Every follow-up adds one new thing.
“Just bumping this” gives them nothing new to reply to. Each follow-up should add one thing: a proof, an idea or an easy way out.
Three follow-ups to the same email
On this page
A follow-up needs a reason to reply
Plenty of people answer the second or third email, not the first. The first one arrived on a busy day, or got buried under everything else. That’s why you follow up.
But “just bumping this” or “did you get my last email?” gives them nothing new to answer, and a little guilt they didn’t ask for. Each follow-up should add one thing they didn’t have before: a proof, an idea, a better question or an easy way out.
The teardown
The same follow-up, before and after. Tap or swipe the card to flip it.
A four-email plan
Four emails over about two weeks, each with one new thing. Send the follow-ups as replies in the same thread, so they can see what came before.
Day 1: the problem.
One thing about them, one proof and one question. Our guides on openers and asks cover this one.
Day 3: a proof.
A result, a short story or a number from work like theirs.
Day 8: an idea.
Something useful they can do even if they never reply. It shows you know their world, and it’s worth reading on its own.
Day 15: the way out.
Ask if you should stop. A clear exit is easy to answer, and some people reply just to say “not now”.
Then stop.
If they say no at any point, stop at once and add them to your suppression list, so they never get another email from you.
Check your follow-up
Paste a follow-up you’re about to send.
A quick word check, not a grade. It runs in your browser and nothing is sent.
Three follow-ups to copy
One for each step after the first email. Replace every field before you send.
Day 3: a proof
Hi {{first_name}},
One more thing on {{topic}}: {{customer}} had the same problem. After {{change}}, {{result}}.
Worth me sending how they did it?
{{sender_name}}
PS. Not for you? Reply “no” and I won’t email again.
Day 8: an idea
Hi {{first_name}},
A quick idea for {{page}}, whether or not we talk: {{idea}}.
Want two more like it?
{{sender_name}}
PS. Not for you? Reply “no” and I won’t email again.
Day 15: the way out
Hi {{first_name}},
I’ve written a few times about {{topic}}, so I’ll stop here unless it’s useful.
Should I close this off? Reply “no” and I won’t email again, or “later” and I’ll check back in {{month}}.
{{sender_name}}
Before you send
- Each follow-up adds one new thing
- It replies in the same thread
- Four emails at most, then stop
- An easy way to opt out, every time
- A “no” stops the sequence at once
UK rules expect a way to opt out in every email, and that you stop when someone objects. In plain English: who you can cold email in the UK. Not legal advice.
