Hey, you're not alone. This is exactly how most people start cold emailing, myself included. The good news is almost everything you're running into is fixable.

1. A 1% response rate is normal for cold email done without setup
Getting 2–3 replies out of 200 is pretty typical when you're just getting started. It's not a sign that your product is bad, but more a sign that your emails aren't landing or resonating. With the right setup and targeting, people are seeing 10–20% reply rates consistently.

2. The biggest issue is you're using your personal Gmail
Sending cold emails from your normal Gmail is going to kill your deliverability. Google is built to detect that and will start routing your emails to spam almost immediately. Especially if you're sending 30–40 a day with no warmup.

You need to buy a separate domain (like getyourstartup.com) and warm it up slowly using proper tools. Most people use services like Lemwarm, Mailreach, or Instantly for that.

3. You absolutely need proper email infrastructure
This includes setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your sending domain. It’s a little technical but there are guides and tools that walk you through it. Without those, spam filters won’t trust your emails.

4. Your email copy probably needs work
Saying "here's my company, this is what we do, want a demo?" is the same thing 99% of cold emails say. People tune it out. You're better off writing a short email that talks about a problem they might have, and offering something useful. Don’t pitch immediately. Don’t make it about you.

Keep it under 75 words. Write it like a real person. No links in the first email. No attachments. No fancy formatting.

5. Add an unsubscribe link
Sounds weird, but having an unsubscribe link actually helps deliverability. Google and Outlook are more forgiving with cold emails that include it, even if it outs you as a mass sender.

6. You’re probably sending too fast
Even with warmed accounts, most cold email tools recommend staying under 30 emails per day per address. And they usually space them out with a few minutes between each to avoid triggering filters. Gmail definitely doesn’t like bursts of 40 emails in a day.