On average, salespeople who transport at least one follow-upwardly email later no response reach a 27% reply charge per unit. Those who don't transport one become stuck at a xvi% boilerplate answer rate.

You don't desire that eleven-indicate gap to toll y'all a major contract or prevent you from exceeding quota. In this post, I'll evidence you how to send a follow-up email after no response — and get that prospect to shut at concluding.

Free Download: 30 Follow-Up Email Templates

In this post, we'll explore:

  • Why send a follow-up email later no response?
  • How to Write a Follow-Up Email After No Response
  • Second Follow-Up Email After No Response
  • Follow-Up Email After No Response Case
  • Templates for Follow-Up Emails Afterwards No Response

Why ship a follow-upwards email after no response?

It'south unproblematic: Following up is disquisitional because information technology significantly increases your chances of getting a response.

How many times has a deal been going along without a hitch until, suddenly, it's not? One week of silence passes, then 2, and yous're left wondering what you lot did wrong and if at that place'southward any mode to gear up it.

By this betoken, you've probable sent previous follow-up emails or left voicemails on your prospect's inbox. Even if the situation looks bleak, it'southward of import to continue following up after no response.

Enquiry shows that if y'all add together just i more than follow-upwards electronic mail, you can increase your average respond rate by eleven percentage points. Those 11 percentage points may look modest, only they're the departure between a yes and a no.

Follow-up emails also have a higher answer charge per unit in full general. The beginning follow-upward e-mail has a 40%-increment in reply charge per unit in comparing to the kickoff e-mail. For instance, if your boilerplate reply rate for your start email is 5%, your follow-upwardly email will take an average reply rate of vii%.

So don't ever skip following upward — it tin toll you a airtight-won deal.

When to Follow Up Afterwards No Response

At most, look three days before following up afterward no response.

If you wait a week, it'll be too long. And if you transport an e-mail on the same twenty-four hour period, you'll announced desperate. Send two to three emails in your sequence, and remember: never ship a breakdown email. Instead, leave the conversation open and return to it at a later date.

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

How to Write a Follow-Up E-mail Afterwards No Response

  1. Ask yourself if you included a close in your first attempt.
  2. Resist the urge to re-transport your first email.
  3. Don't follow upwardly too quickly.
  4. Write a truthful bailiwick line.
  5. Start the message with a reminder of your terminal touchpoint.
  6. Resist the temptation to be passive-aggressive in your opening.
  7. Go on the trunk of the electronic mail every bit brusque as possible.
  8. Include a call-to-activeness at the end.

If your prospect doesn't respond to your showtime electronic mail, you lot might exist thinking to yourself, "Well, if they didn't answer the first time, and so surely they're non interested in the product and I should leave them alone."

Incorrect.

Many factors affect a prospect'due south decision to not reply to your e-mail. It may not have been the right time; they may have seen it, but forgotten to answer; your email got cached in their inbox; they may not be interested now, only if you stay in contact, they'll be interested afterwards.

In that location are too many reasons for following upwards. So, what's your side by side pace? Here are several principles to adhere to when sending a follow-upwardly email afterward no response. Follow them, and you're more likely to welcome a few of those dissipated prospects dorsum into your open arms.

one. Kickoff, enquire yourself (honestly) if you included a shut in your get-go attempt.

First, ask yourself if yous included a close in your outset effort. When nosotros send an initial follow-up email to fish for a response, salespeople oft soften them. We throw in an "I'd love to hear back from you" or "I'd like to learn more about what you exercise."

The problem is, these aren't questions and none of them enquire for a close. Closing isn't but a will-they-or-won't-they-sign-the-contract question. Every advice you accept with a prospect — from initial outreach to concluding paperwork — should include a close. Whether y'all're closing for another 5 minutes of their fourth dimension, a demo, or a discovery telephone call, yous'd better have a purpose and call-to-activeness every time yous reach out to your prospect.

So, instead of an ambiguous argument like, "I call back I tin actually help yous. I promise nosotros can catch upwards soon," make sure you give your prospect an opening to respond. Include firm questions like, "Are you free for a demo this Friday?" or "Can you return all feedback on the initial proposal past next Tuesday?" and give your prospect an actionable request to reply to.

2. Resist the urge to re-ship your first email.

Never cutting and paste or forrard the original electronic mail. Information technology might experience empowering, but all it's doing is advertising to your prospect that you're making them feel guilty for not responding. From a practical standpoint, this leaves your emails vulnerable to being filtered by spam or blocked entirely.

Care for each follow-up email as a blank slate. Effort new subject 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 1 e-mail thread that already has nine obsolete letters weighing it down?

three. Don't follow upward too chop-chop.

Salespeople like to categorize themselves as persistent. It'south one of our calling cards and part of our identity, but when following up, persistence can begin to look a lot like pestering.

Being persistent without insight into why the prospect isn't responding is not smart. If you're merely waiting a day or two to touch base of operations again afterwards the first outreach email, yous're not giving them time to answer.

Worse, information technology signals to your prospect you're non that busy — and no one wants to piece of work with a drastic salesperson. Wait at to the lowest degree 3 days between your first and second follow-up attempt. And then and only then should yous accelerate your outreach cadence.

4. Write a truthful subject line.

You lot might be tempted to "embellish" your subject line, but trust me when I say: Don't. Using subject lines like, "Re: Our meeting last week," or "Following upwardly on our phone phone call," when you've never completed either of those actions with the prospect, is lying and always a bad idea.

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

  • "Bumping this in your inbox": This lets them know that you've sent an email before, and are sending another bulletin in example they missed the showtime bulletin.
  • "Resources list for [business organization proper name]": Another dandy option that makes your prospect curious well-nigh what they might find inside.
  • "Following up subsequently the demo last week": An easy selection if you've already carried out a demo with the prospect.

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4. Start the message with a reminder of your last touchpoint.

Just as lying to your prospect is in poor taste, then is sending a second email without making it evident you've been in contact before. This might piece of work if you lot're peculiarly close with the prospect — say, if you're babyhood friends. (Unlikely, but that might exist the example.)

Most likely, you and your prospect don't interact often plenty for them to remember you. Or they might remember you lot, but need a reminder of why you're reaching out once more. And it doesn't have to be something as explicit every bit, "This is a follow-up to an email I sent you last calendar week," or as impersonal as, "I'm contacting you again afterward attempting to connect with yous a few days agone."

These types of sentences can experience wooden and even accusing. They arrive seem like the prospect willfully ignored your electronic mail. Perhaps they did, but 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 than value. Your opening should also become to the point rapidly, reminding your prospect of the call-to-action you gave them in your previous bulletin. Here are some examples:

  • "Promise yous're well. Did yous have a chance to wait at the [manufactures, resource, links] I sent last week?"
  • "I hope y'all're having a great calendar week. Did you get a chance to look over the contract I sent on [date]?"
  • "Hope you're enjoying the product samples so far. I shot you an electronic mail concluding week to get your temperature on the samples and am bumping this up to the top of your inbox."

5. Resist the temptation to exist passive-aggressive in your opening.

When you've sent one or two emails and haven't heard dorsum, it's easy to start to have it personally. Salespeople have to accept thicker skin than that. Lines like, "I've tried to reach you a few times now," or "I know you're busy, I'thousand busy too," exercise nothing to motility your deal frontward.

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

When in dubiousness, assume positive intent. Phrases similar, "Just wanted to bump this electronic mail to the top of your inbox," or "Wanted to bear upon base on this," quietly acknowledge your prospect is busy and might just need a gentle nudge to get the ball rolling again.

6. Keep the torso of the email as brusque as possible.

A follow-up e-mail shouldn't comprise more than a few bullet points or paragraphs. Stick to 2-3 paragraphs at most, considering remember — your prospect already got your first email. Your 2d e-mail should complement the first, not overwhelm your prospect with more data that will make it harder to reply.

The trunk of your follow-upwardly email should:

  • Provide more than value to the prospect.
  • Clarify how the prospect will benefit if they keep to engage with you.
  • Brand it irresistible to respond your call-to-action.

On that note, permit's talk near calls-to-action.

7. As e'er, include a call-to-action at the end.

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

I thing to note: The call-to-action should never be the same equally the one in your first email. Your prospect probable already saw the first email, and maybe they plant the call-to-activeness besides much for them at the time. Increase your chances of a response past adjusting your close.

Nosotros go over that in more detail in the side by side section, considering this will come into play if you need to transport a second email afterwards no response.

Second Follow-Up Email Subsequently No Response

When sending a second follow-upwards electronic mail afterward no response, y'all must retrieve near timing first. Await three days before getting in touch again, and ever send a fresh message. Last, include a phone call to action that shows your prospect what you desire them to practise next.

How to Send a Second Follow-Up Email After No Response

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

Adjust your close every fourth dimension you don't go a response.

If yous need to follow up a 2nd time and you're even so not getting a response, you might simply be suffering from the wrong phone call to action. Each time you follow up with a prospect after no response, your shut should become easier to deliver on (considering each email that goes unanswered, it gets easier and easier for your prospect to ignore you).

If your first follow-upwards email asked for a meeting, your 2d might ask for a referral instead. If you still get no response, your 3rd electronic mail should request more full general information. For instance, y'all might ask, "I'm trying to navigate your organization right now. Where's the all-time place for me to go to larn more most 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 you accept a new Topgolf open in your neighborhood! Have you checked it out yet?"

At times, information technology's easier for prospects to reply personal questions about themselves. It reminds them you're a human and not only a sales machine. Once yous get a response to your Topgolf question, steer the conversation dorsum to business organization.

Don't send a breakup e-mail.

Never send a breakup electronic mail. If you've tried these steps, stop sending your prospect emails. Get away, await, and follow up a few months later.

There'south an old sales adage warning reps not to denote intent. If you send a frustrated email after your fourth follow-up proverb, "Well, since I haven't heard from yous, I'll assume y'all're non interested," you've fabricated your prospect experience bad, made yourself expect like a victim, and decreased the likelihood of them reaching out to you in the future.

By non proverb annihilation and reaching out once more after 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 up with a friendly, "I hope y'all had a great summer! I know a lot of clients are focused on [benefit your product/service offers] heading into the fall months. Is this a priority for your company right now?"

Follow-Up Email Example

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

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

Follow-Upwards Email Templates

follow up email example templatesWe've packaged 30 follow-up email templates for y'all to apply in any situation, including:

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

Download the templates now and customize them to send the perfect follow-up email. After you're washed downloading your costless templates, come back and check out the ones below.

1. Following Up Afterward Sending Resource

If you sent a list of resources and the customer hasn't responded, use the below electronic mail template. You might have fifty-fifty seen that they opened the email on your CRM, but they didn't get back to you. In that case, they're likely too decorated to respond.

Tip: If they didn't respond to your first resources electronic mail, whittle information technology down to just ane or ii particularly specific resource that connect to their hurting points and needs.

ii. Post-obit Up Subsequently Demo

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

Tip: Refer to the last call-to-activity you established, then provide an alternative that may be more feasible.

iii. Following Upwards After a Missed Call

Have yous sent an email and as well called? And neither of those accept gotten a response?

Get-go, this is ane of those situations where you'd wait a week. You don't want to pester the prospect too much. 2d, transport an email that re-establishes the value you can bring to their company.

Tip: If you lot've tried to get in contact several times and get no response, it'due south safe to presume they're not the correct person to talk to — or they're an unqualified lead. Either ask for another contact, or stop emailing the person and expect for the company to hire the right contact.

4. Following Up After Sending a Contract

For smaller or freelance businesses, sending a contract is something you practice early in the sales cycle — more like to a quote than a legally bounden document.

If you're in enterprise sales, sending a contract is a much bigger deal. Information technology's implied that the recipient is ready to sign at that betoken, so yous probably won't demand to follow up.

Still, if y'all've failed to get a response after sending a contract over email, send a brusque check-in bulletin.

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

five. Following Upwardly Later on They Submitted a Sales Research

Your prospect may have submitted a grade, signaling purchasing intent. You lot responded, only they didn't get back to you lot.

This lead is still hot, and it's near definitely worth following upward.

Tip: Echo their pain points, reminding them why they reached out and why they demand your product.

six. Following Upward After Yous Connected on Social Media

If you continued on social media, sent an email, and received no response, follow up again — especially if the prospect seemed interested in your offering.

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

7. Post-obit Upwardly Afterwards They Don't Renew their Contract

Some prospects choose to ghost when it'south fourth dimension to renew their contract, ignoring your first electronic mail and fifty-fifty automated reminders from the arrangement.

Tip: The prospect may not be fix to renew because of a budget or internal issue. Shut with a request for a call so you tin pitch culling options, such every bit an adjusted bundle.

viii. Following Up Afterward Sending a Quote

Typically, you send a quote over electronic mail, and if you receive no response, it's critical to follow up then that y'all tin can re-emphasize the efficacy of your solution.

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

ix. Following Upward After Sending Product Samples

In some industries, such as the print and manufacturing industries, product samples are required before the prospect can move forward with a quote, contract, or buy.

Always follow-up if they didn't answer to your showtime email — especially if they're an enterprise customer.

Tip: If they're not responding after receiving the samples, the products may not exist a good fit. Offer an opening for them to ask for additional samples.

10. Post-obit Up After a Complimentary Trial

A free trial is a neat opportunity to showcase your company's SaaS product and to capture a prospect'due south attention. If the trial period is well-nigh to finish and your prospect isn't responding to your emails, it'southward fourth dimension to bank check in.

Tip: A prospect's lack of response does not necessarily mean "No." And if they took a free trial, they're very much interested in your offering. Just they may need more time. Offering an extension if possible, and ever try to schedule a phone call to find out how the trial is going.

Ever Send a Follow-Up Electronic mail Afterward No Response

Salespeople piece of work hard, and receiving answers to our emails makes us experience successful. We don't desire to send too many follow-up emails, but they're critical for leading the conversation toward a closed-won bargain. Test out a few of these tactics in your follow-up outreach and picket equally they brand a pregnant departure in your response rates.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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