Step by step guide to creating custom sales cadences in Upscale

If you’re tired of cookie-cutter sales outreach and want a cadence that actually fits your leads, you’re in the right place. This guide is for sales managers, SDRs, and anyone who’s had enough of generic templates. We’ll walk through creating a custom sales cadence in Upscale — step by step, no filler, no corporate nonsense. If you’re new to Upscale, or you’ve poked around and got lost in the menus, this is for you.

Why Custom Sales Cadences Matter (and What to Ignore)

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: most sales tools promise “personalization at scale.” Here’s the truth — personalization isn’t about sprinkling in a first name. It’s about actually sending the right message, at the right time, in a way that fits your buyer.

A good sales cadence:

  • Mixes up channels (email, call, LinkedIn, whatever works for your audience)
  • Spaces out touches so you’re persistent but not annoying
  • Keeps things flexible so you can tweak as you go

A bad cadence:

  • Spams people with the same message
  • Overcomplicates things with too many steps
  • Relies on hype (“AI-powered touchpoints!”) instead of common sense

Upscale gives you the tools, but the real work is in thinking through what actually moves your leads forward. Don’t get sucked into over-automating — the best cadences are simple, targeted, and easy to adjust.

Step 1: Map Out Your Ideal Cadence Before Touching Upscale

Don’t jump straight into the tool. First, grab a notepad (or whatever works for you) and sketch out:

  • Who are you targeting? Decision makers? Users? Different people need different approaches.
  • What’s your goal? Book a meeting? Get a reply? Don’t lose sight of this.
  • How many touches, and over how many days? There’s no magic number, but most effective cadences run 5-8 steps over 2-3 weeks.
  • What channels make sense? Email, calls, LinkedIn, text — pick the ones your audience actually uses.

Pro tip: Less is more. If you can’t explain why a step is there, cut it.

Step 2: Log In and Navigate to Cadences

Now, let’s get into Upscale. Here’s how to find the right spot:

  1. Log in to your Upscale account.
  2. On the left navigation, look for a section labeled “Cadences” or “Sequences.” (Sometimes, naming changes. If you’re stuck, hit Ctrl+F and search for “Cadence.”)
  3. Click “Create New Cadence” or the big “+” button if you see it.

Heads up: If you don’t see the option to create cadences, you might not have the right permissions. Check with your admin — it’s a common snag.

Step 3: Set Up the Basics

You’ll land on a setup screen. Here’s what matters:

  • Name your cadence something obvious. Future you (and your team) will thank you. E.g., “Q2 SMB Outreach - Decision Makers.”
  • Description: Optional, but use it if you’re collaborating. Spell out the goal.
  • Cadence type: Some versions of Upscale ask if this is single-touch, multi-touch, or something else. Pick multi-touch if you want a real sequence.

Don’t sweat the icons or color tags — they’re nice, but don’t affect how your cadence works.

Step 4: Build Out Your Steps

Here’s where most people overthink things. Keep these in mind:

  • Add a step for each touchpoint (email, call, LinkedIn, whatever). Upscale usually gives you a “+ Add Step” button.
  • Set the delay. For each step, choose how many days after the previous step it should run. Example: Email 1 (Day 0), Call 1 (Day 2), LinkedIn Connect (Day 4), etc.
  • Choose the action type. You can usually pick “Automated Email,” “Manual Email,” “Call,” “LinkedIn Task,” and so on.
  • Write the message. Don’t just use the default templates — bland, generic emails get ignored. If you’re writing scripts, keep them short and specific.

What works: - Spacing steps a few days apart - Mixing automated and manual touches - Personalizing at least one or two steps

What doesn’t: - Sending four emails in four days (way too much) - Copy-pasting the same message everywhere - Relying only on automation — manual steps show you’re paying attention

Ignore: - Gimmicky add-ons (GIFs, “magic subject lines”). Focus on clarity and relevance.

Step 5: Use Placeholders, But Don’t Overdo It

Upscale lets you use placeholders like {{FirstName}} or {{Company}} to auto-insert info. These are handy, but here’s the catch: the more you automate, the less personal it feels.

  • Use placeholders for basic stuff (names, companies).
  • Avoid “personalizing” with random tidbits from LinkedIn unless you’re actually going to edit them.
  • Always preview your messages — nothing kills trust faster than a “Hi {{FirstName}}” screw-up.

Quick check: If your message reads like a mail merge, rewrite it. The best messages sound like a real human wrote them.

Step 6: Set Up Triggers and Logic (Only If You Need To)

Upscale offers things like branching logic (if they reply, do this; if not, do that) and auto-enrollment from lists. This is powerful, but easy to overcomplicate.

  • Start simple: Build a linear cadence first. Only add branches if you have a clear reason.
  • Auto-enroll leads: Only if you trust your lists. Bad data = bad outreach.
  • Triggers: Use them to pause or stop the cadence if someone replies (so you’re not that person who keeps emailing after getting a response).

Pro tip: Complex logic is usually more trouble than it’s worth. If you’re not sure, skip it.

Step 7: Test Your Cadence Before Going Live

Before you unleash your masterpiece on real leads:

  • Enroll yourself or a teammate as a test contact.
  • Go through the cadence step by step — check emails for formatting, call tasks for reminders, LinkedIn steps for clarity.
  • Fix anything weird or awkward.

Don’t trust the preview pane — real-world testing always catches something.

Step 8: Launch and Monitor

Now, you’re ready to enroll leads. But don’t just “set it and forget it”:

  • Start with a small batch of leads first. See how it performs.
  • Check open rates, response rates, and (most important) replies with actual interest.
  • If something flops, tweak it. Don’t rewrite everything — just adjust one thing at a time.

What to watch: - Low open rates? Subject lines might be off. - Lots of opens, no replies? Message isn’t resonating. - Too many opt-outs? Cadence is too aggressive.

Step 9: Keep It Simple and Iterate

The best sales teams aren’t the ones with the fanciest cadences — they’re the ones who pay attention and make small improvements. Here’s what actually works:

  • Review cadence performance every couple of weeks.
  • Ask your team what feels awkward or fake.
  • Don’t be afraid to cut steps if they don’t add value.

You don’t need a 12-step sequence or “AI-powered insights.” Most of the time, the basics work best: real message, right timing, and a little common sense.

Bottom line: Custom cadences in Upscale let you reach leads your way, not just the “default” way. Don’t overthink it — start simple, test on yourself, and adjust as you go. The best results come from iterating, not chasing “perfect.” Good luck!