Apollo to Smartlead Setup

Output: A Smartlead campaign loaded with Apollo-sourced, verified contacts, with sequence steps configured and inbox rotation active before the first email sends.

Time required: 30 to 45 minutes on first setup. Repeat exports take under 10 minutes once the column mapping is saved in Smartlead.

1. Filter contacts in Apollo and apply the verified email filter

   In Apollo, open your saved search or build a new one using People filters. Before exporting, apply the "Verified Email" filter under the Email Status section. This removes catch-all and unverified addresses from the export. Contacts with catch-all emails can still be included if you plan to run Smartlead's built-in verification at import, but filtering to verified in Apollo first reduces bounce risk significantly. Keep lists under 500 contacts per export batch on the first run to test mapping before scaling.

2. Export leads as CSV from Apollo with the required field columns

   Select contacts in your Apollo list and click Export. Choose CSV format. For the apollo to smartlead setup to map correctly, ensure the export includes: Email, First Name, Last Name, Company, Title, and any custom variables you plan to use in your Smartlead sequence (for example, LinkedIn URL or a personalization field). Apollo exports these as standard column headers. Rename any columns that use Apollo-specific names if you plan to reuse the CSV template across other platforms. Save the file with a clear campaign name in the filename for easy identification during import.

3. Confirm mailbox warmup status in Smartlead before creating the campaign

   In Smartlead, navigate to Email Accounts and review the warmup score for each mailbox you plan to use. A warmup score below 70 on a newly connected account signals the mailbox is not ready for campaign traffic. Launching into a cold mailbox is the most common reason for spam folder placement on day one of an apollo to smartlead setup. If warmup is incomplete, let the mailbox run for at least 14 days before assigning it to this campaign. Only assign accounts with a healthy warmup score to your new campaign.

4. Create a new campaign in Smartlead and import the Apollo CSV

   In Smartlead, go to Campaigns and click Create Campaign. Name it to match your Apollo export filename for traceability. In the Leads tab, select Upload CSV and choose your Apollo export file. Smartlead will prompt you to map each CSV column to a lead field. Map Email to Email, First Name to First Name, Last Name to Last Name, and Company to Company Name. Any additional columns (Title, LinkedIn URL, custom fields) should be mapped to custom variables you can reference in sequence copy using the {{variable_name}} syntax. Save the mapping. Smartlead stores this mapping and reuses it on subsequent uploads from the same column structure.

5. Configure sequence steps, daily sending limits, and inbox rotation

   In the Sequence tab, build your email steps with delays between each one. A standard starting structure for an Apollo to Smartlead setup is: Step 1 on day 1, Step 2 on day 3, Step 3 on day 7, Step 4 (breakup) on day 14. In Campaign Settings, set your daily sending limit per mailbox to between 30 and 50 emails per day for mailboxes that have been warming for 14 to 30 days. Enable Auto-Mailbox Rotation so Smartlead distributes sends across all assigned accounts rather than burning one mailbox. Assign at least two warmed mailboxes to the campaign before launch.

6. Launch the campaign and confirm inbox placement on the first batch

   Set the campaign schedule to a business-hours window matching your target timezone and click Activate. Do not send the full list on day one. Let the first 20 to 30 emails send and check Smartlead's Sender Health dashboard after the initial batch. If inbox placement shows a decline or spam rate climbs, pause the campaign immediately and diagnose before continuing. If the first batch delivers cleanly to inbox, the apollo to smartlead setup examples structure is confirmed and you can let the campaign run at its configured daily pace.

Most failures in the Apollo to Smartlead setup fall into two categories: data quality problems from the Apollo export, and sending infrastructure problems in Smartlead. Check the data layer first before adjusting deliverability settings.

The CSV method works well for one-time list uploads and controlled batch imports. For ongoing workflows where new Apollo contacts should feed directly into Smartlead campaigns without manual exports, connect Apollo and Smartlead via Zapier. Apollo supports Zapier triggers for new contacts added to a saved list, and Smartlead supports Zapier actions to add a lead to a specific campaign. This removes the export-download-upload loop entirely for repeating prospecting motions.