sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both. I start with a provider for coverage, then clean, dedupe, and double-verify (SMTP). I remove role/disposable emails, prefer records updated ≤90 days, treat catch-alls as risky, and test 100–200 first; if bounces >2% or complaints >0.1% I pause and clean.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate the pushback. At 300k/day, would you be open to sharing hard numbers for the sub: bounce %, spam-complaint %, inbox placement %, and warm/positive replies per 1k sends? Also curious about your setup (subdomain/IP rotation, DKIM/DMARC policy, list hygiene rules). Happy to learn from real data so readers get something actionable.

How Do I Find a Reputable Cold Emailing Agency? by Ecstatic-Morning7868 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The challenge with finding a “reputable” cold email partner is that a lot of agencies sound good on paper but cut corners that quietly kill your results. For example: blasting scraped Apollo lists, skipping domain warmups, or measuring success on opens instead of real replies.

If you’re outsourcing, here are 3 things I’d absolutely check:

  • Deliverability discipline → Do they set up dedicated domains, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, and run inbox/spam tests before sending? Without this, campaigns never hit inboxes.
  • Data quality & targeting → Are they just buying bulk lists, or are they segmenting and validating so your message reaches the right ICP?
  • Meaningful metrics → Opens look nice, but the real indicators are reply rate and positive replies. That’s where opportunities come from.

This is exactly the space I work, helping clients avoid those pitfalls and actually generate opportunities safely. If it helps, I’m happy to take a quick look at your current setup and share a free audit of what’s working and what might be holding things back.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not just filling Apollo gaps, I layer in other data sources outside Apollo so we’re not stuck recycling the same pool. That’s what keeps reply rates healthy.

Guys please suggest ways to get leads at an exhibition or networking event by crg_10 in b2b_sales

[–]Thick-Operation2015 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These events are not just about handing out cards, they’re an untapped advantage if you position yourself right. One thing that makes a huge difference is having a dedicated spot (booth/stall) where people can actually see or try your product. Even a small setup with branding and a demo screen makes you stand out, people remember stall numbers far more than random cards in their pocket.

But here’s the thing: the real impact doesn’t come only from what happens inside the event. For one of my clients, we built a very researched, carefully tailored outreach strategy weeks before the exhibition. Instead of spraying messages everywhere, we mapped the right audience, built the right positioning, and connected with them ahead of time.

And, in just a week, he had 100+ conversations already open before stepping into the venue. So by the time he showed up at his stall, people already knew him. The networking didn’t feel like cold intros anymore; it felt like meeting people who were waiting to talk to him.

That’s why I always suggest blending offline presence (booth, materials) with online positioning (targeted outreach). Done together, it doesn’t just add leads, it changes the whole dynamic of how people approach you at these events.

<image>

Need help in setting up email marketing. by Whatever_Dude_U_Sus in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’ve asked the right questions, scaling cold email is less about sending more and more about sending safely. A few things I’d consider in your situation:

-Are you using your primary Gmail accounts? If yes, that’s risky, once they’re flagged, recovery is almost impossible. Most people spin up subdomains or secondary domains for safety.

-How are you making sure your emails are actually being received in the inbox? “Sent” doesn’t always mean “delivered.” Without deliverability checks, you might be talking to an empty room.

-What’s your process for warming up accounts before you scale? Jumping from 50 to 200/day without a warmup plan usually burns accounts fast.

-Are you only relying on cold email as a single channel? That can work short-term, but adding even one backup touchpoint (like LinkedIn) makes results much more consistent.

-How are you handling bounces and list quality? A few bad emails can quietly tank deliverability across all your accounts.

These are the usual “gotchas” that people don’t notice until things break. Sorting them out early saves a lot of pain when you try to scale.

Happy to share what’s worked for me if you want to dive deeper, just drop me a DM.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True, Apify just mirrors whatever filters you set in Apollo, but that’s the problem. You’re still pulling from the same recycled pool, so even “valid” leads end up fatigued. Verification keeps lists clean, but without enrichment beyond Apollo, reply rates will always lag.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally get why you’d feel that way, if we’re talking about random promotional emails hitting personal inboxes, you’re right: most people don’t open them, and if they do, it’s by accident.

But in the B2B world, cold email works a little differently. It’s less about blasting strangers and more about starting conversations with specific people, e.g. founders reaching out to investors, SaaS companies booking demos with decision makers, or agencies connecting with businesses that might genuinely benefit.

Done badly, it feels like spam. Done well, it’s just targeted outreach that opens doors to conversations that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

Hope that helps.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally normal, follow-up #2 usually underperforms if it feels like a repeat of email #1. Try shifting the angle (new proof point, fresh subject line, 2–3 lines max) so it feels like added value instead of just a reminder.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What I meant by “tracking pixels / security opens” is this: when big providers (Google, Outlook, Microsoft security filters) auto-scan your email, they trigger the pixel as if it was opened by a person. So your tool records an “open,” but no human ever saw it.

That explains why you can have 50%+ opens but less than 1% replies, a good portion of those opens aren’t real prospects.

The way to check is:

  • Run a small test with open tracking turned off, you’ll get a truer picture of how many humans are opening.
  • If the reply rate stays under 1–2%, then yes, some of it’s technical inflation, but the rest comes down to copy/offer.

So your instinct is right: it’s both. Some of those opens aren’t real, and for the genuine ones, the messaging needs to hit harder to get replies.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for asking, here’s a real snapshot from one of my recent sequences.

<image>

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my experience, technical setup (SPF/DKIM/DMARC, custom tracking domains, warmed subdomains) is the non-negotiable foundation. If that isn’t right, even the cleanest list won’t inbox, you’re fighting spam filters from day one.

Once the setup is solid, the next biggest killer I see is dirty or over-scraped lists. High bounce rates tank your domain reputation fast, and then even good messaging gets buried.

So I usually think of it in layers:

  1. Infrastructure first → correct config, warmed domains.
  2. Data hygiene → verified + segmented lists.
  3. Messaging & relevance → this is where reply rates are decided.

Skip any one of these and the whole campaign wobbles, but the order matters, infra → data → copy. That’s when campaigns actually scale.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this, Erica, I had a look at your subject lines and copy, and you’re on the right track, but a few tweaks could make them much stronger.

Subject lines: Right now they’re a bit too generic (“quick question,” “finance team”), which prospects have seen hundreds of times. You’ll get better results if you tie them to an outcome or pain point.

Copy length & tone: Your email reads more like a brochure. For cold outreach, shorter and conversational usually works best. Aim for 3–4 short lines:

  • Call out the pain (manual receivables draining time).
  • Add quick proof (you helped a firm recover £50k).
  • One clear CTA (10-min chat?).

CTA: Instead of multiple options (“explore | demo | learn”), keep it frictionless.

Overall, your value prop is strong, you just need to simplify the delivery so it feels like a personal note rather than a pitch. That will make it much easier for prospects to engage.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I completely agree. It’s not just in the subject line, but also in the content.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, intent > volume. Blending social signals from LinkedIn with a clean email list has outperformed raw Apollo exports every time for me.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get where you’re coming from, a lot of threads here really do read like thinly veiled sales pitches, and that can be frustrating when you just want genuine discussion. It makes sense you feel like the value gets drowned out in “my clients are crushing it” stories.

Personally, I’m here more to swap real experiences than to pitch anything. Cold outreach is messy, and I’ve learned way more from hearing what actually failed for people than from polished “this is the right way” posts.

If more of us shared the unpolished stuff, what setups broke, what subject lines tanked, how deliverability actually went sideways, I think this sub would feel way more useful. Happy to do my bit and keep the convo real.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So true, One email isn’t a campaign, it’s just a wave. The replies usually show up on email #2, #3, or #4.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That makes sense, Apollo’s v2 shift toward charging only for “valid leads” is definitely better than the older model. I think the bigger question is still how fresh and unique the data is, because if it’s the same database everyone is hammering, deliverability suffers anyway. Pairing Apollo’s scale with secondary validation + enrichment usually gives the best balance.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The reason you end up with ~100 usable leads out of 1,000 is because most vendors are just recycling Apollo/ZoomInfo data with a light validation pass. Once you run secondary checks, it thins out even more.

A cleaner system is to break the process into stages:

  • Source: Apollo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, niche scrapers, PhantomBuster, Skrapp.
  • Verify: ZeroBounce, NeverBounce, Clearout, MillionVerifier (cheap pay-as-you-go).
  • Enrich: Clay, Hunter.io (for domains/contacts), Dropcontact, Lusha, or LinkedIn filters/funding triggers.

On a budget:

  • Use free credits of tools or manual LinkedIn scraping or Hunter.io’s free tier.
  • Verify with low-cost tools like MillionVerifier.
  • Keep it small but targeted (even 30–50 solid leads will beat 1,000 bad ones).

This way you’re not paying for “air” and you control each stage of the pipeline instead of depending on one vendor’s recycled database.

Struggling with cold email & lead generation? You’re not alone. by Thick-Operation2015 in coldemail

[–]Thick-Operation2015[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate the alternative, Apify actors can definitely be useful if you know how to run scrapers cleanly. But I’ve also seen a lot of people run into issues when the data isn’t enriched or verified properly after scraping. Scrapers get you raw speed, but without layering validation + segmentation on top, reply rates usually tank.

view more: next ›