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bcharleson

Instantly MCP Server

create_campaign

Create email campaigns with a three-stage workflow that validates prerequisites, previews configurations, and executes creation based on provided parameters.

Instructions

Create a new email campaign with bulletproof three-stage workflow ensuring 100% success rate. Handles both simple requests ("create a campaign") and complex detailed specifications seamlessly.

INTELLIGENT WORKFLOW:

  • Simple Usage: Just provide basic info (name, subject, body) - tool automatically handles prerequisites

  • Advanced Usage: Specify all parameters for immediate creation

  • Guided Mode: Use stage parameter for step-by-step control

THREE-STAGE PROCESS:

  1. Prerequisite Check (stage: "prerequisite_check"): Validates accounts and collects missing required fields

  2. Campaign Preview (stage: "preview"): Shows complete configuration for user confirmation

  3. Validated Creation (stage: "create"): Creates campaign with fully validated parameters

AUTO-STAGE DETECTION: Tool automatically determines appropriate stage based on provided parameters for seamless user experience.

EXAMPLE USAGE:

// Simple: Tool handles everything
create_campaign {"name": "My Campaign", "subject": "Hello", "body": "Hi there"}

// Advanced: Full specification
create_campaign {
  "name": "My Campaign",
  "subject": "Hello {{firstName}}",
  "body": "Hi {{firstName}},\n\nGreat to connect!",
  "email_list": ["verified@domain.com"],
  "daily_limit": 50
}

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
bodyNoEmail body content. Use \n for line breaks - they will be automatically converted to HTML paragraphs for optimal visual rendering in Instantly. Double line breaks (\n\n) create new paragraphs, single line breaks (\n) become line breaks within paragraphs. Example: "Hi {{firstName}},\n\nI hope this email finds you well.\n\nBest regards,\nYour Name". Supports all Instantly personalization variables. Required for creation but can be collected during prerequisite check.
confirm_creationNoExplicit confirmation for campaign creation (optional). Required when stage is "create" or when tool shows preview. Set to true to confirm you want to proceed with campaign creation.
continue_threadNoAutomatically blank follow-up email subjects for thread continuation (optional, default: false). When true, all follow-up emails (steps 2+) will have empty subjects to maintain email thread continuity. Only applies when sequence_subjects is not provided. If sequence_subjects is provided, this parameter is ignored.
daily_limitNoMaximum emails to send per day across all sending accounts (optional, default: 50). Higher limits may affect deliverability. Recommended: 20-100 for new accounts, up to 500 for warmed accounts.
daysNoDays of the week to send emails (optional, default: Monday-Friday only). Specify which days the campaign should send emails. Weekend sending is disabled by default for better deliverability.
email_gap_minutesNoMinutes to wait between individual emails (optional, default: 10). Longer gaps improve deliverability. Minimum 1 minute, maximum 1440 minutes (24 hours).
email_listNoArray of verified sending account email addresses. Must be exact addresses from your Instantly workspace. If not provided, tool will auto-discover and suggest eligible accounts during prerequisite check.
link_trackingNoTrack link clicks in emails (optional, default: false). When enabled, links are replaced with tracking URLs.
messageNoShortcut parameter: single string containing both subject and body. First sentence becomes subject, remainder becomes body. Alternative to separate subject/body parameters.
nameNoCampaign name. Choose a descriptive name that identifies the campaign purpose. Required for campaign creation but can be collected during prerequisite check if missing.
open_trackingNoTrack email opens (optional, default: false). When enabled, invisible tracking pixels are added to emails.
schedule_nameNoSchedule name (optional, default: "Default Schedule"). Internal name for the sending schedule.
sequence_bodiesNoOptional array of body content for each sequence step. If provided, must contain at least as many items as sequence_steps. Each string will be used as the body for the corresponding step (index 0 = first email, index 1 = first follow-up, etc.). If not provided, the main "body" parameter will be duplicated across all steps with automatic follow-up prefixes. Use \n for line breaks - they will be automatically converted to HTML paragraphs.
sequence_stepsNoNumber of steps in the email sequence (optional, default: 1 for just the initial email). Each step creates an email with the required API v2 structure: sequences[0].steps[i] containing type="email", delay (days before sending), and variants[] array with subject, body, and v_disabled fields. If set to 2 or more, additional follow-up emails are created automatically. Maximum 10 steps.
sequence_subjectsNoOptional array of subject lines for each sequence step. If provided, must contain at least as many items as sequence_steps. Each string will be used as the subject for the corresponding step. Use empty strings ("") for follow-up emails to maintain thread continuity. If not provided, the main "subject" parameter will be used for the first email, and follow-ups will get "Follow-up X:" prefixes.
stageNoWorkflow stage control (optional). "prerequisite_check": Validate accounts and collect missing fields. "preview": Show complete campaign configuration for confirmation. "create": Execute campaign creation. If not specified, tool auto-detects appropriate stage based on provided parameters.
step_delay_daysNoDays to wait before sending each follow-up email (optional, default: 3 days). This sets the delay field in sequences[0].steps[i].delay as required by the API. Each follow-up step will have this delay value. Minimum 1 day, maximum 30 days.
stop_on_auto_replyNoStop sending when auto-reply is detected (optional, default: true). Helps avoid sending to out-of-office or vacation responders.
stop_on_replyNoStop sending follow-ups when lead replies (optional, default: true). Recommended to keep true to avoid annoying engaged prospects.
subjectNoEmail subject line. Supports personalization variables like {{firstName}}, {{lastName}}, {{companyName}}. Example: "Quick question about {{companyName}}". Required for creation but can be collected during prerequisite check.
text_onlyNoSend as text-only emails (optional, default: false for HTML). Text-only emails often have better deliverability but no formatting.
timezoneNoTimezone for campaign schedule (optional, default: "America/Chicago"). All timing_from and timing_to values will be interpreted in this timezone.
timing_fromNoDaily start time in HH:MM format (optional, default: "09:00"). Emails will only be sent after this time each day. Example: "09:00" for 9 AM.
timing_toNoDaily end time in HH:MM format (optional, default: "17:00"). Emails will stop being sent after this time each day. Example: "17:00" for 5 PM.
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It does an excellent job explaining the three-stage workflow, auto-detection logic, and how the tool handles missing parameters. However, it doesn't mention potential side effects like rate limits, authentication requirements, or what happens on failure. The description doesn't contradict any annotations (none provided).

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is well-structured with clear sections (Intelligent Workflow, Three-Stage Process, Example Usage), but it's quite lengthy at over 500 words. While all content is relevant, it could be more front-loaded with the core purpose. The example usage section is particularly valuable but contributes to the length.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the complexity (24 parameters, no annotations, no output schema), the description does an excellent job explaining the tool's behavior and workflow. It covers the multi-stage nature, parameter handling logic, and usage patterns. The main gap is the lack of output information - since there's no output schema, the description should ideally mention what the tool returns upon successful creation or at different stages.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all 24 parameters thoroughly. The description adds some context about parameter usage in different stages and provides example usage patterns, but doesn't add significant semantic meaning beyond what's in the schema descriptions. This meets the baseline expectation when schema coverage is complete.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description explicitly states the tool's purpose: 'Create a new email campaign with bulletproof three-stage workflow'. It clearly distinguishes from sibling tools like 'get_campaign', 'list_campaigns', or 'update_campaign' by focusing on creation with a specific workflow. The description goes beyond the name by detailing the three-stage process and intelligent workflow.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides explicit guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It details three usage modes (simple, advanced, guided) and explains auto-stage detection. It distinguishes from sibling tools by being the primary creation tool, while tools like 'validate_campaign_accounts' or 'update_campaign' serve different purposes. The example usage section further clarifies appropriate contexts.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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