What To Say In A Follow-Up Email: A Comprehensive Guide

Following up is key to any successful sales process, but getting prospects to actually respond to your follow-up emails can be tricky. You need to strike the right balance - persistent enough to keep momentum going, but not so aggressive that you turn people off.

Whether you're checking in after an initial meeting, circling back from a conference, or politely nudging an opportunity forward, how you compose those follow-up emails is crucial for advancing the relationship.

This guide covers everything you need to write follow-ups that actually inspire responses. You'll learn techniques for capturing attention with the subject line, personalizing your outreach, providing value upfront, and nudging towards next steps with tact.

From understanding the psychology of effective follow-ups to proven formulas and templates, this is your playbook for turning stale leads into engaged prospects eager to keep the conversation going. Step up your follow-up email game with insights to cut through the noise and maximize your chances of meaningful follow-through.

Why is it Important To Send A Follow-Up Email? 

We've all been there - you send off an introductory email feeling optimistic about the prospect, but then… no response. In the busy world of sales, simply not following up is often what causes promising leads to go stale.

That's why the follow-up email is such a critical part of any outreach strategy. It keeps your company top-of-mind and gives you another chance to resurface value. But the key is doing it the right way - you want to be persistent without being a pest.

When executed thoughtfully, a well-timed follow-up can revive stalled conversations and kick-start momentum. Studies show adding just one extra follow-up can boost average reply rates by double digits. The first follow-up alone sees around a 220% higher response rate compared to the initial outreach.

These numbers highlight just how powerful a strategic follow-up approach can be. By staying top-of-mind and continuing to add value, you maximize your chances of getting a substantive response that keeps the dialogue and opportunity alive.

Of course, it's all about finding the right balance and having a strategy behind your follow-ups. We'll dive into perfecting this strategy in this guide.

Personalization Tips for Follow-Up Emails

Writing personalized follow-up emails is a surefire way to capture your recipient's attention and establish a genuine connection. By incorporating personalization tactics, you can make your emails stand out and increase the chances of a favorable response. Here’s how:

1. Gather Information About Your Recipient

The first step in personalizing your follow-up emails is to gather as much information as possible about your recipient. Conduct a quick online search with tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to learn about their background, professional interests, and any recent achievements or news related to their company.  

Mentioning something specific you saw on their LinkedIn profile in your follow-up message can help catch their attention after an initial outreach was ignored.

2. Use Custom Fields for Personalization

Use the power of custom fields and merge tags to personalize various elements of your follow-up emails, such as the subject line, greeting, and body content. By incorporating the recipient's name, job title, or other relevant details, you can create a more personalized and engaging message that resonates with them on a deeper level. 

Use email tools like QuickMail to automate this process, allowing you to personalize follow-ups at scale without sacrificing quality.

3. Customizing Your Message Based on Previous Interactions

If your initial outreach has been ignored, it's essential to reference the previous attempt in your follow-up email. Mention specific details about your initial message, any proposals you shared, or the topic you discussed.

For example, you could say, "I wanted to follow-up on the email I sent last week about our new project management tool." This approach shows that you're persistent and genuinely interested in connecting, which can encourage the recipient to engage.

How to Write Effective Call-To-Actions (CTAs) for Your Follow-up Email

When rounding off your follow-up email, including a clear and direct call-to-action (CTA) at the end is crucial. This is a tactic overlooked by 70% of small businesses but can increase sales by 1617% with just one CTA. This prompt will encourage your recipients to take the desired next step, whether it's scheduling a meeting, providing feedback, or moving the deal forward. 

Writing effective CTAs for follow-up emails requires careful consideration to ensure your message is both persuasive and actionable.

Clear and Direct CTAs

Your CTAs should be unambiguous and straightforward, leaving no room for confusion. This is especially important in follow-up emails, where you may be addressing someone who didn't respond to your initial message. 

The clearer you are, the more likely your recipient will take the desired action. Consider these examples:

• "Could we set up a brief call next week to discuss how our solution can benefit your company?"

• "I'd appreciate your feedback on our proposal; could you share your thoughts by the end of the week?"

• "Are you available for a quick call on Tuesday to explore how we can work together?"

Each of these CTAs clearly outlines what you want the recipient to do, making it easy for them to respond appropriately.

Creating a Sense of Urgency

Incorporating a sense of urgency into your CTAs can encourage your recipients to respond more promptly. A time-sensitive prompt can make your email feel more immediate and important. Here are a few examples:

• "Let's schedule a quick call this week to discuss further."

• "I'd love to hear your thoughts before the end of the month."

• "Please review the attached document and get back to me by Friday."

By adding a timeframe, you gently nudge your recipient to prioritize your request.

Aligning CTAs with Email Goals

Ensure that your CTAs are closely aligned with the overall goal of your follow-up email. Whether your follow-up is a second touchpoint after no response or a reminder to move things forward, your CTA should directly reflect what you want to achieve. For instance:

By aligning your CTAs with the email's purpose, you'll make it easier for your recipient to understand how they can best assist you.

Addressing Common Concerns in Follow-Up Emails

When crafting effective follow-up emails, it's essential to address common concerns that prospects may have. 

Although 60% of customers say “no” four times before finally accepting, one of the primary challenges is overcoming "follow-up fatigue," where recipients become overwhelmed by repetitive or overly aggressive emails. 

By striking the right balance and providing genuine value in each interaction, you can keep your audience engaged and responsive.

1. Overcoming Follow-Up Fatigue

To avoid contributing to follow-up fatigue, ensure that your follow-up emails offer something new and compelling. Rather than simply reiterating the same message, focus on providing additional insights, resources, or a unique perspective that can genuinely benefit the recipient. This approach makes your emails stand out and demonstrates your commitment to adding value to their workflow. Here are some strategies:

• Share New Insights: Offer fresh data or industry trends that might be relevant to the recipient's business. For example,

  "I recently came across a report on the latest market trends in your industry and thought you might find it useful."

• Provide Useful Resources: Share articles, whitepapers, or case studies that could help address their challenges. For instance,

  "Attached is a case study showing how a company similar to yours successfully implemented our solution."

• Offer a Unique Perspective: Give your take on a common problem or a new way of looking at a challenge. For example,

  "Based on our conversation, I think you might benefit from exploring this new approach to [specific issue]."

2. Addressing Recipient's Pain Points

Making your follow-up emails more compelling involves addressing the specific pain points of the recipient. By understanding their unique challenges and how your product or service can help alleviate those concerns, you can craft a message that resonates on a deeper level. 

This personalized approach shows that you've taken the time to understand their needs and are dedicated to providing a tailored solution. Consider these tactics:

1. Highlight Specific Solutions: Clearly explain how your product or service can solve their particular problems.

   "I noticed you mentioned difficulty with [specific issue]. Our latest feature directly addresses this by [specific benefit]."

2. Use Empathy: Show that you understand their struggles.

   "I understand how challenging it can be to [specific problem]. Many of our clients faced the same issue before switching to our solution."

3. Provide Real Examples: Share stories or testimonials from clients who had similar challenges.

   "A recent client was facing [specific problem] and found great success using our service to [specific outcome]."

   Pain Point	Example: How to Address This
   High Operational Costs	"I noticed that managing operational costs is a significant challenge for you. Our solution can reduce costs by streamlining your [specific process], as demonstrated in our case study attached."
   Low Employee Productivity	"Many of our clients faced productivity issues before implementing our software, which automates repetitive tasks and frees up time for more strategic work. Would you like to see how it works?"
   Customer Retention Issues	"I understand retaining customers can be difficult. Our customer engagement tools have helped companies like yours increase retention by 20%. Let's discuss how this can be tailored to your needs."
   Inefficient Processes	"Your recent comment about inefficiencies caught my attention. Our platform integrates with your current systems to streamline workflows, saving you time and reducing errors."
   Customer Service Problems	"Improving customer service is essential. Our customer service platform has helped companies reduce response times and increase satisfaction. Can we discuss how this can be applied to your team?"

6. Ensuring Your Follow-Up Adds Value

Every follow-up email should aim to add genuine value to the recipient's day-to-day activities. Whether it's sharing relevant industry insights, offering helpful resources, or providing a unique perspective on a shared challenge, your goal should be to make the recipient's time spent reading your email worthwhile. 

By consistently delivering value, you'll build trust and keep your audience engaged throughout the sales process. Here are some practical ways to add value:

• Share Industry News: Keep them informed of the latest news or trends that affect their industry. "I thought you might find this recent article on industry trends interesting."

• Offer Practical Tips: Provide actionable tips that can help improve their operations. "Here are three quick tips that can help streamline your workflow with minimal effort."

• Extend Invitations: Invite them to webinars, events, or forums where they can gain more insights. "We have an upcoming webinar that might be beneficial for you. Would you be interested in attending?"

By implementing these strategies, you can craft follow-up emails that not only capture attention but also foster a positive and productive relationship with your prospects.

Follow-Up Email Templates for Different Scenarios

Executing effective follow-up emails requires understanding the unique context and objectives for each scenario. To help you navigate these varied situations, we've compiled a range of follow-up email templates that can serve as a starting point for your outreach efforts.

1. Follow-Up After Networking Events

When following up after a networking event, it's important to quickly refresh the recipient's memory about your interaction and establish a clear reason for continuing the conversation. Here’s a template you can use:

Subject: Great Meeting You at [Event Name]!

Hi [Recipient’s Name],

It was great meeting you at the [Event Name] and learning more about [their company/role]. I was particularly intrigued by our discussion about [specific topic discussed]. I’d love to continue our conversation and see how I may be able to assist you with [relevant offering].

Would you be available for a brief call next week to explore this further? I’m available on [days/times]. Looking forward to your response!

Best regards,[Your Name][Your Position][Your Contact Information]

2. Follow-Up After Job Interviews

After a job interview, the follow-up email should express gratitude, reiterate your interest, and inquire about the next steps in the hiring process. Here’s an example:

Subject: Thank You for the Opportunity

Dear [Interviewer’s Name],

Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday for the [position] role at [company]. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and learning more about the team and the exciting projects you're working on.

I am very excited about the opportunity to join your team and contribute to [specific area discussed]. If there are any further steps or additional information needed from my side, please let me know.

Looking forward to hearing from you regarding your hiring decision.

Best regards,[Your Name][Your Contact Information]

3. Polite Follow-Up Email for Sales Outreach

In a sales follow-up email, the goal is to politely re-engage the prospect, provide an update, and move the conversation forward. Here’s a template you can use:

Subject: Follow-Up on Our Proposal

Hi [Recipient’s Name],

I’m following up on the proposal I sent over last week regarding [topic]. I understand that you may be busy, but I wanted to see if you had any questions or needed further clarification.

I’d love to discuss the next steps and address any concerns you might have. Could we schedule a brief call to go over this? I’m available on [days/times].

Looking forward to your response.

Best regards,[Your Name][Your Position][Your Contact Information]

4. Follow-Up for Unanswered Cold Outreach

In cold outreach follow-ups, it’s important to be persistent yet polite, offering new value or insights with each touchpoint. Here’s a more concise and engaging template:

Subject: Quick Question, [Name]

Hi [Recipient’s Name],

Just wanted to follow-up on my previous email about [briefly mention your initial outreach]. I understand you're busy, so I thought I'd highlight how [your solution/service] can specifically help with [recipient’s pain point or goal].

For instance, [briefly share a relevant case study or success story]. I believe our solution could offer similar benefits to [Recipient’s Company].

Can we set up a brief call to discuss this further? I’m available on [days/times] and would love to find a time that works for you.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,[Your Name][Your Position][Your Contact Information]

For more inspiration, steal our 10 Cold Email follow-up Templates.

Using QuickMail for Streamlined Follow-Up Sequences

Maintaining consistent, personalized follow-up with your prospects is crucial for driving engagement and closing deals. 76% of companies are now using marketing automation, with 31% of all email orders generated by automation.

QuickMail is an email outreach platform that lets you set up personalized, multi-touch follow-up campaigns. This ensures no potential lead slips through the cracks. The platform's automation capabilities allow you to schedule and send a series of follow-up emails, freeing up your time for other critical sales activities.

As mentioned throughout this article, personalization is key to building meaningful connections with your prospects. QuickMail's advanced personalization and segmentation features make it easy to tailor your messages based on the recipient's interactions, interests, and pain points. Delivering relevant content increases the likelihood of a positive response and moves the sales process forward more effectively.

Any plan also includes a free email auto-warmer to help improve your email deliverability rates. Once your outreach has been sent, you can then monitor the performance of your follow-up emails with QuickMail’s detailed analytics. These insights help you identify which messages resonate best with your audience and refine your approach accordingly.

Ready to level up your follow-up strategy? Try QuickMail for free today and see how effortless and effective your follow-up emails can be.