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This checklist guides you through a complete cold email campaign: from defining your ideal customer to sending a tested 3-touch follow-up sequence and tracking replies. It’s for sales reps, founders, and marketers who want predictable, compliant outreach that scales.
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- Define ideal customer profile (ICP) — List industry, company size, role, pain points, and buying trigger.
- Build a targeted email list — Filter by ICP criteria and recent activity to prioritize prospects.
- Verify email addresses with a reliable verifier — Remove invalid addresses and risky domains to reduce bounces.
- Remove duplicates and role-based addresses — Delete duplicates, info@, admin@, and generic addresses from lists.
- Research and write a personalized first line — Mention a specific company detail, recent event, or mutual connection.
- Draft a clear value proposition with a single CTA — State benefit in one sentence and include one simple CTA (reply/book).
- Create three subject line variations for A/B testing — Mix curiosity, benefit, and personalization styles.
- Write concise preview text (email snippet) — Use a short supporting line to improve open rates.
- Set up DKIM and SPF and test deliverability — Configure DNS records and test with MX tools before sending.
- Configure tracking (UTM links, opens and clicks) — Add UTM parameters and enable open/click tracking for analysis.
- Schedule send window and throttle daily volume — Send in batches and avoid large blasts to protect sender reputation.
- Create the initial email template with personalization tokens — Use tokens like {{first_name}} and test fallback values.
- Send an initial test batch — Send a small sample (e.g., 50–100) to check opens, bounces, and replies.
- Set up a 3-touch follow-up sequence — Plan timing, variation, and goal for each follow-up.
- Follow-up 1: polite reminder (2–4 days after initial) — Briefly restate value and include the original CTA.
- Follow-up 2: add social proof or a short case study (4–7 days later) — Share a relevant result or quick testimonial.
- Follow-up 3: break-up email with one final CTA (7–10 days later) — Offer an easy out and one clear action (reply or book).
- Include unsubscribe link and comply with privacy laws — Add a visible unsubscribe and respect CAN-SPAM/GDPR rules.
- Monitor deliverability, bounce, and spam complaint rates — Check weekly and pause lists if bounce or complaint rates spike.
- Track replies, reply rate, and A/B results; iterate weekly — Measure opens, clicks, replies, and optimize subject/body tests.
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