Cold Email Infrastructure Setup Checklist
Set up your cold email infrastructure correctly from day one with this checklist covering domains, authentication, warmup, and sending configuration.
Domain & Mailbox Setup
Purchase a dedicated sending domain
easyBuy a separate domain for cold outreach (e.g., try-yourcompany.com) to protect your primary domain's reputation. Choose something similar to your main domain.
Set up SPF records
mediumAdd SPF (Sender Policy Framework) DNS records to authorize your email sending service to send on behalf of your domain.
Configure DKIM signing
mediumSet up DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) by adding the required DNS records from your email provider. This cryptographically signs your emails.
Add DMARC policy
mediumCreate a DMARC record starting with p=none to monitor, then gradually move to p=quarantine and p=reject as you verify deliverability.
Create individual sending mailboxes
easySet up dedicated mailboxes (e.g., john@try-yourcompany.com) for each rep. Avoid shared or generic addresses for cold outreach.
Warmup Your Domain
Start email warmup process
easyUse an email warmup tool to gradually increase sending volume over 2-3 weeks. Start with 5-10 emails/day and increase gradually.
Send to engaged contacts first
easyDuring warmup, send to contacts most likely to open and reply (existing contacts, warm leads). Positive engagement builds sender reputation.
Monitor warmup metrics
mediumTrack inbox placement rate during warmup. You should see 90%+ inbox placement before starting cold outreach at scale.
Configure Sending
Set daily sending limits per mailbox
easyLimit each mailbox to 30-50 emails per day for cold outreach. Higher volumes trigger spam filters and damage reputation.
Set up sending intervals
easySpace emails throughout the day with random intervals (60-180 seconds between sends). Avoid blasting emails in rapid succession.
Verify your prospect list before sending
easyRun email verification on your entire prospect list. Remove invalid addresses, disposable emails, and known spam traps.
Test deliverability with seed addresses
mediumSend test emails to seed addresses across major providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) to verify inbox placement before launching your campaign.
Pro Tips
- Never use your primary business domain for cold outreach — always use a separate sending domain
- Allow 2-3 weeks for domain warmup before starting cold campaigns. Rushing this step will hurt deliverability long-term
- Keep your daily sending volume per mailbox under 50 emails. Use multiple mailboxes to scale volume
- Use Cleanlist to verify every email before sending — a single campaign with high bounce rate can damage your domain reputation for months
Related Cleanlist Features
Related Checklists
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a separate domain for cold email?
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Cold email carries inherent deliverability risk — spam complaints, bounces, and low engagement can damage your sender reputation. Using a separate domain (e.g., try-yourcompany.com) isolates this risk from your primary business domain, protecting your regular business email and marketing communications.
How long does email warmup take?
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Email warmup typically takes 2-3 weeks of gradually increasing volume. Start with 5-10 emails per day and increase by 5-10 per day each week. Monitor inbox placement throughout — you should see 90%+ inbox placement before scaling to full cold outreach volume.
What sending volume is safe for cold email?
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Keep each mailbox to 30-50 cold emails per day. To send more volume, add additional sending mailboxes rather than increasing per-mailbox limits. Most cold email tools support rotating between multiple mailboxes to distribute sending load.
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