Cold call and cold email
Reach the right people with the right message, and stay on the right side of the rules.
Write the first two sentences of your message so they name something true about the person you are writing to.
Your learning checklist
0 of 6 steps marked · opening your workspace
Start here: learn the rules before the first send or dial
Penalties are per email and per call, so compliance comes before copy.
docsCAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business (FTC)
Eight rules for commercial email: honest headers and subject, physical address, a working opt-out honored within 10 business days.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
docsComplying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule (FTC)
Covers the Do Not Call registry, calling hours and the business-to-business exemption (with exceptions). This is general information, not legal advice.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
siteNational Do Not Call Registry
The official registry site. Check numbers against it before dialing consumers.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
Authenticate your sending domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
Without these three DNS records, mail is more likely to land in spam or be rejected.
docsSet up SPF (Google Workspace)
One DNS record that lists the servers allowed to send for your domain.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
docsSet up DKIM (Google Workspace)
Creates a signing key so receivers can prove your mail was not altered.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
docsSet up DMARC (Google Workspace)
Tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF or DKIM and sends you reports.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
toolMXToolbox SuperTool
Look up SPF, DKIM, DMARC and blacklist status to check your records. The page did not state what is free.
- Cost / access
- unknown
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
Know what Gmail and Yahoo require
Big mailbox providers set hard thresholds for authentication, unsubscribe and complaint rate.
docsEmail sender guidelines (Google)
Bulk senders (over 5,000/day to Gmail) need SPF, DKIM, DMARC, one-click unsubscribe, and a spam rate under 0.30% (aim under 0.10%).
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
docsSender best practices (Yahoo)
Same type of rules from Yahoo: authentication, one-click unsubscribe, opt-outs honored in 2 days, complaints under 0.3%.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
docsSet up Postmaster Tools (Gmail Help)
How to connect your domain to Google's free dashboard for spam rate and reputation.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
Set up and warm up sending inboxes
New mailboxes need a gradual ramp and a separate sending domain to protect your main one. Numbers vary a lot by source, so start small.
articleCold email setup and deliverability best practices (Clay)
Covers domain and inbox setup, authentication, warm-up and list hygiene for B2B. Vendor blog.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
templateEmail deliverability checklist (InboxAlly)
18-step checklist across warm-up, authentication, content, list hygiene and follow-ups. Vendor blog.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
Learn cold-call scripts that sound human
Good openers are short, neutral and easy to say no to, which is why they get a conversation.
articleJosh Braun cold outreach method (11x guide)
Summarizes Braun's Poke the Bear questions and 4T email framework. A secondary summary.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
article30 cold calling tips (Close)
Tips sorted into before the call, during the call and follow-up.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
Build a sequence that starts from a signal
A short, mixed-channel sequence that names the reason you are reaching out beats a long blast.
docsDesigning a Cold Outbound Cadence (Close Help)
A 9-touch, 17-day example mixing email, LinkedIn, calls and a break-up email. Warm leads need fewer touches.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
articleWhy hiring is a buying signal (lemlist)
A worked example of opening with the signal and acting inside 48 hours.
- Cost / access
- free · Service usage, hosting, or model access may be separate.
- Setup
- Follow the linked provider’s current instructions; check account and runtime requirements.
You have made a start when…
- Your sending domain is set up correctly.
- You know the consent rules for calls, texts and email.
- You track replies and learn from each batch.
Take this into your assistant.
Additional curriculum comes from the supplied AI Frontiers playbooks. Resource descriptions and cost labels are source guidance, not a fresh verification of pricing, compatibility, or results. Open the official instructions before using a tool. Checklist marks are your own progress notes.