A cold email follow up is a subsequent email sent after the initial outreach to re-engage prospects who didn’t respond.
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Cold email follow up is like this hidden gem in the world of sales tactics. You know, the kind that often gets overlooked. But here’s the truth: your first email might not get noticed. That second email? It’s where the magic happens. Want to turn those cold leads into warm conversations? Let’s dive into mastering the art of writing a follow-up email.
In this write-up, we’ll tackle why follow ups matter, the anatomy of a killer message, traps to dodge, and best practices that’ll make you the follow-up king or queen. It doesn’t matter if you’re leading a sales team, steering the ship as a B2B founder, or just an SDR in the hustle. This is your go-to guide for rethinking your email game to win big in B2B outreach.
Ever sent a cold email, only to be met with… crickets? It’s more common than you might think, but that doesn’t mean it’s game over. Sending a follow up is your opportunity to toss a reminder, switch up the narrative, or deliver extra value without being a bother. Remind them you’re more than just another unopened email.
Statistics shout loud and clear: around 80% of sales need at least five follow ups to seal the deal. Yet, some give up after the second attempt. It’s prime territory to outshine competitors who don’t show up as consistently.
Think of your outreach like a dialogue starter; each follow-up adds a line to the conversation until your lead tunes in or politely checks out. The right follow up can coax replies, dodging desperation.
Let’s be real: your prospect’s attention span isn’t much better than a goldfish’s. A solitary cold email might get buried under more “urgent” things like, I dunno, lunch plans. People miss stuff all the time—be it because of packed inboxes or just sheer forgetfulness.
But follow ups:
Data doesn’t lie; solid follow ups can trump a single swing. HubSpot’s research backs this up: 80% of sales take place with follow ups, but 44% throw in the towel too soon. That ghost of an opportunity could be your next loyal customer.
Skipping follow ups? That’s like leaving money on the table. Trust me, you don’t want those months of research and meticulous targeting to go up in smoke. Following up with finesse shows dedication—and keeps you unforgettable.
Once, at a SaaS gig where I headed up sales, we had this nifty way of measuring email sequences. First follow up? Pulled in a 12% reply rate. But when SDRs sent out not just one but three tailor-made follow ups every few days, those reply rates soared beyond 35%. Boom! We snagged 25% more qualified meetings, and all that buzz turned into hard cash flow.
The real magic was adapting follow ups. It wasn’t quantity but quality—each email brought something fresh, be it a customer story, a cool whitepaper, or a simple yet poignant question. That approach turned coldness into trust, subtly leading prospects along the path.
Let’s face it, people rarely say “yes” immediately, and it’s all about repetition. The psychology behind follow ups is straightforward: the more someone sees your name, the more they trust you. Familiarity breeds comfort—seriously, look it up, it’s called the mere-exposure effect.
Follow ups grant prospects the bandwidth to mull things over and hit reply when they’re darn ready. A timely nudge can rekindle interest without veering into the realm of annoyance.
Firing off effective follow ups involves more than clicking ‘send’ again. It’s about being smart, human, and direct. Here’s how to craft a message that resonates:
Your subject line should nod back to your initial email or tease some juicy content. “Following up on [topic]” or “Quick question about [pain point]” resonate way more than a yawning “Checking in.”
This is no time for copy-pasting. Reference something original about the persona you’re contacting—their company’s latest thing, their role, or even their pet pain point.
Example:
“Hey [Name], noticed your team just launched [product]. We’ve helped similar teams slice onboarding time down by 30%. Thought this tweak might catch your eye.”
Don’t just throw a “Did you catch my last email?” Instead, offer something new—be it a handy tip, a relevant piece of content, a raving testimonial, or some killer case study.
Keep it tight. Get to the point. Busy folks dig that. Your goal? Answer: Why should they care? What’s your ask? What’s the clear next step?
Wrap up with a smooth, simple CTA. Try something like:
“Are you free for a quick 10-minute call next week to chat about how we can help hit your goals?”
Or:
“Should we connect briefly to see if this aligns with your current objectives?”
A clear CTA gives them a direction to go.
Timing’s key. After your first email, wait a good 2-4 business days before firing off a follow up. Afterward, you might want to space them out a bit more—don’t want to look like a spammer.
Want to know what truly gets results? Field experience is your best teacher.
Utilize intent data, recent events, or even social media insights to customize. A nod to a recent company win or shared contact creates trust and opens doors.
Switch it up. If your first email read like a novel, try adding a quick, engaging video or neat infographic in the follow up. Variety spikes interest and engagement.
Come from a place of curiosity and collaboration, not pushiness. Terms like “just touching base” or “thought you’d dig this” sound lighter and conversational.
Experiment with which subject lines trigger opens and which times prompt better responses. Sales tools offer A/B testing for sequences—take advantage!
Aim for 3-4 follow ups, each under 200 words. Conciseness brings clarity and respects their time.
Mention brands you’ve assisted or results-driven outcomes demonstrating your solution’s impact.
Example: “We helped [Industry Leader] boost lead conversion by 40% in 3 months.”
Keep an eye on open rates, replies, and conversion metrics for every follow up. This insight helps fine-tune your messaging and timing for a maximum punch.
Even minor slip-ups can seriously undermine the impact of your cold email campaigns.
Dropping off after a few emails relinquishes prime leads. Stay consistent!
Forcing a demo or call right off can repel; nurture first.
Lack of personalization screams indifference, damaging trust and lowering responses. Learn more on email follow-up mistakes.
Bombarding prospects with details will overwhelm. Stick to one clean, clear benefit per email.
Make sure your emails comply with laws like GDPR or CAN-SPAM. Respect unsubscribe requests to maintain credibility.
Too frequent emails? Annoying. Too sparse? They lose momentum. Find the sweet spot in timing.
A savvy cold email follow up can shift disengaged individuals into warm prospects and even loyal customers. By harnessing cold email best practices—like personalizing your pitch, delivering value, nailing down the timing, and keeping things coherent—you greatly improve your chances of sparking meaningful dialogues.
Remember, selling isn’t just pushing products—it’s about building relationships. Follow ups let you nurture leads without slipping into spam territory. Draw learnings from real-world experiences and data, and keep perfecting your email sequences.
Crank up the efficiency of your outreach using these cold email follow up strategies today. Measure your output, test fresh angles, and most importantly, ensure your conversations remain genuine and beneficial.
Ready to craft follow ups that heat things up instead of icing them over?
Give these techniques a spin and watch how your response rates bloom.
Jay Solanki is a seasoned sales strategist with over ten years of experience enabling B2B teams to scale pipelines with smarter outreach. He’s up for sharing practical, no-nonsense advice drawn from real-life wins.
A cold email follow up is a subsequent email sent after the initial outreach to re-engage prospects who didn’t respond.
It increases the chances of getting a reply, builds rapport, and moves leads closer to conversion.
Typically, sending 3-4 follow ups spaced a few days apart balances persistence without overwhelming the prospect.
Being too pushy, sending generic or lengthy emails, and ignoring personalization often harm response rates.
Tools like Salesloft, Outreach, Reply.io, and HubSpot automate follow ups and offer analytics to refine emails.
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