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Cold outreach is still one of the most effective lead generation strategies — but doing it manually burns time and limits scale.
That’s where Instantly.ai shows its real talent.
Instantly.ai is an AI-powered cold email automation tool designed for agencies, marketers, and freelancers who want to send personalised outreach emails at scale, without triggering spam filters or juggling multiple tools.
If you’re a US-based agency or freelancer looking to scale your cold outreach fast, Instantly.ai offers the flexibility, speed, and deliverability edge that older tools like Lemlist often lack.
Pro Tip: US-based B2B agencies using Instantly have reported up to 35% higher open rates compared to legacy tools. Thanks to smart warmups and automated follow-ups.
Starting with Instantly.ai takes less than 2 minutes, and no technical setup is required.
Here’s how US agencies and freelancers can quickly get started with their first cold email campaign setup.
That’s it — your Instantly account is now live.
Pro Tip: For most US-based cold email campaigns, the Growth plan offers all the essentials to get started — no seat limits, no technical hassle, and everything you need to automate outreach fast.
Before launching your first cold email campaign, you need to connect your sending email account to Instantly.ai.
This step is simple, but it’s critical for deliverability and inbox placement — especially if you’re targeting leads in the US or abroad.
Instantly supports multiple sending accounts, making it ideal for scaling outreach across campaigns, without incurring extra seat costs like other tools.
If you’re using Gmail for your cold email campaign, you’ll need to enable IMAP and generate an app password — this allows Instantly.ai to send emails securely on your behalf.
Here’s how US-based agencies and freelancers can do it step by step:
IMAP allows Instantly.ai to access your Gmail inbox and send messages from your account.
Google requires 2-Step Verification to generate secure app passwords — this protects your Gmail account from unauthorized access.
You’ll get a 16-character password. Copy it — this is what you’ll paste into Instantly.ai.
Your Gmail account is now securely connected to Instantly.ai.
Pro Tip: Never share your app password. If needed, you can delete and regenerate a new one instantly from Google’s security settings.
Now that your account and email are connected, it’s time to build your first Instantly.ai cold email campaign — and yes, you can do it in under 10 minutes.
Follow these steps to set up a campaign that drives real replies, not spam folder drops.
You’ll now be asked to upload your contact list.
You have two options:
Make sure your sheet includes columns like:
During import, you’ll match each column to Instantly’s field names.
Choose “Do not import” for any unnecessary fields.
Personalisation Tip: Use variables like {company_name} or {compliment} to keep your message relevant — US-based prospects engage more with messages that feel 1:1.
Pro Tip: Test different subject lines using A/B testing in paid plans to find the one that boosts open rates in your market (e.g., SaaS, legal, creative agencies in the US).
Your email campaign is only as good as the leads behind it.
With Instantly.ai, importing lead data is fast, clean, and flexible — perfect for US-based B2B marketers targeting specific industries or titles.
Suggested CSV Columns:
Make sure your data is verified. Use tools like NeverBounce or ZeroBounce to avoid high bounce rates.
This method is ideal if your team updates lead data frequently — your campaigns stay current without manual uploads.
Leads are now added to your campaign and are ready for message personalisation.
Most cold emails fail because they sound cold.
Inside Instantly.ai, you can write hyper-personalised emails that feel like real conversations — and get real replies.
From your campaign screen, click “Add Email Step”
Write a subject line that sparks curiosity or relevance
“Quick idea for {company_name}”
“Saw this about {first_name} — had to reach out”
Draft your message using personalisation variables:
Hey {first_name},
I came across {company_name} while researching {industry_topic}, and I was impressed by {compliment/custom_variable}.
I specialise in helping US-based B2B agencies like yours solve {pain_point} using AI-driven email strategies.
Would love to share a quick idea — would Thursday work for a quick call?
Best,
{your_name}
Keep it short: 50–125 words
Focus on one clear CTA (e.g., “Are you open to a quick chat?”)
Use one link or none in the first email
Avoid trigger words like “free,” “guaranteed,” or “buy now”
Use Instantly’s email preview feature
→ See how each message will look with real lead data
Double-check merge tags like {first_name}, {company_name}
Use the “Send Test Email” option to review in your inbox
Pro Tip: Save your email copy as a template if you’ll be using variations across multiple campaigns.
Most replies don’t come from the first cold email — they come from your follow-up.
With Instantly.ai, you can build fully automated, personalised follow-up sequences that run on autopilot, so you never miss a lead.
Inside your campaign, click “Add Step” under your main email
Set the delay (e.g., 3 days after no reply)
Write your follow-up email
→ Keep it short, value-driven, and natural
Repeat to add multiple follow-ups (optional but recommended)
Use variables like {first_name}, {company_name}, or {pain_point} to keep it relevant
Email #1 (Day 0):
Initial pitch or idea
Follow-Up #1 (Day 3):
“Hey {first_name}, just floating this back to the top of your inbox…”
Follow-Up #2 (Day 7):
“Would it make sense to explore this next quarter?”
Follow-Up #3 (Day 12):
“I’ll close the loop here, but if this becomes relevant — happy to reconnect.”
Pro Tip: US-based B2B decision-makers often reply on the 2nd or 3rd email — don’t stop too early.
Auto-stop on reply (saves your reputation)
Email step scheduling by day/time
AI-optimised sending pattern (paid feature)
Open/click tracking (optional but insightful)
Pro Tip: Keep the tone helpful and polite. Cold email works best when it feels like a conversation, not a chase.
You’ve written your emails and set your follow-ups — now it’s time to schedule and go live.
Instantly.ai gives you full control over when and how your emails go out, helping you stay compliant and effective.
Once everything looks good:
Track open rates, reply rates, and bounce rates, and tweak your copy or lead sources as needed.
Pro Tip: Monitor early performance. If open rates are low, test subject lines. If bounce rates are high, clean your lead list or reduce volume.
Your cold email campaign is live — but without smart settings, you risk poor deliverability or missed replies.
Here’s how to configure Instantly.ai for maximum performance and safe scaling, especially for US-based B2B agencies.
Pro Tip for Agencies: These settings are the secret sauce to running high-volume cold email campaigns without burning domains. Don’t skip them — review before every launch.
To create a campaign in Instantly.ai, go to the “Campaigns” tab and click “Add New.” Choose your email account, import leads via CSV or Google Sheets, write your email, add follow-ups, and schedule sending times. Then click “Launch Campaign.”
With Instantly.ai, a full cold email campaign — including account setup, lead import, personalization, and scheduling — can be launched in under 10 minutes, especially if your lead list is ready.
Go to your campaign dashboard, click “Import Leads,” and either upload a CSV file or connect a Google Sheet. Make sure to match columns like email, first name, company, and any custom variables for personalization.
To protect your domain and inbox health, it’s best to start with 25–30 emails per day per account. As your sender reputation improves, you can gradually increase this to 50–100 per day.
Unlike many competitors, Instantly.ai offers unlimited sending accounts, built-in warm-ups, smart AI send timing, and automated follow-ups — all optimized for B2B outreach scalability, especially in US markets.