Wait four to seven days after the first follow-up. Write something new in it: a fact, a question or a smaller ask. Keep it under 60 words. If you still hear nothing after the third message, send a closing note and stop.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Gap | 4 to 7 working days after the first follow-up |
| Length | Under 60 words |
| What must be in it | One new thing, one easy question |
12 emails you can copy
Twelve emails for the second chase. Each is under 60 words. Reply in the same thread unless you are sending something new. Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact.
Jump to: With something newA smaller askA different personTimingA reply that cannot be misreadClosing
- One new factSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], One more thing that might help: [FACT, FOR EXAMPLE, A CASE FROM A SIMILAR COMPANY]. If it is useful I can send a one-page summary. [YOUR NAME]
- Something has changedSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], Since I wrote, [SOMETHING TRUE THAT CHANGED, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR COMPANY LAUNCHED X]. Does that change the picture for you? [YOUR NAME]
- A fresh look at their siteSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], I looked at [SPECIFIC PAGE ON THEIR SITE] again and noticed [OBSERVATION]. Is that something you are working on? [YOUR NAME]
More examples, by situation
A smaller ask
- Offer a written answerSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], A call may be too much. Would a short written answer to one question help: [QUESTION]? [YOUR NAME]
- Ask for the right personSubject: Who handles [AREA] at [COMPANY]?Hi [NAME], Could you point me to the right person for [TOPIC]? Even a name is a big help. [YOUR NAME]
- Offer a summary, not a callSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], Shall I send a short summary instead of booking a call? [YOUR NAME]
A different person
- Are you the right person?Subject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], I wrote to [FIRST PERSON] about [TOPIC]. Are you the right person, or should I write to someone else? [YOUR NAME]
Timing
- A busy monthSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], I know [MONTH] is busy. Would you like me to come back to you in [MONTH]? [YOUR NAME]
- After an eventSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], You mentioned [EVENT, DATE]. I will write again after that. [YOUR NAME]
A reply that cannot be misread
- Reply with 1, 2 or 3Subject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], Reply with 1 if you would like to talk, 2 if I should come back in [MONTH], 3 if I should stop. Any of them is fine. [YOUR NAME]
Closing
- Close it on my sideSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], I have not heard back, so I will close this on my side. If it becomes useful later, reply to this thread and I will pick it up. [YOUR NAME]
- The last oneSubject: [SAME SUBJECT AS YOUR FIRST EMAIL]Hi [NAME], Last one from me. Thank you for reading. Good luck with [THEIR PROJECT]. [YOUR NAME]
Download these examples
The same text as this page, in one file, with the gaps ready to fill in.
Subject lines
- Subject lineStill relevant: [TOPIC]?
- Subject lineWho handles [AREA] at [COMPANY]?
- Subject lineShall I close this off?
Why this works
- Wait four to seven working days after the first follow-up. Use the date they gave you if they said "next week".
- Do not repeat the first email. Add one fact, ask a smaller question, or offer to close the file.
- Keep it under 60 words, with one easy question.
- Stop after the third message, with a closing note.
What to avoid
- Repeating the first email word for word.
- Sentences like "Did you see my last email?". It reads as blame.
- Saying the person "opened" your email. You do not know that.
- Fake urgency.
- More than three follow-ups in total.
Official pages. Rules for commercial email differ by country. Not legal advice: check the rules that apply to you.
- United States: FTC: CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business. It says the law covers all commercial email, with no exception for business-to-business email, and lists what each message needs, read 5 October 2026.
- United Kingdom: ICO: Electronic mail marketing. It says you must not send marketing emails to individuals without specific consent, that you can send marketing emails to companies, and that it is good practice to keep a do-not-email list of companies that object. The ICO says the page is under review. Read 5 October 2026.
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What the tools add
The first is free. Start there.
Cold Email Checker
Paste your draft and the text of the prospect's page. It tests every claim about them against that text, flags claims about you that need proof, and checks the subject line, the single ask and the length. It lists the commercial email basics from the US FTC's CAN-SPAM guide that the draft is missing. You get a verdict, a claims table, quoted issues and a tightened version with unsupported claims removed.
Cold Email from a Website
What you give it: a company's website address and a line on what you sell. If you have a proof point, add it, and you confirm it is true.
What you get: a three-email sequence and two subject lines, each built on something visible on their site, with the page it came from, and a list of what to check before sending.
$9, one price, no subscription. It reads up to three public pages, does not find email addresses, and does not send anything.
How long should I wait before a second follow up?
Four to seven working days after the first. This is our advice from common practice: there is no official rule. Use the date they gave you if they said "next week".
What do I say in a second follow up?
Do not repeat the first email. Add one useful fact, ask a smaller question, or offer to close the file.
How many follow ups are too many?
Three messages in total after the first email is plenty. After that, send a closing note.
Should I change the subject line?
Keep the same subject for a reply thread. Change it only if you are sending something new.
Questions people ask
What do I do with the [BRACKETS]?
Replace each one with a real fact. If you cannot, delete the line. Never leave a bracket in what you send.
Should I say who I am again?
Yes, in a few words. They may not remember the first email.
More
Sources
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business, read 5 October 2026
- ICO: Electronic mail marketing, read 5 October 2026