How to Use Instantly.ai: A Step-by-Step Setup Guide for Your First Campaign

Setting up Instantly properly takes a few weeks, not an afternoon, because the most important step, warming up new inboxes, cannot be rushed. The sequence is: set up separate sending domains and mailboxes, authenticate them, connect them to Instantly, warm them up, build and verify a lead list, write a short sequence, set sensible sending limits, test, then launch and manage replies. Skipping steps is the most common reason first campaigns land in spam.

Step 1: Get sending domains

Do not send cold email from your main business domain. If something goes wrong, you risk the domain your normal email, invoices and customer communication depend on. Register a few closely related domains, such as variations of your brand name, and redirect them to your main website so prospects who visit see your real site.

Step 2: Create mailboxes

Create a small number of mailboxes per domain, usually with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, using real-looking sender names. Add a profile photo and a signature. Spreading sending across several inboxes lets each one send a modest daily volume.

Step 3: Authenticate every domain

Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC records for each sending domain, plus a custom tracking domain if you use open or click tracking. Major mailbox providers expect authentication from senders, and missing records are a common reason for poor inbox placement. Our guide to cold email deliverability explains each one.

Step 4: Connect accounts to Instantly

Add each mailbox to Instantly through its Google or Microsoft connection or via SMTP and IMAP. Check that each account shows as connected and healthy.

Step 5: Warm up

Turn on warmup for every new inbox and leave it running for a few weeks before sending real campaigns, keeping it on while you send. Warmup builds positive sending history gradually. See how Instantly warmup works.

Step 6: Build a targeted, verified list

Define your ideal customer precisely: industry, company size, location, job titles and a reason they might need you now. Build the list from Instantly’s lead finder or another source, then verify emails to remove invalid addresses. Start with a few hundred well-chosen prospects rather than thousands of loosely matched ones. See using Instantly’s lead finder.

Step 7: Write a short sequence

Three or four emails is plenty for a first campaign: a short, relevant opener, one or two follow-ups adding a different angle, and a polite final message. Personalise the first line or the reason for reaching out where you can. Keep emails short, plain text, with one clear ask. Our guide to writing Instantly sequences includes structure and examples.

Step 8: Configure the campaign

• Select which mailboxes the campaign sends from.
• Set a daily sending limit per mailbox that stays conservative, especially at first.
• Set a schedule in the prospect’s time zone during business hours.
• Add random gaps between emails rather than sending in bursts.
• Decide on tracking. Many senders turn off open tracking for cold campaigns to keep emails cleaner.
• Make sure the campaign stops for anyone who replies.
• Include a simple way to opt out, and honour it.

Step 9: Test before launch

Send test emails to your own accounts at different providers, check formatting and personalisation, and run an inbox placement test if available. Fix anything that lands in spam before going live.

Step 10: Launch, then manage replies daily

Launch to a portion of your list first. Check Unibox daily, reply to interested prospects quickly, and label responses. Move positive replies into your CRM or pipeline so they are followed up properly. Connecting Instantly to your CRM or automation tools makes this reliable. See automating lead follow-up.

What to measure

Focus on reply rate, positive reply rate, meetings booked and bounce rate rather than opens. If bounces are high, fix the list. If replies are low but deliverability is fine, fix targeting or copy. Change one thing at a time so you know what worked.

Want it set up right the first time?

We set up Instantly end to end: domains, mailboxes, authentication, warmup, lists, sequences and CRM integration, then run and optimise campaigns. See our AI Automation Systems service, read our Instantly review, or get in touch.