EPISODE 43 | January 23, 2026
Budgeting and Measuring ROI from Outbound
A practical framework for budgeting outbound campaigns - from infrastructure costs to channel optimization and ROI measurement
Key Takeaways
- Reverse engineer from SQLs: Start with your SQL target, calculate how many campaigns needed, then determine leads per campaign - work backwards to build your budget
- Know your sending limits: Google allows 15 emails/day per inbox, Microsoft allows 5 - these hard limits determine how many domains and inboxes you need for your volume
- Infrastructure cost breakdown: For 4 campaigns, expect $40-60 for domains and inboxes, plus costs for data tools (Clay, Prospeo), outbound tools (Instantly, SmartLead, HeyReach), and intent tools
- Channel mix matters: Optimize based on where your ICP is active - balance email, LinkedIn, voice agents, and WhatsApp based on persona behavior, not assumptions
- Intent signals add cost but improve ROI: Cold outbound has lower tool costs but lower conversion; adding intent signals (website visitors, offsite intent, news triggers) costs more but dramatically improves outcomes
Guest
Prashant Mantri and Soumya Surabhi, GTM Operators
GTM Wallet
GTM Wallet
Key Topics
Outbound Budgeting, ROI Measurement, Campaign Infrastructure, Email Deliverability, Channel Optimization, Outbound Tools Stack
Tags
outbound budgeting, roi measurement, campaign infrastructure, email deliverability, outbound tools, clay, instantly, smartlead
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