# Cold Email Checklist for Agencies: 34 Pre-Send Checks URL: https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-checklist-for-agencies Summary: A cold email checklist for agencies selling to local businesses: setup, list, verification, message and sending, with Gmail, Yahoo and tool thresholds. [ All articles](https://leadraft.co/blog) # Cold email checklist for agencies: 34 checks before you email local businesses A cold email checklist for agencies selling to local businesses: setup, list, verification, message and sending, with Gmail, Yahoo and tool thresholds. The Leadraft teamLeadraft Published October 7, 2026 Updated November 3, 2026 Read time 9 min Category Playbook A cold email checklist for an agency selling to local businesses has five stages: **set up the sending domain** (separate domain, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, warm-up), **build the list** properly (a defined market, deduped, emails from each business's own website), **verify** it (verified addresses only, catch-all as its own segment, suppression applied), **write a compliant message** (honest subject, postal address, opt-out), and **send small and watch the numbers** (spam rate under 0.3%, bounces under 2%). The 34 checks below cover each stage, with the thresholds Google, Yahoo and the main sending tools publish. It isn't legal advice. Where a rule matters, we link to the regulator's own guidance. ## What thresholds should a cold email campaign stay under?[#](#what-thresholds-should-a-cold-email-campaign-stay-under) Stay under a 0.1% spam complaint rate (never 0.3%) and under a 2% bounce rate. Those two numbers decide whether Gmail, Yahoo and your sending tool keep delivering your mail. The published figures, as of October 2026: Scroll horizontally if needed → | Metric | Threshold | Who sets it | What happens past it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Spam complaint rate | Below 0.3% (all senders); recommended below 0.1% | Google \[1\]\[2\] | Delivery problems; Google started ramping up enforcement on non-compliant traffic in November 2025 | | Spam complaint rate | Below 0.3% | Yahoo \[3\] | Delivery problems for bulk senders | | Authentication | SPF or DKIM (all senders); SPF, DKIM and DMARC (`p=none` is enough) above 5,000 a day to Gmail | Google \[1\] | Mail rejected or sent to spam | | Authentication | SPF, DKIM and DMARC for domains sending over 5,000 a day | Microsoft Outlook.com \[4\] | Junk folder, then rejection with `550 5.7.515` | | Unsubscribe | One-click unsubscribe for marketing mail; honored within 2 days (Yahoo) | Google, Yahoo \[1\]\[3\] | Counts against bulk-sender compliance | | Bounce rate | 2% default auto-pause | Woodpecker \[5\] | Campaign pauses | | Bounce rate | Above 5% after 200 sends (adjustable, on by default) | Instantly \[6\] | Campaign pauses | | Bounce rate | Your own setting (examples use 3% and 5%) | Smartlead \[7\] | Campaign pauses | | Daily sends per user | 2,000 messages a day (500 on trial accounts) | Google Workspace \[8\] | Sending blocked for up to 24 hours | | Opt-out processing | Within 10 business days | FTC, CAN-SPAM \[9\] | Legal exposure, up to $53,088 per email | Two numbers from that table are worth turning into counts. At 0.3%, it takes **3 spam reports per 1,000 emails** to cross Google's line. At 2%, a 500-email campaign can absorb only **10 bounces**. Our [cold email bounce rate guide](https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-bounce-rate) explains where each figure comes from. ## Stage 1: Is your sending setup ready?[#](#stage-1-is-your-sending-setup-ready) Set up a separate, authenticated, warmed-up domain before you send anything, so a reputation problem never reaches your agency's main email. - [ ] **1\. Use a separate sending domain** that's clearly yours (`getacmeagency.com`), not your main domain or a client's. - [ ] **2\. Publish SPF** for the services that send for that domain. - [ ] **3\. Turn on DKIM signing** in your mail provider. - [ ] **4\. Publish a DMARC record.** `p=none` meets Google's and Yahoo's bulk-sender rule; tighten it once reports look clean. - [ ] **5\. Align the From domain** with the SPF or DKIM domain so DMARC passes. - [ ] **6\. Check the domain's MX and DNS** with the [email domain checker](https://leadraft.co/tools/email-domain-checker). - [ ] **7\. Warm up new mailboxes.** Start with a low daily volume and raise it gradually over a few weeks. The Google Workspace cap of 2,000 a day is a ceiling, not a target. - [ ] **8\. Spread volume across mailboxes** instead of pushing one mailbox hard. - [ ] **9\. Make replies reach a person.** No "no-reply" addresses: a reply is the only thing you want from cold email. ## Stage 2: Is the list built properly?[#](#stage-2-is-the-list-built-properly) Build the list from a defined market, cover the whole area, and clean it before you look for a single email. - [ ] **10\. Write the market down:** trade, place and a qualification rule ("independent HVAC companies in Maricopa County with a website and fewer than 50 reviews"). - [ ] **11\. Use every name for the trade.** "Plumber", "plumbing contractor", "drain cleaning service". The [keyword generator](https://leadraft.co/tools/google-maps-keyword-generator) builds the list. - [ ] **12\. Cover the whole area,** not one search's first page. One Google Maps search stops at about 120 results; see [how to get past the 120-result limit](https://leadraft.co/blog/google-maps-120-results-limit). - [ ] **13\. Dedupe on the listing's place ID,** not the business name. - [ ] **14\. Drop out-of-area and wrong-trade rows.** Hardware stores don't buy plumber SEO. - [ ] **15\. Take emails from the business's own website,** and keep the page each one came from. - [ ] **16\. Throw out junk addresses:** the web designer's footer email, `example@` placeholders, image filenames that look like emails. The [Google Maps lead generation playbook](https://leadraft.co/blog/google-maps-lead-generation) covers each of these steps in detail. ## Stage 3: Is every address verified and cleared to send?[#](#stage-3-is-every-address-verified-and-cleared-to-send) Verify every address shortly before the send, keep catch-all addresses apart, and run the suppression list on every export. - [ ] **17\. Verify every address** against the domain's mail server. Never send to invalid. - [ ] **18\. Re-verify anything checked more than 30 days ago.** - [ ] **19\. Keep catch-all (accept-all) addresses as a separate segment,** never mixed with verified. Our guide to [catch-all emails](https://leadraft.co/blog/catch-all-emails-explained) has the decision rule. - [ ] **20\. Drop pattern-guessed addresses on catch-all domains.** They can't be checked. - [ ] **21\. Re-check "unknown" results later** instead of sending to them. - [ ] **22\. Apply one suppression list** (every opt-out and hard bounce, across every client, campaign and tool) to every export and push. ## Stage 4: Is the message honest and compliant?[#](#stage-4-is-the-message-honest-and-compliant) Write a short, specific email that says who you are, where you are and how to opt out. In the US, CAN-SPAM covers B2B email with no exception \[9\]. - [ ] **23\. One business, one reason.** Say something true about this business: its listing, site or market. - [ ] **24\. Honest subject line.** No fake "Re:" or "Fwd:", nothing that misrepresents the content. - [ ] **25\. Accurate From name and headers.** Your real name and company. - [ ] **26\. A valid physical postal address** in every email. CAN-SPAM requires it. - [ ] **27\. A clear opt-out** in every email: a working link, or a plain line like "Not interested? Reply 'no' and I won't email again." - [ ] **28\. Plain and short.** A few sentences, one question, no attachments, few links. No fake first names: Google Maps data has no owner names. - [ ] **29\. Check the country.** CASL (Canada), PECR (UK) and EU rules are stricter than CAN-SPAM. See [cold email laws](https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-laws) before emailing outside the US. ## Stage 5: Are you sending small and watching the numbers?[#](#stage-5-are-you-sending-small-and-watching-the-numbers) Send a small first batch, read every reply, and let bounces and complaints, not the calendar, decide when to scale. - [ ] **30\. Send a first batch of a few dozen** and read every reply before sending the rest. - [ ] **31\. Turn on your tool's bounce auto-pause** (2% is the strictest common default) and watch bounces per segment, not the account average. - [ ] **32\. Watch the spam rate** in Google Postmaster Tools. Stay below 0.1%. - [ ] **33\. Add opt-outs the day they arrive,** including replies like "remove me", and remove hard bounces at once. - [ ] **34\. Follow up two or three times, then stop.** Each follow-up adds something new; stop the moment someone replies or opts out. After the campaign, re-run the market on a schedule for newly opened businesses. They're often the most receptive, and a list that only contains what's new is the cheapest one you'll build. ## What changes outside the US?[#](#what-changes-outside-the-us) Mostly consent. CAN-SPAM lets you send B2B cold email without prior consent if you follow its rules; several other countries don't. In brief: - **UK:** under PECR, you can email limited companies and LLPs without consent, but sole traders and some partnerships get the same protection as individuals \[10\]. UK GDPR applies when an address identifies a person. - **Canada:** CASL generally requires consent. Implied consent can apply when an address is conspicuously published, without a "no unsolicited email" statement, and the message is relevant to the person's role \[11\]. - **EU:** GDPR applies to personal data in business emails, and national rules vary; Germany generally requires prior consent even for B2B email. - **Australia:** the Spam Act requires consent, which can be inferred in limited cases, plus identification and a working unsubscribe \[12\]. Our [cold email laws guide](https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-laws) covers each country in more detail. When in doubt, get local advice. ## FAQ[#](#faq) ### What should be on a cold email checklist?[#](#what-should-be-on-a-cold-email-checklist) Five stages: sending setup (separate domain, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, warm-up), the list (defined market, deduped, emails from the business's own site), verification (verified only, catch-all as a separate segment, suppression list applied), the message (honest subject, postal address, opt-out) and sending (small first batch, bounce and spam-rate limits, follow-ups that stop). ### What spam complaint rate is too high for cold email?[#](#what-spam-complaint-rate-is-too-high-for-cold-email) Google requires all senders to keep the spam rate reported in Postmaster Tools below 0.3% and recommends staying below 0.1%. Yahoo asks bulk senders to stay below 0.3%. At 0.3%, three complaints per 1,000 emails is enough to cross the line. ### What bounce rate should pause a cold email campaign?[#](#what-bounce-rate-should-pause-a-cold-email-campaign) Aim for under 2%. Woodpecker's default auto-pause is 2%, and Instantly pauses a campaign above 5% once it has sent 200 emails. Gmail and Yahoo do not publish a bounce limit, but they expect you to stop sending to addresses that bounce. ### How many cold emails can I send per mailbox per day?[#](#how-many-cold-emails-can-i-send-per-mailbox-per-day) Google Workspace caps a paid user at 2,000 messages a day, but that is a hard ceiling, not a cold email target. Start new mailboxes far lower, raise the volume gradually as the domain warms up, and spread larger campaigns across several mailboxes rather than pushing one. ### Does CAN-SPAM apply to B2B cold email?[#](#does-can-spam-apply-to-b2b-cold-email) Yes. The FTC says the law makes no exception for business-to-business email. You need accurate headers, a non-deceptive subject line, a valid physical postal address, a clear way to opt out, and opt-outs honored within 10 business days. Each violating email can cost up to $53,088. ### Who is responsible when an agency sends cold email for a client?[#](#who-is-responsible-when-an-agency-sends-cold-email-for-a-client) Both can be. Under CAN-SPAM, the company whose product is promoted and the company that sends the message may both be held legally responsible. Agree in writing who handles opt-outs and share one suppression list between agency and client. ## Sources[#](#sources) 1. Google, [Email sender guidelines](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126) (authentication, spam rate, one-click unsubscribe, bulk-sender rules). 2. Google, [Email sender guidelines FAQ](https://support.google.com/a/answer/14229414) (0.1% recommendation, November 2025 enforcement). 3. Yahoo, [Sender best practices](https://senders.yahooinc.com/best-practices/) (spam rate below 0.3%, unsubscribes honored within 2 days). 4. Microsoft, [Outlook.com Postmaster: Policies, Practices, and Guidelines](https://substrate.office.com/ip-domain-management-snds/postmaster/Policies). 5. Woodpecker, [Bounce shield help article](https://woodpecker.co/help-center/en/articles/15228700), accessed October 2026. 6. Instantly, [High bounce auto-pause feature](https://help.instantly.ai/en/articles/9823139-high-bounce-auto-pause-feature), accessed October 2026. 7. Smartlead, [What is high bounce rate auto protection](https://helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/274-what-is-high-bounce-rate-auto-protection-in-smartlead), accessed October 2026. 8. Google Workspace Admin Help, [Gmail sending limits in Google Workspace](https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/gmail/gmail-sending-limits-in-google-workspace), seen November 3, 2026. 9. Federal Trade Commission, [CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business). 10. Information Commissioner's Office (UK), [Business-to-business marketing](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/business-to-business-marketing/). 11. CRTC (Canada), [Frequently asked questions about Canada's anti-spam legislation](https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/com500/faq500.htm). 12. Australian Communications and Media Authority, [Avoid sending spam](https://www.acma.gov.au/avoid-sending-spam). ## Lead lists for the trades in this article - [Plumbers email listLeadraft builds a list of plumbing companies from Google Maps for the area you choose: a city, a county, a ZIP code or a shape you draw.](https://leadraft.co/leads/plumbers) - [Lead lists for every industry](https://leadraft.co/leads) ## Keep reading - [ October 31, 2026Deliverability ### Is cold email legal? B2B cold email laws (CAN-SPAM, GDPR, CASL, PECR) in plain English Is B2B cold email legal? US, EU, UK, Canada and Australia rules in plain English: consent, opt-outs, what to include, and the penalties regulators publish. Read article ](https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-laws) - [ October 31, 2026Playbook ### Cold email templates for local businesses (12 that get replies) 12 B2B cold email templates for local businesses that get replies, by offer: web design, SEO, reviews, POS, staffing, cleaning, insurance, with Maps fields. Read article ](https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-templates-local-businesses) - [ October 31, 2026Playbook ### How to get leads for a marketing agency: 11 channels ranked 11 ways to get leads for a marketing agency, ranked by cost, time to first client and how well they scale, with honest pros and cons for each channel. Read article ](https://leadraft.co/blog/how-to-get-leads-for-marketing-agency) Last built: 2026-11-09