use personalization tokens like
{First Name}or{Company}if Closelyhq supports them. - Keep it short—nobody wants to read your life story.
What works: - Personalized first lines (“I saw your post about X…”) - A clear, simple ask (not a pitch deck) - One CTA per email (“Are you open to a quick call next week?”)
What doesn’t: - Generic copy-paste templates - Gimmicky subject lines (“Quick question” is done to death) - Heavy HTML or images (stick to plain text)
5.2. Schedule Timing
- Set the delay for when this email should send (immediately or after X days).
- Don’t send outreach at weird hours—use Closelyhq’s scheduling to hit inboxes in the morning local time.
5.3. Add Follow-Ups
- Click “Add Step” for each follow-up.
- Write something new—not “Just following up”—and reference your earlier email.
- Vary your approach: try sharing a case study, addressing a pain point, or even making a joke if it fits your audience.
- Space them out. Two to four days between steps works well.
Optional: Closelyhq might let you add LinkedIn or phone steps. Only use these if you actually plan to do them.
Step 6: Set Sending Limits and Rules
You don’t want to torch your reputation or annoy people.
In Closelyhq, set: - Daily sending limits: 30–50 emails/day per inbox is safe if you’re just starting. - Time windows: Only send during business hours for your target’s timezone. - Reply detection: Stop the sequence automatically if someone replies.
Pro tip: Don’t try to “game” the system by maxing out your limits. It’s better to send fewer, better emails than to carpet-bomb inboxes.
Step 7: Personalize (Without Going Overboard)
Personalization is good, but it doesn’t scale well if you’re sending hundreds of emails. Here’s what actually works:
- Use tokens for first name, company, maybe one specific detail.
- If you’re targeting a small, high-value list, add a custom line to each contact in Closelyhq (it’s tedious but worth it for big deals).
- For larger lists, stick to basic personalization and focus on a strong, relevant message.
Ignore: Tools that promise “AI personalization at scale.” They usually spit out awkward, obviously automated lines.
Step 8: Test Everything Before Sending
- Send a test email to yourself. Make sure the tokens work and nothing’s weirdly formatted.
- Check links and reply-to addresses.
- Preview a few emails as random contacts—catch the “Hi {First Name},” mistakes before your prospects do.
Pro tip: Most issues are silly typos or broken personalizations, not big bugs.
Step 9: Launch and Monitor
Hit “Start Campaign.” Now’s not the time to disappear—watch how things go in real time.
- Track opens, clicks, and replies: But don’t obsess. Replies are what matter most.
- Pause if something’s wrong: If you get a bunch of bounces or angry replies, stop the campaign and fix your list or messaging.
- Adjust timing or copy: If you’re getting crickets, change up your follow-ups or try a new subject line.
A quick reality check: Most cold outreach gets ignored. If you’re hitting 5–10% reply rates, you’re doing better than most.
Step 10: Iterate and Improve
- After a few campaigns, look for patterns. Which emails get replies? Which fall flat?
- Tweak your subject lines, copy, and timing.
- Archive what works; ditch what doesn’t.
Don’t overcomplicate it: Fancy tools and endless A/B tests won’t fix a bad offer or a crummy list.
Keep It Simple, Ship It Often
Automated outreach in Closelyhq isn’t magic, but it saves you a ton of time if you set it up right. Focus on a clean list, simple messaging, and don’t worry about being perfect. The best sequences get sent, not endlessly tweaked.
Build your first campaign, watch what happens, and adjust as you go. The more you iterate, the better your results—without burning out your prospects or your own patience.