Cold emailing is only the beginning. Even if it’s perfect, the chances of a person replying immediately are extremely low. The inbox is full, tasks are urgent, and interest may have flickered and disappeared. But the good news is: the right follow-up strategy can triple responses. And without pressure or spam.
In this article, you’ll find a live, working plan on how to follow up with cold leads so that they respond.
Why cold emails die without follow-ups
Ask yourself: how many emails do you ignore each day? And how many do you come back to later? Your clients are just the same.
Research shows:
80% of deals require at least five touches.
90% of email replies come within the first 48 hours.
A simple follow-up email can increase response by 65%.
The reasons are simple:
The person may have forgotten about the email.
They may have been interested but got distracted.
Your offer may not have been catchy enough — and the second touch can enhance it.
Conclusion: Without follow-up, your first email is like a bottle with a message thrown into the ocean.
How many follow-up emails to send
Now the key question: how many emails to send?
🔹 Optimum: 4–8 touches.
🔹 After the 9th, effectiveness starts to decline, and the risk of landing in spam increases.
Statistics:
After the 1st email, the average response is 4.5%.
After 8–9 touches, the cumulative response can increase to 20–22%.
In short: the more, the better within reason, but without fanaticism.
How to correctly time your follow-ups
The ideal schedule for sending follow-up emails:
1st email: day 0
1st follow-up: after 2–3 days
2nd follow-up: after 4 days
3rd follow-up: after 5–6 days
After that: increase pauses to a week
This rhythm does not seem intrusive and allows space for response.
Important:
Do not write every day: that only annoys people. And don’t wait two weeks — they’ll forget who you are.
What to write in a follow-up: a living structure
Each follow-up email should answer the question: why should I read this?
Refresh the context
Recall what the first email was about:
“Hi, [Name], I wrote to you recently about [client's solution/pain]. I wanted to check if you had a chance to look?”
Show respect
Don’t pressure, don’t blame. Just let them know you value their time:
“I understand how easy it is to get lost in the flow of tasks. I’ll try to be brief.”
Provide new value
Don’t repeat the first email! It’s better to add something fresh:
A new client case
A quick tip or checklist
Relevant research
A demo or video
For example:
“By the way, we recently helped [company name] increase their conversion by 32%. I can send a brief case study if you’re interested.”
Simple, unobtrusive CTA
The best call-to-action in a follow-up is a light question without pressure:
“Would you like me to send the details?”
“Would you find it interesting to see examples?”
“Are you open to a short 10-minute call?”
What successful follow-up examples look like
Example 1: “Quiet check-in”
Subject: Just in case
Hi, [Name],
I wanted to gently remind you about the email regarding [solution].
I understand how busy schedules can get, so I thought I'd leave a short note.
If you’d like, I can send a couple of examples from our experience. Would that be interesting?
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Example 2: “New approach through added value”
Subject: I have an interesting case for you
Hi, [Name],
While preparing materials for our clients, I thought of you.
We recently helped [company] increase [result] in three months. I think this might be relevant for [recipient company].
Would you like me to send a brief description of the case?
Have a great day,
[Your Name]
Errors that kill follow-ups
Copying the first email word for word.
Writing: “So, are you alive?” (rude and toxic)
Pressuring: “Why didn’t you reply?” People owe you nothing.
Dragging out with 5 paragraphs of fluff. The email should be quick.
The golden rule: each touch should bring new value and leave a respectful impression.
In conclusion: step-by-step plan
Make 4–8 touches per lead
Write follow-ups every 2–3–4–5 days, then once a week
Every time add new value
Use easy CTAs, not pressure
Maintain a lively, friendly style
And remember: in outreach, it’s not the loudest who wins, but the most patient and clever.
Want to simplify the process right away? In Coldy, you can set up a chain of follow-up emails in a couple of hours: connect the database, create emails, and automatically stop the mailing after a reply. Test strategies without extra nerves — and catch more responses!
