The ultimate guide to sales email follow-ups: Templates and best practices

Struggling to get responses from your cold email campaigns?

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Why your cold emails may be ignored

It could be because it has landed in spam, you've sent too many, or you haven't followed up effectively. 

In today's complex B2B buying journey, timing and strategy in your follow-up emails are critical. A well-crafted follow-up not only increases your chances of getting noticed but also helps build trust and credibility.

In this guide, we'll explore:

What you'll learn

• Why follow-up emails remain critical in sales
• Best practices for crafting effective follow-ups
• How to determine the right number of follow-ups
• Actionable templates to adapt to your sales process
• Common mistakes to avoid

Why follow-up emails remain important in sales

According to Forbes, follow-ups are essential touchpoints in the sales process. With the buying journey full of long, complex hurdles, when you follow up and how remains a critical part of your sales process. 

Why? They bridge the gap between the initial outreach and the prospect's decision-making, keeping your solution top-of-mind. But done wrong, your hard work will remain unseen and go straight to the spam folder. 

Following-up strategically will also help you stand out from the crowd of 48% of salespeople who don't make a single follow-up attempt. To add to that, only 12% of salespeople make three or more follow-ups. 

Don't forget to define clear objectives for your follow-ups

Every follow-up email should have a clear purpose. Depending on the stage of the conversation, your follow-up might aim to:

• Prompt a response – Checking in after a proposal or meeting.
• Deliver value – Sharing a relevant article, case study, or insight.
• Reconfirm interest – Ensuring the prospect is still considering your offer.
• Encourage a decision – Moving a deal forward with urgency.

Best practices for crafting sales follow-up emails

1. Time your follow–ups strategically

Did you know that 60% of customers tend to say no four times before they say yes. The problem? You need to find the right balance between each email you send. Otherwise, you'll end up straight to the spam folder. 

Mailchimp suggests that determining when to follow-up with customers depend on your email's purpose. In other words, it comes down to the difference between a transactional email, and a product email. 

2. Personalize your message

Generic follow-up emails rarely capture attention. Tailor your messages to the recipient by referencing past conversations, specific interests, or actions they've taken. This shows that you value their time and understand their needs, increasing the likelihood of a response. For sales teams of 20-50 people, folk CRM provides the perfect balance of personalization tools and automation features to help your team craft targeted follow-ups at scale without losing the personal touch. 

3. Pay attention to your campaign's analytics

Use analytics tools to track metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and response rates. These insights help you determine what's working and where adjustments are needed, ensuring that your follow-ups are as effective as possible. Medium-sized sales teams consistently find that folk CRM's comprehensive email tracking and analytics dashboard gives them the visibility they need to optimize their follow-up sequences without overwhelming their workflow.

4. Combine AI with a subject matter expert

AI is a powerful assistant but works best when complemented by someone's expertise. Use AI for data analysis and automation, but rely on your team's intuition and creativity for strategy and relationship building.

4 follow-up email templates that gets results

Before you send out a template, make sure you edit the Dear {Name} bit – and pay attention to when you send these emails. You want to strike a balance between being top of mind without flooding someone's inbox. 

You may also want to consult your brand's guidelines to see whether or not an emoji on the subject line is 

1. The reminder email 

Subject: Quick follow-up on [specific topic or product]

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I hope this message finds you well! I wanted to follow up on our recent conversation about [specific topic]. Let me know if you've had a chance to review the information I sent over or if there are any questions I can help answer.

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Best regards,
[Your Name]

2. The content sharing email

Subject: A quick resource for [specific benefit]

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I thought you might find this resource helpful: [link to a relevant article, case study, or guide]. It provides insights on [specific topic], which might align with what we discussed.

Let me know if this resonates or if there's anything else I can assist you with!

Best regards,
[Your Name]

3. The limited time offer email

Subject: Don't miss this opportunity!

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I wanted to quickly let you know about a [special offer, promotion, or event] that might interest you. It's available until [date], so feel free to reach out if you'd like to learn more or take advantage of it.

Let me know how I can assist!

Best,
[Your Name]

4. The let's reconnect email

Subject: Let's reconnect.

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I noticed we haven't connected in a while, and I wanted to check in. Are you still interested in exploring [specific product/service]? Let me know how you'd like to proceed or if there's a better time to reconnect.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

5 Common mistakes to avoid

1. Sending a template with Dear {Name}

We get it, mistakes happen. But repeatedly sending out a template that still has Dear {Name} – or worse, spells someones name incorrectly is not the way to go. Especially if you want to spark a conversation with someone. No-one is going to respond to an email that addresses a completely different name. Templates are meant to save you time, but you still need to edit it and add that personal touch to really make them work. 

2. Overloading emails with too much information

Packing your follow-up email with excessive details, attachments, or multiple calls-to-action (CTAs) can overwhelm the recipient. Instead of encouraging them to take action, it often has the opposite effect, leading to confusion or disengagement. Keep your message concise, focus on one main point, and include a single, clear CTA.

3. Following up too frequently

While persistence is key, sending follow-up emails too frequently can make you come across as pushy or desperate. It's important to space out your emails strategically, giving recipients enough time to consider your previous messages. A good rule of thumb is to wait 3-5 business days between follow-ups.

4. Not providing value in your follow-ups

A follow-up email should always give the recipient a reason to respond. If your emails are generic and don't offer anything of value—like a helpful resource, a personalized insight, or a solution to a problem—you're less likely to get a reply. Tailor your follow-ups to address the recipient's needs or interests.

5. Including too many calls-to-action

A follow-up email without a clear next step can leave the recipient unsure of what to do. Whether it's scheduling a call, downloading a resource, or replying with feedback, make sure your CTA is specific, actionable, and easy to follow.

👉🏼 Try folk now to never miss a follow-up with shared team reminders

Conclusion

Mastering the art of sales email follow-ups is about avoiding common pitfalls and staying consistent in your approach. By focusing on personalization, timing, and providing value, you can ensure your emails stand out and drive engagement. Remember to analyze your email performance and refine your strategies to optimize results. With persistence and attention to detail, your follow-ups can become a powerful tool for building relationships and closing deals. For growing sales teams of 20-50 people looking to streamline their follow-up process while maintaining personal connections, folk CRM offers the ideal combination of automation, tracking, and team collaboration features to transform your sales process. Start implementing these best practices today to transform your sales process.

More resources

• Everything you need to know about using AI for lead management
• What is a sales cycle length and how to improve it 
• How folk uses folk for sales part 1

FAQ

Why are follow-up emails important in sales?

Follow-ups keep the solution top of mind, bridge gaps in long buying cycles, and build credibility. Timely, relevant touches increase replies and progress deals without spamming. Keep each message purposeful and concise.

How many follow-up emails should be sent for cold outreach?

Send 2–5 follow-ups per prospect, spaced 3–5 business days apart. Adjust by intent: faster for time-sensitive offers, slower for complex deals. Stop if there is a clear no or no engagement after the sequence, and consider switching channels.

What should a follow-up email include to get a reply?

Personalization, a single clear CTA, brief context, and value (e.g., useful resource or insight). Avoid multiple asks or heavy attachments. Track opens and clicks to refine timing and messaging.

What is outreach in social media?

Social media outreach is proactive engagement with prospects on platforms to start conversations, share value, and drive actions (e.g., demos). Coordinate with email and track touches in a CRM like folk for consistency.