How much does the complete outbound sales stack cost per month?

Up to $500 per month. If you skip a CRM, you can squeeze in under $350. However, when building a sales funnel, you'll want to follow up, create reminders, and track potential deals. If you're thinking long-term, don't skip the CRM. Most sales aren't accomplished through the first outreach - you'll be following up with the same contacts multiple times throughout a year until you land them.

How long does it take to set up the full sales stack from scratch?

With experience, it can be set up in under 5-6 hours. For most people who haven't worked with these platforms, a safe bet is under 2 working days. Take it easy, don't rush things, and do it properly so you won't have to redo everything.

Do I need technical skills to set up these tools?

No, all the tools are fairly easy to use. It's pretty much like setting up your laptop or phone for the first time. It's really not rocket science.

Can I start with just a few tools and add more later?

Yes, start with Reply.io + Clay OR Apollo. This gives you a tool to outreach with plus contacts to work with. You'll need to buy a domain for outbound, but you'll be limited by the volume of emails you can send initially.

How many demos per month can I realistically expect to book?

This really depends on market, messaging, and targeting. It can be as low as 5, it can be as high as hundreds a month. From experience in a market where you have some competition and you add 40-50 new contacts monthly, 15 to 20 demos is a healthy target.

How long before I see results from outbound?

You'll see open rates the same day, reply rates within a few days. Realistically, within the first week, if you haven't gotten answers and your open rate is lower than 40%, work on the messaging - you probably have issues there.

What's a good reply rate for cold emails?

3-5% is a good benchmark for cold email reply rates.

Should I hire an SDR or build this myself?

Always recommend starting yourself first. Calculate how much an SDR costs locally. A good rule of thumb is if an SDR costs $2,000/month, they need to bring enough opportunities to generate $6,000 of revenue monthly - essentially a 3:1 ratio.

What's the #1 mistake founders make with outbound sales?

Writing emails that read like a marketing campaign. Your goal is to message like a friend and say 'Hey, I see you're having issues with this, I have a solution, worth a chat?' Less is more.

Do I need a big email list to get started?

It's subjective and depends on what verticals you're targeting. Generally, we're speaking about thousands of contacts you can get from Clay, Apollo, or Lusha, so practically this isn't an area of concern.

Comparison

Cold Email

Outreach

Instantly vs Lemlist vs Reply.io

2026 Edition

⚖️

My Verdict Upfront

If you want the fastest way to send cold email at scale, start with Instantly. If you care most about personalization (images, video) and a creator style workflow, choose Lemlist. If you need a real sales engagement platform with multichannel steps and reporting, go with Reply.io.

The right pick depends on your channel mix, team size, and how much process you want.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Instantly	Lemlist	Reply.io
Best For	Email scale with simple workflows	Personalized outbound, creative sequences	Sales teams doing multichannel sequences
Channels	Email	Email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp	Email, LinkedIn, calls, WhatsApp
Personalization	Solid basics, less creative	Best-in-class (images and video)	Strong, plus multichannel logic
Reporting	Basic	Good, but less sales ops depth	Best for teams (dashboards and KPIs)
Scale	Excellent mailbox management	Good, but more setup overhead	Great, especially with process
Learning Curve	Beginner	Intermediate	Intermediate

Try Instantly Try Lemlist Try Reply.io

How to Choose (Decision Tree)

Choose Instantly if:

You only need email and want to launch fast.
You manage many mailboxes and care about warm-up and rotation.
You want a simple UI and predictable workflows.

Choose Lemlist if:

Your differentiation is personalization and you want to stand out.
You like building creative campaigns with assets.
You want warm-up built in and some LinkedIn automation.

Choose Reply.io if:

You want multichannel sequences (email + LinkedIn + calling).
You need sales ops friendly reporting and experiments.
You are coordinating work across SDRs or a small team.

Common Mistakes (And What To Do Instead)

Mistake: Choosing a platform based only on price

The real cost is not the subscription. It is wasted cycles from a tool that does not match your workflow. Start by deciding your channel strategy: email-only or multichannel.

Mistake: Scaling mailboxes before messaging works

If you do not have a repeatable offer and a tested ICP, more mailboxes just amplify noise. Aim for consistent positive replies first, then scale volume.

Mistake: Treating deliverability as a one-time setup

Warm-up, domain reputation, and list hygiene are ongoing. Build a weekly routine and watch reply rates and spam signals.

FAQ

Which tool is best for founders?

If you want to keep it simple, Instantly is usually the fastest path to sending. If you need LinkedIn steps and better reporting, Reply.io is a better long-term system.

Do I need multichannel?

Not always. Email can work great if your ICP is clear and your offer is tight. Multichannel helps when email gets crowded or when you need higher reply rates with fewer leads.

Can I start with one tool and switch later?

Yes. Many teams start with Instantly for speed, then move to Reply.io when they need more process and multichannel. Switching is easier if you keep your lead sources and CRM clean.

Want help setting up your outbound stack?

Book a free consultation and I will recommend the simplest stack that fits your stage.

Book a Call

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