Cold Email Automation Best Practices for 2025

Cold email remains one of the most effective channels for B2B lead generation—when executed correctly. With AI automation, it's now possible to achieve both the scale of mass email and the personalization of individual outreach.

Deliverability Foundation

Email Infrastructure Setup

Domain Configuration:

Primary Domain Protection: Never send cold email from your primary company domain

Dedicated Sending Domains: Set up 2-5 separate domains for outbound

Domain Age: Allow new domains to "age" for 2-4 weeks before high-volume sending

DNS Records (Critical):

SPF Record: Authorize sending servers

DKIM: Enable email authentication

DMARC: Set policy for email authentication failures

Custom Tracking Domain: Use branded links instead of generic short URLs

Warm-Up Process

Week 1: Foundation

Days 1-3: Send 5-10 emails per account per day

Days 4-7: Increase to 15-20 emails per account per day

Focus: Internal team and known contacts

Goal: Establish positive engagement patterns

Week 2: Gradual Growth

Increase to 25-35 emails per day per account

Mix of warm contacts and qualified prospects

Monitor deliverability metrics closely

Personalization at Scale

AI-Powered Research

Data Points to Collect:

Company: Industry, size, recent news, technology stack

Individual: Role, tenure, background, social activity

Triggers: Funding, hiring, product launches, leadership changes

Multi-Channel Cadence Design

Day 1: Email #1 (value-focused introduction)

Day 2: LinkedIn connection request

Day 4: Email #2 (case study/social proof)

Day 6: LinkedIn message (if connected)

Day 8: Email #3 (different angle)

Day 11: Phone call attempt

Day 14: Email #4 (breakup email)

Ready to implement world-class cold email automation? Schedule a consultation to discuss your specific situation and develop an optimized cold email strategy.