Domain strategy: one rep, one domain
Each SDR gets a dedicated sending domain with two mailboxes (primary + backup). No shared domains. This isolates reputation so a single spam flag doesn't affect the rest of the team. Naming convention: first initial + last name (e.g., tsmith-mail.com or ts-artera.io).
Phase 1 — Domain Purchase & DNS Setup
Purchase 12 sending domains (Wave 1 first: 4 domains)
Use a registrar that allows easy DNS management (Google Domains, Namecheap, or Cloudflare Registrar recommended). Choose domains that look credible but are clearly not your primary domain. Avoid hyphens in weird places.
Artera: Tyler
Blocker
Configure SPF record on each domain
Add a TXT record: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. Required for Google Workspace. One SPF per domain — do not add multiple.
Google DNS
Blocker
Configure DKIM via Google Workspace Admin
Go to Admin Console → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Authenticate Email. Generate DKIM key (2048-bit), copy the TXT record to DNS, click Start Authentication. Allow up to 48 hours to propagate.
Google Admin
Blocker
Configure DMARC record on each domain
Start permissive: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@artera.io. Do not enforce (p=reject) on brand-new domains during warmup. Move to quarantine/reject after 60+ days of clean sending.
DNS
Verify DNS propagation for all 3 records
Use MXToolbox (mxtoolbox.com/spf.aspx, /dkim.aspx, /dmarc.aspx) to confirm each record is live. Do not proceed to mailbox creation until all 3 pass green for all domains in the wave.
Artera: Tyler
Blocker
Phase 2 — Google Workspace Mailbox Setup
Add each sending domain to Google Workspace
Admin Console → Account → Domains → Add a Domain or Domain Alias. Verify ownership via DNS TXT record. Each domain must be a full secondary domain (not an alias) to support independent mailboxes.
Google Admin
Blocker
Create 2 mailboxes per domain (primary + backup)
Naming convention: use the rep's name for both (e.g., tyler@tdomain.com and tyler.r@tdomain.com). 24 mailboxes total. Primary mailbox does daily sends. Backup stays in warmup and is held in reserve for deliverability recovery.
Google Admin
Artera: Tyler
Set display name and profile photo for each mailbox
Display name should match the SDR's real name. Add a headshot if possible. Mailboxes with complete profiles see meaningfully better inbox placement.
Artera: SDR Mgr
PHASE GATE: Enroll mailboxes in a warmup tool before any sequence sends
Recommended tools: Mailreach, Warmup Inbox, or Instantly's warmup feature. Enroll all 24 mailboxes immediately at domain creation — warmup should start before Apollo is even configured. Warmup target: 30–50 warmup emails per mailbox per day for 4–6 weeks minimum.
Blocker
Artera: Tyler
Phase 3 — Apollo Mailbox Connection
Connect each primary mailbox to Apollo via OAuth (Google)
Each SDR logs into Apollo → Settings → Email & Calendar → Connect Email. Use OAuth (not SMTP) for Google Workspace accounts. This is per-user — each SDR connects their own mailbox under their Apollo login.
Apollo
Each SDR
Set sending limits in Apollo to match warmup phase
During warmup weeks 1–2: cap at 20 emails/day per mailbox. Weeks 3–4: 35/day. Weeks 5–6: 50/day. Do not allow Apollo to override these limits automatically. Nick will verify in Apollo admin. See Warmup Ramp Plan tab for exact schedule.
Apollo Admin
Nick
Blocker
Connect calendar to Apollo (for meeting booking)
Settings → Email & Calendar → Connect Calendar. Use the Google Calendar associated with the sending mailbox, not the rep's primary artera.io calendar.
Apollo
Each SDR
Optional Wave 1
Verify email send test from Apollo (not a live sequence)
Send one test email per rep via Apollo's Email Settings page to an external mailbox (Gmail or Outlook personal). Confirm it lands in inbox, shows correct sender name, and reply-to is set correctly. Do not send to any prospect until the warmup gate passes.
Apollo
Nick + SDR
Blocker
Phase 4 — Pre-Launch Sequence Configuration
Build or import sequences — do not enroll contacts yet
Sequences should be built and ready in Apollo before the warmup period ends. Enrollment of actual prospects begins only after 4–6 weeks of warmup. Use this time to refine copy, confirm personalization variables, and QA the step logic.
Apollo
Nick + Tyler
Set opt-out and reply handling on every sequence
Enable auto-unsubscribe on negative replies. Set "pause sequence on reply" to ON. Confirm unsubscribe link is present in footer. These settings apply per sequence, not globally — check each one.
Apollo
Nick
LAUNCH GATE: Confirm warmup health before enrolling any prospect
Before wave goes live: verify 4+ weeks of warmup complete, Mailreach/Warmup Inbox health score above 85, zero spam folder placements in the last 7 days, and daily limits raised to full target volume in Apollo. Nick signs off before any prospect enrollment.
Blocker
Nick
Critical: warmup before sending
New domains have zero reputation. Sending at full volume on day one will trigger spam filters and permanently damage the domain's deliverability score. The 4–6 week warmup is not optional — it's the only way to reach 100 emails/day reliably.
Wave Schedule — 3 Waves of 4 SDRs Each
Weekly Volume Ramp — Per Mailbox
Wk 1–2
20
Warmup tool running, no prospect sends
Verify DNS. Enroll all mailboxes in warmup tool. Set Apollo limits to 20/day. No sequences active.
Wk 3–4
35
Warmup + small prospect batch (optional)
Check Mailreach health score. If above 80: can begin sending to 5–10 tightly-targeted prospects per rep. Raise Apollo limit to 35/day.
Wk 5–6
50
Ramp begins — half target volume
Full prospect sequences can begin. Raise limit to 50/day. Monitor bounce rate (target: under 3%). Watch spam complaint rate.
Wk 7–8
75
Accelerated ramp — 75% target
Raise limit to 75/day. Review reply rate and open rate. If health score drops below 75, hold at 50 for one more week.
Wk 9+
100
Full target volume
Raise Apollo limit to 50/mailbox (2 mailboxes = 100/day per rep). Keep warmup tool running indefinitely at 20–30 warmup emails/day alongside live sends.
Keep warmup running after go-live
Do not turn off the warmup tool once sequences are active. Running 20–30 warmup emails/day alongside live sends maintains domain reputation and creates a buffer against deliverability dips. Cost is minimal compared to the risk of burning a domain mid-campaign.
Health Guardrails — Stop & Diagnose If These Trip
Bounce rate stays below 3%
Above 3%: pause that mailbox, verify contact list quality, check Apollo email verification settings. Above 5%: pull the mailbox from sequences until root cause is resolved.
ApolloHard Stop if >5%
Spam complaint rate stays below 0.1%
Google Postmaster Tools will show this once you've sent enough volume. Register each sending domain in Postmaster at launch. Above 0.1%: review sequence copy, remove aggressive subject lines, tighten targeting.
Google PostmasterHard Stop if >0.3%
Open rate stays above 15% in warmup phase
Below 15% open rate during warmup suggests the warmup tool isn't generating enough real engagement signals. Check tool settings and increase warmup volume.
Monitor weekly
Apollo configuration is per-user, not org-wide
Most of these settings live in each SDR's personal Apollo account under Settings → Email. Some admin settings (sending limits, org-level sequence rules) are set by the Apollo admin (Nick's access point). We'll walk through each section on the training call.
Mailbox Settings (Per SDR)
| Setting |
Recommended Value |
Why |
| Daily send limit |
50/mailbox |
At full ramp. Start at 20, increase weekly per warmup plan. |
| Sending window |
8am–5pm recipient timezone |
Avoid sends during off-hours. Inbox placement and open rates are significantly better during business hours. |
| Send delay between emails |
90–180 sec random |
Randomized delay mimics human sending patterns. Reduces bulk-send detection. |
| Reply-to address |
Same as From address |
Keeps all replies in the sending mailbox for easy tracking. Do not route replies to artera.io primary. |
| Email signature |
Rep name + title + phone only |
Avoid heavy HTML signatures with images or multiple links during warmup. Plain-text-style signatures have better deliverability. |
| Unsubscribe link |
ON (all sequences) |
Required by CAN-SPAM. Also reduces spam complaints vs. no opt-out. |
| Tracking: opens |
ON |
Needed for the email-open Slack notification workflow already configured. |
| Tracking: clicks |
ON during warmup, review at 60 days |
Tracking pixels add minor deliverability risk. Worth monitoring once volume is at full target. |
Sequence Rules (Org-Wide)
| Rule |
Setting |
Rationale |
| Pause on reply |
ON (all sequences) |
Prevents sending to a contact after they've responded. Critical for rep trust and compliance. |
| Remove on bounce |
ON (hard bounces) |
Hard-bouncing to the same address damages domain reputation fast. |
| Remove on unsubscribe |
ON (global) |
Must be org-wide. Unsubscribe from one sequence should suppress all sequences. |
| Contact de-duplication |
Block duplicate enrollment |
Prevents the same prospect receiving duplicate outreach from multiple reps — important at 12 SDRs hitting healthcare accounts. |
| Step intervals |
Day 1 / Day 4 / Day 8 / Day 14 / Day 21 |
Minimum recommended for healthcare buyer personas. Aggressive 1/2/3 day cadences get flagged. Discuss on training call if Artera wants adjustments. |
Credit Burn Rate Monitor
Watch the first 60 days closely
The 104,400/year budget assumes consistent 100 emails/day across all 12 reps. During ramp, actual usage will be significantly lower. If early senders (heavier users) run ahead of budget, flag in Apollo's billing dashboard before it becomes a problem. The staggered wave schedule gives natural buffer during months 1–3.