Touchbase

Cold Email Setup Checklist: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and Warm-Up

Before the first email goes out
  1. 1SPF record
  2. 2DKIM signature
  3. 3DMARC policy
  4. 4Separate subdomain
  5. 5Warm up, clean list

The short answer: before you send a single cold email, authenticate the domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, send from a separate subdomain, warm it up slowly, and send only to a verified list. Keep spam complaints under 0.3% and bounces under 2%.

An email that lands in spam can never be answered, so this comes before copywriting.

The checklist

  1. SPF. A DNS record that lists which servers may send mail for your domain.
  2. DKIM. A signature your email provider adds, so receivers can check the message was not changed.
  3. DMARC. A policy that tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM fail, and sends you reports.
  4. A separate sending subdomain. Send outreach from something like `hello.yourproduct.com`, so a problem there never touches your main mailbox.
  5. Warm-up and a clean list. Start at 20 to 30 emails a day and raise it over two weeks. Verify addresses first.

Step by step

SPF, DKIM and DMARC

Your email provider shows the exact records to add in its settings. Paste them into your DNS host, wait for them to take effect, then use the provider's check button. Start DMARC in monitoring mode, read the reports, and tighten it later.

The subdomain

Use a subdomain that clearly belongs to you, with a real mailbox and a real name on it. Do not buy a lookalike domain to hide who you are.

Warm-up

Send a small, steady number each day to people likely to reply. A mailbox that goes from silence to hundreds of emails a day looks like spam to receivers.

The list

Check each address before you send. Hard bounces damage your reputation quickly, and a short list of real, relevant companies protects it.

The limits to watch

  • Spam complaints: under 0.3%.
  • Bounces: under 2%.
  • A working unsubscribe link and your postal address in every email.

Where Touchbase fits

Touchbase sends from your own mailbox, paces how many emails go out each day, and keeps unsubscribes honoured, so the setup above stays intact as you grow. You approve every email before it goes.

Find your first customers with Touchbase

Touchbase finds companies that fit what you sell, writes each first email for you to approve, and handles the follow-ups. It is free to start, with no card.

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Questions

Do I need SPF, DKIM and DMARC for cold email?
Yes. Major mailbox providers expect all three, and mail without them is far more likely to be filtered.
How long should I warm up a new domain?
Two weeks of gradually rising volume is a common minimum. Keep it slow and steady.
Should I use a separate domain for cold email?
A separate subdomain of your own domain is the safe choice. It keeps outreach problems away from your main mailbox.

Stop waiting for customers to find you

Tell Touchbase what you sell. It finds the companies that need it and the person to write to at each, and drafts a first email for you to read and send.

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