How To Write A Cold Email Follow Up
Hesitation is a thing of the bygone era. Still, that doesn’t open doors to pestering. However, when you decide to send out a cold email follow-up, know that it is neither of the two. Your initial email was a friendly knock on a very busy door. Now, a well-crafted follow up is more like a gentle, "Excuse me, did you see my note under the doormat?"
Let's get into how to make that second knock count without turning into that neighbor who rings the doorbell every five minutes. Here, we’ll discuss how to follow up cold email, share cold email follow up templates, and tips on how to make the best out of them.
What is a Cold Email Follow Up and Why Do You Need It?
The backlinko email outreach study says it loud and clear, “Only 8.5% of outreach emails receive a response.” This means that for every 100 cold emails sent, roughly 8 recipients reply.
Pray tell, why would that happen?
Because inboxes are war zones.
Decision-makers are bombarded with emails every day. There are pitches, newsletters, updates, and, of course, cold emails. Many of them are generic, robotic, and devoid of personalization, and the readers have developed a habit of ignoring them all (or at least most).
If your cold email was tailored well, not hearing back doesn’t mean they’re not interested. It could be that your recipient:
- opened your email but got sidetracked
- meant to reply but got caught up in back-to-back meetings
- wasn’t convinced
This is not just about thinking positively but also logically. So, give them a nudge through a follow-up on cold email.
Craft a well-timed follow up email that acts as a gentle nudge, not a nagging push. It must remind, re-engage, and spark a conversation that your first email couldn’t.
It can be a crucial part of your cold outreach process and a potent means of increasing your conversion rate.
When Should You Send a Cold Email Follow Up?
Cold email expert Alex Berman says that a lot of the cold emails he sends don't get a response until he hits send on that follow up email. Turns out, just shooting off a second email can up your chances of getting a reply by about 21%, and if you go for a third, it jumps to 25%.
We know the questions that are bothering you, and we have an answer for all.
What is the best time for a cold email follow up?
Waiting for 2-3 days is best before sending out your first cold email follow up.
How long to wait before sending another follow up?
While the number of follow ups and their spacing can differ for different people, here’s an example:
- Your second follow up can be around 4 days after the first
- The third follow up can be 4 days after the second
- The fourth one can be up to 5+ days later
How many follow ups are too many?
Sending up to 5 follow ups works in your favor and increases the chance of a reply. However, after 6 or more follow ups, the benefits are negligible. You can be marked as spam!
Having said that, you can experiment with your audience to figure out what works best.
The Psychology Behind Effective Follow Ups
Understanding why people ignore emails helps you craft follow ups that get responses. Here’s how psychology plays a role:
- The Zeigarnik Effect: People remember unfinished tasks. A gentle reminder to keep your email top of mind. ("Just checking if you had a chance to review my last email.")
- Reciprocity: Offering value (insights, reports, or tips) makes people more likely to respond. ("I found this resource and thought you’d find it useful.")
- Social Proof: Prospects trust what others trust. Mentioning successful clients or case studies boosts credibility.
- Mere Exposure Effect: Repeated, non-intrusive follow ups build familiarity and trust over time.
- Loss Aversion: People fear missing out. Highlight what they stand to lose by not acting. ("Spots are filling up fast, let me know if you'd like to secure yours.")
- Curiosity: Tease valuable insights to spark interest. ("I have a quick idea that could help, interested?")
The lesson? Follow up with purpose, not pressure.
How to Write the Best Follow Up Email After Cold Email?
Go through the steps shared below to craft your best follow up email after cold email with ease:
Craft subject line for higher open rates
A Barilliance survey says that 64% of recipients decide to open or delete emails based on subject lines.
For follow ups, it is always a good idea to reply to your cold email, but just hitting that reply button that adds a Re: before your initial subject line is not a smart approach. Here’s how you can alter it:
Write something that intrigues them to click on the email. Personalize, create curiosity, and focus on value.
Focus on the VCC
Your cold email follow up must contain value, context, and a call to action for the recipient.
- Value: In reply to your cold email, you must add more value to grab the prospect’s attention. Your message must establish in the first line that what they are about to read will benefit them and is worth their attention. You can include new insights, exclusive data, a free trial, or something else. In this example, Neil Patel provides valuable marketing trends and an Ads Grader to help improve ad performance, making the follow up more engaging and beneficial.
- Context: Tell the recipient why you're reaching out. Avoid starting your email by saying that you are following up. You can remind them of the key takeaway from your last email and introduce a new, related point that keeps the conversation moving forward.
- CTA: A call to action must hit the right spot. A vague CTA like "Let me know your thoughts" may not be effective. Instead, be specific, like "Would you be available for a quick 10-minute call this Tuesday?" or you can have an actionable link, just like the shared Neil Patel’s email has.
Cold Email Follow Up Templates
If writing a cold email follow up seems to be a task for you, access our customizable cold email follow up templates below:
Subject: Quick win for [Company Name], worth a look.
Hi [First Name],
I know you’re busy, so I’ll keep this short. I wanted to share a quick success story, [Similar company] recently saw a [specific % improvement] in [specific result, e.g., conversion rate] after implementing [your solution].
I believe [Company Name] could see similar results. Would you be open to a quick call to explore how we can help?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Regards,
[Your Name]
[Designation, Company]
Subject Line: A Solution Tailored for [Company Name]
Hi [First Name],
I wanted to follow up and see if [challenge mentioned in the first email] is still a priority for you. At [Your Company], we’ve helped businesses like [Similar Company] achieve [specific benefit statistic] using [your solution].
Would you be open to a quick call to see how we can do the same for [Company Name]? I’d be happy to share insights and a customized approach to help you achieve [desired outcome].
Let me know a time that works for you, or I can send over more details via email.
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best,
[Your Name]
[Designation, Company]
Tips to Make the Best Out of Cold Email Follow Up Templates
Here below, we’ll share some tips while discussing common mistakes and how to avoid them:
- A personal touch makes your email stand out.
- Completely avoid starting with: Any updates, Just following up, Just checking in, and so on.
- Keep them short with absolutely no fluff. 5-6 lines work best as people just skim through emails.
- Show complete belief in your offering’s fit for the prospect.
- Don’t assume they will remember every detail or interaction they had with you previously. Clearly state the context.
- Include social proof if your prospect may be hesitant about engaging with a new business.
- Remember that the prospects are connecting with you for the first time, so don’t ask for too much in the CTA. Add easy action that they don’t deem risky.
Your Secret Sauce to Follow Ups: Automate using AI with Human in the Loop
Drafting personalized cold email follow up can be time-consuming and a brain exercise if you have a long mailing list. It’s time to take the burden off with Luru.
Not just your emails, but our AI takes care of all your outbound, inbound and unbound sales. When we say our AI will handle it all, we do not mean
❌Lack of emotional intelligence
❌Fake personalization
❌Over correcting
❌Cant’t handle complex conversations
Rather, to keep a check on the pitfalls of AI, we have a human in the loop. When you partner with Luru, you connect with an account manager who works alongside AI to ensure your outreach remains authentic, strategic, and effective.
Get ready for contextually aware follow ups that ensure your outreach is relevant and are worth replying to!
Final Thoughts
A well-crafted cold email follow-up isn’t about persistence alone, it’s about precision. By understanding your prospect’s behavior, leveraging psychological triggers, and maintaining a balance between value and timing, you can turn silence into responses. Stick to a structured follow-up schedule, keep your messaging short and relevant, and personalize your approach to stand out in crowded inboxes. And if scaling outreach feels overwhelming, Luru's AI-powered SDR can ensure your follow-ups are timely, engaging, and effective, without losing the human touch.
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