| name | instantly-sequences |
| description | Set up Instantly — unlimited accounts, warmup pool, campaign optimization, unified inbox. Triggers on: "Instantly", "Instantly setup", "Instantly campaigns", "Instantly warmup". |
| license | MIT |
| compatibility | Claude Code, Jesse, Codex, Hermes, Windsurf, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, Copilot, Zed, VS Code, Goose |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","author":"LeadMagic","category":"tools","tags":["instantly","cold-email","warmup","outbound","campaigns"],"frameworks":["Instantly Best Practices","Cold Email Infrastructure Standards","Outreach — Sales Engagement Cadence Design"]} |
Instantly Sequences
Overview
Instantly competes with Smartlead in the high-volume cold email space. Key features:
unlimited email accounts, built-in warmup pool, campaign optimization, and a unified
inbox. This skill covers setup from infrastructure through optimization.
Authoritative Foundations
- Instantly Best Practices — Mailbox rotation, campaign caps, and deliverability-first sending setup.
- Cold Email Infrastructure Standards — Named methodology governing recommendations in this skill's process.
- Outreach — Sales Engagement Cadence Design — Sequence governance, task-based selling, and CRM-locked cadences.
When to Use
- "Set up Instantly"
- "Instantly campaign setup"
- "Instantly warmup"
- "Optimize Instantly campaigns"
Step-by-Step Process
Phase 1: Account Infrastructure
- Buy secondary domains (never use primary domain)
- Set up 2-3 Google Workspace or M365 mailboxes per domain
- Configure DNS: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, custom tracking domain
- Connect all mailboxes to Instantly
- Begin warmup: Instantly auto-sends from your mailboxes to its warmup pool
and auto-replies to build reputation. Run 2-3 weeks before launching.
Phase 2: Campaign Setup
- Import leads: CSV upload with mapped fields, verify emails before sending
- Sequence builder: Unlimited email steps, delays between 1-7 days
- A/B testing: Up to 26 variants per campaign, auto-rotate, declare winner
- Sending schedule: Mon-Fri with timezone optimization, max 50 emails/day/account
- Account rotation: Auto-rotate across connected accounts, no account sends >50/day
Phase 3: Campaign Rules
- Auto-pause on X consecutive bounces
- Auto-remove from sequence on unsubscribe request
- Auto-label replies by sentiment (AI categorization)
- Duplicate detection: don't send to the same email across campaigns
- Blocklist management: automatically suppress unsubscribes across all campaigns
Phase 4: Unified Inbox
- All replies across all accounts in one view
- Reply from any connected account in one interface
- Auto-label: interested, not interested, OOO, wrong person
- Lead status sync: update CRM based on reply categorization
Phase 5: Optimization
- Campaign analytics: open rate, reply rate, bounce rate, spam rate
- Account analytics: per-account health score, warmup status, reputation
- A/B winner: auto-declare after statistical significance, apply winner
- Sequence optimization: prune low-performing steps, extend high-performing ones
Output Format
Instantly playbook with: infrastructure checklist, campaign configuration, account
management plan, inbox workflow, and optimization cadence.
Quality Check
Before delivering, verify:
Common Pitfalls
- Skipping research. Building output without understanding the specific context. Fix: always gather required inputs before producing deliverables.
- Generic output. "Improve your process" without concrete steps. Fix: every recommendation must include a specific action, timeline, and owner.
- Missing framework citations. Advice without named authorities. Fix: ground every recommendation in a cited framework from a recognized authority.
Execution Artifacts
references/framework-notes.md — Eric infra, Pat verify gate, tool boundariestemplates/output-template.md — infrastructure + campaign + Clay gate deliverablescripts/check-output.py — local checklist validator for required sections
This skill includes lightweight artifacts the agent can load on demand:references/clay-enrollment-handoff.md — Clay/loops → Instantly field map + verify gate../../outbound/cold-email-strategy/references/eric-nowoslawski-outbound.md — infra at scale (Eric Nowoslawski)../../outbound/cold-email-copywriting/references/pat-spielmann-outbound-copy.md — verify-before-send (Pat Spielmann)../../tools/clay-toolkit/SKILL.md — clay-toolkit upstream enrichment../../tools/clay-loops-toolkit/references/loop-catalog.md — signal loop routing../../../../references/gtm-experts-outbound-index.md — expert router
Use the artifacts when the user asks for an implementation-ready deliverable, a repeatable workflow, or a quality check rather than generic advice.
Implementation Depth
Use this section when the user asks for a finished asset, not a high-level explanation.
Diagnostic Questions
- What is the primary motion: founder-led, sales-led, product-led, partner-led, or lifecycle-led?
- Which ICP tier is the output for: small business, mid-market, enterprise, or mixed?
- What proof is available today: customer stories, usage data, third-party validation, screenshots, or none?
- What system will execute the work: CRM, sequencer, warehouse, support desk, product analytics, or manual workflow?
- What decision will the user make from this output: launch, prioritize, route, rewrite, score, coach, or measure?
Framework Application
Map the recommendation explicitly to the named frameworks in this skill:
- Instantly Best Practices: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
- Cold Email Infrastructure Standards: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
- Outreach — Sales Engagement Cadence Design: apply only the part that directly improves the requested deliverable.
Deliverable Standard
A strong output from this skill includes:
- A crisp diagnosis of the current situation
- A recommended path with tradeoffs, not a generic list
- A concrete artifact the user can use immediately: table, script, checklist, scorecard, sequence, dashboard spec, or implementation plan
- A measurement plan with leading and lagging indicators
- Risks and edge cases called out before execution
Adaptation Rules
- For small business: reduce complexity, shorten time-to-value, and prioritize owner/operator clarity.
- For mid-market: include workflow ownership, handoffs, integrations, and enablement assets.
- For enterprise: include governance, risk, procurement, stakeholder mapping, and proof requirements.
Related Skills
- email-deliverability, domain-infrastructure, inbox-setup, cold-email-strategy, reply-handling
