Table of Content
In B2B, where effective outreach can make or break a startup, the ability to create scalable and repeatable sales processes is critical. Jed Mahrle, the founder of Practical Prospecting, recognized this need firsthand.
What started as a personal newsletter detailing his sales strategies evolved into a thriving consultancy that helps startups refine their outbound sales processes.
His journey—from the initial struggles of starting a business to achieving impressive milestones—paints a compelling picture of determination, innovation, and the transformative power of the right tools.
Today, Practical Prospecting specializes in assisting Series A to C tech companies that are either new to outbound sales or struggling to make it profitable.
Jed’s approach centers on actionable systems that drive real results, a philosophy that has resonated with many in the industry.
By leveraging Smartlead, Jed refined his approach to cold emailing but also scaled his business, proving that a well-implemented outbound strategy can lead to substantial success.
“Every cold email tool can automate a sequence, but Smartlead focuses on what truly matters: deliverability and simplicity,” Jed states, reflecting on his experience.
This case study explores Jed’s journey, the challenges he faced, and how Smartlead became an integral part of his success story.
Key Takeaways
- Target Audience: Practical Prospecting primarily serves B2B tech startups in their early growth stages (Series A to C), either transitioning to outbound sales or refining existing processes.
- Primary Channels: Cold email serves as the main outreach method, supplemented by LinkedIn and cold calling strategies.
- Smartlead Advantages: Jed emphasizes Smartlead’s superior deliverability, user-friendly interface, and cost-effectiveness as key differentiators from other tools.
- Results Achieved: Practical Prospecting has successfully booked over 500 meetings for clients, showcasing the effectiveness of Smartlead in driving tangible results.
- Future Aspirations: Jed envisions enhanced integration capabilities and features that further optimize outreach efforts while preserving Smartlead's core strength in email deliverability.
How it All Started: The Story of Jed Mahrle and Practical Prospecting
Jed’s journey into the world of outbound sales began over five years ago when he entered the tech industry. Initially working as a sales representative, he recognized the potential of effective outbound strategies.
“I started a newsletter about my experiences and strategies, and it began to resonate with others in the industry,” Jed recalls during his interview. This initiative laid the groundwork for his future business as it attracted attention from various tech companies seeking guidance in their sales efforts.
As his newsletter gained traction, Jed began receiving requests for consulting from Series A through Series C tech companies. These companies were looking to optimize their outbound sales processes but often lacked the infrastructure to do so effectively.
Balancing a full-time job with consulting projects proved challenging, but the positive feedback and referrals he received fueled his passion.
In October 2023, after nearly two years of juggling responsibilities, Jed made the leap to focus on Practical Prospecting full-time.
The company offers two main services: a "done for you" model, where Jed's team manages complete cold email and LinkedIn automation campaigns, and a "done with you" model, which guides clients in building their outbound infrastructure.
Jed's target audience primarily consists of founders, Chief Revenue Officers (CROs), Vice Presidents of Sales, and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) in startups that are either new to outbound sales or struggling to make it profitable.
This focus allows Practical Prospecting to deliver tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of these early-stage companies.
How Smartlead Helped to Solve the Challenges
As Jed began to scale his business, he quickly realized the importance of a robust cold emailing tool.
“Deliverability is everything in outbound sales. If your emails aren’t landing in the inbox, you’re not going to get responses,” he emphasizes. After testing various cold email tools, he discovered Smartlead, which stood out for its emphasis on deliverability.
“Smartlead takes deliverability more seriously than any other cold email tool I’ve encountered,” Jed notes. With features such as inbox rotation and email warm-up tools, Smartlead ensured that his campaigns consistently reached their intended audience.
This capability was crucial, especially considering the common pitfalls associated with cold emailing, where landing in the spam folder can significantly hinder success.
Streamlined Inbox Management
Another challenge for Jed was managing multiple inboxes effectively. As Practical Prospecting expanded its outreach, the administrative burden of connecting and updating individual inboxes became overwhelming.
Smartlead transformed this process by allowing Jed to bulk connect and update inboxes, significantly reducing the time spent on these tasks. “Being able to set up inboxes and signatures in bulk was a game-changer for us,” he explains.
This streamlined management freed up Jed’s team to focus on strategy rather than administrative details. With Smartlead handling the technical aspects, they could dedicate their energy to crafting effective messaging and refining outreach strategies.
Automating Follow-Ups with Sub-Sequences
Timely follow-ups are crucial in outbound sales, but managing them manually can be a daunting task. Jed discovered that Smartlead’s subsequence feature was invaluable for automating follow-ups based on common responses.
“Once we’ve worked with a client for a while, we know the common types of responses they receive. Automating the follow-ups for those responses saves us a ton of time,” he shared.
This automation allowed Jed’s team to prioritize engagement and strategic thinking rather than getting bogged down in repetitive tasks. By streamlining follow-up processes, they ensured that no lead fell through the cracks, enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Smartlead's 'Follow-Ups' feature automates the email communication, ensuring user maintain consistent engagement with their leads.
Step 1: Campaign A Settings
In Campaign A, you have established settings that allow for 100 new leads per day. This means the campaign will send out a maximum of 100 emails to new leads daily.
Step 2: Email B and Email C Limits
Both Email B and Email C have a daily limit of 40 emails each. Therefore, the combined total limit for both emails is 80 emails per day (40 + 40 = 80).
Step 3: Campaign Sequence
Your campaign sequence is configured with three emails:
- Email 1
- Email 2 (sent 1 day later)
- Email 3 (sent 2 days later)
This sequence dictates how your emails are sent out over time.
Step 4: Campaign Execution
When the campaign starts, the system prioritizes the follow-up schedule over new leads. Here’s how it plays out:
- Day 1: The system sends out 80 follow-up emails (for Email B and Email C), as the total limit allows for that number.
- Day 2: Again, 80 follow-up emails are sent to adhere to the schedule, continuing to prioritize follow-ups.
- Day 3: The system now sends out 20 new Email 1s since there are still 20 remaining new leads to contact based on the campaign’s setting of 100 new leads per day.
Smartlead’s system constantly adjusts the number of emails sent based on various factors:
- Follow-up schedules
- New leads
- Email account limits
- Campaign settings for maximum new leads per day
This dynamic management ensures optimal email delivery and adherence to the specified limits.
Comprehensive Reporting and Insights
Understanding campaign performance is vital for optimizing outreach efforts. Many tools provide complex reporting that can be overwhelming. Smartlead, however, offers user-friendly reporting features that deliver clarity.
“Smartlead provides better visual and straightforward reporting, making it easy for us and our clients to grasp performance metrics,” Jed noted.
This clear visualization enables Jed to quickly assess the effectiveness of various campaigns, allowing for real-time adjustments based on data-driven insights. By understanding what works and what doesn’t, he can allocate resources more effectively and refine strategies for greater impact.
Cost-Effectiveness for Scalability
For startups like Practical Prospecting, managing costs while maintaining quality is essential. Many cold email tools come with hefty price tags, often without offering commensurate value.
This was a concern for Jed, where every dollar spent had to count. Smartlead stood out as both effective and budget-friendly. “It’s far less expensive than many other email sending tools, making it a no-brainer for us,” Jed explained.
This cost-effectiveness allows Jed to invest resources in other critical areas of his business while still delivering high-quality service to clients. By optimizing performance and budget, Practical Prospecting can scale effectively without compromising service quality.
Flexibility and Ongoing Development
Jed also appreciates Smartlead’s commitment to continuous improvement. The platform consistently rolls out new features designed to enhance user experience and effectiveness.
“Since I started using Smartlead, they seem to come out with new features every month,” he observes. This dedication to innovation ensures that Practical Prospecting can stay ahead of trends and maintain a competitive edge in the dynamic landscape of outbound sales.
Reliable Customer Support
In the realm of tech tools, customer support can make a significant difference. Jed has had positive experiences with Smartlead's support team, stating, “I feel like I'm messaging customer support every other month, and they get back to me relatively quickly.”
Given his extensive use of various tech tools, he recognizes the value of reliable customer support and appreciates Smartlead's quick response times and helpful solutions.
Beyond the tool itself, Jed values the Smartlead community. “I've been part of many Slack communities, but Smartlead’s stands out. It’s filled with people focused on getting better at cold email,” he remarks.
The community fosters an environment where users can share insights, campaign ideas, and strategies, making it an invaluable resource for Jed and others in the field.
Notable Achievements
The results speak for themselves. Since implementing Smartlead, Practical Prospecting has booked over 500 meetings for its clients, a milestone that Jed attributes directly to the effectiveness of the tool.
“I’ve never reached that number in another tool,” he affirms. This achievement showcases the power of a well-executed cold emailing strategy, backed by a tool that prioritizes deliverability and ease of use.
In addition to the number of meetings booked, Jed also noticed a significant improvement in open and response rates. “We’ve seen higher response rates in Smartlead than any other tool, largely because we’re landing in the inbox more consistently,” he states.
This shift in engagement metrics illustrates the tangible impact of Smartlead on Practical Prospecting’s outreach efforts.
Moreover, the cost-effectiveness of Smartlead allows Jed to maintain healthy profit margins while providing high-quality service to his clients. “It’s simply far less expensive than a lot of other email sending tools, making it a no-brainer for us,” he explains.
Vision for the Future with Smartlead
Looking ahead, Jed is excited about the future of Practical Prospecting and the role that Smartlead will continue to play in its success. He envisions further enhancements to Smartlead’s features, particularly regarding integrations with other sales tools.
“While I appreciate Smartlead's focus on email, many of my clients are also interested in cold calling and LinkedIn outreach,” he explains.
Jed suggests the possibility of better integrations with tools such as LinkedIn automation platforms. “If Smartlead could provide seamless connections with these tools, it would streamline our process even further,” he notes.
However, he also acknowledges the importance of Smartlead maintaining its strength in email deliverability, fearing that expanding too much could dilute its core offering.
Additionally, Jed expressed a desire for a feature that allows users to pause all campaigns for holidays or special events. While he has found workarounds using automation tools, he believes a built-in functionality would enhance user experience.
“Automating the pausing of campaigns for holidays would save time and ensure our outreach is always respectful of our audience's time,” he states.
Overall, Jed’s experience with Smartlead has been overwhelmingly positive. He rates it an “eight out of ten,” highlighting the significant improvements it has brought to his operations while suggesting a few enhancements to reach that perfect score.
Wrapping Up!
Jed Mahrle’s journey with Practical Prospecting exemplifies how the right tools and strategies can drive success in outbound sales.
By focusing on deliverability and ease of use, Smartlead has enabled Jed to optimize his outreach efforts and achieve remarkable results for his clients.
As he continues to explore new features and integrations, the future looks bright for both Jed and Practical Prospecting.
“Every challenge presents an opportunity for growth, and with Smartlead by our side, we’re excited to see what we can achieve next,” he concludes, embodying the spirit of innovation and determination that defines successful entrepreneurs in today’s competitive landscape.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Smartlead's cold email outreach software?
Smartlead's cold email outreach tool helps businesses scale their outreach efforts seamlessly. With unlimited mailboxes, fully automated email warmup functionality, a multi-channel infrastructure, and a user-friendly unibox, it empowers users to manage their entire revenue cycle in one place. Whether you're looking to streamline cold email campaigns with automated email warmups, personalization fields, automated mailbox rotation, easy integrations, and spintax, improve productivity, or enhance scalability with subsequences based on lead’s intentions, automated replies, and full white-label experience, our cold email tool implifies it in a single solution.
What is Smartlead, and how can it enhance my cold email campaigns?
Smartlead is a robust cold emailing software designed to transform cold emails into reliable revenue streams. Trusted by over 31,000 businesses, Smartlead excels in email deliverability, lead generation, cold email automation, and sales outreach. A unified master inbox streamlines communication management, while built-in email verification reduces bounce rates.
Additionally, Smartlead offers essential tools such as CNAME, SPF Checker, DMARC Checker, Email Verifier, Blacklist Check Tool, and Email Bounce Rate Calculator for optimizing email performance.
How does the "unlimited mailboxes" feature benefit me?
Our "unlimited mailboxes" feature allows you to expand your email communications without restrictions imposed by a mailbox limit. This means you won't be constrained by artificial caps on the number of mailboxes you can connect and use. This feature makes Smartlead the best cold email software and empowers you to reach a wider audience, engage with more potential customers, and manage diverse email campaigns effectively.
How does Smartlead as a cold emailing tool can automate the cold email process?
Smartlead’s robust cold email API and automation infrastructure streamline outbound communication by transforming the campaign creation and management processes. It seamlessly integrates data across software systems using APIs and webhooks, adjusts settings, and leverages AI for personalised content.
The cold emailing tool categorises lead intent, offers comprehensive email management with automated notifications, and integrates smoothly with CRMs like Zapier, Make, N8N, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. Smartlead supports scalable outreach by rapidly adding mailboxes and drip-feeding leads into active campaigns Sign Up Now!
What do you mean by "unibox to handle your entire revenue cycle"?
The "unibox" is one of the unique features of Smartlead cold email outreach tool, and it's a game-changer when it comes to managing your revenue cycle. The master inbox or the unibox consolidates all your outreach channels, responses, sales follow-ups, and conversions into one centralized, user-friendly mailbox.
With the "unibox," you gain the ability to:
1. Focus on closing deals: You can now say goodbye to the hassle of logging into multiple mailboxes to search for replies. The "unibox" streamlines your sales communication, allowing you to focus on what matters most—closing deals.
2. Centralized lead management: All your leads are managed from one central location, simplifying lead tracking and response management. This ensures you take advantage of every opportunity and efficiently engage with your prospects.
3. Maintain context: The "unibox" provides a 360-degree view of all your customer messages, allowing you to maintain context and deliver more personalized and effective responses.
How does Smartlead ensure my emails don't land in the spam folder?
Smartlead, the best cold email marketing tool, ensures your emails reach the intended recipients' primary inbox rather than the spam folder.
Here's how it works:
1. Our "unlimited warmups" feature is designed to build and maintain a healthy sending reputation for your cold email outreach. Instead of sending a large volume of emails all at once, which can trigger spam filters, we gradually ramp up your sending volume. This gradual approach, combined with positive email interactions, helps boost your email deliverability rates.
2. We deploy high-deliverability IP servers specific to each campaign.
3. The ‘Warmup’ feature replicates humanized email sending patterns, spintax, and smart replies.
4. By establishing a positive sender reputation and gradually increasing the number of sent emails, Smartlead minimizes the risk of your emails being flagged as spam. This way, you can be confident that your messages will consistently land in the primary inbox, increasing the likelihood of engagement and successful communication with your recipients.
Can Smartlead help improve my email deliverability rates?
Yes, our cold emailing software is designed to significantly improve your email deliverability rates. It enhances email deliverability through AI-powered email warmups across providers, unique IP rotating for each campaign, and dynamic ESP matching.
Real-time AI learning refines strategies based on performance, optimizing deliverability without manual adjustments. Smartlead's advanced features and strategies are designed to improve email deliverability rates, making it a robust choice for enhancing cold email campaign success.
What features does Smartlead offer for cold email personalisation?
Smartlead enhances cold email personalisation through advanced AI-driven capabilities and strategic integrations. Partnered with Clay, The cold remaining software facilitates efficient lead list building, enrichment from over 50 data providers, and real-time scraping for precise targeting. Hyper-personalised cold emails crafted in Clay seamlessly integrate with Smartlead campaigns.
Moreover, Smartlead employs humanised, natural email interactions and smart replies to boost engagement and response rates. Additionally, the SmartAI Bot creates persona-specific, high-converting sales copy. Also you can create persona-specific, high-converting sales copy using SmartAI Bot. You can train the AI bot to achieve 100% categorisation accuracy, optimising engagement and conversion rates.
Can I integrate Smartlead with other tools I'm using?
Certainly, Smartlead cold email tool is designed for seamless integration with a wide range of tools and platforms. Smartlead offers integration with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Clay, Listkit, and more. You can leverage webhooks and APIs to integrate the tools you use. Try Now!
Is Smartlead suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises?
Smartlead accommodates both small businesses and large enterprises with flexible pricing and comprehensive features. The Basic Plan at $39/month suits small businesses and solopreneurs, offering 2000 active leads and 6000 monthly emails, alongside essential tools like unlimited email warm-up and detailed analytics.
Marketers and growing businesses benefit from the Pro Plan ($94/month), with 30000 active leads and 150000 monthly emails, plus a custom CRM and active support. Lead generation agencies and large enterprises can opt for the Custom Plan ($174/month), providing up to 12 million active lead credits and 60 million emails, with advanced CRM integration and customisation options.
What type of businesses sees the most success with Smartlead?
No, there are no limitations on the number of channels you can utilize with Smartlead. Our cold email tool offers a multi-channel infrastructure designed to be limitless, allowing you to reach potential customers through multiple avenues without constraints.
This flexibility empowers you to diversify your cold email outreach efforts, connect with your audience through various communication channels, and increase your chances of conversion. Whether email, social media, SMS, or other communication methods, Smartlead's multi-channel capabilities ensure you can choose the channels that best align with your outreach strategy and business goals. This way, you can engage with your prospects effectively and maximize the impact of your email outreach.
How can Smartlead integrate with my existing CRM and other tools?
Smartlead is the cold emailing tool that facilitates seamless integration with existing CRM systems and other tools through robust webhook and API infrastructure. This setup ensures real-time data synchronisation and automated processes without manual intervention. Integration platforms like Zapier, Make, and N8N enable effortless data exchange between Smartlead and various applications, supporting tasks such as lead information syncing and campaign status updates. Additionally, it offers native integrations with major CRM platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive, enhancing overall lead management capabilities and workflow efficiency. Try Now!
Do you provide me with lead sources?
No. Smartlead distinguishes itself from other cold email outreach software by focusing on limitless scalability and seamless integration. While many similar tools restrict your outreach capabilities, Smartlead offers a different approach.
Here's what makes us uniquely the best cold email software:
1. Unlimited Mailboxes: In contrast to platforms that limit mailbox usage, Smartlead provides unlimited mailboxes. This means you can expand your outreach without any arbitrary constraints.
2. Unique IP Servers: Smartlead offers unique IP servers for every campaign it sends out.
3. Sender Reputation Protection: Smartlead protects your sender reputation by auto-moving emails from spam folders to the primary inbox. This tool uses unique identifiers to cloak all warmup emails from being recognized by automation parsers.
4. Automated Warmup: Smartlead’s warmup functionality enhances your sender reputation and improves email deliverability by maintaining humanised email sending patterns and ramping up the sending volume.
How secure is my data with Smartlead?
Ensuring the security of your data is Smartlead's utmost priority. We implement robust encryption methods and stringent security measures to guarantee the continuous protection of your information. Your data's safety is paramount to us, and we are always dedicated to upholding the highest standards of security.
How can I get started with Smartlead?
Getting started with Smartlead is straightforward! Just head over to our sign-up page and follow our easy step-by-step guide. If you ever have any questions or need assistance, our round-the-clock support team is ready to help, standing by to provide you with any assistance you may require. Sign Up Now!
How can I reach the Smartlead team?
We're here to assist you! You can easily get in touch with our dedicated support team on chat. We strive to provide a response within 24 hours to address any inquiries or concerns you may have. You can also reach out to us at support@smartlead.ai
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