18 sales follow-up email templates to boost conversions

Every salesperson who engages in email outreach wants a perfect winning record. The hope is that the first sales email sent to a potential client immediately leads to a sale—no follow-up necessary.

Unfortunately, one cold email seldom keeps a rep’s pipeline full, and many outreach emails don’t even get a reply. That’s why writing compelling sales follow-up emails and sending them at the right time is a critical skill. Sending the right follow-up can significantly boost your chances of receiving responses—and closing deals.

So, how do you write a good sales email follow-up?

The shortcut is to use sales software that allows you to send follow-ups automatically, avoid duplicate emails, and categorize responses. Then, use the 18 email templates below—organized by six use cases—to feed your flood of follow-ups. Plus, gain six bonus templates by downloading our free sales follow-up email guide.

More in this guide:

• What is a sales follow-up email?
• Sales follow-up email subject line examples
• 18 best sales follow-up email examples + templates
• Sales follow-up email mistakes to avoid
• How to write effective sales follow-up emails: Best practices
• Frequently asked questions
• Start making sales with your follow-up email templates

What is a sales follow-up email?

A sales follow-up email is a courteous and usually quick message to a potential customer after an initial interaction. It’s a sales prospecting push to re-engage, offer additional value—like case studies, webinars, or exclusive deals—and move the sales process forward toward a conversion.

A key sales statistic is that only 8.5 percent of all sales outreach emails even receive responses. The more you reach out to a prospect, the more likely a response becomes—though you shouldn’t pester them if they’re not interested at all.

Follow-ups demonstrate your interest in the prospect’s business. That can help build a rapport and encourage your brand name to stick around in the prospect’s mind, positioning you as a helpful and knowledgeable resource. Moreover, follow-ups provide an opportunity to address any questions or concerns the prospect may have, increasing the likelihood of closing the sale.

Sales follow-up email subject line examples

In the game of cat and mouse that is sales and email marketing, a well-crafted subject line is the cheese that captures your prospect’s attention and entices them to take the bait by opening your email. Here are 16 engaging subject lines for follow-ups.

Prompt follow-ups:

• Quick note about [topic]

• Reminder about [product/service]

• Following up on our conversation

• Thought you might find this helpful

Value-driven follow-ups:

• [Benefit]—how we can help

• [Solution]—your questions, answered

• See how we helped [customer]

• [Insight]—a recent trend to watch

Follow-ups with questions:

• Did you get a chance to look at this?

• Did you know [fact/statistic]?

• What are your thoughts on [solution]?

• Any questions on [pricing/terms]?

Follow-ups with urgency:

• Last chance to [action]

• We’re almost out of [product]

• Reminder about [deadline]

• Act now and save [amount/percentage]

Remember to tailor your subject lines to your prospects and their specific needs. The more personalized your email is, the more likely your prospects are to open it and investigate. Experiment with different options to see what resonates best with your potential customers.

18 best sales follow-up email examples + templates

Before we dive into templates, it’s important to understand the basics of a sales follow-up strategy. Your leads likely receive hundreds of emails a day, and it’s crucial to your success that your emails don’t come across as spam.

Here are the top use cases for sending a sales follow-up email:

1. After a trigger event
2. After recently speaking with a prospect
3. After a demo
4. After sending a quote
5. After you don’t get a response
6. After a while has passed

Use case 1: A trigger event occurred

A trigger event is any action that suggests a lead is considering purchasing your product or service. Maybe you notice a lead signed up for a free trial or your company’s newsletter. Or, perhaps you see that a potential customer opened the last email you sent.

What should you write in this type of follow-up email? Whatever the trigger event, it’s smart to reach out with a follow-up email to introduce yourself and offer something of value to the prospect as soon as possible. For B2B sales, this could be a case study or an invitation to a networking event.

1. Free trial follow-up email

Short, sweet, and straight to the point, this template is ideal for a prospect who has signed up for a free trial. It not only gives them more information on ways to make the most out of their trial period but also positions you as a helpful resource.

2. Product information follow-up email

If you find that a prospect opened a previous email you sent, use the follow-up as an opportunity to tell them more about your product/service and how it can help them take their business to the next level by solving an industry pain point.

3. Resource download follow-up email

If a potential customer visits your website and downloads a resource, you can follow up to find out more about their interests and needs. The goal is to nurture the lead and encourage them to take the next step in the sales process.

Use case 2: You recently spoke to a prospect

Whether you met a prospect at a networking event or a prospect reached out to you because of compelling marketing materials, send a message as quickly as possible to further gauge their interest in your product or service.

If you’re sending a follow-up email to someone you spoke with at an event, do it one or two days afterward. You’ll still be able to recall the initial conversation, what you learned about the prospect, and their level of interest. Most importantly, they’ll be more likely to remember you.

What should you write in this type of follow-up email? Reference what you chatted about and offer to provide additional value. Ideally, your sales email should be between 50 and 125 words. It’s a sweet spot that you should keep in mind whenever you email a prospect. You’re not delivering a full-blown piece of content complete with infographics; you’re giving prospects a small taste of what they can expect from your product or service.

4. Request for information (RFI) follow-up email

If you told a prospect you’d do something—do it. Don’t wait too long to send information that you promised to share with a prospect.

5. General interest follow-up email

Sometimes, it’s better not to mess with a classic. If you recently spoke with a prospect who expressed interest, sending them a polite thank-you note is a great way to keep your product or service top of mind.

6. Pitch recap follow-up email

Clients are rarely fixated on what you’re telling them when it’s you doing the pitching. You need to reinforce your messaging and value with all of your follow-up communications, address questions, and offer assistance.

Use case 3: You called a prospect or performed a demo

During your demo, always find a reason to follow up with the prospect and continue the conversation. For example, if the prospect asks about a certain product feature, answer the question but let them know that you’ll provide more details via email.

What should you write in this type of follow-up email? Offer more value than just a generic email about checking in or touching base. Use your email subject line meaningfully and deliberately to grab the prospect’s attention. The more specific you are, the more inclined they’ll be to open the email, especially if they remember your conversation. If you recently completed the demo, the prospect should already know what you’re alluding to—an effective subject line will serve as a light reminder and increase open rates.

7. Conversation follow-up email

If you share information about a particular feature that piques the prospect’s interest, follow up on it. Ensure the prospect has all the information they need about the specific feature you discussed.

8. Positive first impression follow-up email

Assuming your call with a prospect went well, take that positive energy and carry it over into your follow-up email. Outline the next steps, and provide a clear call to action (CTA) so the prospect knows exactly what you want them to do.

9. Feedback request follow-up email

Since your product or service demos are valuable tools to convert prospects, gather feedback on their performance. Ask prospects to be honest—it could create a rapport that boosts your favorability in the prospect’s opinion.

Use case 4: You sent a pricing quote

Following up with a prospect after sending a quote can feel intimidating. It’s the moment of truth: Will they commit to your product or service?

What should you write in this type of follow-up email? Be direct but not pushy. If you gave a verbal proposal, send the first follow-up within 24 hours. If you sent the quote via email, wait a couple of days. Stay cool, calm, and collected—don’t jump the gun with an overeager follow-up email that reeks of desperation.

10. Question-probing follow-up email

You sent the pricing quote, and now you’re playing the waiting game. In the meantime, maintain contact with the prospect by offering to clear up any questions or concerns they might have.

11. Proposal recap follow-up email

Do you know those TV shows that give you a dramatic recap of what happened in the previous week’s episode? Essentially, this is the sales email version of that. Remind your prospects what they might miss out on if they pass up your product or service. Laying out benefits and inspiring FOMO is a tactful way to get the ball rolling.

12. Value proposition follow-up email

No matter if your price is high, low, or average compared to your competitors and industry benchmarks, there will always be a customer with price hesitation. Get ahead of any doubt by doubling down on the value your business provides in your pricing quote follow-up.

Use case 5: You never got a response

If you hear only crickets after sending a follow-up email, don’t get discouraged. Waiting for replies takes patience.

What should you write in this type of follow-up email? Maybe your lead missed your past emails completely. Perhaps they’re on the fence about your product or service. With zero response, it’s impossible to know which one it is. That’s why it’s crucial to remind your prospect of previous emails you sent and to tell them again how your product or service can help them—without sounding pushy or offended by their radio silence.

13. Additional information follow-up email

If a contact doesn’t respond to your initial prospecting email, take another chance at capturing their attention. Providing targeted articles or answers to common industry questions can position you as a helpful contact. If the prospect responds to thank you or express interest, you can finally establish rapport.

14. Gauging interest follow-up email

If a prospect showed interest in your product or service at one point and isn’t responding, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ghosting you. Follow up with an email that serves as a temperature check while remaining friendly and helpful.

15. Last resort follow-up email

If worse comes to worst and you haven’t received a reply after multiple sales follow-up emails, you can always try the following message to create a sense of urgency.

Use case 6: You want to reconnect

Even if you end up losing the deal, you may not have lost the prospect for good. If it’s a big fish you came close to reeling in, don’t give up just yet. Follow the prospect on social media and through press releases, looking for a good opportunity to reconnect. If you see an opening, reach out again.

What should you write in this type of follow-up email? To re-engage these customers, you need to be respectful, personalized, and value-driven. Start by acknowledging the lapse in communication and expressing your continued interest in their satisfaction. Refer to specific interactions or past purchases to demonstrate your familiarity with their relationship with your business. Offer a solution, such as a new product, a special offer, or a personalized recommendation. And make it easy for them to respond by providing clear instructions or a call to action.

16. Product/service upgrade follow-up email

If your company debuts a new feature, you might try touting it to your long-lost prospect. This template works best if the prospect showed great interest but couldn’t commit in the end. Sweetening the pot might push them in the right direction.

17. Competitor comparison follow-up email

If your prospect ended up going to one of your competitors, check back when their subscription is almost up. Provide new information to see if you can tempt them away from their current choice.

It’s important to maintain a friendly tone in these types of follow-up emails. You want to keep your relationship on good terms, just in case they’re ever back in the market for your product or service.

18. Problem follow-up email

Maybe your prospect has gone silent, and you have no idea what they’re up to. Reaching out with a friendly hello for a status update can come off as genuine, encouraging your prospect to respond in kind.

Sales follow-up email mistakes to avoid

Want more tips to increase your chances of success? Here are six things to avoid when following up with prospects.

Responding too slowly

The biggest mistake you can make is not following up promptly. No matter how good a sales call or interaction went, it’s imperative to follow up quickly. You want your prospect to feel important and valued. You also want to make sure they have a written record of key information they might forget.

As a general rule, follow up with your prospects within 24 hours of making contact. You’ll keep the momentum going, and potential clients will see firsthand that you’re thorough, thoughtful, and on top of business. These attributes will inspire trust and help convince a prospect to buy.

Including unnecessary information

An email that looks overwhelmingly long is often immediately deleted or put off and then forgotten. Every word counts in a follow-up message. A well-written, concise sales follow-up email can be scanned and absorbed in a matter of seconds. The longer your message gets, the more likely a prospect won’t have the time or attention span to read it.

Crowding your email with unnecessary information or chatter also buries your point. You don’t want your sales pitch or sales letter overshadowed by pleasantries or tangents. Hiding critical sales points in long paragraphs of text will lead readers to miss the core of your offering and lose interest.

Omitting context or information

Ensure your follow-up email exists in the same thread as your initial message (or restates what you follow up on). Using vague language or referencing a non-specific call or interaction might leave your prospect scratching their head and wondering who they’re hearing from. The same goes for using a customer service email template that could misdirect your prospect, instead of a sales-specific one.

Using poor grammar or structure

Spell-check or proofread your email before you send it. The few minutes you invest in reviewing your work can mean the difference between a prospect moving forward or ignoring you because of unprofessional typos.

You also want to structure your emails in an easy-to-read format. If your message looks messy, not many people will bother to read it—let alone trust you and your company.

Sending impersonal or robotic messages

Messages that sound automated or bot-generated will turn off prospective buyers. You want customers to feel important and messages to feel personalized. No one feels obligated to respond to a seemingly automated email.

Avoid common phrases that are devoid of meaning, such as “wanting to touch base,” “just checking in,” or “circling back around.” These empty phrases take up space. Make sure every word you use is accomplishing something.

Don’t be afraid to use colloquial language or even tasteful humor to engage your prospects. While using ornate or obscure vocabulary may be tempting, it can alienate readers. Clear writing, specific information, and skimmable content are much more engaging. While sales scripts are helpful starting points for sales reps, they should be familiar enough with the product and potential clients to use their own words to connect with people.

Making it difficult for the customer

Your sales follow-up emails must contain an obvious and actionable CTA. If a prospect likes your product, you want it to be as simple as possible for them to take the next step toward buying it. Be specific about the next steps, and include links or buttons that will take them there. If it’s not easy to proceed in the process, many potential customers won’t bother.

How to write effective sales follow-up emails: Best practices

The best sales emails share one thing in common: they convert customers. However, they all draw from a set of best practices that you can use to help get more from your sales emails.

Here are eight tips to craft more effective sales emails:

1. Leverage data in your strategy: Collecting key information about your existing client base will enable you to discover the best ways to engage prospective buyers. Invest in a solid sales engagement platform to keep your customer data organized and accessible. These tools use email analytics to give you real-time insights into how customers interact with your emails. Then, you can use those analytics to create strategies to help you achieve your business objectives.
2. Automate the process: Email automation is also vital to developing a streamlined and effective sales follow-up process. The more data you track and analyze, the more you’ll be able to fine-tune your messaging over time. Automating email messages is a natural step in taking your sales team to the next level and scaling effectively.
3. Use a strategic subject line: Your sales email subject lines should be enticing and succinct—aim for 41 characters or around seven words for the best chance at capturing attention. Any longer, and you risk letting their attention span expire and sending your email straight to the trash folder.
4. Personalize, personalize, personalize: Is there anything you saw on the prospect’s company website or social media account that might help you form a connection with them? Personalized emails will make you look less like a sales rep reaching out and more like a trustworthy adviser. Your reply rate will thank you.
5. Be timely in your response: Follow up within a reasonable timeframe after your initial interaction. Within your email, get to the point quickly and avoid rambling. Once they’ve opened your email, the clock begins to tick until you lose their interest in what you’re following up about.
6. Remind them of key information: The prospect may have forgotten all the benefits you told them about in your previous conversation. It’s your job to remind them in the follow-up email. Even if you have to reiterate some of the things you mentioned in your original email or phone call, highlight everything the prospect will gain from your product or service.
7. Include a call to action: Clearly state what you want the prospect to do, whether it’s scheduling a meeting, requesting more information, or purchasing your product. Any ambiguity can delay the chance of a conversion. As the number of follow-ups increases, you may resort to urgency to capture their attention, too.

Even if your call or meeting went well and you use all these best practices when following up, you might not hear back from a prospect immediately after sending an email. Try following up by phone instead. If you’re sent to voicemail, send another follow-up email immediately.

Frequently asked questions

Start making sales with your follow-up email templates

Now that you’ve seen the type of follow-up email templates that can help drive sales, you need a way to organize and monitor all that customer data once it starts pouring in.

Using customer relationship management (CRM) software like Zendesk is a great way to keep track of each sales follow-up email (and other customer metrics).

Zendesk allows you to send emails directly through the software and categorize responses. It also helps you avoid sending embarrassing duplicate emails. You can use follow-up templates from the download below or insert your own so you don’t have to start from scratch every time, helping your sales team work more productively and efficiently.