How to use lemlist for beginners

How to Use lemlist for Personalized Cold Email Outreach

lemlist is a powerful tool for automating and personalizing cold email outreach. This article provides a focused guide on how to effectively leverage lemlist’s features to create highly personalized campaigns that generate leads and drive conversions. We’ll explore the setup process, personalization techniques, integration with other tools, and strategies for optimizing your campaigns for maximum impact. Get ready to transform your cold emailing from a chore into a revenue-generating machine.

Table of Contents:

Setting Up Your lemlist Account and Connecting Your Email
Creating Personalized Cold Email Campaigns with Custom Variables
Integrating lemlist with CRM and Sales Tools for Seamless Workflow
Analyzing and Optimizing Your lemlist Campaigns for Better Results

Setting Up Your lemlist Account and Connecting Your Email

Before you can start sending personalized cold emails with lemlist, you’ll need to create an account and connect your email address. This section guides you through the signup process and provides practical advice on configuring your email settings for optimal deliverability.

Creating Your lemlist Account

The first step is to create a lemlist account. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:

Visit the lemlist website and click on the “Start Free Trial” button.
You’ll be prompted to enter your work email address. Important: Use a professional email address associated with your domain for better deliverability. Avoid using generic addresses like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com for cold outreach.
After entering your email, you’ll be asked to provide your first name, last name, and a password.
lemlist may ask you some questions about your role, company size, and goals. This information helps them tailor the onboarding experience to your needs.
Once you’ve completed the signup form, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Click on the link in the email to activate your account.

After confirming your email, you’ll be directed to the lemlist dashboard.

Connecting Your Email Account

To send emails through lemlist, you need to connect your email account. lemlist supports various email providers, including Gmail, Outlook, and custom SMTP servers. Here’s how to connect your email:

In the lemlist dashboard, navigate to the “Settings” section (usually found in the bottom left corner).
Click on “Email Accounts.”
Click on “Add Email Account.”
Choose your email provider from the list (Gmail, Outlook, SMTP).

Example 1: Connecting a Gmail Account

If you’re connecting a Gmail account, lemlist will use OAuth 2.0 for authentication. This means you’ll be redirected to Google, where you’ll be asked to grant lemlist permission to access your Gmail account. This is a secure method that avoids sharing your password with lemlist.

Click on the “Connect with Google” button and follow the prompts to grant lemlist the necessary permissions. You’ll typically need to allow lemlist to “Send emails on your behalf” and “Read your emails.” These permissions are required for lemlist to send emails and track replies.

Example 2: Connecting an Outlook Account

Connecting an Outlook account is similar to connecting a Gmail account. You’ll be redirected to Microsoft to grant lemlist permission to access your Outlook account. Follow the prompts to authorize lemlist. Again, this uses secure OAuth 2.0 authentication.

Example 3: Connecting via SMTP

If you’re using a custom email server, you’ll need to connect via SMTP. This requires you to provide the following information:

SMTP Server: The address of your SMTP server (e.g., smtp.yourdomain.com).
SMTP Port: The port number for your SMTP server (typically 587 for TLS or 465 for SSL).
Username: Your email address.
Password: Your email password.
Security: The encryption method (TLS or SSL).

SMTP Server: smtp.example.com
SMTP Port: 587
Username: your_email@example.com
Password: your_password
Security: TLS

Important: Ensure that your SMTP server settings are correct. Incorrect settings can prevent lemlist from sending emails.

Warming Up Your Email Address

After connecting your email account, it’s crucial to warm it up before sending large volumes of cold emails. Email providers like Gmail and Outlook are wary of new email addresses sending bulk emails, as this can be a sign of spam. Warming up your email address helps establish a positive sender reputation.

lemlist offers a built-in email warm-up feature called “Lemwarm.” Lemwarm automatically sends and receives emails from other lemlist users, gradually increasing your sending volume and engagement. This helps improve your deliverability and prevent your emails from landing in the spam folder.

To enable Lemwarm, navigate to the “Settings” section and click on “Lemwarm.”
Turn on the “Lemwarm” toggle.
Configure the settings, such as the daily sending limit and the types of emails you want to send and receive.

It’s recommended to start with a low daily sending limit and gradually increase it over time. For example, you might start with 5-10 emails per day for the first week and then increase it to 15-20 emails per day in the second week.

Expert Tip: Email warm-up is a critical step in ensuring the success of your cold email campaigns. Don’t skip this step, even if you’re eager to start sending emails. A warm email address is far more likely to reach the inbox than a cold one.
John Doe, Email Marketing Expert

By following these steps, you can successfully set up your lemlist account and connect your email address, laying the foundation for effective cold email outreach.

Creating Personalized Cold Email Campaigns with Custom Variables

Personalization is key to successful cold email outreach. lemlist excels at allowing you to create highly personalized campaigns using custom variables. This section will guide you through the process of crafting personalized email sequences that resonate with your target audience.

Understanding Custom Variables

Custom variables, also known as placeholders or tags, allow you to dynamically insert information into your emails based on data you have about each recipient. This allows you to create a single email template that is personalized for each individual on your list.

Common examples of custom variables include:

{{firstName}}: The recipient’s first name.
{{lastName}}: The recipient’s last name.
{{company}}: The recipient’s company name.
{{jobTitle}}: The recipient’s job title.
{{website}}: The recipient’s company website.
{{linkedinUrl}}: The recipient’s LinkedIn profile URL.

You can also create your own custom variables based on specific information you have about your prospects. For example, if you know that a prospect recently attended a particular conference, you could create a custom variable called `{{conference}}` and include it in your email.

Creating a New Campaign in lemlist

To create a new campaign in lemlist, follow these steps:

In the lemlist dashboard, click on the “Campaigns” tab.
Click on the “New Campaign” button.
Give your campaign a descriptive name (e.g., “Marketing Managers in Tech – Q4 2023”).
Select the email account you want to use to send the emails.

Importing Your List of Leads

Next, you need to import your list of leads into the campaign. lemlist supports importing leads from CSV files and Google Sheets.

Example: Importing from a CSV File

Create a CSV file with columns for each piece of information you want to use in your personalization (e.g., First Name, Last Name, Company, Email). Make sure the first row of the CSV file contains the column headers. Here’s an example CSV file:

First Name,Last Name,Company,Email,LinkedIn URL
John,Doe,Acme Corp,john.doe@acmecorp.com,linkedin.com/in/johndoe
Jane,Smith,Beta Inc,jane.smith@betainc.com,linkedin.com/in/janesmith

In the lemlist campaign setup, select “Import from CSV.” You’ll be prompted to upload your CSV file. lemlist will then automatically map the columns in your CSV file to the corresponding fields in lemlist. Double-check that the mapping is correct.

Important: Ensure your CSV file is properly formatted. Incorrect formatting can cause errors during the import process.

Creating Your Email Sequence with Personalization

Now comes the most important part: crafting your email sequence with personalized content. lemlist allows you to create a series of emails that are sent automatically based on a schedule you define. Each email in the sequence can be personalized using custom variables.

Example 1: Personalized First Email

Here’s an example of a personalized first email:

Subject: Connecting with you at {{company}}

Hi {{firstName}},

I came across {{company}} while researching companies in the {{industry}} space, and I was really impressed with [mention something specific you admire about the company or their work].

I'm reaching out because I help companies like {{company}} [briefly explain what you do and how you can help].

Would you be open to a quick chat to explore how we might be able to work together?

Best regards,

[Your Name]

In this example, `{{firstName}}` and `{{company}}` are custom variables that will be replaced with the recipient’s first name and company name, respectively. `{{industry}}` could also be a custom variable pulled from your CSV or Google Sheet. The bracketed section shows you should insert something specific to the company you are targeting.

Example 2: Personalized Follow-Up Email

Here’s an example of a personalized follow-up email:

Subject: Following up on {{company}}

Hi {{firstName}},

Just wanted to follow up on my previous email.

I understand you're busy, but I thought it was worth reiterating how we can help {{company}} achieve [mention a specific goal related to their business].

Let me know if you have a few minutes to chat.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Remember to add a delay between emails in your sequence. A common strategy is to wait 3-5 days between emails. You can configure the delay in the lemlist campaign settings.

Example 3: Using Lemlist’s “Liquid Syntax” for Fallback Values

Sometimes, you might not have data for all custom variables for every lead. To avoid sending emails with empty placeholders (e.g., “Hi ,”), you can use lemlist’s “liquid syntax” to define fallback values.

Hi {% if firstName %}{{firstName}}{% else %}there{% endif %},

In this example, if the `{{firstName}}` variable is available, it will be used. Otherwise, the email will use the word “there.” This helps ensure that your emails always sound natural and personalized, even when you don’t have complete data.

By strategically using custom variables and liquid syntax, you can create highly personalized cold email campaigns that increase engagement and drive results.

Integrating lemlist with CRM and Sales Tools for Seamless Workflow

To maximize the efficiency of your cold email outreach, it’s essential to integrate lemlist with your existing CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and sales tools. This integration allows you to seamlessly transfer leads, track progress, and automate tasks, streamlining your workflow and improving your overall sales process.

Benefits of CRM Integration

Integrating lemlist with your CRM offers several key benefits:

Automated Lead Capture: Automatically create new leads in your CRM when someone replies to your lemlist campaign.
Data Synchronization: Keep your CRM data up-to-date with information from lemlist, such as email opens, clicks, and replies.
Task Automation: Trigger automated tasks in your CRM based on lemlist events, such as assigning a task to a sales rep when a lead shows interest.
Centralized Data: Have a complete view of your interactions with each lead in your CRM, including all lemlist email activity.

Popular CRM Integrations with lemlist

lemlist integrates with many popular CRMs, including:

Salesforce: A leading CRM platform for enterprise sales teams.
HubSpot: A popular CRM and marketing automation platform for small and medium-sized businesses.
Pipedrive: A sales-focused CRM designed for pipeline management.
Zoho CRM: A comprehensive CRM solution for businesses of all sizes.
Lemlist CRM: Yes, Lemlist has its own built-in CRM that can be expanded upon.

Setting Up CRM Integration in lemlist

The process for setting up CRM integration varies slightly depending on the CRM you’re using. However, the general steps are as follows:

In the lemlist dashboard, navigate to the “Settings” section.
Click on “Integrations.”
Find your CRM in the list of available integrations and click on “Connect.”
You’ll be prompted to enter your CRM credentials (e.g., username, password, API key).
Follow the instructions to authorize lemlist to access your CRM account.

Example 1: Integrating with HubSpot

To integrate lemlist with HubSpot, you’ll need to generate a HubSpot API key. Here’s how:

In your HubSpot account, navigate to “Settings” (the gear icon in the top right corner).
In the left sidebar, go to “Integrations” > “API key.”
If you haven’t already generated an API key, click on “Create key.”
Copy the API key.

Then, in lemlist, go to “Settings” > “Integrations” and select “HubSpot.” Paste the API key into the “API key” field and click “Connect.” lemlist will then connect to your HubSpot account.

You can then configure the integration settings to specify how leads and data are synchronized between lemlist and HubSpot. For example, you can choose to automatically create new contacts in HubSpot when someone replies to your lemlist campaign.

Example 2: Integrating with Pipedrive

Similar to HubSpot, Pipedrive uses an API key for integration. To find your Pipedrive API key:

In your Pipedrive account, click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select “Company settings.”
In the left sidebar, go to “API.”
Copy your API key.

In lemlist, go to “Settings” > “Integrations” and select “Pipedrive.” Paste the API key into the “API token” field and click “Connect.” You can then configure the integration settings to map fields between lemlist and Pipedrive.

Using Webhooks for Advanced Integrations

For more advanced integrations, lemlist supports webhooks. Webhooks allow you to receive real-time notifications when specific events occur in lemlist, such as when an email is opened, clicked, or replied to. You can then use these notifications to trigger custom actions in your other tools.

To set up webhooks, you’ll need to provide a URL where lemlist can send the notifications. This URL should point to a script or application that can handle the webhook data.

Example: Setting up a Webhook

Let’s say you want to use a webhook to trigger a notification in Slack when someone replies to your lemlist campaign. You would first need to create a Slack webhook URL. You can do this by creating a new Slack app and enabling incoming webhooks.

Then, in lemlist, go to “Settings” > “Integrations” and select “Webhooks.” Add a new webhook and specify the URL of your Slack webhook. Select the “Reply” event to receive notifications when someone replies to your campaign.

When someone replies to your campaign, lemlist will send a POST request to your Slack webhook URL with the details of the reply. Your Slack app can then use this data to send a notification to a specific Slack channel.

By integrating lemlist with your CRM and other sales tools, you can automate your workflow, improve your data management, and ultimately drive more sales.

Analyzing and Optimizing Your lemlist Campaigns for Better Results

Creating personalized cold email campaigns is only half the battle. To truly maximize your results with lemlist, you need to continuously analyze your campaign performance and optimize your strategies based on the data. This section will guide you through the key metrics to track and provide practical tips for improving your campaign performance.

Key Metrics to Track

lemlist provides a wealth of data about your campaign performance. Here are some of the most important metrics to track:

Open Rate: The percentage of emails that were opened by the recipients. A high open rate indicates that your subject lines are effective.
Reply Rate: The percentage of emails that received a reply. A high reply rate indicates that your email content is engaging and relevant to the recipients.
Bounce Rate: The percentage of emails that were not delivered due to invalid email addresses. A high bounce rate can negatively impact your sender reputation.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of emails that had a link clicked. This is relevant if you include links in your emails.
Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage of recipients who unsubscribed from your emails. A high unsubscribe rate may indicate that your emails are not targeted appropriately or that you’re sending too many emails.
Positive vs Negative Replies: Lemlist provides an option to categorize replies, allowing you to measure the ratio of positive (“Interested,” “Meeting Booked”) replies to negative (“Not Interested,” “Unsubscribe”) replies.

Analyzing Your Campaign Performance

To access your campaign analytics in lemlist, navigate to the “Campaigns” tab and select the campaign you want to analyze. The analytics dashboard will display key metrics and charts that provide insights into your campaign performance.

Example: Analyzing a Campaign with a Low Open Rate

Let’s say you notice that your campaign has a low open rate (e.g., below 20%). This indicates that your subject lines are not compelling enough to grab the recipients’ attention. Here are some strategies to improve your open rate:

A/B Test Subject Lines: Create two different subject lines for your email and send them to a small segment of your list. Track the open rates for each subject line and use the winning subject line for the rest of your campaign.
Personalize Subject Lines: Include the recipient’s name or company name in the subject line to make it more relevant.
Use Action-Oriented Verbs: Use verbs that encourage the recipient to take action, such as “Discover,” “Learn,” or “Get.”
Create a Sense of Urgency: Use words that create a sense of urgency, such as “Limited Time,” “Exclusive Offer,” or “Don’t Miss Out.”

Example: Analyzing a Campaign with a Low Reply Rate

If your campaign has a low reply rate (e.g., below 5%), this indicates that your email content is not resonating with the recipients. Here are some strategies to improve your reply rate:

Personalize Your Emails: Make sure your emails are highly personalized to each recipient. Use custom variables to include relevant information about their company, job title, or interests.
Focus on Value: Clearly explain the value you can provide to the recipient and how you can help them solve their problems.
Ask a Specific Question: End your email with a specific question that encourages the recipient to reply.
Keep Your Emails Concise: Avoid sending long, rambling emails. Get to the point quickly and make it easy for the recipient to understand your message.
Review your “Lemwarm” status. If the account is not fully warmed, replies will be less frequent.

A/B Testing Your Emails

A/B testing is a powerful technique for optimizing your email campaigns. It involves creating two different versions of your email (Version A and Version B) and sending them to different segments of your list. You then track the performance of each version and use the winning version for the rest of your campaign.

You can A/B test various elements of your email, including:

Subject Lines: Test different subject lines to see which one generates the highest open rate.
Email Body: Test different versions of your email body to see which one generates the highest reply rate.
Call to Action: Test different call-to-action phrases to see which one generates the most clicks.
Images/Videos: Test including or excluding images and videos to see how they affect engagement.

Example: A/B Testing Email Body Copy

Let’s say you want to A/B test two different versions of your email body copy. Version A focuses on the benefits of your product, while Version B focuses on the features of your product.

To set up the A/B test in lemlist, create two different versions of your email in the campaign. Then, use lemlist’s “Split Test” feature to send Version A to 50% of your list and Version B to the other 50%.

After a few days, analyze the results and see which version generated the higher reply rate. Use the winning version for the rest of your campaign.

Maintaining a Clean Email List

A clean email list is essential for maintaining a good sender reputation and ensuring high deliverability. Regularly remove invalid email addresses and unsubscribed recipients from your list.

lemlist automatically handles unsubscribes. When someone unsubscribes from your emails, they are automatically added to a suppression list and will no longer receive emails from your campaigns.

To identify and remove invalid email addresses, you can use an email verification tool. These tools check the validity of email addresses and identify those that are invalid or inactive. Lemlist offers built in lead enrichment and verification tools, too.

By continuously analyzing and optimizing your lemlist campaigns, you can significantly improve your results and generate more leads.