If you send cold emails, you already know follow-ups are where the magic (and replies) actually happen. But keeping track of who needs a nudge? That’s a recipe for missed opportunities and headaches. This guide’s for anyone who wants to stop babysitting their inbox and start getting real results with automated follow-ups in Nureply. If you want clear steps, honest advice, and none of the fluff, you’re in the right place.
Why Bother With Automated Follow-Ups?
Let’s cut to it: most people don’t reply to your first email. Not because they hate you, but because they’re busy or your message got buried. Well-timed, relevant follow-ups can double or triple your response rate. But nobody wants to chase threads all day.
Automating this with Nureply doesn’t just save time—it makes sure you never forget to follow up, and keeps everything organized. If you’re still manually digging through “Sent” folders, it’s time to move on.
Step 1: Get Your Basics Ready
Before you touch Nureply’s automation features, get your foundation sorted. Here’s what you’ll need:
- A verified sender email: Make sure you’ve connected and verified your sending address in Nureply. If you skip this, your emails might land in spam—or not send at all.
- A clean list of prospects: Don’t just dump your whole address book. Use a focused list: names, emails, and any custom info you want to personalize.
- A clear goal: Are you booking meetings? Selling a product? Just checking in? Know what you want from your sequence before you write a word.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink your first run. You can always tweak things later.
Step 2: Map Out Your Follow-Up Sequence
Automated doesn’t mean “set it and forget it.” Take five minutes to plan your sequence.
- How many follow-ups? For most outreach, 2–4 is plenty. More than that, and you risk being annoying.
- Timing between emails: 2–4 days between each email is usually a sweet spot. Too soon, and you seem pushy; too late, and they forget who you are.
- Message content: Each follow-up should have a reason to exist. Don’t just “bump” the thread—offer new value or a different angle.
Here’s a simple example:
- Initial email: Pitch or intro.
- Follow-up 1 (after 3 days): Quick nudge, maybe a new point.
- Follow-up 2 (after 4 days): Share a case study or testimonial.
- Follow-up 3 (optional, after another 4 days): Last call, polite signoff.
What to ignore: Don’t get bogged down in writing seven follow-ups. Quality over quantity.
Step 3: Set Up Your Campaign in Nureply
Now for the hands-on part. Here’s how to build your sequence in Nureply, step by step.
3.1. Create a New Campaign
- Log into your Nureply account.
- Find the “Campaigns” tab (usually on the sidebar).
- Click “Create Campaign” or the big + button.
You’ll be prompted to name your campaign—keep it simple and descriptive (“Q3 SaaS Outreach” beats “Test 123”).
3.2. Upload or Import Your Contacts
- Choose “Add Contacts.” You can usually upload a CSV or paste contacts in.
- Make sure your columns map correctly (name, email, etc).
- Double-check for typos. Bad data = bounced emails.
Pro tip: If you have custom fields (like “Company” or “Industry”), map those now. You can use them to personalize each email.
3.3. Write Your Initial Email
- Click to add your first step.
- Write your opening message. Use {{FirstName}} or whatever merge fields Nureply supports for personalization.
- Keep it short. No one wants to read your life story.
3.4. Add Follow-Up Emails
- Click “Add Step” or “Add Follow-Up.”
- For each follow-up:
- Set the delay (e.g., 3 days after previous email).
- Write a new message—don’t just copy-paste the first one.
- Use a different subject line if Nureply lets you (if not, that’s fine).
Honest take: Templates are fine, but don’t sound like a robot. Personalize at least one line in each follow-up.
3.5. Set Your Sending Schedule
- Define your sending window (e.g., weekdays, 9am–5pm).
- Set a daily sending limit to avoid spam filters.
- Double-check your time zone.
What to skip: Don’t send on weekends unless you know your audience works then—most people don’t read cold emails on a Saturday.
3.6. Enable “Stop on Reply” (If Available)
- This is crucial. Make sure Nureply is set to automatically stop follow-ups if someone replies.
- Otherwise, you’ll look clueless (and annoy the people who did reply).
Step 4: Test Everything Before You Hit Send
Don’t trust any automation blindly. Here’s how to avoid embarrassing mistakes:
- Send a test email to yourself (and a friend, if possible).
- Check for:
- Personalization errors (e.g., “Hi ,”)
- Broken links or bad formatting
- The right sending address
Pro tip: Reply to your test email and confirm Nureply recognizes the reply and stops future follow-ups. Better safe than sorry.
Step 5: Launch Your Campaign
Once you’re sure everything looks good:
- Hit “Start” or “Launch” on your campaign.
- Monitor the dashboard for sends, opens, and replies.
- Don’t panic if you don’t get instant results—give it a few days.
Honest take: The first run is rarely perfect. That’s normal. Watch what happens, then tweak for next time.
Step 6: Monitor and Tweak
Automation isn’t a magic wand. Pay attention to:
- Reply rates: If you’re not getting responses, your message might need work.
- Bounce rates: High bounces mean bad data. Clean your list.
- Spam reports: If you get flagged, slow down your sending or adjust your content.
Tweak one thing at a time—subject lines, timing, message length—so you know what’s actually making a difference.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What Works
- Short, clear messages: People skim. Get to the point fast.
- Real personalization: One line showing you did your homework beats any fancy tool.
- Respectful persistence: Two or three follow-ups is persistent, not desperate.
What Doesn’t
- Sending too many emails: You’ll just get blocked.
- Overly slick templates: Most people can spot automation from a mile away.
- Ignoring replies: Always set “stop on reply”—nothing annoys people more than getting follow-ups after they’ve answered.
What to Ignore
- Don’t waste hours split-testing tiny tweaks before you have real data.
- Avoid “growth hacks” or tricks that promise instant results. Consistency beats hacks every time.
Keep It Simple—and Iterate
Setting up automated follow-up sequences in Nureply is pretty straightforward once you get rolling. Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with a short sequence, watch how people respond, and adjust as you learn. The best campaigns are built by doing, not overthinking.
If in doubt, keep your emails human, your process simple, and let the automation handle the busywork. The rest will follow.