If you’re sending out sales emails and just hoping for the best, you’re wasting time. Sales outreach isn’t magic—it’s a process. The best reps aren’t guessing; they’re paying attention to what works, tweaking things, and dropping what doesn’t. That’s where analytics come in. If you’re using Saleshandy for your outreach, you’ve got a decent set of tools to actually see what’s getting traction and what’s falling flat.
This guide is for sales reps, founders, or anyone who sends cold emails and wants more replies (and, let’s be honest, fewer wasted hours). We’re going to break down how to use Saleshandy’s analytics—not just look at them—to actually improve your outreach. No fluff, no sales pitch. Just the steps, the honest pros and cons, and what you can skip.
Why bother with analytics at all?
Let’s get this out of the way: analytics are only useful if you act on them. Staring at open rates won’t close deals. But if you’re willing to try things, look at the numbers, and tweak your approach, analytics can be the difference between “sent 500 emails, got crickets” and “sent 200, booked 10 meetings.”
Here’s what Saleshandy analytics actually help with: - Spotting weak points in your sequences (bad subject lines, boring bodies, bad timing) - Comparing templates and approaches (what gets replies, what gets ignored) - Understanding when and where emails are opened (so you don’t just guess at best send times) - Avoiding spam traps and deliverability issues (if you know what to look for)
But don’t fall for the dashboard hype—most metrics are just noise unless tied to real action.
1. Set Up Your Outreach for Trackable Results
You can’t optimize what you can’t measure. Before you dive into analytics, make sure your outreach is actually trackable and organized.
Here’s what matters:
- Sequences, not one-offs: Use Saleshandy’s sequence feature to send structured campaigns. Random emails are hard to measure.
- One variable at a time: If you change the subject, body, and timing all at once, you’ll never know what made a difference.
- Label and tag your campaigns: Use clear names (“Q2 SaaS Prospects – Short Subject”) so you can compare apples to apples later.
- Connect the right inbox: If you’re sending from a burner Gmail, don’t be surprised when your analytics look weird.
Pro tip: Don’t obsess over perfect data. Just make sure you know what you’re testing, and keep a rough log of changes.
2. Know Which Metrics Actually Matter
Saleshandy throws a lot of numbers at you. Most of them aren’t worth your time. Here’s what you should focus on (and what to ignore):
The Good:
- Open Rate: Decent for testing subject lines and deliverability. Not perfect (thanks to Apple Mail Privacy and image blockers), but directionally useful.
- Reply Rate: The real gold. If you’re not getting replies, nothing else matters.
- Bounce Rate: High bounce rates mean you’re burning your sender reputation. Keep this down.
- Unsubscribe/Spam Complaints: Low is good. High means you’re annoying folks (or your targeting is off).
The Noise:
- Click Rate: Unless you’re linking to something truly relevant, clicks are a vanity metric. Not all cold emails should have links anyway.
- Open Timing/Location: Fun to look at, but don’t overthink it. Use it to pick time zones, not to build a conspiracy wall.
What to ignore: “Total sent,” “total delivered,” or “most opened device” aren’t actionable. If a metric doesn’t help you make a decision, skip it.
3. Diagnose Problems in Your Outreach
Here’s how to actually use Saleshandy analytics to figure out what’s broken (or working):
If your open rate is low (under 30%):
- Subject lines may suck—try something shorter or more personal.
- Deliverability issues—check if your emails are landing in spam (high bounce rate is a clue).
- Timing—if you’re sending at odd hours, try shifting to mornings in your recipient’s timezone.
If your open rate is high but reply rate is low:
- Body copy isn’t resonating—maybe it’s too long or generic.
- Bad targeting—are you reaching out to the right people?
- Weak call to action—be clear about what you want.
If you see a high bounce rate (over 5%):
- Your list is dirty—get better data, clean your list.
- You’re sending too fast—throttle your sends to avoid being flagged as spam.
If you get unsubscribes or spam complaints:
- You’re being too aggressive—slow down follow-ups.
- Content is off—make sure your emails are relevant and not misleading.
Pro tip: Compare sequences. If Sequence A gets replies and Sequence B doesn’t, don’t overthink it—steal from yourself.
4. Run Simple Experiments (A/B Testing That Isn’t a Pain)
Saleshandy lets you test variations, but you don’t need a stats degree. Here’s how to keep it useful:
- Change one thing at a time: Subject line OR body, not both.
- Split your list: Send Version A to half, Version B to half. Look at reply rates, not just opens.
- Don’t test 10 things at once: You’ll never get clear results.
- Let tests run: Don’t call winners after 20 emails. Give it a couple of days and a decent sample size.
What works: Short, honest subject lines. Clear, specific asks. Following up (but not 8 times in a week).
What doesn’t: Overly clever copy. Too many links. Gimmicky open trackers (people are wise to them).
5. Apply What You Learn—Then Repeat
Here’s the part most people skip: actually acting on the data.
- If a template works, use it again. Don’t reinvent the wheel.
- If a sequence flops, drop it. Don’t keep sending what doesn’t work.
- Share lessons with your team. If you’ve got one, spread the wins (and the flops).
- Keep a simple doc of what you’ve tried—what worked, what bombed. You’ll forget otherwise.
Don’t chase every shiny metric or new feature. Focus on what gets replies and conversations started.
What About Deliverability? (And Other Traps)
Analytics can tell you if you have a deliverability problem, but not always why. If your open and reply rates drop fast, or your bounce rate spikes, it’s often a deliverability issue.
- Warm up new domains before blasting emails.
- Avoid spammy language (“FREE!!!” “Act now!”)
- Don’t send 500+ emails a day from a fresh inbox.
- Check your SPF/DKIM settings—if you don’t know what these are, ask whoever runs your email.
Don’t waste time on: obsessing over pixel-perfect open tracking, fancy graphs, or chasing every “optimization” tip. The basics work.
Keep It Simple—And Keep Tweaking
Saleshandy’s analytics are helpful, but only if you use them to keep improving. Don’t get bogged down in endless split tests or dashboard-watching. Pick a metric or two, run a simple experiment, see what happens, and adjust. Rinse and repeat.
Nobody has the “perfect” sales sequence right out of the gate—not even the gurus. The reps who win are the ones who keep things simple, pay attention to what works, and don’t waste time on fluff. If you do that, you’ll see results—and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.