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#129 · How to Fix Poor Cold Email Campaigns

youtube ↗Sales

Nick asks: when should you mention offloading subscription costs to the client during the sales call and process? How do you set up the client’s API keys and webhooks? Also, when building an automated cold‑outreach system using Instantly, do you require clients to buy domains and wait through the 21‑30‑day warm‑up, or is there a more efficient method?

I mention the subscription cost upfront, both on the sales call and in the proposal, so there are no surprises later. For API keys and webhooks, I handle the setup on the kickoff call: I guide the client through signing up for each platform, obtain the necessary access, and by the end of the call I have everything I need, so I never have to ask again. Regarding domains, I don’t make clients go through a manual warm‑up. I use pre‑warmed domains from providers like Instantly, Zap Mail, or Puzzle Inboxes, purchase the domains right after the kickoff (often within 24 hours), and start sending immediately. This lets you generate leads the same day—potentially five to ten leads—without waiting weeks.

sales callsubscription pricingapi setupdomain warm-up

Related answers

youtube ↗Cold Email

When buying pre-warmed domains for a client's cold email setup, do you buy them yourself or does the client buy them? Same question for tools like Instantly — do you include that cost in your fee, or mention it to them as a necessary add-on?

Either approach works, and I've tried both. These days I have the client sign up themselves — after the kickoff call, the system starts running right away. But if you're just starting out and don't have the credibility to make clients trust the value upfront, buying the domains/tools yourself can help get the ball rolling and put the liability on you. I've done that before too — a client pays, the kickoff call is a few days out, so I go buy pre-warmed domains and roll the campaign myself so that by kickoff, I can already show a few booked meetings, which is an extremely strong first impression. There's no single right way to do it, it's really a liability tradeoff.

domainswarm-uptool costsclient onboarding
youtube ↗Cold Email

How do you handle the waiting period for new clients while keeping deliverability high when using new domains for cold email?

The way I handle it is I don’t start the guarantee period until after the warm‑up is done. I give clients two options: they can go pre‑warmed and start today, or they can warm up the emails over a 21‑day period. Pre‑warmed costs more, but the client pays for it so it’s not my problem. The 21‑day warm‑up is longer, but the benefit is they get branded, own domains, etc., which aligns with what you want. So if you have a 60‑day guarantee, it effectively becomes about 90 days because you need the 30‑day warm‑up. In practice I don’t wait a full 30 days; I wait 21 days, which shortens the timeline a bit.

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youtube ↗Cold Email

When running a cold outreach system for clients, should we set it up the same way as we do for ourselves—same mailboxes, domains, and handling the warm‑up period risk?

Yes, the system you run for a client is essentially the same as the one you use for yourself. You’ll discuss how many mailboxes they need, set them up in the same way, and often have them purchase domains that match their brand. The three‑week warm‑up does carry a dip risk, which is why you have the client cover that cost up front. Beyond the outreach mechanics, I often advise clients that once they’ve built a service business they can eventually move into info products—courses, memberships, templates, ebooks, SaaS, or even hardware—because those scale better once you have distribution.

client outreachmailboxesdomainswarm-up