During the typical sales process, a company will have many different sales people, from different sales roles, each with his/her own sales processes and systems. So, how do these sales people follow up with prospects? Here are some ideas on follow up email templates (for sales – not for customer service) from a CEO of a marketing agency.
Every company has a similar story after a meeting with a client. The meeting was insightful and productive, clients are happy with the service, the salesperson has great notes and a detailed list of next steps, yet the deal is not signed. What is the difference between meeting a potential client and signing a deal? There are many factors that determine whether a meeting turns into a sale, but it doesn’t stop there. After the meeting, the salesperson should follow up with a good sales follow up email.
Sales follow up email templates & tips smart salespeople use: 1. Achieving the best results for your prospect depends upon both a well-written message and a well thought-out sales follow-up. – Make sure you use the right language and tone to convey your message. – For example, using language such as “I hope you had a productive day” may not resonate well with your prospect. – When you make a sale, you want your message to be memorable and for your prospect to remember it. – Make your prospect feel good and this will come across in your messages to them. 2. To achieve the best results for your company, remember to use your company’s logo, company name,
Let me know whether the first cold email you send to prospects generates all the replies you’ll ever need. You’re a miracle worker on the go! You’re like the rest of us if you need to write one sales follow-up email after another.
That’s okay; we’ve got you covered with a collection of follow-up email templates you can use to contact your leads and obtain replies.
The templates below are based on the basic cardinal principles for sending a follow-up email.
In a follow-up email, what should I say?
- Begin with a compelling subject line.
- Get straight to the point and don’t squander the prospect’s time.
- Personalize as much as you can in terms of practicality.
- Make a valuable contribution.
- Make it clear what you expect from the prospect.
- Make a strong call to action.
In a sense, that’s all, but there’s a lot more to consider, so this article also includes a list of ideas and techniques to assist you figure out how to follow up on an email.
Email Templates for Sales Follow-Up
Here’s a list of helpful templates to help you get started with your email follow-up activities. Use A/B testing to see which ones perform best for your company and prospects as you try them out. Then come up with some of your own.
A. An example of a follow-up email to a potential customer
This is a fairly generic email that may be used in a number of situations. It won’t be the most powerful email you’ve ever sent, but it won’t be the worst either. It covers all of the bases and goes over a lot of the terrain you should have covered in your first reply.
B. After a meeting, send a follow-up sales email
You’ve already had one meeting, so you know you’re on the right track. This sales follow-up email should be realistic, polite, and brief. You might even push a bit harder about when the next conversation will happen, depending on how it went.
C. After no answer, send a follow-up email
You may include more of a Challenger aspect here if you’ve previously met with this individual.
Instead, you might start with:
“You’re occupied and working on something significant. That is something I understand. But we make time for the things that count, and I think we can assist based on the issue they shared.”
D. Here’s an example of a follow-up email to write if you don’t get a response.
Because “no answer” is such a frequent response, I’m adding another follow-up email to this category.
This one pushes for a second meeting and provides additional details about what’s required.
E. An example of a generic sales follow-up email following a touchpoint.
If you’ve engaged them at a specific touchpoint, now is the moment to follow up, mention it, and suggest next actions. This follow-up email will be much more successful if you refresh their recollection about what you really discussed at the last touchpoint.
F. After an event or trade fair, send a follow-up sales email.
If feasible, customization would be ideal in this scenario. Can you tell me about a topic you discussed with the prospect during the show? If not, this is an excellent way to at least demonstrate that you have something in common and were in the same location.
G. An example of a break-up email following another follow-up
You must determine what a prospect will and will not enjoy. Isn’t it past time for a laugh? However, using comedy to personalize a sales follow-up email and grab their attention is a fast and simple method to do it. There is lots of evidence that emails containing pictures are more likely to be opened.
12 Ways to Write Effective Follow-Up Emails
Right. The templates are as follows. Let’s take a look at some theory (along with some practical suggestions) to go along with it. Here’s what we’ll be talking about:
- Personalization and Relevance on a Balance Scale
- Have a definite goal in mind.
- Open with vigor.
- Follow up on the email body suggestions
- Move ahead, even if it’s in the direction of a “no.”
- Tools for email automation
- How long should you wait before responding to an email?
- How frequently should sales prospects be contacted for better response rates?
- When is it OK to cease sending follow-up emails?
- Keep an eye on and analyze your email data.
- Email Templates for Sales Follow-Up
- Be ready to question conventional wisdom.
1. Strike a balance between customization and relevancy on the scale.
Never forget that your leaders are individuals. They value their time and privacy, and they despise being bothered by unwanted sales pitches (most of the time). They’re also intelligent. However, behavioral economics has shown that they, like the rest of us, make choices based on emotions.
Few prospects will reply to your sales emails in a timely and favorable manner. With a little customization and patience on your side, enough of them will recognize the value you offer via smart and genuine lead nurturing.
If you simply send bulk email campaigns, your prospects may feel like they’re being followed by a stalker who isn’t paying attention. This isn’t going to go you very far. If you customize every chase email personally, on the other hand, you won’t be able to cover enough leads to fulfill sales goals.
Instead, categorize your prospects according to their buyer personas and tailor your message to them.
“It’s possible to personalize to the point that productivity suffers. Personalize the email to the persona, share a meaningful narrative, and spend more effort on follow-up emails than the first. Without slowing you down, this may have a huge effect on response rates.”
— Mark Kosoglow, Outreach’s VP of Sales
2. Have a clear goal in mind
It’s one thing to commit to a solid follow-up email sequence. It’s also important to consider how you approach each stage in the sequence.
When you follow up, you should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish and what the prospect wants to accomplish as well. Find a reason to talk with them that meets both of your objectives, and make it obvious in your email.
Sales executives, for example, typically prohibit the use of the term “just checking in.” It’s even worse if you’re checking in without bringing anything fresh to the table that the prospect will find useful!
This seems to be sloppy:
There are a slew of additional explanations Ben might have used to justify his email’s aim. He may have:
- Given me a rundown of our most recent phone conversation and reminded me of the next steps
- When you ask me what has changed on my end that has caused me to not reply, I tell you what has changed on my end.
- You sent me some more information about our previous discussion (if we had one)
- I requested further details so that he might give me with anything extra.
- You sent me a useful resource or a news item that may have an impact on my job.
If all Ben wants to do is chat, he should simply ask for it and let me know when he’s available! At the very least, I’d want to know why we should talk.
3. Make a good start.
The importance of subject lines cannot be overstated. In fact, a creative subject line may increase the open rate of your follow-up emails by up to 42 percent. Here are some suggestions for improving topic lines:
- Keep them brief, succinct, and to the point.
- Make it informal and personable. (However, don’t mention anything that you wouldn’t tell your grandparents.)
- Mention the prospect’s name and/or business.
- Use a straightforward call to action.
- Be very relevant.
Now, I understand how difficult it may be to put that advise into reality, so here are some examples to get you started. Make your own subject lines since these aren’t one-size-fits-all examples.
Warning: Great subject lines alone are insufficient. If your open rates are improving, that’s fantastic. Now it’s time to look at response rates.
4. Tips for writing the body of a follow-up email
If you’ve grabbed a prospect’s attention, the next step is to retain it.
The key to creating effective follow-up email content is to be as useful and relevant as possible. This three-point checklist should assist you in making your efforts worthwhile.
1. Make it unique. You’re dealing with a human, not a machine, so treat them with the respect and care they deserve. Ensure that your emails do not seem automated, generic, or irrelevant, even if you’re utilizing a marketing automation software.
Make sure, though, that you’re customizing in a sensible manner. Simply mentioning someone’s title, job background, or school they attended demonstrates that you can do simple online research. It doesn’t demonstrate that you took the time to really comprehend their situation.
You might, for example, point to material produced by the prospect, something unique to the prospect’s industry, or current news about the prospect’s business.
Personalization at scale may be achieved with a mix of customized and automated communications, according to Outreach SDR Manager Sam Nelson. Personalizing only the first two lines of an email, for example, may result in a significant boost in open rates. Bottom line: know your customer persona and fine-tune your messaging so that your value offer shines through.
2. Keep it brief and pleasant. Don’t go above and above to elicit a reaction from the receiver. Get right to the point and explain the objective of the email right away. Then, in a flash, provide distinct customized value before concluding with a short, unambiguous CTA.
You’re unlikely to receive a response if you can’t capture the prospect’s attention in the first few seconds. So don’t go too crazy and imaginative, or tell a lengthy story.
3. Provide useful information. Relevance is the important word here. While your marketing department’s most recent ebook may be useful, make sure it properly addresses your prospect’s primary issues.
If the receiver just attended a conference or trade fair, for example, follow up by mentioning highlights from the event or adding resources. Make sure everything you say is relevant to the prospect’s business, activities, hobbies, or issues. You may also bring up recent news or trends that are relevant to the prospect’s business or industry.
5.Move ahead, even if it’s in the direction of a “no.”
You’re sending a follow-up email to get the recipient to sign a document (eventually).
To do this, the prospect must make a sequence of choices that culminate in a purchase. CTAs (calls-to-action) are what enable you to link the present with the future situation.
Without a clear call to action, every sales email is worthless. Whatever the next step in the trip is for you, make sure it’s as appealing for your prospect.
It’s preferable to keep things simple and straightforward.
“Do you have 20 minutes next week for me?”
“Are you available for a short 20-minute introductory call on Monday or Tuesday next week to discuss increasing your sales efficiency and saving you and your team 10 hours per week?” instead.
6. Make use of email automation software
Sales-related emails are simpler to write, send, and monitor with automation. While one-on-one communication is preferable, selling is a numbers game. New technology may be able to assist in finding a happy medium between enormous size and intense customization.
Here are some of the most effective methods for bolstering your email-based campaigns:
- LinkedIn is the most important place to look for a contact’s professional information.
- Rapportive – inside your email service, Rapportive offers important business information.
- Cirrus Insight — integrates tightly with Salesforce, allowing you to view CRM data without ever leaving your inbox.
- Close.io – centralizes your sales call and email workflows, with data to help you improve them.
- HubSpot Marketing Is a great inbound marketing tool with a wealth of information on best practices, templates, and other email-related subjects.
- MailChimp is a well-known email marketing platform.
- Constant Contact — manages all elements of your email, including contacts, lists, templates, and tracking; it includes a picture library and social media integration.
- Boomerang – monitors if the recipient has opened the email and sends it at a later time.
- With strong cutting-edge email capabilities, Outreach is the industry leader in sales engagement.
- Yesware – synchronizes with CRM data and offers predictive analytics to help your email prospecting efforts succeed.
- Zoho Initiatives – connects your email and social media marketing campaigns.
7. How long should you wait before responding to an email?
There is no hard and fast rule on when you should write a follow-up email. It all depends on the situation and striking the right balance between pushing the transaction ahead and stalking/spamming the prospect.
You should have arranged on a follow-up appointment with your prospect ahead of time. This eliminates the need for guessing.
If you were unable to do so, or if you have yet to speak with the prospect, here is a general guideline to consider.
If you don’t hear back within 24 hours, send a follow-up email the same day.
- You’ve just finished a meeting and need to confirm the following steps.
- You’re expressing gratitude to the prospect for anything (an introduction, for example)
If you’re not sure, wait at least 48 hours.
- You’re just responding to an email you sent earlier.
- You presented them with a wealth of information to ponder.
- Your prospect must meet with you.
If you’re not sure, wait at least three weeks.
- You’ve already sent five emails and have yet to get a response.
Sending follow-up emails at various times of the day and on various days of the week increases your chances of receiving a response. You won’t be sending the email at inconvenient times for the prospect, such as Tuesday afternoons while she’s in a live six-month training program.
Clearly, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. A controlled trial and error strategy will assist your team fine-tune their email effectiveness and impact.
8. How frequently should sales prospects be followed up with?
The best response is, once again, “it depends.” It’s important to consider your connection with the receiver, their decision-making power, and where they are in the buying journey.
Sales professionals often differ on how many follow-ups are necessary. An eight-touch sequence consisting of a cold email and seven follow-up emails was effectively utilized in a joint guide produced by Ambition and SalesFolk.
Meanwhile, Steli Efti of Close.io advises sending no more than six follow-up emails to totally frigid prospects. If you’ve had some kind of contact with the lead and they haven’t asked you to stop emailing them, this isn’t the case. Then, according to Efti, you may and should send follow-ups until you get a response in some form.
Efti’s suggested sequence is based on the following model:
Note that this is an extreme example that Efti found to be effective. Templates and methods, on the other hand, should never be treated as gospel. Contexts in sales are never the same. Even if a scenario described here sounds a lot like yours, approach your selling situation as if it were totally different. Furthermore, a model or template that is successful now may not be effective tomorrow.
9. When is it OK to cease sending follow-up emails?
You may be relentless, but there will come a moment when you must quit. Even when employing clever technology to make it more efficient, email outreach takes time and resources to complete.
It’s time to let go if you’ve tried every hook in the book. A little amount of attrition maintains the pipeline clean and enables you to concentrate on prospects who are interested. Send a polite break-up email to the prospect, giving them one more opportunity to reply. Finish with a merry goodbye, knowing that you’ve given it your all.
Of course, provide a link to the materials you believe will be most useful to the receiver (just in case). You’re leaving the door open for them to learn more in the future if you include this in a follow-up email.
10. Analyze and monitor your email data
So you completed your sequence and received some responses. Others didn’t even bother to look at your emails. That isn’t the end of the story!
Even if you don’t get any responses, your efforts will be worthwhile. Keep an eye on your campaign, evaluate your email data, and keep track of what you’ve learnt. You’ve just improved the efficiency of all your future efforts!
Consider utilizing email monitoring and analytics tools to improve your results. Run A/B testing as well, if it’s feasible on your platform.
Consider the following questions:
- Which emails elicited the most responses?
- Did such responses correspond to transactions that were concluded or won?
- How many follow-up emails did you send before you got the response you wanted?
- Do certain prospect personas respond better to your sequence than others?
11. How to send a follow-up email when you haven’t received a response
In an ideal world, one follow-up email would enough to get a response. This, however, is unlikely to happen. It’ll require a lot more determination than that.
You should not be discouraged if you do not get a response the first time. Instead, use the guidelines above to choose how and when to follow up. Here are some pointers to consider while doing so – especially if your prospect isn’t responding:
- Take a new approach: Don’t keep sending the same kind of email and expecting anything to change. Take a unique approach, whether it’s in terms of tone, offer, or call to action.
- Give the prospect something of genuine value by going beyond the fundamentals of following up.
- Include a call to action in your message: This is a positive step in the right direction. You might, for example, end the email by asking, “Are you available for a quick conversation tomorrow at 3 p.m.?” This may be all it takes to get things started.
12. Be ready to question conventional wisdom.
I started by stating that just checking in is a poor idea. After that, I provided you with a variety of subject lines as well as example follow-up email templates to utilize.
co However, you should be aware that most of the advise on follow-up emails has not been well tested. Furthermore, it is completely dependent on your situation and possibilities.
For example, Outreach’s data science team recently ran an A/B test on the term “just checking in.”
They looked through over 4000 bump emails to see how it affected them. The findings were unexpected and contradicted every previous guidance we’d received. It found discovered that utilizing the term increased email response rates by up to 86%.
What is the takeaway? Use these sales follow-up email templates as you see fit, but don’t regard them as if they’re gospel. Contexts change, and assumptions don’t always pan out. Conduct A/B testing to see what performs best in each situation for you and your prospects. You’ll be able to write a better sales follow-up email the following time around if you do so.
The sales process can be complicated, and if you’re not sure what’s going on behind the scenes, you may have a hard time getting past the initial “emotional leap” of getting to know a new prospect. That’s why it’s important to establish a relationship with your customer before you try to sell your product or service. The best way to get your prospect to trust you is by using proven sales principles.. Read more about warm follow-up email and let us know what you think.
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