Table of Contents
- Introduction to Sales Follow Up Email
- Why Templates Matter
- Importance of Sales Follow Up Emails
- Best Practices for Writing Sales Follow Up Emails
- 1. Personalize When Possible
- 2. Keep It Concise and Clear
- 3. Restate Value
- 4. Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)
- 5. Vary Your Messaging Style Across Follow Ups
- 6. Time Your Follow Ups Thoughtfully
- 7. Use Social Proof and Credibility
- 8. Mind Tone and Professionalism
- Real-World Insight
- Sales Follow Up Email Templates by Industry
- SaaS Sales Follow Up Email Template
- Real Estate Sales Follow Up Email Template
- B2B Sales Follow Up Email Template
- Conclusion
Sales follow up emails are still one of the sharpest tools in any salesperson’s kit. Whether you’re steering a SaaS team, dabbling in real estate, or navigating the big world of B2B outreach, mastering the art of a solid sales follow up email template can do wonders for your response rate. Ultimately, this helps you seal more deals.
This article isn’t just a bland collection of templates—it’s a strategic playbook for sales follow up emails shaped by what each industry needs. We’ll dig into why these follow ups matter so much, drop some best practices, and showcase practical templates cut out specifically for SaaS, real estate, and B2B sales folks. You’ll get some bonus wisdom too, straight from the trenches, built on tried-and-true sales communication best practices.
Introduction to Sales Follow Up Email
Picture this: A sales follow up email is any note fired off after the initial connection or meeting, hoping to re-engage a prospect, answer lingering questions, or nudge the sales process along. Let’s face it, most deals aren’t clinched in the first encounter.
Stats tell us that 80% of sales need a minimum of five follow ups to close, yet only a measly 8% of salespeople hang in there till the end. That’s a whole lot of business just hanging out on the line.
A stellar sales follow up email template hits that sweet spot of professionalism, personalization, and relevance. It’s crafted to gently steer the prospect toward the next step without pulling them along kicking and screaming.
Why Templates Matter
Here’s the deal: Templates save time and keep things consistent, especially when your sales reps are swimming in emails. A solid template keeps your brand voice intact, cuts down on errors, and cranks up the quality of your outreach.
But let’s clear the air—templates are no “set it and forget it” magic. You’ve got to tailor them, test them, and tweak them based on feedback and what your audience vibes with.
Importance of Sales Follow Up Emails
Follow up emails are like the bridge that takes you from interest to action. They build trust by showing you’re persistent and attentive without being a nuisance.
Here’s the scoop on why they matter:
- Increase Response Rates: Most prospects ghost after the first email, but a nicely timed follow up can light the spark again.
- Clarify Value Proposition: Follow ups let you reframe your offer or hit them with a new angle.
- Address Objections: Use these emails to tackle any concerns before they become dealbreakers.
- Create Urgency: A little nudge can sometimes light a fire under prospects without overwhelming them.
- Strengthen Relationships: In longer sales cycles, regular contact helps breed familiarity and trust.
HubSpot tossed out a stat saying that chucking at least three follow up emails into the mix after the first outreach ups reply rates by 27%. The top sellers? They’re out here sending five or more follow ups regularly.
Best Practices for Writing Sales Follow Up Emails
Acing a sales follow up email template means knowing what flies and what sinks. Here are some rock-solid best practices drawn from sales communication techniques that deliver.
1. Personalize When Possible
Address prospects by name, mention their company, or call back specific details from your past chats or research. Personalization shows you’re not just copy-pasting; you’re fully engaged.
Example:
“Hey Sarah, I saw [Company] just staffed up the marketing team. Thought you might want to check out how our platform can help get those campaigns streamlined.”
2. Keep It Concise and Clear
Everyone’s busy. Get to the point. Keep sentences snappy, skip the jargon, and if you’ve got a list, bullet points are your friend.
3. Restate Value
Remind them why your product or service is the bee’s knees and how it tackles their problem or pain area.
4. Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Every follow up should have a straightforward next move. It could be scheduling a call, shooting back an answer, grabbing a resource, or popping a quick reply to confirm interest.
5. Vary Your Messaging Style Across Follow Ups
Don’t just hit resend on the same old email. Mix it up with a case study, shoot over a question, or drop a reminder to keep your follow ups from feeling stale.
6. Time Your Follow Ups Thoughtfully
Find the sweet spot—maybe between 2-5 business days between emails. Don’t bombard, don’t ghost.
7. Use Social Proof and Credibility
Drop in industry stats, awards, or stories from happy customers that align with the prospect’s sector.
8. Mind Tone and Professionalism
Keep it cool, respectful, and real. Don’t sound desperate, and stay far away from pushy.
Real-World Insight
At one mid-sized SaaS outfit, sticking to these best practices in their follow-up strategy ratcheted up their lead response rate by a whopping 35% in just a couple of months. They played around with A/B tests for email subject lines and polished their templates based on open and reply feedback.
Sales Follow Up Email Templates by Industry
Different industries come with their unique buyer mindsets, challenges, and lingo. Here are some tailored sales follow up email templates for SaaS, Real Estate, and B2B sales. Use these as your starting block and tweak them to suit your product and prospect.
SaaS Sales Follow Up Email Template
Context: You’ve tossed out a demo invite or introductory demo and gotten crickets in return.
Subject: Quick question about [Prospect’s Company] and [Your Product]
Hey [First Name],
Just wanted to check in after sending over my demo invite last week. I know your time’s gold, so I’d love to offer a fast overview shaped just for [Prospect’s Company]’s [challenge or goal].
Our platform’s helped folks like [Client A] and [Client B] shrink down their [pain point], and I’m thinking you might see similar wins.
What do you say to a breezy 15-minute chat this week to dig into this?
Cheers,
[Your Name]
Why this works: It’s short, personalized, packed with social proof, and nudges for a low-key next step. No pressure for a demo—just an open door for conversation.
Real Estate Sales Follow Up Email Template
Context: This kicks in after an initial property tour or inquiry slips through the cracks.
Subject: Following up on your interest in [Property Address]
Hey [First Name],
Thanks for swinging by [Property Address]. Just wanted to see if you’ve got any questions or want to check out similar properties.
The market’s buzzing right now, and I wouldn’t want you to miss a gem that fits your wishlist.
Would you like me to send over a custom list of spots worth checking out this week?
Ping me anytime you feel like chatting.
Best,
[Your Name]
Why this works: It jogs the prospect’s memory of their visit, hints at urgency, and greases the wheels with value minus the pressure.
B2B Sales Follow Up Email Template
Context: This swings in after an initial cold outreach or proposal send-off.
Subject: Continuing our conversation on [Prospect’s Company]’s [Goal/Challenge]
Hey [First Name],
Just reaching out about the proposal I shot over last week for [specific solution].
We’ve seen businesses in [prospect’s industry] snag [specific metric/benefit] with our help, and I’m confident we can help you hit similar marks.
Up for a quick chat to cover any questions or map out next steps?
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Best,
[Your Name]
Why this works: It’s tuned into their business scene, spells out benefits, and rolls out the welcome mat for dialogue.
Conclusion
A knock-out sales follow up email template is a cornerstone of top-notch sales communication. Customizing follow-up strategies to fit the industry and the prospect’s pulse boosts engagement, builds trust, and speeds up deals.
Make sure your follow ups are prompt, pertinent, and crystal clear. Drop in personalization and social proof. Watch response data and fine-tune your templates over time.
Whether you’re in SaaS, real estate, or B2B, killer follow up emails are what set great sales teams apart.
Ready to supercharge your sales efforts? Give these tailored email templates a try in your next outreach. Track what sticks and tweak from there. Smart follow ups? They’re consistent yet respectful, strategic but straightforward.
Need extra help setting up killer sales communication systems or keen on tools that automate personalized follow ups? Reach out to sales enablement pros or your in-house revenue operations folks. Your next big win might just be one well-timed email away.
FAQ
A sales follow up email template is a pre-written message designed to help salespeople reconnect with prospects after initial contact, improving engagement and closing chances.
Follow up emails keep prospects engaged, build trust, and address objections. Tailoring templates by industry ensures relevance and higher response rates.
Focus on personalization, clear value propositions, concise messaging, and timely follow up while aligning with sales communication best practices.
Techniques include using varied messaging styles, scheduling multiple follow ups, leveraging social proof, and addressing prospect pain points systematically.
While core principles apply, it's best to customize each template to the industry’s language, challenges, and buyer psychology for maximum effectiveness.