Breakcold Setup: Social CRM + Unified Inbox + Auto Tasks
Configure Breakcold's pipeline, connect email and social channels to the unified inbox, and activate AI auto-task creation so follow-ups happen without manual input.
Before You Start
60 to 90 minutes to a live Breakcold workspace
Output: CRM pipeline live, email and social channels connected, AI auto-task rules active, one lead imported and moving through the pipeline automatically.
Time required: 60 to 90 minutes on first setup. Additional channels or pipeline stages take 10 to 15 minutes once the workspace is live.
Active Breakcold paid plan (14-day trial includes full access). Gmail or Outlook account for outreach. Chrome browser for lead import. LinkedIn integration requires CRM Pro ($59/mo) or CRM Max ($99/mo), not available on Essentials.
LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Telegram inboxes are gated behind CRM Pro (1 social inbox, $59/mo) and CRM Max (3 social inboxes, $99/mo). Confirm your plan before Step 3.
Workflow Overview
The 6-step setup at a glance
| Step | Action | Tool | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choose plan tier and configure workspace settings | Breakcold Settings | Workspace live, plan confirmed, team seats assigned |
| 2 | Connect Gmail or Outlook to the unified inbox | Breakcold Integrations | Email channel connected, outbound sending enabled |
| 3 | Connect LinkedIn and social channels (Pro/Max only) | Breakcold Social Inbox | Social conversations centralised alongside email |
| 4 | Build pipeline stages and configure lead movement rules | Breakcold CRM Pipeline | Pipeline active with auto-movement triggers set |
| 5 | Enable AI auto-task creation with agent personas | Breakcold AI Tasks | Follow-up tasks created automatically on interaction |
| 6 | Import leads via Chrome extension and verify end-to-end | Breakcold Chrome Extension | Leads in pipeline, inbox active, tasks generating |
Step by Step
Breakcold setup: pipeline, unified inbox, and auto tasks
- Choose your plan tier and configure workspace settings
In Settings, confirm your active plan: Essentials ($29/mo, email only, 25 AI Leads/seat), Pro ($59/mo, 1 social inbox, 50 AI Leads/seat), Max ($99/mo, 3 social inboxes, 200 AI Leads/seat). Invite team members and assign seats. Your plan determines which steps below are available.
- Connect Gmail or Outlook to the unified inbox
Go to Integrations, select your email provider, authenticate via OAuth, and grant read and send permissions. Connect the individual sender account you use for outbound, not a shared alias. Shared aliases break per-rep pipeline tracking.
π‘Connect Smartlead for volume sendingIf you run high-volume cold email through Smartlead, connect it here so replies surface in the Breakcold unified inbox alongside direct Gmail or Outlook responses. This prevents hot replies from sitting unseen in a separate tool.
- Connect LinkedIn and social channels to the unified inbox (Pro or Max required)
Navigate to Social Inbox in Integrations and connect your LinkedIn account. On Max, connect up to 3 accounts (LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram). If you use Sales Navigator, connect it here so account context appears inside Breakcold contact records without switching tools.
β οΈNo Zapier workaround on EssentialsRouting LinkedIn messages through Zapier on Essentials creates a fragile sync that drops messages under load. Upgrade to Pro before connecting social channels.
- Build pipeline stages and configure auto lead movement rules
In CRM Pipeline, create stages that match your process (example: New Lead, Contacted, Replied, Meeting Booked, Closed). In Pipeline Automation, map interaction events (reply received, link clicked) to stage transitions. Skipping this reduces Breakcold to a manual tracker.
π‘Cap at 5 pipeline stagesMore than 5 stages creates reporting noise and harder automation rules. Start lean, observe where leads stall after 2 weeks, and add stages only when a missing one would change how you act on a deal.
- Enable AI auto-task creation and configure agent personas
In AI Tasks settings, enable auto-task creation and set a due date window: 24h for active campaigns, 48 to 72h for relationship-based outreach. Configure AI personas per lead tier for teams where reps handle different accounts. Breakcold will not create duplicate tasks if a follow-up already exists.
- Import leads via the Chrome extension and verify end-to-end
Install the Breakcold Chrome extension, navigate to a test LinkedIn profile, and import the lead into your first pipeline stage. Send a message from the unified inbox and confirm: message sent from the correct account, interaction logged, stage updated automatically, and AI follow-up task created. If all four events occur, setup is complete.
When Things Break
4 common Breakcold failures and their fixes
Most failures fall into four categories: plan limits blocking a feature, a permissions gap on channel connection, auto-tasks not enabled, or pipeline movement rules left at defaults.
Common Questions
4 questions about Breakcold plans, stack, and tasks
Email unified inbox and auto-tasks are available on all paid plans, including Essentials ($29/mo). Social inbox (LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram) requires Pro ($59/mo) for 1 account or Max ($99/mo) for 3.
No. Breakcold is a CRM and unified inbox, not a high-volume sequencer. Use Smartlead for delivery and sequence logic; Breakcold centralises replies and pipeline tracking via native integration.
Breakcold creates a follow-up task automatically when an interaction is detected and no next action is scheduled. It also suggests the task type based on conversation context, replacing generic reminders with specific next steps.
Yes. Breakcold syncs contacts two-way with HubSpot and imports leads directly from Apollo without CSV exports. Both integrations are configured in the Breakcold Integrations panel.