A new email account has no reputation. Blast 500 emails day one and you'll land in spam forever. Here's how to warm up properly.
Why Warmup Matters
Email providers are suspicious of new accounts sending high volume. They're watching for:
- Sudden volume spikes
- Low engagement rates
- Spam complaints
A warmed account builds trust over time.
The Manual Warmup Process
Week 1:
- Send 10-20 emails per day
- Mix of personal and business contacts
- People who will actually reply
Week 2:
- Increase to 25-40 per day
- Start adding cold prospects
- Keep reply rate high
Week 3:
- 50-75 per day
- Monitor bounce and spam rates
- Back off if issues arise
Week 4+:
- Gradually reach target volume
- Never increase more than 20% per week
- Max ~150-200/day for cold email
Automated Warmup Services
Tools like [Warmbox](https://warmbox.ai), [Lemwarm](https://www.lemwarm.com), or [Mailwarm](https://www.mailwarm.com) automate this:
- Send emails between real inboxes
- Auto-reply to build engagement
- Move emails out of spam
- Gradual volume increase
Cost: $15-50/month per inbox Worth it: Absolutely
Signs of Trouble
Watch for:
- Emails landing in spam (test regularly)
- Higher than 3% bounce rate
- Drop in open rates
- Google/Microsoft warnings
If you see these, slow down immediately.
Ongoing Maintenance
Warmup isn't one-time. Keep your account healthy:
- Maintain consistent volume
- Don't spike randomly
- Keep engagement rates up
- Remove bad addresses quickly
A well-maintained inbox can send reliably for years.