8
The difference between a 'just checking in' follow-up and a 'here's a new idea' follow-up
I used to send the same basic 'just wanted to follow up on my last email' template for weeks. My reply rate was maybe one in ten. About six months ago, I switched it up. For a pitch to a small brewery here in town, I sent the first email, waited five days, then sent a second one with a link to a local news article about a similar business that did well with a project like mine. I said 'This made me think of our chat, what do you think?' I got a reply in two hours. The change was sending something of value, not just a nudge. It turns a follow-up from a reminder into a fresh conversation starter. Now I try to find one piece of news, a case study, or even a quick idea sketch to include. Has anyone else found a specific type of 'value add' that gets clients to hit reply?
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
craig.parker1d ago
Is this really that big of a deal? Most people just ignore emails anyway, so you're still just hoping they don't hit delete. It seems like a lot of extra work for maybe one more reply.
7
finley_roberts271mo ago
That brewery example really nails it. Sending a news article shows you're paying attention to their world, not just your own pitch. Another thing that works is sharing a tiny piece of free advice or a quick observation about their specific business. It proves you get their problems. The goal is to make the second email feel like its own useful thing, not a copy of the first one. That shift from "remember me" to "here's something helpful" changes everything.
2
beth_kelly1mo ago
Absolutely, that shift in mindset is key! I've found the best follow-ups almost never mention your first email at all. Just share a useful link or a quick tip that's clearly for them, like pointing out a broken page on their site or a competitor's new feature. It feels way more like a conversation starter than a sales push.
2
My buddy had the same thing happen. He sent a cold email about his design service, got nothing back. His second email just had a mockup of how he'd fix their clunky homepage header. They replied asking for a quote that same day.
2