Article • 13 min read
How to write a sales follow-up email (+10 templates)
The right sales follow-up email can be the difference between making a sale or not making one – and we’ve got the templates to help you make it a success.
By Josh Bean, Director, Marketing
Last updated January 24, 2022
Every salesperson who engages in email outreach wants to bat a thousand.
They want the first email they send a potential client to immediately lead to a sale so no follow-up sequence is even necessary. They hope to craft an email so strong that open rates and response rates are soaring on a consistent basis.
Unfortunately, one cold email usually doesn’t get the job done for most sales reps.
For the good majority of sales professionals out there, the initial email sent to a prospect isn’t the only form of outreach.
In fact, just 8.5% of outreach emails get a reply. That’s why following up on a previous email with a prospective client is critical.
Getting no response to a sales email isn’t uncommon. But a follow-up can significantly boost your chances of receiving responses—and closing deals.
So, how do you write a good sales follow-up email?
These follow-up email templates – organised by five use cases – will help you do just that.
Sales follow-up email examples
Before we dive into templates, it’s first important to understand when to send follow-up sales emails. You don’t want to come across as spam.
Here are the top use cases for sending a follow-up email for sales.
- After a trigger event
- After recently speaking with a prospect
- After a demo
- After sending a pricing quote
- After you don’t get a response
10 sales follow-up email templates
Here are 10 follow-up email templates to help boost your sales.
Use case 1: A trigger event occurred
A trigger event is anything that suggests someone is considering your product/service. Maybe you notice a prospect has signed up for your product’s free trial or your company’s newsletter. Or maybe you see that the potential customer has opened the last email you or another sales rep sent.
What you should write in this follow-up email: Whatever the case, reach out with a follow-up email to introduce yourself and offer something of value to the recipient. It can be anything from a great case study to a networking event invite.
Follow-up email template #1
Short, sweet, and right to the point. This template is ideal for a prospect who has signed up for a free trial. Drop a little extra knowledge to help them get acclimated to your product/service faster.
Email subject line: Looking for more information?
Hi [contact name],
I noticed that you signed up for our free trial. I have some resources that are great for getting started with [sender’s company name]:
Resource 1
Resource 2
Resource 3
Please let me know if you have any questions or can’t find a certain feature. I’d be happy to help.
Best,
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Follow-up email template #2
If you’ve seen that a prospect has opened a previous email you sent, use it as an opportunity to let them know more about how your product/service can help them take their business to the next level by solving an industry pain point.
Email subject line: [contact name] [sender’s company name]
Hi [contact name],
I hope all is well. I wanted to take a moment to talk about a big problem facing your industry and how I can help you with [pain point].
Would you like me to set aside some time to go over any questions you may have? Would Monday or Tuesday work for you?
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Following up right after a trigger event is the perfect opportunity to naturally start a conversation with a prospect. Instead of contributing to the clutter in your prospect’s inbox, offer additional information or quick tips that can help them improve their business right away. If the information you send your prospect is useful, there’s a good chance they’ll trust you enough to reach out about your product/service.
Use case 2: You recently spoke to a prospect
Whether you met your prospect at a networking event or they reached out, send a message as quickly as possible to further gauge their interest in your product/service.
If you’re sending a follow-up email to someone you met at an event, do it one or two days afterward. You’ll still be able to recall the initial conversation, what you learned about the prospect, and their level of interest. And they’ll likely remember you.
Remember, this isn’t a Shark Tank sales pitch, either.
What you should write in this follow-up email: Ideally, your sales email should be roughly between 50 to 125 words. It’s a sweet spot that you should keep in mind whenever emailing a prospect. You’re not writing a full-blown piece of content complete with infographics; you’re creating a small taste of what prospects can expect from your product/service.
Follow-up email template #3
If you told a prospect you’d do something — do it. Don’t wait too long to send information that you promised a prospect you’d send over.
Email subject line: As promised, more info about [sender’s company name]
Hi [contact name],
I enjoyed talking with you at [event name] and appreciate your interest in [sender’s company name].
As promised, I’m sending information about [something specific you discussed at the event]. From my experience at [sender’s company name], I know that [pain point] is difficult for startups like yours. [Sender’s company name] has worked with X number of companies to overcome this issue. I believe we could help [contact’s company name] do the same.
Would you be interested in a call to discuss your company’s needs in depth? If so, would [date, time] work for you?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Follow-up email template #4
Sometimes it’s just better not to mess with a classic. If you recently had a chat with an interested prospect, sending a polite thank-you note their way is a great way to keep your product/service fresh on their mind.
Email subject line: Thanks for your interest!
Hi [contact name],
Thank you for reaching out. I would love to share more details about our product and how it matches [contact’s company name] needs. Is [contact number] the best way to reach you?
Best,
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
You should also make it easy for prospects to respond to your requests for meetings. For example, include a link to your calendar or a scheduling tool like Calendly in your message. The less effort it takes for a prospect to set up an appointment, the better the chance they’ll actually do it.
Use case 3: You recently called or gave a demo to a prospect
During your call or demo, give a reason to follow-up with the prospect and continue the conversation. For example, if the prospect asks about a certain product feature, answer the question but let them know that you’ll provide more info via email.
What you should write in this follow-up email: Offer more value than just a generic email about checking in or touching base. Use your email subject line in a meaningful and deliberate way to grab the prospect’s attention. The more specific you are, the more inclined they’ll be to open the email – especially if they remember your previous conversation. If you had a call or demo with the prospect, they should already know what you’re alluding to, and an effective subject line will serve as a light reminder.
Follow-up email template #5
If a prospect called, and you shared information about a specific feature that made them giggle in excitement, follow up on it. Make sure the prospect has all the information they need about the specific feature you talked about.
Email subject line: Here is more info on [specific feature]
Hi [contact name],
I enjoyed our conversation earlier. I am excited about the possibility of working with [contact’s company name] and assisting with [pain point].
As promised, attached is additional information about [specific feature]. Please let me know if you have any questions by replying to this email or giving me a call at [sender’s number].
Best,
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Follow-up email template #6
Assuming your meeting went well with the prospect, take that positive energy and carry it over into your follow-up email. In it, outline next steps, and provide a clear CTA. Whatever action you want your receipt to take, make sure it’s crystal clear.
Email subject line: I enjoyed speaking with you today!
Hi [contact name],
Thanks so much for the call earlier today! I learned a lot about [contact’s company name], and I think there’s potential for us to help each other.
If you’re interested, I can schedule a demo on [date, time]. Please let me know if you would like to move forward.
Best,
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Even if your call or meeting went well, you might not hear back from a prospect immediately after sending this email. Try following up by phone instead. If you’re sent to voicemail, send another follow-up email immediately.
Be sure to personalise all your follow-up emails as well. Is there anything you saw on the prospect’s company website or social media account, like LinkedIn, that might help you connect better? Jot down some key takeaways, and make sure you implement those into your follow-ups with a prospect.
Personalised emails will make you look less like a sales team member reaching out, and more like a trustworthy adviser. Your reply rate will thank you.
Use case 4: You sent a pricing quote
Following up with a prospect after sending a pricing quote can be intimidating. It’s the moment of truth after all: will they or won’t they commit to your product/service?
What you should write in this follow-up email: Be direct but not pushy. If you gave a verbal proposal, send the first follow-up within 24 hours. If you sent it via email, wait a couple of days. The sales process shouldn’t be rushed just because you’re a little impatient. Stay cool, calm, and collected, and don’t jump the gun with an overeager follow-up email that reeks of desperation.
Follow-up email template #7
OK, you sent the pricing quote, and now you’re playing the waiting game. In the meantime, clear up any questions or hesitations your prospect might have by simply and directly asking them if they have any.
Email subject line: Any questions?
Hi [contact name],
I wanted to follow up and check in on the quote I sent on [day], which covered the features we can offer [contact’s company name] to help you improve [pain point].
Can I answer any other questions?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Follow-up email template #8
You know those TV shows that give you a dramatic recap of what happened in last week’s episode? This is basically the sales email version of that. Remind your prospect what they might miss out on if they pass up your product/service.
Email subject line: Proposal recap
Hi [contact name],
I’m following up to see if you received my quote outlining the features and price of our product/service? As a reminder, our software package would include:
Feature
Feature
Feature
Price
Do you have any questions?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
The prospect you’re following up with may have forgotten all the benefits you told them about your product/service the last time you talked. It’s your job to remind them in the follow-up email. Even if you have to reiterate some of the things you mentioned in your original email, make sure you again highlight everything that prospect stands to gain.
Use case 5: Follow-up email after no response
How do you follow up after no response to your first email?
If you hear only crickets after sending a follow-up email, don’t get discouraged.Waiting for replies takes patience.
What you should write in this follow-up email: Maybe they missed your past emails or are on the fence about your product/service. If that’s the case, send your prospect a reminder of previous emails you sent, and tell them again how your product/service can help.
Follow-up email template #9
If a prospect showed interest in your product/service at one point and are not responding, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ghosting you. Follow up with an email that serves as a temperature check of sorts.
Email subject line: Still interested?
Hi [contact name],
I haven’t heard from you since I reached out on [date, time]. I wanted to reach out again and check your interest in our product and improving [pain point].
Let me know if you have any concerns. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions.
Best,
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Follow-up email template #10
If worse comes to worst and you haven’t received a response after multiple follow-up emails, try the following message to create a sense of urgency.
Email subject line: Close your file?
Hi [contact name],
Unfortunately, my company is cleaning our sales pipeline. Since I haven’t heard from you, I assume that you are no longer interested or don’t have a need for [sender’s company name].
If that is the case, is it OK to close your file? If you are still interested, [suggest next steps]?
I appreciate your help.
Tyler Smith
Account Executive – Chicago
XYZ Company
Like the email examples above, craft your subject line to grab a reader’s attention, especially if they haven’t been responding to your other emails. Shorter subject lines (no more than 50 characters) are typically more effective.
Also remember to vary your approach if necessary. If you’ve sent out a follow-up email sequence with zero engagement from someone who hasn’t even opened a single email, they’re probably not worth pursuing for too long. Focus on prospects who you can see are, at the very least, opening emails or have responded to a past email.
Start making sales with your follow-up email templates
Now that you’ve seen the type of follow-up email templates that can help drive sales, you need a way to track and monitor all that new customer data once it starts pouring in.
A great way to keep track of each sales follow-up email and other customer metrics is using customer relationship management software.
Sell’s CRM allows you to send emails directly through the platform and categorise responses. It also helps you avoid sending embarrassing duplicate emails. You can use follow-up templates on the platform or insert your own so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.
