Setting up cold email infrastructure involves many moving parts. Use this checklist to make sure you don't miss anything.

Phase 1: Domains

Calculate how many domains you need based on sending volume
Purchase domains that are variations of your brand name
Set up a basic landing page on each domain (even a redirect works)
Point nameservers to Cloudflare or your DNS provider

Phase 2: DNS Records

Configure MX records for your email provider
Add SPF record authorizing your email service
Set up DKIM for email signing
Add DMARC record (start with p=none for monitoring)
Verify all records using a checker tool

Phase 3: Mailboxes

Create mailboxes (max 3 per domain)
Use professional-looking names (firstname@, firstname.lastname@)
Add profile photos and email signatures
Set up forwarding or aliases if needed

Phase 4: Warmup

Connect all mailboxes to a warmup tool
Start with 5-10 emails per day
Gradually increase over 2-4 weeks
Monitor inbox placement rates
Don't stop warmup when you start campaigns

Phase 5: Sequencer Setup

Export credentials to your sequencer
Configure sending limits (max 50/day per mailbox)
Set up tracking domain (separate from sending domain)
Test with a small batch before scaling

Phase 6: Launch

Start with 20-30 emails per mailbox per day
Scale to 50 over the first week
Monitor reply rates, bounce rates, and spam reports
Rotate domains if any show deliverability issues

With StackMail, phases 1-3 can be completed in under 30 minutes. The platform handles domain purchase, DNS configuration, and mailbox provisioning automatically.

The StackMail Blog

The Complete Cold Email Infrastructure Checklist