Outreach Setup & Warmup SOP

1. Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to define a standardized process for setting up new outreach infrastructure (domains, inboxes, tools) and warming them up before outbound campaigns begin. A structured warmup ensures:

  1. High email deliverability and sender reputation.
  2. Reduced spam risk and blacklisting.
  3. Consistency in campaign readiness across SDRs.
  4. Protection of the company’s primary brand domain.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to all teams responsible for outbound outreach setup.

  • Roles Covered: SDRs, Sales Operations, Sales Managers.
  • Activities Covered: Domain registration, DNS setup, inbox creation, warmup, monitoring, and campaign approval.
  • Systems Covered: Email service providers (e.g., Google Workspace), warmup tools (Instantly, Mailflow), CRM integrations.

3. Definitions

  1. Outreach Domain – A secondary domain registered for outbound campaigns (e.g., getmemorres.com instead of memorres.com).
  2. Warmup – The process of gradually increasing email sending volume through automated, positive interactions to build trust with ISPs.
  3. Deliverability – The ability of emails to successfully reach inboxes rather than spam folders.
  4. SPF/DKIM/DMARC – Email authentication protocols that verify sender legitimacy.
  5. Inbox Reputation – A score used by ISPs to evaluate whether emails from a domain/inbox are trustworthy.

4. Step-by-Step Process

1. Domain Setup

  • Register 1–2 outreach-specific domains (avoid using the main brand domain).
  • Configure DNS with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • Test setup with tools like MXToolbox to confirm authentication.

2. Inbox Creation

  • Create 2–3 inboxes per outreach domain (e.g., jane@getmemorres.com).
  • Assign inboxes to SDRs.
  • Use professional signatures with brand logo and disclaimers.

3. Warmup Phase

  • Connect inboxes to warm-up tools (e.g., Instantly).
  • Start sending 10–15 automated warmup emails per day.
  • Gradually scale volume to 40–50/day over 3–4 weeks.
  • Ensure warmup emails receive auto-replies, positive signals, and inbox activity.

4. Initial Test Campaigns

  • After 2 weeks of warm-up, run internal test campaigns (to colleagues/seed lists).
  • Measure open rate (>90%) and bounce rate (<3%).
  • Continue warmup until thresholds are met.

5. Campaign Readiness Check

  • Sales Ops verifies:
    • Domain authentication
    • Warmup results
    • Inbox signatures & templates
  • Only after approval, campaigns may begin.

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  • SDRs: Manage inbox setup, monitor warmup progress, and log setup in CRM.
  • Sales Operations: Configure DNS, manage warmup tools, and validate deliverability.
  • Sales Managers: Approve campaign readiness before launch.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  • Governance: Overseen by Sales Ops in coordination with the Head of Sales.
  • Monitoring: Weekly deliverability reports and inbox reputation checks.
  • Violations:
    • Launching campaigns before warmup completion.
    • Using the primary company domain for cold outreach.
    • Skipping SPF/DKIM/DMARC setup.
  • Consequences:
    • First violation: Retraining and campaign suspension.
    • Repeat violation: Removal of outreach privileges.

7. Review & Ownership

  • SOP Owner: Sales Operations.
  • Review Cycle: Semi-annual or when outreach tools/domains change.
  • Approval Authority: Head of Sales.
  • Training: SDRs must receive outreach setup training during onboarding.
  • Version Control: All updates logged in SOP Register with version, date, and approver.