In this episode of the Transform Sales Podcast: Sales Software Review Series, Amir Reiter, CEO of CloudTask, interviewed Frank Sondors, Founder of Infraforge. Together, they explored how marketers and sales teams can use Infraforge to efficiently scale their cold email campaigns.
When it comes to personalization strategies for sales reps, what alternatives were your customers most often using before buying your software?
- Domain registrars (e.g., GoDaddy): Users would purchase multiple secondary domains to avoid using their primary domain for outbound emails. This setup aimed to preserve their main domain’s reputation but came with significant complexities in DNS configurations.
- Email service providers (e.g., Gmail or Outlook): Customers often relied on providers like Gmail to create multiple email accounts. While functional, this approach was costly (up to $7–8 per account), and accounts risked suspension by Google due to bulk email practices.
- Manual scaling processes: Many teams opted for time-intensive manual setups for domains and mailboxes. This method was inefficient, prone to errors, and required a steep learning curve for non-technical teams.
As Frank Sondors explained, “Good luck setting up your DNS records and paying seven or eight bucks per Gmail account—super expensive. And ultimately, Google might suspend your account.”
What challenges were your customers running into with those alternatives that your software helped them overcome?
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While these traditional solutions were serviceable, they posed significant challenges:
- Complex DNS configuration: Setting up DNS records for multiple domains was time-consuming and required technical expertise that many small teams lacked. Misconfigurations often led to failed campaigns or deliverability issues.
- High costs and account risks: The expense of purchasing and maintaining multiple email accounts through Gmail or Outlook added up quickly. Additionally, frequent account suspensions posed a serious risk to campaign continuity.
- Limited scalability: Manual processes limited the ability to scale effectively. Teams were constrained by the number of accounts they could manage and the infrastructure they could maintain.
Frank noted, “We’ve built a software that allows you to literally just set up domains and mailboxes at any scale within about five minutes. You can plug that infrastructure into any email-sending software of your choice.”
What are the key features of Infraforge that help overcome the personalization strategies challenges?
Complex DNS configuration
- Situation: Teams needed a streamlined way to set up and manage DNS configurations across multiple domains for cold email campaigns.
- Problem: Traditional methods required technical expertise, and errors in DNS setup often resulted in email deliverability issues.
- Solution: Infraforge automates domain and mailbox setup, allowing users to configure everything in just five minutes. This eliminates the need for technical expertise and ensures accurate configurations every time.
Reduces costs and minimizes account risks
- Situation: Teams needed affordable and reliable email infrastructure for outbound campaigns.
- Problem: Using Gmail or Outlook was expensive, with accounts costing $7–8 each. Additionally, providers often suspended accounts used for bulk emailing, disrupting campaigns.
- Solution: Infraforge offers accounts at a significantly lower cost—$4 or less per account, scaling down to $2.50 with larger volumes. The platform also eliminates the risk of suspensions by providing dedicated email infrastructure designed specifically for outbound campaigns.
Supports seamless scalability
- Situation: Businesses needed a solution that could scale effortlessly as their cold email campaigns expanded.
- Problem: Manual processes were inefficient and could not keep up with the growing demands of large-scale campaigns.
- Solution: Infraforge provides tools like API integration and support for multiple dedicated IPs, enabling businesses to scale their outreach without technical bottlenecks. As Frank emphasized, “We are already the largest alternative email infrastructure provider out there in the world.”
What tasks, deliverables, and/or people need to be involved in setting up Infraforge for personalization strategies, and how long does it typically take to reach full productivity?
Setting up Infraforge is straightforward and designed to be accessible even for non-technical teams, it easily integrates with existing email-sending software, making it adaptable to current workflows. Users should identify the domains they want to use and ensure they have a list of recipients for their campaigns. Most companies can manage the setup process in-house without the need for external experts. However, larger teams with complex requirements may benefit from consulting Infraforge’s support team.
Full productivity can be achieved within a few hours, thanks to Infraforge’s automated setup process. As Frank highlighted, “You don’t need mobility experts or engineers—it’s super, super easy to use.”
Cost: Pricing starts at $4 per account, with discounts available for higher volumes. There are no hidden fees, making Infraforge a cost-effective solution for scaling cold email campaigns.
Infraforge also places a strong emphasis on customer success. Unlike older affiliate networks, which are often basic and limited in capabilities, Infraforge provides robust onboarding support. This includes proof-of-concept trials and free trials to help users familiarize themselves with the platform and understand its full potential. The implementation process involves just a few scripts, and Infraforge offers guidance to ensure smooth integration. For businesses new to affiliate management, working with an affiliate management agency can be beneficial. These agencies have established relationships and can help optimize program success from the start.
What KPI’s should sales reps use to evaluate their success with Infraforge for personalization strategies, and what quantifiable outcomes can they expect?
- Setup time: Measure the time it takes to configure domains and mailboxes. With Infraforge, this should be under five minutes.
- Cost efficiency: Track the cost per account. Infraforge offers scalability that reduces prices to as low as $2.50 per account.
- Deliverability rates: Monitor email deliverability to ensure campaigns reach the intended recipients. Infraforge’s infrastructure is optimized for high deliverability, even for cold emails.
- Scalability metrics: Evaluate the number of campaigns and emails sent as the business grows. Infraforge supports seamless scaling, allowing teams to expand without technical hurdles.
Additionally, Infraforge enables companies to structure affiliate campaigns based on multiple event stages. For example, an affiliate promoting a free trial of an e-signature product gets paid $10 per sign-up. The CRM integration with tools like Salesforce and HubSpot allows automatic tracking of progression stages. When a lead progresses from a free trial to a marketing-qualified lead, the partner gets an additional payout. As the lead moves to the opportunity stage in HubSpot, the payout increases, and once the lead becomes a customer, the partner earns even more. This structured model ensures affiliates are incentivized, while marketers maintain cost efficiency, ensuring profitability and scalability.
By focusing on these KPIs, teams can gauge the effectiveness of Infraforge in optimizing their cold email outreach. As Frank pointed out, “Imagine a future where Gmail and Outlook are no longer options for cold emails. Infraforge is built for that future.”
Conclusion
Infraforge provides a purpose-built solution for businesses looking to scale their cold email campaigns efficiently and cost-effectively. With automated setup, affordable pricing, and robust scalability features, it empowers sales and marketing teams to focus on their outreach without the headaches of traditional approaches.
