{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"In the Pit with Cody Schneider | Marketing | Growth | Startups","title":"cold email state of the union: how to send 2M emails a month to generate 1500 leads ","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/d35cc86c\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3239,"description":"https://www.graphed.com/ - AI data analyst to build dashboard and get insights\nIn this episode, Nick Abraham, founder of cold email agency Leadbird, joins the show for a deep dive into what’s working right now in the fast-changing world of email marketing. With over 400 clients and millions of emails sent monthly, Nick shares tactical insights from the frontlines — from deliverability strategies to AI usage and cold calling.\nThe conversation covers the recent Apollo crackdown, the shift in data sourcing, and how agencies can safeguard infrastructure to avoid total shutdowns. Nick also unpacks the importance of validating your offer, tips for scaling cold outreach, and the resurrection of cold calling as a powerful channel when paired with smart automation.\nTimestamps\n00:00 – Why cold email is still a top channel\n00:39 – State of cold email: \"bloody ocean\" tactics\n02:12 – Apollo’s recent changes & implications\n05:00 – Data sourcing alternatives (ListKit, Sales Nav scraping)\n07:12 – Clay’s rise & how to enrich leads\n10:25 – EDU/Microsoft panel loopholes and risks\n14:00 – The right infra mix: Google, Microsoft, SMTP\n18:00 – Cost breakdown for 10K cold emails\n20:00 – Who cold email works for — and who it doesn’t\n23:35 – Cold email templates that work today\n28:01 – Cold calling revival & voicemail strategy\n33:00 – Smart personalization that stands out\n37:00 – Overuse of AI: when it backfires\n41:50 – Volume vs optimization: when to scale\n47:00 – Warm-up pools, deliverability myths & final thoughts\nKey Points\nApollo Crackdown: Apollo recently slashed its free plan from 10,000 to 100 leads/month, killing off common scraping strategies. Agencies must now diversify data sources.\nEmail Infrastructure Strategy: Nick recommends splitting accounts evenly across Google, Microsoft, and SMTP providers (like MailReef), using separate tenants for each domain to reduce risk.\nTop Tools Mentioned: Smartlead, Instantly, LeadMagic, Salesfinity (for cold calling), Clay, HyperType,...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/8hY4iJdp92BJonjIlukdVB7zj2Q7aUCZiKO6LVbqKdU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzM4Mzk2LzE2OTQ0/NDk3ODAtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}