Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
- Best AI Tools For Automation
Scale Lead Generation with Instantly.ai: A Real Case Study
Jump To
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Why Lead Generation is Broken for Most B2B Agencies?
Lead generation is the lifeblood of any B2B agency, but most agencies still use outdated methods that drain time, deliver low ROI, and stall growth.
If you’re a US-based agency owner, marketer, or freelancer struggling to fill your pipeline predictably, you’re not alone.
Instantly.ai is a powerful solution designed to automate outreach, personalise at scale, and make cold email work again.
Let’s break down why traditional lead gen is failing and what needs to change.
The Traditional Methods Are Time-Consuming and Expensive
Manual prospecting might feel personalised, but it’s rarely scalable.
- Building lists by hand eats up hours daily
- Writing individual emails reduces outreach volume
- Following up manually = dropped leads and missed deals
- VA outsourcing? Still needs constant oversight and QA
The worst part?
All this effort often leads to low open rates and even lower replies.
Why?
Most emails feel cold, templated, and irrelevant.
Inconsistent Results and Pipeline Volatility
B2B sales teams often fall into “feast or famine” cycles.
- One month, you’re drowning in demos
- Next, you’re refreshing your inbox, hoping someone replies
- This inconsistency wrecks forecasting and revenue growth
Without a predictable way to fill your calendar, scaling your agency becomes guesswork.
Lack of Tools Built for Scaling Outreach in the US Market
Many CRMs and marketing tools were built for inbound, not outbound.
- They focus on nurturing existing leads, not generating new ones
- Deliverability tools are either missing or cost extra
- Most don’t support bulk inbox rotation or automated follow-ups
And when you do find a “cold email tool”?
You’re met with clunky UX, sky-high pricing, or shady deliverability practices that tank your domain health.
What’s the Solution?
Modern B2B agencies need AI-powered email outreach platforms that:
- Automate personalisation without sounding robotic
- Warm up domains to protect deliverability
- Help teams send thousands of emails safely and effectively
- Track replies and bookings in a CRM-style view
This is exactly where Instantly.ai shows its real spark and demonstrates why so many US agencies are making the switch.
What Is Instantly.ai and How Does It Work?
Tired of sending hundreds of cold emails manually with little to show for it?
Instantly.ai is a game-changer for B2B agencies, marketers, and freelancers who want to scale lead generation in the US market, without burning out or breaking the bank.
At its core, Instantly.ai is an AI-powered email outreach platform that automates cold email campaigns, improves deliverability, and helps agencies book more meetings, faster.
Let’s break down how it works.
AI-Powered Email Outreach Engine
Instantly.ai is more than just a mail merge tool. It’s an intelligent engine that uses automation to mimic human-like outreach at scale.
- AI-personalisation: It dynamically tailors messages using merge tags and behavioural cues
- Smart inbox rotation: Spread your outreach across multiple sending accounts without triggering spam filters
- Inbox warm-up automation: Keeps your domains healthy by gradually increasing volume and mimicking real engagement
Pro Tip: US-based agencies often struggle with Gmail and Outlook deliverability. Instantly’s AI warm-up reduces bounce rates by up to 80%.
Core Features Explained
What makes Instantly stand out in a crowded market of outreach tools?
It offers must-have features built with scale, simplicity, and results in mind.
- AI Inbox Management
Manage 1 or 100 inboxes effortlessly, all under one dashboard. Includes smart scheduling and send limits. - Automated Follow-ups
Set behaviour-based sequences that continue the conversation without any manual input. If they don’t reply, instantly follow up at the perfect time. - Unified Inbox & CRM-Style Tracking
Keep all replies across campaigns organised. Tag leads, track status, and see conversations just like a lightweight CRM.
Built for B2B Agencies & Freelancers
Instantly.ai isn’t just “another outreach tool. It’s built specifically for B2B growth.
- Supports multiple team members and inboxes. It is ideal for agencies managing client accounts
- No steep learning curve. It launches your first campaign in under 15 minutes
- Designed to help US-based service providers, SaaS teams, and solopreneurs generate leads reliably
Whether you’re a freelancer booking demos or an agency owner building a pipeline, Instantly gives you scalable, consistent lead generation.
This is all done without relying on paid ads or manual prospecting.
Case Study Overview: Scaling to a $1M+ Startup with Cold Email
This is the story of how Pronom Leinsky, co‑founder of an email outreach agency. He used Instantly.ai’s automation to help a 3‑person startup land its first $1 million in revenue. He booked meetings with Fortune 500 CEOs along the way.
About Pronom Leinsky & His Agency
- US‑based founder and cold‑email veteran with 10+ years of experience
- Co‑founded an email outreach company 3–4 years ago
- Primarily helps SaaS, tech start‑ups, and entrepreneurs scale through cold outreach
- Today, over 50% of agency revenue stems directly from cold email campaigns
Initial Challenges
- Inconsistent lead flow—manual and scattered outreach methods were yielding erratic results
- Burnout and inefficiency—handcrafting emails and managing replies consumed hours daily
- High barrier to entry—other marketing channels like paid ads and social sponsorships were costly and often underdelivered
The Turning Point
- Pronom tested multiple channels (paid ads, conference marketing) before embracing cold email
- He and his co‑founder consistently secured investors, clients, and even an acquisition using personalised email outreach
- They used Instantly.ai to scale further, benefiting from:
- Smart inbox rotation and warm‑up automation to protect deliverability
- Lead verification, Outlook/ESP compliance, and AI‑driven reply assistance
- Confidence in responsive product leadership (e.g., proactive updates from Instantly.ai’s team)
Outcome Highlights
- Helped a 3‑person startup hit its first $1 million in revenue through an email campaign.
- Used cold email to even land meetings with a dozen Fortune 500 CEOs
- More than 50% of clients come from cold email
What Key Features Helped This Agency Automate at Scale?
Scaling cold outreach isn’t about sending more emails — it’s about sending smarter emails, consistently, without burning your domains or your team.
Pronom Leinsky’s agency was able to automate and scale cold outreach with precision by using the right set of Instantly.ai features built specifically for B2B agencies and freelancers.
AI-Powered Inbox Rotation & Deliverability Protection
- Smart inbox rotation lets users send emails from multiple inboxes simultaneously
- Protects sender reputation and increases daily sending volume safely
- Instantly.ai includes built-in email warm-up pools and domain health scores
- Helps avoid spam folders, even at scale (500–1,000+ emails/day)
“We ruined thousands of inboxes before. Instantly prevents that.” – Pronom Leinsky
Lead Finder with Auto Verification (Built-In Credits)
- Automatically verifies email addresses before sending
- Credits are refunded for unverifiable leads, saving costs on invalid data
- Ideal for US-based outreach where data accuracy = response rates
Pro Tip: Verified leads boost sender reputation and improve cold email ROI across all industries.
Custom Email Service Provider (ESP) Filtering
- Instantly allows you to exclude risky ESPs like Outlook.com from your campaigns
- Critical for B2B US agencies where Gmail and Outlook dominate
- Minimises bounces and improves campaign health
“You can opt out any email service provider… take Outlook out right away” – Pronom Leinsky
Unified Dashboard for Teams
- Manage multiple campaigns, users, and inboxes from a single control panel
- Ideal for agencies scaling outreach across client accounts or freelancers managing multiple niches
- Includes CRM-style inbox tracking and automatic follow-ups
AI-Powered Reply Assistant
- Built-in AI can draft first-line responses to inbound replies
- Saves time on handling 100s of responses per day
- Ensures tone consistency and fast response time, even at volume
“It’s just a huge timesaver. It lets us respond at scale without sounding robotic.” – Pronom Leinsky
Campaign Hygiene Tools
- Warm-up, bounce detection, and real-time health score tracking
- Campaign scheduling (e.g., 8 am–6 pm EST, Monday–Friday) for optimal US deliverability
- Limits per inbox (e.g., 10–30 emails/day) keep campaigns healthy during ramp-up
Summary of What Made the Difference
Instantly.ai vs. Other Email Outreach Tools: What Made the Difference?
Most cold email tools promise automation, but few scale with your business.
US-based B2B agencies need more than templates and sequences. They need reliable deliverability, affordable pricing, and scalable performance.
Here’s how Instantly.ai stacks up against other popular tools like Lemlist, Smartlead, and Mailshake.
Compared to Lemlist, Smartlead, and Mailshake
Why It Mattered:
For Pronom Leinsky’s agency, scaling up to 1,000+ emails per day across multiple inboxes and clients required more than features. It required stability and smart automation.
UI/UX Built for Speed and Simplicity
- Instantly’s interface is designed to launch campaigns in minutes, not hours
- No bloated dashboards or unnecessary steps
- Ideal for busy US agency owners and freelancers juggling multiple client verticals
- Compared to Lemlist’s visual builder or Smartlead’s learning curve, Instantly is plug-and-play
“Once we switched from HubSpot and GMass, Instantly just simplified everything.” — Pronom Leinsky
Other Tools
- Lemlist offers more advanced personalisation, yet has a steeper onboarding curve fahimai.com.
- Smartlead is powerful for high-volume teams but can feel overly complex for beginners.
API and Workflow Automation Compatibility
- Works seamlessly with Zapier, Make, and webhooks. salesblink.io
- Easy CRM integration (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Notion, Airtable, and more)
- Set up triggers for:
- New replies → Slack or CRM
- Lead status updates
- Autosequence stop/start logic
- Perfect for B2B agencies that manage multiple workflows or want hands-free pipeline syncing
Other Tools
- Smartlead and Mailshake also offer integrations, but may require manual setup or lack unified automation as a plug-and-play option. smartlead.ai
- Lemlist includes basic CRM integrations, though setup complexity varies plena.io
Pro Tip: Use automation to update lead statuses in your CRM when a reply is positive, saving hours of manual sorting weekly.
Challenges Faced and How Instantly Solved Them
Even the most determined B2B growth agencies hit major roadblocks when scaling outbound. This was exactly the case for Pranam Leinsky’s US-based cold email agency.
Before switching to Instantly.ai, his team struggled with deliverability, burnout, and inefficient outreach workflows.
Let’s break down the key challenges and how Instantly helped solve them.
Challenge #1: Poor Deliverability Rates and Inbox Burnout
Problem
- Emails were frequently landing in spam, especially when using tools like GMass and HubSpot.
- Attempting to scale without proper warm-up protocols resulted in domain damage.
- Limited ability to monitor inbox health or rotate senders.
How Instantly Solved It:
- Introduced automated warm-up pools, bounce protection, and email health scoring.
- Used smart inbox rotation to distribute email volume and protect sender reputation.
- Gave the agency real-time visibility into what was hurting their deliverability, allowing quicker course correction.
“Instantly’s deliverability system helped us scale confidently, without worrying if we’d burn our domains.”
— Pranam Leinsky, Co-founder
Challenge #2: Manual Workload Was Burning Out the Team
Problem
- The team was spending hours managing replies, CRM updates, and follow-ups.
- No unified platform meant tools were scattered, causing delays and human error.
- Clients expected faster campaign launches and consistent reporting.
How Instantly Solved It:
- Provided a centralised CRM-like dashboard for campaign performance, replies, and analytics.
- Automated follow-up sequences and email tracking.
- Allowed the team to manage multiple accounts and clients on one platform, reducing tool fatigue.
Challenge #3: Feast-or-Famine Pipeline Flow
Problem:
- Campaign success was inconsistent. Some months were great, others dry.
- No reliable lead verification = wasted sends and lower ROI.
- Scaling meant hiring more SDRs—not sustainable for long-term profit.
How Instantly Solved It:
- Introduced Lead Finder with auto-verification—no more paying for bounced leads.
- Improved targeting and campaign reliability led to predictable demo bookings.
- Removed the need for a large outbound team by automating high-volume email outreach.
Real Result
With these problems solved, the agency went from inconsistent outreach to consistently booking 100+ demos/month. Instantly didn’t just help them send more emails—it helped them send smarter.
Results Breakdown: Pipeline Growth, Conversions & ROI
Once Pranam’s US-based agency switched to Instantly.ai, their outbound results weren’t just better—they became measurably scalable.
Here’s a breakdown of the transformation across pipeline growth, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI).
100+ Qualified Demos/Month — From 0
Before Instantly
- Inconsistent replies
- <1% meeting conversion from cold outreach
- Time and cost wasted on invalid or irrelevant leads
After Instantly
- Averaged 100+ qualified demo calls per month
- Predictable meeting volume helped close bigger retainers
- Enabled the agency to systemise outreach across multiple client accounts
Pro Tip: Start small—warm up your inboxes for at least two weeks before scaling. This builds sender reputation and long-term inbox trust.
First $1M in Revenue for a 3-Person Startup
One of the agency’s clients—a tiny SaaS startup—used Instantly-powered outreach to close $1M in booked business within months.
This included:
- Clean, verified lead lists that converted
- Targeted campaigns to US-based tech decision-makers
- Sequences with high reply intent, not spammy volume
“Helping a 3-person startup land its first million—that’s the kind of ROI cold email can drive when done right.”
— Pranam Leinsky, Co-founder
50 %+ of All Clients Now Come from Cold Email
Thanks to Instantly.ai:
- Cold outreach became their #1 channel for acquiring agency clients
- They now use it to generate leads, test positioning, and enter new markets
- Saved tens of hours per week with automation—freeing up time for strategy and service delivery
Tool ROI Snapshot
Lessons Learned & Pro Tips for Agencies Using Instantly
Cold outreach success isn’t just about choosing the right tool; it’s about how you use it.
After helping clients hit $1M+ in revenue and scaling his agency, Pranam shared hard-earned lessons every B2B agency should know.
Lesson #1: Start Slow or Burn Fast
What Went Wrong:
In the early days, the agency tried sending 50–100 emails per inbox, too soon.
Lesson:
Burned inboxes and domain reputation can take weeks to recover.
Pro Tip:
- Start with 10–15 emails per inbox per day
- Let Instantly’s inbox warm-up system run for at least 2 weeks before full campaigns
- Monitor your health scores daily to catch issues early
Lesson #2: Clean, Targeted Lists Win Over Spray-and-Pray
What Went Wrong:
Early campaigns targeted huge, untargeted CEO lists hoping for a 2% reply rate.
Lesson:
High volume means nothing without relevance.
Pro Tip:
- Use Instantly’s Lead Finder and verification to build clean, US-focused B2B lists
- Match messaging to specific ICP segments (e.g. SaaS CTOs, marketing leads, etc.)
- Segment campaigns by persona for better engagement and inbox performance
Lesson #3: The First Email Is Everything
What Went Wrong:
Generic, templated openers led to low reply rates, even with good offers.
Lesson:
Your first email should earn the right to be read.
Pro Tip:
- Use AI (like Clay or JustDone.ai) to generate personalised, relevant openers
- Keep your intro short—< 50 words
- Use no more than 3 follow-ups. Beyond that, launch a fresh campaign
Lesson #4: Let Instantly’s AI Do the Heavy Lifting
What Went Right:
Using Instantly’s built-in reply assist and CRM-style dashboard saved the team 20+ hours a week.
Pro Tip:
- Use AI-generated reply suggestions to speed up manual follow-up
- Automate sequence steps, CRM tracking, and tagging for each client
- Integrate with CRMs and Slack for automated reporting
Lesson #5: Campaign Freshness Beats Automation Fatigue
What Went Wrong:
Set-it-and-forget-it sequences stopped performing after a few weeks.
Lesson:
Campaigns go stale—even if your tool is great.
Pro Tip:
- Rotate fresh subject lines and angles every 3–4 weeks
- Keep campaigns short (max 3–4 emails)
- Use reply rates as your feedback loop, not just open rates
Bonus Tip:
Think Like a Growth Leader, Not Just an Email Sender
Instantly is a growth system, not just a cold email tool.
“Once you get it working, you’re not just sending emails—you’re building a predictable revenue engine.”
— Pranam Leinsky
Is Instantly.ai the Right Fit for Your Business?
Not every tool is built to scale B2B outreach. But Instantly.ai isn’t just another email sender. It’s a full-scale lead generation system for agencies ready to grow smarter, faster, and leaner.
Here’s how to know if Instantly.ai is the right choice for your team.
You Need Instantly.ai If You...
- Run a US-based or global agency that depends on outbound to drive sales
- Want to reduce time spent on manual prospecting and follow-ups
- Are you tired of overpriced CRM tools not built for cold outreach
- Need multi-inbox, multi-user sending for scaling campaigns
- Care about email deliverability, smart sending, and automation in one tool
- Want to test new offers or markets without a full SDR team
You Might Need to Look Elsewhere If...
- You only send a few emails a month and don’t plan to scale
- Your business relies 100% on inbound or paid ads
- You prefer traditional, slow-moving sales cycles and manual CRM entries
- You’re looking for a full-service CRM with billing, contracts, etc. (Instantly is outreach-focused, not HubSpot)
Why Agencies Like Instantly.ai Over Lemlist, Mailshake, or Smartlead
- Speed to launch: Set up campaigns in minutes, not hours
- Better economics: Lower cost per seat with unlimited sending
- Smart deliverability controls: Built-in warm-up, rotation, and bounce protection
- AI-augmented replies: Draft replies faster and smarter
- Scalable infrastructure: Easily add inboxes, teams, and clients
Expert Insight:
You’re Not Just Choosing a Tool — You’re Picking a Growth Engine
“Cold email puts you in rooms ads can’t. And with Instantly, I know I’ve picked the right horse to run with.”
— Pranam Leinsky, Agency Founder
Summary: Should You Use Instantly?
Want to see how it fits your workflows?
— no credit card required.
FAQS :
Can I use AI to generate leads?
Yes — AI can:
- Find and verify leads based on your ideal customer profile
- Create personalised outreach at scale
- Automate engagement sequences and reply handling
- Score and prioritise leads based on interaction data
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Is Instantly.ai legit?
Absolutely. Instantly.ai is trusted by thousands of B2B agencies and has helped users land meetings with Fortune 500 CEOs.
It offers a free trial, a strong community, and continuous feature development, making it a leading tool in the AI cold outreach space.
How is AI changing lead generation?
AI is transforming lead generation by:
- Replacing manual prospecting with smart targeting
- Improving personalisation and timing
- Automating tedious tasks like follow-ups and list cleaning
- Making it easier to test new markets and scale outbound fast
What can Instantly AI do?
- Send personalised cold emails using AI
- Rotate across multiple inboxes to avoid spam filters
- Track opens, clicks, and replies
- Manage outreach campaigns from a unified CRM-like dashboard
- Warm up inboxes automatically for better deliverability
How can AI be used to improve lead generation and conversion rates?
By analysing engagement data, personalising outreach, and optimising send times at scale.
How do I use AI Instantly for lead generation?
- Create and verify your lead list
- Set up sending domains and inbox warm-up
- Write or generate email copy using AI templates
- Launch campaign sequences with smart scheduling
- Track performance, manage replies, and optimise
AI in Lead Generation — Game Changer or Overhyped?
It’s a game changer — if used correctly.
Cold email still works, and when powered by AI, it becomes faster, more accurate, and more scalable.
However, success depends on strategy, not just software.
How does AI improve conversion rates?
AI tools like Instantly analyse patterns across thousands of outreach campaigns to:
- Personalise subject lines and body copy based on persona data
- Optimise send times for maximum open and reply rates
- Automate follow-ups based on recipient behaviour (opens, replies, clicks)
- Maintain inbox health to avoid spam folders, boosting message visibility
Result?
Better conversations → more meetings → higher conversions.
What makes Instantly different from JustDone AI?
JustDone.ai focuses heavily on content generation using pre-trained LLMs (like email drafts or outreach templates).
Instantly.ai, on the other hand, is an all-in-one cold outreach platform designed for B2B lead generation, offering:
- Built-in lead verification
- Inbox rotation and warm-up pools
- Smart reply handling
- CRM-like tracking and unified inbox
For actual outreach and pipeline building, Instantly is the stronger choice.
For just writing outreach copy, JustDone AI may suffice but lacks outreach automation.
Saleha
- Best AI Tools For Automation
Our Recent
Blogs
Surfer SEO Review 2025: Powerful AI Tool to Boost Your Rankings
How GoHighLevel Replaces Your Entire Tech Stack and Reduces Agency Costs by 70%
My Favorite ChatGPT Alternatives for Agencies: Tools That Actually Deliver
