cold email state of the union: how to send 2M emails a month to generate 1500 leads
Apr 21, 2025
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Nick Abraham, founder of the cold email agency Leadbird, shares invaluable insights into email marketing strategies that are winning today. He discusses the recent changes in data sourcing and the challenges posed by restrictions on tools like Apollo. Nick explains effective tactics for cold emailing and emphasizes the revival of cold calling as a powerful approach. He highlights the importance of validating offers and using AI smartly, while debunking myths around deliverability. Tips on maintaining diverse infrastructure for safer outreach also take center stage.
Cold emailing remains a potent channel for startups to gain customers quickly despite the rapidly changing tactics and deliverability challenges.
The recent restrictions on Apollo’s data sourcing highlight the need for diverse alternatives like ListKit and efficient use of enrichment tools.
Combining personalized cold emails with strategic cold calling enhances engagement, emphasizing the importance of immediate follow-ups to improve conversion rates.
Deep dives
The Power and Challenges of Cold Emailing
Cold emailing is highlighted as one of the most effective channels for startups to acquire initial customers due to its immediate impact. However, the landscape is rapidly changing, likening it to 'hand-to-hand combat' as the effectiveness of strategies and deliverability can shift unexpectedly. Keeping up with these changes is essential, requiring adaptability and an understanding of what is currently working. The discussion emphasizes the necessity of being aware of new tactics and changes, especially with tools like Apollo, that are crucial for data sourcing in cold emailing.
Navigating Apollo Changes and Data Providers
Recent changes to Apollo's data access, particularly limiting the email scraping methods previously utilized, are discussed extensively. The reduction in free account capabilities has prompted an exploration of alternative providers such as ListKit and the resurgence of older methods, like scraping Sales Navigator. The need for a diverse range of data sources is emphasized to mitigate risks associated with dependency on a single provider, thereby ensuring a more stable email outreach strategy. The speaker advocates for leveraging multiple databases and enrichment tools to maintain a competitive edge in cold emailing.
Optimizing Email Infrastructure
A robust email infrastructure is critical for successful cold emailing, requiring a blend of Microsoft and Google inboxes, supplemented with SMTP senders. Maintaining a diversified setup minimizes vulnerability to deliverability threats that arise from using a single provider. Implementing two sets of each type of account allows for effective rotation, managing deliverability risks while ensuring consistent outreach. Such strategic setups enable users to adapt to the ever-mutating landscape of email marketing, maintaining successful outreach and engagement.
Effective Cold Email Strategies and AI Utilization
Personalizing cold emails beyond mere name and company mentions can significantly improve open rates and response rates. Effective strategies include referencing local events or mutual acquaintances to create a relatable angle, making the email feel genuine and inviting dialogue. The conversation also critiques the overuse of AI in cold email composition, arguing that AI should assist with research and idea generation but not dominate the entire content creation process. Carefully balancing AI involvement while retaining a human touch in emails ensures creativity and authenticity, setting outreach apart.
The Merge of Cold Calling with Email Outreach
Combining cold calling with cold emailing has emerged as a highly effective tactic to increase engagement and conversion rates. Timing calls shortly after an email is sent allows for immediate follow-up, reinforcing the initial outreach and capturing leads more effectively. The importance of developing a structured approach for cold calls, including using effective scripts and calling automation tools, is emphasized. This multi-channel approach to outreach not only amplifies results but also helps in building rapport and trust quickly, ultimately accelerating the sales process.
In this episode, Nick Abraham, founder of cold email agency Leadbird, joins the show for a deep dive into what’s working right now in the fast-changing world of email marketing. With over 400 clients and millions of emails sent monthly, Nick shares tactical insights from the frontlines — from deliverability strategies to AI usage and cold calling.
The conversation covers the recent Apollo crackdown, the shift in data sourcing, and how agencies can safeguard infrastructure to avoid total shutdowns. Nick also unpacks the importance of validating your offer, tips for scaling cold outreach, and the resurrection of cold calling as a powerful channel when paired with smart automation.
Timestamps 00:00 – Why cold email is still a top channel 00:39 – State of cold email: "bloody ocean" tactics 02:12 – Apollo’s recent changes & implications 05:00 – Data sourcing alternatives (ListKit, Sales Nav scraping) 07:12 – Clay’s rise & how to enrich leads 10:25 – EDU/Microsoft panel loopholes and risks 14:00 – The right infra mix: Google, Microsoft, SMTP 18:00 – Cost breakdown for 10K cold emails 20:00 – Who cold email works for — and who it doesn’t 23:35 – Cold email templates that work today 28:01 – Cold calling revival & voicemail strategy 33:00 – Smart personalization that stands out 37:00 – Overuse of AI: when it backfires 41:50 – Volume vs optimization: when to scale 47:00 – Warm-up pools, deliverability myths & final thoughts
Key Points
Apollo Crackdown: Apollo recently slashed its free plan from 10,000 to 100 leads/month, killing off common scraping strategies. Agencies must now diversify data sources.
Email Infrastructure Strategy: Nick recommends splitting accounts evenly across Google, Microsoft, and SMTP providers (like MailReef), using separate tenants for each domain to reduce risk.
Cold Email Templates That Work: Short emails with a bold subject line, a clearly stated pain point, social proof, and a clear CTA. Two-step sequences are outperforming long follow-ups.
AI in Cold Email: Use AI for variable enrichment (like local restaurants or recent promotions) — but not for full email writing. Over-automation feels robotic and gets ignored.
Cold Calling Rebirth: Combining parallel dialers, voicemails, and email follow-ups creates a high-performing outbound flywheel. Nick’s simple pitch script: “Can I get 30 seconds, or tell me to kick rocks?”
Warm-Up Pools Controversy: Instantly and Smartlead warm-up pools have downsides. Use them carefully and always monitor bounce rates.
Who Should Use Cold Email?
✔ SaaS, agencies, and service businesses with high LTVs ($5K+) ✔ Founders with a unique, compelling offer ✔ Companies with a working sales process & CRM follow-up ✘ Commodity offers (e.g., generic e-comm marketing) with no clear differentiation
Notable Quotes
"Don’t build a pricing model on a hack. It’s a matter of time until it breaks." "Most people overthink deliverability — bad offers are the real issue." "You can get 0.8% replies or 0% if your inbox gets shut down — choose wisely."
