The Ultimate Cold Email Checklist for Agencies (Before You Hit Send)

Introduction

Small misses tank reply rates: a bad list, a missing DNS record, or a pushy CTA. Use this checklist to prevent avoidable mistakes and ship campaigns with confidence.

Strategy Alignment Check

Is the campaign tied to a clear goal (meetings, replies, brand awareness) and a single ICP segment? If not, narrow scope.

ICP and Segment Confirmed

Confirm industry, company size, funding stage, tech stack, and job titles. Specific segments get better personalization.

Offer Clarity and Proof

Write the promise in one sentence. Add a matching proof point you can share (metric, case snippet, or short asset).

List Source and Quality

Verify where data came from and how recent it is. Remove role accounts and duplicates. Expect <2% bounces post-verification.

Enrichment Fields Present

Ensure useful columns exist: recent news, hiring, tech, blog topic, page reference. WarmOpener supports unlimited columns.

Personalization Columns Ready

Check that columns map to usable hooks (e.g., "saw your post on…" or "noticed pricing page mentions…").

Angles Selected per Segment

Choose 2–3 angles per segment (e.g., post-funding ramp, GA4 attribution). Keep a short internal name for each.

Subject Line Quality Check

Specific, sincere, and context-linked. No clickbait. Cap at ~6–10 words where possible.

Good: SDR ramp time post-Series A?
Weak: Quick question

Preview Text Set

Use preview text to extend the subject’s idea. Avoid repeating the first line verbatim.

Email Body: Read Aloud Pass

Read your email out loud. If it sounds like a template, rewrite until it feels like a genuine peer message.

Structure reminder: hook → pain + proof → micro-CTA (~60–110 words)

Length and Structure Standards

Aim ~60–110 words. Structure: hook → pain + proof → micro-CTA. One main idea per email.

Proof and Specificity Present

Include a number or concrete outcome. Generic claims reduce trust and replies.

CTA Clarity and Friction

Make the ask easy to accept: "Want the 2-slide audit?" or "10-min compare notes?" Avoid scheduling links in the first touch for cold segments.

Signature and Footer

Real name, role, company, and one link max. Keep visuals minimal.

—
{{your_name}} | {{role}}, {{agency}}
{{your_site}}

Compliance and Unsubscribe

Include a clear opt-out. Keep records of suppressions. Respect regional requirements.

Domain Auth Verified

Check SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and a custom tracking domain. Align identities where possible.

SPF: pass  | DKIM: pass | DMARC: policy=none/quarantine/reject

Warm-Up Status Healthy

Confirm mailbox warm-up history and recent engagement. Don’t spike volume on new inboxes.

Mailbox Rotation Set

Distribute volume across multiple inboxes with per-inbox caps. WarmOpener handles pacing for you.

Throttle and Schedule

Spread sends across business hours with randomized intervals. Avoid bursts or exact schedules.

Example: 25/hour per inbox with ±15% jitter

Randomization Configured

Use content variants to prevent duplicate footprints. WarmOpener can auto-generate safe variations.

Variants to Avoid Footprints

3–5 subject and intro variants per segment. Keep meaning constant, wording different.

Angle: GA4 attribution clarity →
  V1: Your GA4 post → quick idea
  V2: Attribution after GA4 switch?
  V3: GA4 model choice—fast win for {{company}}

Link Domains and UTMs

Use clean, branded links with simple UTMs. No URL shorteners. Avoid multiple links.

Test Send to Seeds

Send to a small seed list. Check rendering, links, and tone. Don’t over-index on seed placement alone.

Spam Score Review (Caveats)

Use spam checks for heuristics, not absolutes. Prioritize fixes to egregious issues only.

Deliverability Pre-Checks

Bounce <2% target, complaint <0.1%. Pause if pre-tests suggest problems; fix before scaling.

Bounce Handling On

Auto-suppress hard bounces. Retry soft bounces with backoff. Monitor vendor logs.

CRM Sync and Tracking

Ensure contacts, replies, and meetings flow to CRM. Keep fields simple to avoid sync pain.

Reply Routing and SLA

Define who handles which replies. SLA: respond within 2 business hours for hot segments.

Failure and Pause Rules

Predefine thresholds to pause (e.g., bounce >2%, complaints >0.2%, opens <20% for 48h). Don’t debate during a fire.

Monitoring Dashboard Ready

Prepare a live view with opens, replies, positive replies, meetings, and send status by inbox.

A/B Test Setup

Test one variable at a time (subject or intro). Keep the rest constant. Run tests long enough to be meaningful.

Post-Send Review Cadence

Daily check-in first week, then 2–3x weekly. Flag segments needing content refresh or volume tweaks.

Data Hygiene SOP

Set a weekly routine to verify new data, archive stale records, and remove hard bounces and unsubscribes.

Team Roles and Ownership

Define owner for copy, data, sending, replies, and reporting. Clarity prevents dropped balls.

Final Sanity Check and Send

Confirm the inbox caps, schedule, and suppression lists. Hit send with confidence.

Conclusion

Checklists turn good intentions into consistent outcomes. Use this pre-flight list to prevent avoidable mistakes and ship winning campaigns every time.

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