Send three to four emails over about two weeks. Each follow-up adds something new: a different angle, a specific example, a short question. Never send “just bumping this” and never attach anything.
The sequence
| Day | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First touch | Specific observation, one-line problem, one question |
| 4 | Follow-up 1 | A concrete example or number from a similar company |
| 9 | Follow-up 2 | A different angle on the same problem, two sentences |
| 14 | Last | A polite close that makes it easy to say no |
Rules
- Reply in the same thread so context is visible, but write a fresh line; do not quote the whole previous email.
- Each touch under 60 words.
- No links until they reply.
- Stop at a negative reply and suppress the address everywhere.
- Run each follow-up through the spam checker; “following up” and “just checking in” are mild triggers and read as filler.
After the sequence
Wait 60 to 90 days before a new sequence to the same person, with a new angle. More than that is where complaint rates climb.
Spam word checker
Paste a draft and see whether it lands in the inbox or in spam, with every risky phrase highlighted.
Open the toolPaste a draft and see whether it lands in the inbox or in spam, with every risky phrase highlighted.
Questions
Should follow-ups be in the same thread?
Yes. It shows the history without you repeating it, and threaded mail gets slightly better placement than fresh sends.
Is a breakup email worth sending?
A short, polite last message often gets the highest reply rate in the sequence, because it is easy to answer. Keep it to two lines and no guilt.