Build a Cold Email Campaign from Scratch
Go from target persona to live cold email sequences with personalization at scale, in a single day.
Download workflow config (JSON)How the data moves
This is a handoff plan, not an automatic integration. Review outputs before the next step. Unlabeled arrows show order, not a verified data format. Use the capability links to explore tool substitutions.
Step 1
Define and Source Your List
Use Apollo.io to build a filtered list of prospects matching your ICP, title, company size, industry, and tech stack. Export 100–200 verified emails.
Step 2
Enrich with Context for Personalization
Import the list into Clay and run enrichments: recent LinkedIn posts, company news, job openings, and funding rounds that give you personalization hooks.
Step 3
Write the Sequence
Use ChatGPT with a cold email framework prompt to write a 3-email sequence: opener with personalized first line, follow-up with a case study or insight, and a breakup email.
Step 4
Generate Personalized First Lines
Back in Clay, use its AI column to generate a unique first line for each prospect based on their enrichment data, one sentence referencing something specific to them.
Step 5
Launch and Monitor
Import the sequence and personalized list into Instantly.ai. Set up sending accounts with warm-up enabled, configure the campaign, and monitor reply rates after 48 hours.
Time Required
3–5 hrs
Expected Result
A 3-step cold email sequence live in Instantly.ai with a verified list of 100+ prospects and personalized first lines for each.
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