| name | inbox-reply |
| description | Manage and reply to lead responses in Instantly unibox. Fetches unread conversations, classifies reply intent, drafts contextual responses, and sends replies via Instantly API. Fits after campaign-sending in the GTM pipeline. Triggers on: "reply to leads", "inbox replies", "instantly inbox", "unibox", "respond to replies", "manage replies", "instantly replies", "check inbox", "lead replies", "answer leads".
|
Inbox Reply
Manage and reply to lead responses in the email sequencing inbox.
Environment
| Variable | Service |
|---|
INSTANTLY_API_KEY | Instantly |
Base URL: https://api.instantly.ai/api/v2
Inputs
| Input | Required | Source |
|---|
| Instantly API key | yes | env var |
| Context file | yes | context file (voice, product, proof points) |
| Campaign ID | no | user selection or list from API |
Workflow
Step 1: Fetch unread replies
Fetch unread received emails from the unibox.
List unread: GET /emails with is_unread=true, email_type=received, sort_order=desc, limit=50.
If the user specifies a campaign, add campaign_id filter. If they want focused inbox only, add mode=emode_focused.
Present a summary table:
| # | From | Company | Subject | Preview | Received |
Ask the user which conversations to work on, or process all.
Step 2: Load full threads
For each selected reply, load the full conversation thread.
Get thread: GET /emails?search=thread:{thread_id}&sort_order=asc
This returns the original outbound email(s) and all replies in chronological order, giving full context for drafting a response.
Step 3: Classify reply intent
Read each lead reply and classify into one of these categories:
Interested → wants to learn more, asks questions, requests a call
Objection → raises concern but door is not closed (pricing, timing, fit)
Not interested → clear rejection, asks to stop
Auto-reply → OOO, bounce, auto-responder
Meeting request → explicitly asks to book time
Question → asks a specific question without clear buying signal
Referral → redirects to someone else at the company
Present classifications to the user for confirmation before drafting.
Step 4: Draft replies
Read the context file for voice rules, product description, proof points, and use case framings. Draft a reply for each conversation based on intent:
Interested → confirm interest, propose next step (call or resource)
Objection → address concern directly, offer proof point if relevant
Question → answer the question, bridge to value
Meeting request → confirm availability, suggest booking link or times
Referral → thank them, ask for intro or reach out to referral directly
Not interested → short, respectful close; do not push
Auto-reply → skip, no reply needed
Rules for all replies:
- Match the lead's tone and length — short replies get short responses
- Reference specifics from their message to show it is not a template
- Reference the original outbound context when relevant
- Never start with "I" as the first word
- No generic openers ("Thanks for getting back to me", "Great to hear from you")
- One clear call to action per reply, never two
- No attachments unless the user explicitly provides one
- Plain text unless the original thread was HTML-formatted
Present each draft alongside the original thread for the user to review and edit.
Step 5: Confirm and send
Before sending, present a final checklist for each reply:
| # | To | Via Account | Subject | Intent | Action |
The user must confirm before any reply is sent.
Send reply: POST /emails/reply with:
eaccount: the same email account that sent the original outboundreply_to_uuid: the ID of the lead's most recent messagesubject: keep the existing thread subject (Re: ...)body: the approved reply in { "text": "...", "html": "..." }
Send one at a time. Report success or failure for each.
Step 6: Post-reply housekeeping
After sending:
- Mark thread as read:
POST /emails/threads/{thread_id}/mark-as-read
- Update lead interest status if the classification warrants it:
POST /leads/update-interest-status with lead_email and appropriate interest_value
- Report final summary:
| # | Lead | Intent | Reply Sent | Status Updated |
Step 7: Skip and defer handling
For replies the user wants to skip or defer:
- Skip (not interested / auto-reply): mark as read, optionally update interest status
- Defer: leave unread, note for next session
Never send a reply the user has not explicitly approved.
Reference
See references/instantly-inbox-api.md for full Instantly Unibox and Reply API documentation.
