On boilerplate, salespeople who ship at least one follow-upwardly e-mail after no response achieve a 27% reply rate. Those who don't send one get stuck at a 16% average reply rate.

You don't want that 11-point gap to cost you a major contract or foreclose yous from exceeding quota. In this mail service, I'll show yous how to send a follow-upwardly electronic mail after no response — and get that prospect to shut at last.

Free Download: 30 Follow-Up Email Templates

In this post, we'll explore:

  • Why send a follow-up email afterward no response?
  • How to Write a Follow-Upward E-mail After No Response
  • 2nd Follow-Upward Electronic mail Later No Response
  • Follow-Up Email Afterwards No Response Example
  • Templates for Follow-Up Emails Subsequently No Response

Why send a follow-up email after no response?

It'southward simple: Following upwardly is disquisitional because it significantly increases your chances of getting a response.

How many times has a deal been going along without a hitch until, suddenly, it'due south non? 1 week of silence passes, then two, and you're left wondering what you did wrong and if there's any fashion to prepare it.

By this signal, yous've likely sent previous follow-up emails or left voicemails on your prospect's inbox. Fifty-fifty if the situation looks dour, it's important to continue post-obit up after no response.

Enquiry shows that if y'all add just one more than follow-up e-mail, you lot can increase your average respond rate by eleven percent points. Those eleven percentage points may wait small, but they're the deviation between a yes and a no.

Follow-up emails too accept a higher reply rate in general. The beginning follow-up email has a twoscore%-increase in reply rate in comparison to the start email. For example, if your average reply rate for your beginning e-mail is 5%, your follow-up email will have an boilerplate reply rate of 7%.

So don't e'er skip following up — it tin can toll you a closed-won deal.

When to Follow Upwardly Subsequently No Response

At nigh, expect three days before following up after no response.

If you wait a week, it'll exist as well long. And if you ship an electronic mail on the aforementioned twenty-four hour period, you'll appear desperate. Ship two to three emails in your sequence, and remember: never send a breakup email. Instead, go out the conversation open up and render to it at a later date.

On that note, let's get over best practices for sending a follow-up message.

How to Write a Follow-Upwards Email After No Response

  1. Enquire yourself if you lot included a close in your offset effort.
  2. Resist the urge to re-send your first e-mail.
  3. Don't follow up too rapidly.
  4. Write a truthful subject line.
  5. First the message with a reminder of your last touchpoint.
  6. Resist the temptation to be passive-aggressive in your opening.
  7. Keep the body of the email every bit short as possible.
  8. Include a telephone call-to-action at the finish.

If your prospect doesn't respond to your first email, yous might be thinking to yourself, "Well, if they didn't respond the first time, then surely they're not interested in the product and I should leave them solitary."

Wrong.

Many factors affect a prospect's conclusion to not respond to your email. It may non have been the right fourth dimension; they may have seen it, but forgotten to reply; your email got buried in their inbox; they may non be interested now, merely if y'all stay in contact, they'll exist interested later on.

In that location are likewise many reasons for post-obit up. And so, what'due south your next step? Here are several principles to adhere to when sending a follow-upwards e-mail after no response. Follow them, and you lot're more likely to welcome a few of those prodigal prospects back into your open arms.

i. First, ask yourself (honestly) if you lot included a close in your first attempt.

Starting time, inquire yourself if you included a shut in your first attempt. When we send an initial follow-up email to fish for a response, salespeople frequently soften them. We throw in an "I'd love to hear back from you" or "I'd like to larn more nearly what you do."

The problem is, these aren't questions and none of them enquire for a close. Endmost isn't just a will-they-or-won't-they-sign-the-contract question. Every communication you have with a prospect — from initial outreach to concluding paperwork — should include a close. Whether you lot're closing for some other v minutes of their time, a demo, or a discovery phone call, you'd amend have a purpose and call-to-action every time y'all reach out to your prospect.

And then, instead of an ambiguous statement like, "I call up I tin really assistance you. I hope nosotros can catch upwardly soon," make certain you give your prospect an opening to respond. Include firm questions like, "Are you free for a demo this Friday?" or "Tin can you return all feedback on the initial proposal by adjacent Tuesday?" and give your prospect an actionable request to respond to.

2. Resist the urge to re-send your commencement e-mail.

Never cut and paste or forward the original electronic mail. It might feel empowering, simply all it's doing is advertising to your prospect that you're making them feel guilty for not responding. From a applied standpoint, this leaves your emails vulnerable to beingness filtered by spam or blocked entirely.

Treat each follow-upward email every bit a blank slate. Try new subject field lines, opening greetings, and calls-to-action. You never know what's going to finally move your prospect to respond — so why limit yourself to one e-mail thread that already has nine obsolete messages weighing it down?

3. Don't follow upwardly too rapidly.

Salespeople similar to categorize themselves as persistent. It'due south one of our calling cards and part of our identity, but when post-obit up, persistence tin begin to expect a lot like pestering.

Beingness persistent without insight into why the prospect isn't responding is non smart. If you're simply waiting a day or two to bear upon base of operations again after the outset outreach email, you're not giving them time to answer.

Worse, it signals to your prospect yous're not that busy — and no one wants to work with a desperate salesperson. Wait at least 3 days between your beginning and 2d follow-upwards attempt. So and only then should you advance your outreach cadence.

4. Write a true subject field line.

Y'all might be tempted to "embellish" your field of study line, merely trust me when I say: Don't. Using subject lines similar, "Re: Our meeting last week," or "Post-obit up on our phone call," when you've never completed either of those actions with the prospect, is lying and ever a bad idea.

Don't try to trick your prospect into opening your emails and responding to them out of defoliation. Go on your bailiwick lines positive, clear, and concise. Consider using something similar:

  • "Bumping this in your inbox": This lets them know that you've sent an electronic mail before, and are sending another message in instance they missed the first message.
  • "Resources list for [business concern name]": Another great option that makes your prospect curious about what they might find inside.
  • "Following up after the demo final week": An easy choice if yous've already carried out a demo with the prospect.

Looking for more than ideas? Check out these email field of study lines and download more for free beneath.

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4. Offset the message with a reminder of your concluding touchpoint.

Just as lying to your prospect is in poor taste, so is sending a second email without making it evident you've been in contact earlier. This might piece of work if you're particularly close with the prospect — say, if you're childhood friends. (Unlikely, merely that might exist the case.)

Nearly likely, you and your prospect don't collaborate often enough for them to remember you. Or they might call back y'all, but need a reminder of why you're reaching out again. And it doesn't have to be something as explicit as, "This is a follow-upwards to an email I sent you last week," or as impersonal every bit, "I'm contacting y'all again after attempting to connect with y'all a few days ago."

These types of sentences tin can feel wooden and fifty-fifty accusing. They arrive seem like the prospect willfully ignored your email. Maybe they did, simply that can because of various reasons, including that they were busy when they first opened your email.

Try simple, straightforward reminders that make you audio friendly and willing to provide more value. Your opening should also get to the signal chop-chop, reminding your prospect of the call-to-action yous gave them in your previous message. Here are some examples:

  • "Hope you're well. Did you have a chance to look at the [articles, resources, links] I sent last week?"
  • "I hope you're having a great calendar week. Did you get a chance to look over the contract I sent on [engagement]?"
  • "Hope you're enjoying the product samples so far. I shot you an electronic mail terminal week to get your temperature on the samples and am bumping this up to the summit of your inbox."

v. Resist the temptation to be passive-aggressive in your opening.

When you've sent one or two emails and oasis't heard back, it's easy to beginning to have it personally. Salespeople have to have thicker pare than that. Lines similar, "I've tried to reach you a few times now," or "I know you're busy, I'm decorated likewise," do aught to move your bargain forward.

Best instance scenario, you guilt your prospect into responding to your bulletin. Worst case, you offend and alienate them. If you lot reach out a few times and don't hear back, keep your tone positive.

When in doubt, assume positive intent. Phrases like, "Just wanted to bump this email to the acme of your inbox," or "Wanted to bear on base on this," quietly acknowledge your prospect is busy and might but need a gentle nudge to get the ball rolling again.

6. Proceed the body of the email as curt as possible.

A follow-up email shouldn't contain more than a few bullet points or paragraphs. Stick to 2-iii paragraphs at most, because remember — your prospect already got your first email. Your second electronic mail should complement the first, non overwhelm your prospect with more information that will make it harder to respond.

The trunk of your follow-upward email should:

  • Provide more value to the prospect.
  • Clarify how the prospect will benefit if they continue to engage with you.
  • Make information technology irresistible to answer your call-to-activity.

On that note, let's talk about calls-to-action.

7. Every bit always, include a call-to-action at the finish.

Your prospect should never walk away from i of your emails without knowing what they're supposed to practice. Tell them what you lot want from them and you're more likely to get it. Do y'all want them to answer a specific question? Provide more than information about their company? Frontward you lot to the correct person who'd be able to handle the deal?

1 matter to annotation: The call-to-activeness should never exist the aforementioned equally the one in your beginning email. Your prospect likely already saw the first email, and maybe they found the call-to-activeness too much for them at the time. Increase your chances of a response by adjusting your close.

We go over that in more detail in the next section, because this will come into play if yous need to transport a second email afterwards no response.

Second Follow-Up Email After No Response

When sending a second follow-up email later on no response, you must retrieve well-nigh timing start. Wait iii days before getting in touch on again, and e'er send a fresh message. Last, include a telephone call to action that shows your prospect what yous want them to do next.

How to Send a Second Follow-Upwards Electronic mail Subsequently No Response

You should keep in mind the following important tips if you need to follow up a second time:

Adjust your close every time yous don't go a response.

If y'all need to follow up a second time and you lot're still non getting a response, yous might merely be suffering from the wrong call to action. Each time you follow upwardly with a prospect after no response, your close should become easier to deliver on (because each e-mail that goes unanswered, it gets easier and easier for your prospect to ignore you lot).

If your kickoff follow-upwards email asked for a meeting, your second might ask for a referral instead. If you lot nevertheless get no response, your third e-mail should asking more general information. For example, you might ask, "I'grand trying to navigate your organization right at present. Where'due south the best place for me to go to learn more almost Team 10 and Project Y?"

If all else fails, ask a question entirely disconnected from work. If a new putting range opened in their town, ask, "I saw yous have a new Topgolf open in your neighborhood! Have you checked information technology out yet?"

At times, it'due south easier for prospects to answer personal questions about themselves. It reminds them you lot're a human and not just a sales machine. Once y'all get a response to your Topgolf question, steer the conversation back to business.

Don't ship a breakup email.

Never send a breakup email. If you lot've tried these steps, terminate sending your prospect emails. Go away, wait, and follow up a few months later.

There's an old sales aphorism alert reps not to announce intent. If y'all ship a frustrated e-mail after your quaternary follow-up proverb, "Well, since I haven't heard from you, I'll presume yous're non interested," you've made your prospect feel bad, made yourself look similar a victim, and decreased the likelihood of them reaching out to yous in the future.

Past not saying anything and reaching out once more subsequently a few months have elapsed, y'all've kept yourself in a position of authority and avoided passive-aggressively blaming your prospect for never responding. Follow upwards with a friendly, "I promise you had a neat summer! I know a lot of clients are focused on [do good your product/service offers] heading into the fall months. Is this a priority for your company right now?"

Follow-Upward Email Example

Below is a slap-up follow-up electronic mail template I've used in the past.

If that one doesn't fit your situation, I've drafted several more examples.

Follow-Up Email Templates

follow up email example templatesWe've packaged 30 follow-upwardly email templates for you to employ in whatever situation, including:

  • General follow-ups.
  • Syncing with recruiters.
  • Touching base with sales prospects.
  • Reconnecting with networking contacts.

Download the templates at present and customize them to send the perfect follow-up email. Later you're washed downloading your free templates, come back and check out the ones below.

1. Following Up After Sending Resources

If you sent a listing of resources and the customer hasn't responded, use the below electronic mail template. You might have even seen that they opened the email on your CRM, just they didn't become back to y'all. In that instance, they're likely too busy to reply.

Tip: If they didn't answer to your first resources email, whittle it down to just one or two particularly specific resource that connect to their pain points and needs.

2. Following Up Later on Demo

Nearly customers who've gotten to the demo stage won't ignore your emails. They're likely very interested in purchasing your product or service. But if at that place'due south a customer who received a demo and so stopped responding to your emails, it's useful to touch base of operations again and ensure you're still on their radar.

Tip: Refer to the last phone call-to-action y'all established, and then provide an culling that may be more feasible.

three. Post-obit Up Afterward a Missed Telephone call

Take yous sent an electronic mail and also called? And neither of those have gotten a response?

First, this is one of those situations where you'd wait a week. You don't want to pester the prospect too much. Second, send an electronic mail that re-establishes the value you can bring to their company.

Tip: If you've tried to get in contact several times and get no response, information technology'south safe to assume they're non the right person to talk to — or they're an unqualified lead. Either ask for another contact, or stop emailing the person and wait for the company to hire the correct contact.

4. Following Up Afterward Sending a Contract

For smaller or freelance businesses, sending a contract is something y'all do early on in the sales cycle — more than similar to a quote than a legally binding document.

If you're in enterprise sales, sending a contract is a much bigger deal. It'southward implied that the recipient is gear up to sign at that signal, so you probably won't need to follow up.

Withal, if yous've failed to get a response after sending a contract over electronic mail, ship a short check-in message.

Tip: You've gotten to the contract stage because you've effectively created a connection. Utilise emotions — positive emotions — to amp up their enthusiasm.

v. Following Up After They Submitted a Sales Inquiry

Your prospect may have submitted a class, signaling purchasing intent. You responded, simply they didn't become back to you.

This lead is all the same hot, and it's near definitely worth post-obit up.

Tip: Repeat their pain points, reminding them why they reached out and why they need your production.

6. Post-obit Up After You lot Connected on Social Media

If y'all connected on social media, sent an email, and received no response, follow up once again — especially if the prospect seemed interested in your offer.

Tip: If your get-go email didn't become a response, provide more value than you did previously, and don't forget to include a call to activeness.

7. Following Up After They Don't Renew their Contract

Some prospects choose to ghost when it's time to renew their contract, ignoring your commencement email and even automatic reminders from the system.

Tip: The prospect may not be ready to renew because of a upkeep or internal effect. Close with a request for a call so you lot can pitch alternative options, such as an adjusted parcel.

viii. Post-obit Upwardly Later on Sending a Quote

Typically, you ship a quote over email, and if you receive no response, information technology's critical to follow up and then that you can re-emphasize the efficacy of your solution.

Tip: Like in the last instance, the prospect may exist encountering an unexpected internal hold-upward. Offer the opportunity for them to talk through some of the terms and fees, and be open to negotiation.

9. Following Up After Sending Product Samples

In some industries, such as the impress and manufacturing industries, product samples are required before the prospect can motion frontward with a quote, contract, or buy.

Always follow-upward if they didn't answer to your first electronic mail — especially if they're an enterprise customer.

Tip: If they're not responding later on receiving the samples, the products may not exist a practiced fit. Offering an opening for them to ask for boosted samples.

10. Following Upwardly Afterward a Free Trial

A costless trial is a bully opportunity to showcase your company's SaaS product and to capture a prospect'south attention. If the trial period is about to terminate and your prospect isn't responding to your emails, it'south time to check in.

Tip: A prospect'south lack of response does not necessarily mean "No." And if they took a free trial, they're very much interested in your offering. But they may need more than time. Offer an extension if possible, and always endeavor to schedule a call to find out how the trial is going.

Always Send a Follow-Up Email After No Response

Salespeople work difficult, and receiving answers to our emails makes usa feel successful. Nosotros don't desire to send too many follow-upward emails, just they're critical for leading the conversation toward a airtight-won deal. Test out a few of these tactics in your follow-upwardly outreach and lookout as they make a pregnant difference in your response rates.

Editor'due south annotation: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Mar 14, 2022 8:00:00 AM, updated March xiv 2022