Are you struggling to get opens and replies from your cold emails?
You're not alone.
Many sales professionals face this challenge: they send cold emails only to hear crickets... but there's a solution to make it one step further: email warmup.
We'll dive deep into what email warmup is, why it's crucial for cold outreach success, and how you can implement it step-by-step to scale your efforts and reach your sales goals (all possible within Luna.ai).
HOW EMAIL WARMUP CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS:
Improve your email deliverability and ensure your emails reach the primary inbox
Increase your open and reply rates by building a positive sending reputation
Scale your cold outreach without triggering spam filters or getting blacklisted
What is Email Warmup?
Email warmup is the process of gradually increasing the volume of emails sent from a new or inactive email account to establish a positive sending reputation with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Email Service Providers (ESPs).
By consistently sending emails and demonstrating engagement, you signal to these providers that you are a legitimate sender, not a spammer.
WHY IS EMAIL WARMUP IMPORTANT?
ISPs and ESPs use complex algorithms to detect and filter out spam to protect their users
Suddenly sending a large volume of emails from a new account can trigger spam filters and harm your deliverability
Building a positive sending reputation takes time and consistent effort, but it's essential for cold outreach success
Step-by-Step Guide to Email Warmup
Step 1: Set Up a Secondary Email Domain
Avoid using your primary business domain for cold outreach, as it can put your main domain's reputation at risk
Instead, purchase a secondary domain specifically for cold email campaigns
Choose a domain that aligns with your brand and sounds trustworthy (e.g., yourbrand.io,getyourbrand.dev, getyourbrand.ai, yourbrandoutreach.com)
Configure your secondary domain's DNS settings and email hosting
More on setting up a secondary email domain can be found via this article:
Step 2: Authenticate Your Domain
Set up Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records to specify which IP addresses can send emails on behalf of your domain
Implement DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) to add a digital signature to your emails and prevent spoofing
Establish Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) to align SPF and DKIM and specify how to handle failed authentication
Follow your email provider's instructions to set up these records in your domain's DNS settings
More about SPF, DKIM and DMARC can be found in this article:
Step 3: Use Luna's Intelligent Warmup Feature
Luna's advanced warmup system automatically crafts relevant emails based on your industry, job title, and target audience
These contextual emails help establish a positive reputation with ESPs by mimicking genuine conversations
Luna intelligently marks emails as important, removes them from spam folders, and archives them on your behalf
Simply connect your email account and let Luna's warmup run in the background, ensuring your emails land where they belong: the primary inbox
Step 4: Start with a Small Volume of Emails
Once you're done warming up...
Begin by sending 10-20 emails per day
Ensure your content is valuable and relevant to avoid unsubscribes or spam complaints
Monitor your open rates, reply rates, and bounce rates to ensure good engagement
Gradually increase your daily volume by 10-20% each week, as long as your engagement rates remain strong
Step 5: Monitor Your Deliverability
Use Luna's built-in tracking to monitor open rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints
Aim for an open rate above 50%, a bounce rate below 1%, and minimal spam complaints
If you notice issues, slow down your sending volume and review your content
Step 6: Maintain Your Reputation
Continue to send high-quality, relevant emails to your prospects consistently
Regularly clean your email list to avoid sending to invalid or unengaged addresses (automatically done by Luna - we validate every email address).
Monitor your sender reputation using our Email Health feature
If you need to significantly increase your volume, consider adding secondary domains to spread the load
The Benefits of Continuous Email Warmup with Luna
Luna's email warmup feature is designed to keep your inbox in good standing, even when you're not actively sending cold emails.
By maintaining a consistent flow of contextual, personalized warmup emails with a 100% reply rate, Luna ensures that your email account always looks like a legitimate, engaged business inbox.
Here's an example of how Luna's continuous warmup can benefit your outreach:
With Luna warmup sending 8 emails per day alongside your 50 daily outreach emails:
48 out of 58 total emails get opened (80% outreach, 100% warmup)
8 emails get marked as important (0% outreach, 100% warmup)
10 emails get replied to (5% outreach, 100% warmup)
2 emails get marked as spam (5% outreach, 0% warmup)
Without Luna's continuous warmup, out of your 50 daily outreach emails:
40 emails get opened (80% outreach)
0 emails get marked as important
2 emails get replied to (5% outreach)
2 emails get marked as spam (5% outreach)
By always keeping email warmup on, Luna makes your inbox appear more like a thriving business email account rather than a potential spam sender.
Best Practices for Scaling Cold Outreach
Segment your prospects and personalize your messaging to improve relevance and engagement (i.e. create multiple playbooks/campaigns)
A/B test your subject lines, copy, and calls-to-action to optimize performance
Please, please, please... If you're serious about your outreach success, set up a secondary domain to protect your main domain
Conclusion
Email warmup is a critical process for any sales professional looking to get results from their cold email outreach.
By following this step-by-step guide, you can establish a positive sending reputation, improve your deliverability, and ultimately generate more opens, replies, and conversions from your campaigns.
Remember, email warmup is not a one-time task, but an ongoing process. Consistency is key to maintaining your hard-earned reputation and ensuring long-term cold outreach success.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Always use a secondary domain for cold outreach to protect your primary domain's reputation
Email warmup is essential for building a positive sending reputation and avoiding spam filters
Authenticate your domain, start with a small volume, and gradually increase over time
Use Luna's intelligent warmup feature to automate the process with hyper-personalized emails
Regularly monitor your deliverability
Follow cold email best practices
By mastering the art and science of email warmup, you'll be well on your way to scaling your cold outreach efforts and smashing your sales goals.
Happy sending! 🚀