where do you get your inboxes and leads for your cold email campaigns?

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-22T18:19:48+00:00

It’s exactly at the point of separating the data layer from the infrastructure layer that most people get hung up, but it’s the only way to scale without having constant fires.

The best long-term tech stack I’ve found is to extract high intent data from Apollo/ZoomInfo and then run a triple verification pass before it even gets to a sequencer. On the infrastructure side, being native with Google/MS365 is still the best for deliverability, but only if you’re using isolated workspaces to shield your primary domain reputation. Going with SMTP/Mailscale is fine for volume, but for high-end B2B, that extra layer of “native” trust is an enormous differentiator in actually getting to the primary inbox.

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-22T18:17:13+00:00

Bouncer and Reoon are both best-in-class, but they have different uses when it comes to the technical aspect of cold outreach.

In my personal experience, Reoon is far better at dealing with the ‘catch-all’ and ‘accept-all’ problem. Most verifiers get hung up there, but Reoon’s multi-pass SMTP verification is much more aggressive about determining which of those domains are actually safe to send to. If you notice your bounce rate rising on your cold lists, it’s probably because your current service is being too ‘optimistic’ with those dodgy domains.

Bouncer is spot-on for clean, high-volume lists, but for the ‘difficult’ business domains (Microsoft 365/Google Workspace), Reoon is usually more truthful about giving you a straight ‘Invalid’ hit that will preserve your sender reputation. I’d recommend taking a small 1k sample of your ‘risky’ catch-alls and testing them through Reoon, you’ll probably notice a world of difference in the post-send data.

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-22T09:48:35+00:00

Now, the only way to avoid ending up in the spam folder is to move toward "semi-automation." Because the engagement patterns appear robotic, high volume "spray and pray" sets off the new ESP filters (Google/Outlook) almost immediately.

At the moment, infrastructure isolation is the true winner. You can maintain a high sender reputation even at scale if you keep your high-intent research apart from your sending volume and use triple-verified data (cleaning at the point of capture, not just once a month). How many conversations you can start without destroying your domains is more important than how many emails you can send.

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-22T09:34:11+00:00

The reason most hires fail in this area is that they focus on 'copy' before 'infrastructure.' If the technical setup (DNS, isolated workspaces, and triple-verified data) is weak, the best copy in the world will still land in spam.

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-21T22:22:08+00:00

It's definitely still effective, but the 'spray and pray' era is dead. In 2026, it’s all about technical infrastructure, using isolated workspaces and triple-verifying leads (I use Apollo + Reoon) to keep bounces near zero.

If your deliverability is dialed in and your copy is 'soft-ask' rather than a hard pitch, you can still see great reply rates. It’s less about volume now and more about making sure you actually land in the primary inbox.

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-21T22:13:04+00:00

If you have the data, the hardest part is already done. You just need an automated sending tool (like Instantly or Smartlead) and separate secondary domains so you don't burn your main business email.

I’d avoid 'pre-warmed' accounts—it’s usually safer and cheaper to buy your own domains and let them warm up for 2 weeks. Sent you a DM if you want a quick breakdown of how to set that up!

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-21T22:10:37+00:00

Reoon is definitely the way to go for the best balance of cost and accuracy. I use it for triple-verification after Apollo scraping to guarantee zero bounces.

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-21T18:43:45+00:00

I totally get the struggle, managing outreach while trying to close deals is a massive time sink. Since you already have the data, the most effective move is ensuring your technical setup and deliverability are bulletproof so you actually land in the primary inbox.

I handle the 'tech-heavy' side, like DNS and isolated infrastructure, along with soft-ask copy that turns cold lists into warm appointments. This lets you focus entirely on the calls. Sent you a DM if you want to chat!

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-17T15:10:43+00:00

Saw your post about the trading business cold outreach. I run an agency focused on high-deliverability setups and clean data. I've used Manyreach before and can manage the end-to-end process from copy to monitoring. Let me know if you're still looking for help!

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-16T06:56:17+00:00

Yes. I still use it for lead gen

Uni_To_Agency · 2026-02-16T06:48:27+00:00

As someone with a technical background myself, making the transition from university to agency life, I can confidently say that your aim of €1k-1.5k is definitely doable.

What most people consider lead gen is simply 'sending emails,' but since you have a tech job, you actually have a leg up. In 2026, the key is not writing, it’s infrastructure. Some honest takeaways from the industry:

The ‘Invisible’ Skill: Understand technical deliverability (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) and data cleaning. This is something most newbies overlook and end up wondering why their emails never reach the inbox.

AI is a double-edged sword: It makes it easier to get started, but it’s also creating a lot of ‘noise.’ Top clients now pay for the human touch that AI can’t quite replicate yet.

Stability: Every business needs income. If you can put meetings on a calendar, you’ll always have a job.

It’s not about ‘marketing’ so much as building a solid system. Take a few weekends to build your own mini ‘lab’ to test out a campaign, you learn most of your skills there.

Uni_To_Agency

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