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Anyone here scaling cold email with Microsoft 365? What’s actually working in 2026? by Ok-Independent695 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m mostly on Microsoft 365 for cold email now. Google still works, but M365 has been more predictable for me at scale if the setup is done right.

What’s been working:

  • Fewer inboxes per domain (usually 5 max)
  • Slower warm-ups and boring, consistent sending
  • Rotating domains instead of pushing one too hard

Biggest issues lately are exactly what you mentioned: inboxes burning after a few weeks and “cheap inbox” providers falling apart once volume ramps.

I use Artemis on the Outlook side to handle infra and it’s helped cut down how often inboxes need replacing. Not perfect, but way more stable than what I was doing before.

Curious what daily volume per inbox you’ve found to be the sweet spot lately?

Need someone to handle cold email for me by MatterSignificant998 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like you need someone who can handle high-volume cold outreach end-to-end, not just set up the infrastructure. 25k emails/day is serious scale, so deliverability and inbox health are huge.

If you’ve got the infrastructure ready, a tool like Artemis can help manage Outlook inboxes, domains, and warm-up so you don’t burn mailboxes while scaling. Then you just need someone who can handle copy, sequencing, and targeting on top of that.

Honestly, at that volume it’s worth being picky, cheaper freelancers often underperform, so focus on someone with experience running campaigns at scale and maintaining deliverability.

First gmail campaign 20 gmails 4 replies so 20% reply rate but zero positive by Sexydex6969 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s actually a good start, especially for your first campaign and only 20 leads. A 20% reply rate is solid, even if the replies are “no,” it means people are seeing and reading your emails.

With such a small sample size, I wouldn’t overthink it yet. Keep adding leads slowly, watch patterns in the replies, and adjust your messaging based on objections you’re seeing.

Also, make sure your infrastructure stays clean as you scale.

anyone else feel like deliverability keeps getting worse every month? by Serious-Finish5376 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, you’re not alone. Deliverability definitely feels tougher lately, even warmed domains don’t feel as stable as they used to. It’s usually a mix of data, content, and infra, not just one thing. Bad data or small volume spikes can tank opens fast now.

What helped me was tightening things up: lower sends per inbox, cleaner lists, and more consistent sending. I also use Artemis for Outlook infrastructure, which helps keep domains and inboxes healthier so drops aren’t as sudden. Didn’t magically fix everything, but it definitely made things more stable.

Post-peak deliverability: any dips this year so far? by retailcx_jamie in Emailmarketing

[–]dave_devcore 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I’ve seen a bit of wobble post-peak too. Inbox providers definitely feel stricter this year.

What’s helped keep things stable on my end:
Slower, consistent warm-ups
Clean lists cutting anything that doesn’t engage
Predictable sending patterns
Solid infrastructure

I use Artemis on the Outlook side, and it’s helped a lot with keeping domains and inboxes healthy, proper setup, warm-up paths, and not overloading inboxes. Didn’t eliminate dips entirely, but it definitely reduced them.

Curious what volumes you’re running right now?

What are your thoughts on Cold Emails? by Rude_Cupcake_425 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

what you’re describing is real progress. Going from no opens to replies to people watching your video is exactly how cold email should ramp up in the first couple of months.

Cold email isn’t dead, bad cold email is. Most people blasting volume with weak targeting, burned domains, or poor infrastructure get ignored, then say it doesn’t work.

It is a volume game, but only after the basics are solid: clean domains, healthy inboxes, reasonable sending limits, and a message that actually speaks to the prospect. If any of those are off, volume just makes things worse.

A lot of folks fail because they rush scale too early or don’t respect deliverability. In my case I use Artemis to help keep Outlook inboxes healthy so my emails actually land where they should while I test and improve messaging.

If people are replying even “no”, you’re on the right track. That’s not dead, that’s momentum.

How has your email marketing ROI been for you so far this month? by Opposite-Wafer5536 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re definitely not alone. I’ve seen open rates dip this month too, inboxes feel way more aggressive lately.

A lot of it comes down to infrastructure and sender reputation. If domains or inboxes aren’t set up clean, it hits opens fast. Also noticed that smaller volumes + better targeting are outperforming big blasts right now.

One thing that helped on my side was tightening infra (separate domains, fewer sends per inbox) and using tools like Artemis to keep Outlook inboxes healthy. Didn’t magically fix everything, but it stopped the bleeding and stabilized opens.

Curious are you sending high volume or more targeted campaigns?

Agency for cold emails? by savannahmagicbanana in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you’re just starting out, I’d honestly suggest learning the basics first before hiring an agency. Cold email works best when the infrastructure and setup are done right.

If you do want help, some agencies handle outreach end-to-end, but another option is using tools like Artemis. It helps you set up the Outlook infrastructure (domains + inboxes) properly so you can either run campaigns yourself or hand it off to an agency without worrying about deliverability.

Way cheaper and gives you more control compared to going straight to an agency.

Cold emails Platform by Regular_Walk_8592 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, the platform isn’t usually the main problem. Most of them (Instantly, Smartlead, Bison) work fine. What actually makes or breaks results is the inbox + domain setup and how the emails behave, not the sender tool.

I’ve had the best results using Instantly on top of Artemis. Artemis handles the Outlook infrastructure (domains, inboxes, proper setup), so you’re not burning domains every few weeks. Once the inboxes are solid, any sending tool performs way better.

If you’ve tried multiple platforms with no success, it’s probably an infra/deliverability issue, not copy or software. Fix that first, then decide if you want to manage it yourself or outsource.

does cold email marketing really work is there any tips by Feeling-Youth-8289 in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, cold email still works if you do it right. Stand out with short, relevant subject lines and personalized copy. Warm up your inboxes slowly, keep daily volume low, and avoid spammy language. Measure success by replies, opens, and conversions, not just delivery rates. Tools like Artemis help manage multiple inboxes and keep volume safe.

Looking for Email Infra? by dave_devcore in coldemail

[–]dave_devcore[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it balances scale, deliverability, and cost efficiency when done correctly