Template for Follow-Up Emails: Writing Tips & Examples

Keep potential clients engaged and nurture leads effectively with timely follow-up emails post an initial interaction or pitch.

One of the biggest frustrations in sales and business development is sending emails that receive no response. While some prospects will directly decline interest, in most cases outreach just ends up ignored without closure.

Crafting compelling follow up messages specifically targeted towards unresponsive cold prospects is key to improving campaign effectiveness.

Benefits of Following Up After No Replies

While no responses are common, continuing to nurture cold outreach provides many benefits including:

Increases Win Rates

Additional follow up emails have been proven to double sales response rates. More personalized touches pay off.

Expands Pipeline

Following up turns more cold prospects into leads to fuel your pipeline. Lack of early interest does not mean guaranteed rejection.

Breaks Through Noise

Repeating touches with new information counteracts the reality of busy buyers missing or forgetting emails.

Improves Relevance

Introducing new information related to recipient interests or role makes messages more timely and applicable.

Reframes Offerings

Follow-ups present opportunities to reposition product value in new contexts based on recent prospect triggers.

In summary, the compounding benefits of disciplined non-response follow up pays dividends to your sales funnel and relationships long-term. Now let’s review some best practices.

Best Practices for Following Up After No Responses

Executing effective follow up outreach in the absence of any response involves some key principles, including:

Personalize Messaging

Avoid copy-pasting the same message. Tailor each email with new details on prospects researched since last touch. Demonstrate familiarity.

Reframe Value

Consider repositioning value propositions from new angles tied to ideal outcomes. Seek trigger events to connect benefits to emerging pain points.

Layer In New Information

Provide new resources, research or updates on the offering since last email. Present fresh reasons to reevaluate fit.

Promote Exclusivity

Convey special offers, discounts or limited access opportunities not mentioned before to add urgency and scarcity.

Change Contact Mediums

Beyond email consider following up on other channels like phone and LinkedIn where response rates increase. Multi-channel nurturing works.

Now that we’ve covered some key principles, let’s review common follow up sequence strategies tailored specifically for radio silent prospects across email attempts.

Templates By Follow Up Attempt

The messaging and offer within non-response follow up emails often varies based on the attempt number.

Here are effective templates structured for each subsequent touch:

Follow Up Email #1 After No Response

The first follow up focuses on reminding prospects of initial outreach while surfacing additional value.

Subject Lines

  • Checking back regarding [software]
  • Did you receive our [tool] overview?
  • Friendly follow up

Email Body Copy

Hi [First Name],

I'm following up regarding the overview I shared recently about [Company’s] [Software] platform. I’m guessing it may have gotten buried in your inbox so wanted to resend in case this is valuable for [Company].

As mentioned, we help finance teams like yours consolidate Excel reporting across systems into flexible, real-time dashboards. This typically saves 8-10 hours each week of manual reporting work for our clients while surfacing much richer insights.

In addition to the workload and productivity benefits, I recently came across [this use case] that underscored additional advantages specific to [Industry] including compliance automation and centralized auditing.

Please let me know if you would like me to resend the demo video overview I shared or set up a quick call to discuss further. Happy to explore if this resonates despite not connecting yet!

Best regards,[Your Name]

The above reminds prospects of initial value shared while layering additional compelling details to prompt re-evaluation. Now let’s explore a second outreach template.

Follow Up Email #2 After No Response

This secondary follow up increases urgency while leveraging social proof.

Subject Lines

  • Last attempt: Feedback on [tool]?
  • Final follow up regarding [service]
  • Closing the loop on our conversation

Email Body Copy

Hi [First Name],

I know how chaotic work has become balancing multiple priorities these days. I’m reaching out one last time regarding [Tool] to hopefully close the loop on my previous emails, but feel free to disregard if not valued.

The key benefit we discussed was reducing reporting workloads by 50+ hours each month - something I know is top of mind for most Directors at mid-size PE portfolio companies like [Company] based on several recent conversations.

In fact, just last week [Lead at Notable Competitor] shared how much time they are saving leveraging [Tool] for COO visibility into portfolio company effectiveness...which is exactly why I wanted to share this with you!

Please let me know if any interest still in learning more or feel free to share any feedback on the solution. Either way, appreciate you allowing me to stay in touch!

Best,
[Your Name]

Urgency plus social proof catalyzes responses from previously cold prospects by introducing new compelling dynamics. Let’s explore one final template.

Follow Up Email #3 After No Response

The third email attempts to close loop while providing options to connect.

Subject Lines

  • Final outreach + discounted offer
  • Last attempt to connect about [tool]
  • Thanks for your time either way!

Email Body Copy

Hi [First Name],

At this point I am going to assume that [Tool] is not resonating for [Company’s] needs if I have not heard back.

However, please feel free to reply if you would still like our discounted access to experience the dashboard or require any additional details. I'm happy to answer any questions before fully closing the loop here.

Either way, it has been a pleasure learning more about your impressive work modernizing [Company’s] operating practices across portfolios. Please reach out in the future if any change in requirements. Thanks again for your time!

Best,
[Your Name]

The above message attempts to end the sequence on good terms while providing options for prospects to revisit interests when the timing is better for them.

As shown through these tailored non-response follow up examples, introducing additional reasons to connect as well as urgency prompts engagement from previously silent leads over time.

Now, let’s explore several complete email sequence examples demonstrating this structure in action.

Examples of Effective Follow Up Emails After No Response

To hammer home concepts with real-world demonstration, here are 5 excellent follow up sequence examples targeted specifically for unresponsive cold prospects across industries:

1. Software Sales Follow Up Sequence

This 3 email cadence is perfect for typical SaaS sales cycles:

  • Subject lines showcase value, social proof, and scarcity
  • Content balances pushing product features and specific benefits
  • ROI metrics and recognizable logos help credibility
  • Follow ups showcase new capabilities not mentioned before
  • Discounts introduce urgency while also asking for feedback
  • Closes by providing options to engage while ending respectfully

Layering new information and offers turns resistant cold prospects into engaged leads. Now let’s analyze a consulting services example.

2. Business Consulting Follow Up Sequence

For selling professional services, extended nurturing is often required. This template does that well:

  • Grabs attention with Subject Line questions
  • Opens each email acknowledging past outreach
  • Positions advisor status by sharing industry insights
  • Follow ups introduce additional use cases to demonstrate expertise
  • Harnesses the power of case studies and testimonials
  • Reminds prospects of cost savings potential

Additional warming paired with social proof ultimately converts indifferent service buyers over time through relationship building. Now let’s review an example tailored specifically to marketing buyers.

3. Marketing Services Follow Up Sequence

For digital marketing agencies, conveying online expertise is crucial. This template aligns value to those buyer needs:

  • Grabs attention with digital oriented subject lines
  • Quickly acknowledges specialization in digital acquisition
  • Follow ups emphasize optimization best practices
  • Social proof includes impressive client examples
  • Free assessment offer encourages meeting booking
  • Outlines all the ways they can easily get answers

Positioning domain expertise and proof points prompt responses from previously cold digital marketing prospects. Now let’s analyze an example from the recruiting industry.

4. Recruiter Follow Up Sequence

For talent acquisition, taking time to understand candidates and roles is key in non-response follow ups:

  • Subject lines continue positioning fit
  • Acknowledges factors influencing decision delays
  • Follow ups introduce additional selling points on the role
  • Touches on benefits beyond compensation
  • Positions willingness to find optimal timing

Patience and addressing concerns through consultative questioning flips candidates from non-responsive to engaged over time. Finally, let’s review one last industry example.

5. Bookkeeper Sales Follow Up Sequence

For services like bookkeeping, reliability and fit are crucial in follow up positioning:

  • Grabs attention highlighting business operation pain points
  • Follow ups emphasize reliability and accuracy
  • Touches on expertise specifically within their niche
  • Positions flexible packages to enable easy starts
  • Offers discounts or free trials to incentivize
  • Closes politely leaving next steps fully in their courts

The above sequence balances both aggressively addressing concerns and ending respectfully without burning bridges.

Hopefully these real-world follow up sequence examples provide creative ideas on proven frameworks across different verticals tailored specifically to get unresponsive cold leads engaging over time.

While certainly frustrating, applying the right follow up strategies turns even the coldest prospects active and pipeline primed after just a few consistent nurture touches.

How to Use Just Think AI for Follow Up Email Templates After No Response

Just Think AI makes creating effective follow up emails easy when dealing with non-responsive prospects. Here are tips:

  1. Provide original cold email template sent for context
  2. Share any known engagement data - open rates, clicks etc.
  3. Indicate follow up timing preferences - days since last email
  4. Specify preferred tone - curious, humorous, persistent etc.

With this information Just Think AI can generate tailored follow up email templates to re-engage cold prospects.

Just Think AI Prompts for Follow Up Email Templates After No Response

When requesting follow up email templates from Just Think AI after no response, provide:

  • Copy of initial cold email
  • Any recipient engagement data
  • Desired follow up timing
  • Preferred creative tone

Arming Just Think AI with these details allows generating effective follow up emails calibrated to situation specifics that spark renewed interest and conversations.

Let Just Think AI take the effort out of writing follow up cold emails so you can focus on high-value sales conversations!

Olivia Rhye
11 Jan 2022
5 min read