17 Sales Follow-up Email Templates for 2023
Jess served on the founding team of a successful B2B startup and has used a wide range of sales and marketing tools over the course of her 15-year career. She uses her industry knowledge to deliver the best answers to your questions about sales tools and sales management.
This article is part of a larger series on Sales Management.
Follow-up sales emails are used to reconnect with older prospects, nurture current leads, or respond to someone who has expressed interest in your products or services. By creating and saving sales follow-up email templates, users can quickly insert relevant information in proven templates instead of crafting each email from scratch.
Download our 17 free follow-up email sales templates to simplify your nurturing and prospect re-engagement processes. Each is crafted for various categorical situations and allows basic plug-and-play of contact data and contextual information for speedy deployment.
Sales Email Follow-up Templates After Initial Engagements
These templates are meant for early sales funnel situations where either you have attempted initial contact with a prospect, or they’ve indicated interest via a qualifying event, such as interacting with a marketing campaign, calling into your business, or submitting a web form. The objective of each follow-up email sample is simple: get the lead to the next phase of their buyer journey.
1. Follow-up After Cold Call Template
When to use: Within a day or two after engaging in a cold call conversation with a lead who wants to learn more about your offerings.
Template summary: During cold call outreach, the best-case scenario is that a prospect was interested in what you had to say and wants to learn more. This is when you need to send that follow-up email to get an appointment, either a sales meeting or a product demo on the calendar.
Subject Line: Great Speaking With You, Looking Forward to Assisting! Hi [contact name], Thanks for taking the time [day you spoke with prospect], it was a pleasure speaking with you and learning more about [organization name/something notable from the conversation]. Per our conversation, we help [your main audience/customer base] [problem or pain point your product or service solves] through [solution your product or service provides + unique selling proposition]. I’d like to go ahead and schedule a [consultation/interest call/product demo] to better understand your needs and how we can assist. You can reply directly or use that Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. Looking forward to connecting and feel free to reach out with any questions in the meantime! Talk soon, [Email signature]
Don’t forget to add an email signature for all your messages to help boost credibility and show professionalism. To get started, you can use our three-step process on how to make a professional email signature.
2. Follow-up on Voicemail Template
When to use: Four to seven days after you’ve cold called and left a voicemail but have not received a call back yet.
Template summary: Unfortunately, some initial outreach campaigns result in you leaving a voicemail—one highly unlikely to receive a call back. Luckily, leaving a cold voicemail is a good segue for an introduction that doesn’t have to be completely a cold intro email.
Subject Line: Hi [contact name]; Looks Like I Missed You! Hi [contact name], Hope all is well in your world. Just checking in to see if you got my voicemail [time it was sent]. If not, no worries at all. In case you missed it, we help [your main audience/customer base] [problem or pain point your product or service solves] through [solution your product or service provides + unique selling proposition]. I’d love to schedule a [consultation/interest call/product demo] to better understand your needs and if we can assist. You can reply directly or use that Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. I understand how busy we can all get, so if I don’t hear from you I’ll try giving you a call back in the next few days. Looking forward to connecting! Thank you, [Email signature]
3. Lead Follow-up Email Template After an Inbound Conversation
When to use: Within a day or two after engaging in conversation with an inbound lead who expressed interest in your offerings.
Template summary: If your marketing and brand awareness campaigns are working, you’ll be fortunate enough to have leads coming directly to you and calling to learn more. In that case, after a conversation, you’ll need to send a good sales follow-up email to provide them with next steps. Because they are calling you, there’s a good chance they’ve already presented the pain points they’re hoping to solve and may be able to go straight to the proposal stage.
Subject Line: Great Speaking With You, Looking Forward to Assisting! Hi [contact name], It was a pleasure speaking with you [time you spoke with them] and learning more about [organization name/something notable from the conversation]. Per our conversation, we can definitely help you out with [problem or pain point your product or service solves]. In the meantime, here are the next steps: [OPTION 1]: I’d like to go ahead and schedule a [consultation/interest call/product demo] to better understand your needs and show you how we can assist. You can reply directly with a time request or use that Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. [OPTION 2]: We can go ahead and provide you with a [quote/estimate/ proposal]. I’ll just need [describe underwriting requirements or info needed for pricing]. Looking forward to assisting and feel free to reach out with any questions in the meantime! Talk soon, [Email signature]
4. Response to Marketing Qualifying Event Template
When to use: Two to three days after a marketing qualifying event takes place.
Template summary: As you design and deploy your marketing campaigns, such as mass emails, advertisements, or social media posts, you may see them performing through engagement conversions. For instance, if someone subscribes to a newsletter, clicks on a link, visits a landing page, or downloads an asset, they’ve expressed an interest and are considered a marketing qualified lead (MQL). Now it’s time for direct engagement with a follow-up email.
Subject Line: Thanks for Your Interest! Hi [contact name], We noticed you recently [downloaded an asset/subscribed to a newsletter/engaged with social content/viewed our landing page] and wanted to reach out directly. I assume you can relate to the challenge of [problem or pain point your product or service solves]. I’ve gone ahead and attached [web link/sales or marketing material] outlining those exact pain points and how our [solution your product or service provides + unique selling proposition] helps [desired outcome or benefit of your product or service]. Feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions or use that Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar for a [consultation/interest call/product demo]. Thank you, [Email signature]
5. Response to Sales Qualifying Event Template
When to use: One to two days after a sales qualifying event takes place.
Template summary: In addition to an MQL, there’s another lead qualification status known as a sales qualified lead (SQL). This person is deeper in the funnel and closer to a buying decision as they’ve directly interacted with a sales resource by emailing a rep, submitting a web form for quotes or pricing, or signing up for a sales meeting.
Subject Line: Thanks for Your Interest! Hi [contact name], Thank you for [reaching out/submitting an interest or pricing form/signing up for a meeting], I look forward to assisting. [OPTION 1]: I’d like to go ahead and schedule a [consultation/interest call/product demo] to better understand your needs and show you how we can assist. You can reply directly with a time request or use that Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. [OPTION 2]: I’m happy to go ahead and provide you with a [quote/estimate/ proposal]. I’ll just need [describe underwriting requirements or info needed for pricing]. [OPTION 3]: I look forward to meeting you directly during our [consultation/interest call/product demo] and showing you how we can support your needs. In the meantime, to better prepare for the call, [describe the information you need or tasks they can do to prepare for the call]. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have. Talk soon, [Email signature]
Pro tip: Adopt customer relationship management (CRM) software and take advantage of all the email capabilities available. For example, HubSpot, a popular CRM and marketing platform, has premade email templates for users to apply to their follow-up and mass marketing campaigns. Users can also store those templates in their database to easily pull and run A/B testing on the email content to see which message templates get the best results.
Check out our full HubSpot CRM review to learn more about product features, integrations, and best-for use case scenarios.
Post-sales Meeting Templates
These sales follow-up email templates are specifically for after a sales or client meeting. Upon discussing their needs and showcasing what you have to offer, it’s time to get the prospect to the next step of their journey by either sending them pricing, a signable contract, or a request for more information needed before getting into a contract.
6. Follow-up Email After Sales Prospect Meeting Template
When to use: One to two days after a sales meeting with a prospect.
Template summary: After having a call or video conference with a potential customer, you need to discuss next steps. This will vary depending on the interest level during the call and where they are in the buyer journey. Regardless, you’re just trying to move them to the next step in the sales process.
Subject Line: Thank You for Meeting to Discuss a Partnership Hi [contact name], It was a pleasure speaking with you [when you had your meeting]. I enjoyed learning more about [something you discussed during the meeting] and showcasing our [products or services]. Per our conversation regarding next steps: [OPTION 1]: I’ve attached quotes here that outline our pricing and what’s included. If you’re ready to move forward, I can send over our contract agreement for your signature. [OPTION 2]: In order to get you accurate pricing, I’ll need the following information. [Describe info needed for pricing]. [OPTION 3]: Since you indicated that you’re ready to go through with the engagement, I’ve attached our service contract for your signature. Once signed, we can begin [onboarding/getting everything needed to start]. In the meantime, let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I’ll send a follow-up if I don’t hear from you in the next week or so. Thank you, [Email signature]
7. Follow-up Email After Product Demo Template
When to use: One to two days after giving a product demo to a lead.
Template summary: Similar to the previous follow-up email example, use this template after a prospect meeting. In this case, however, you had given a product demo that showed all the features of a software, hardware, or tangible product and how it can address your prospect’s pain points and objectives.
Subject Line: Thank You for the Product Demo Opportunity Hi [contact name], It was a pleasure demonstrating our product to you [when you had your meeting]. I hope you got some value from learning about [key product features the prospect was interested in]. Per our conversation regarding next steps: [OPTION 1]: I’ve attached quotes here that outline our pricing for [product name]. If you’re ready to move forward, I can send over our contract agreement for your signature. [OPTION 2]: In order to get you accurate pricing for [product name], I’ll need the following information. [Describe info needed for pricing]. [OPTION 3]: Since you indicated that you’re ready to go through with the engagement, I’ve attached our service contract for your signature. Once signed, we can begin [onboarding/the delivery process]. In the meantime, let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I’ll send a follow-up if I don’t hear from you in the next week or so. Thank you, [Email signature]
Pro tip: Did you know you don’t need to manually send email follow-ups? You can upload premade templates and create sequences, then automate when a direct email goes out based on triggers. These could be time triggers, like three days after an initial meeting, or event-based triggers, like if a prospect submits a webform. Close CRM has easy-to-use features for creating email automation sequences to ensure follow-ups don’t fall through the cracks.
Close CRM creating demo follow-up email sequence (Source: Close)
Close CRM offers great product usability ratings and robust lead management features. See if it’s right for your business by checking out our Close CRM review.
Templates for Follow-up Emails After Events
If you or your sales reps often attend business events, such as trade shows, expos, lead share meetings, or sponsored group networking events, you’ll want to keep these follow-up templates handy. While you might use them for a lead that’s expressed interest, these are also great for connecting with potential referral marketing partners.
8. Follow-up Email Template for Networking Event
When to use: Three to five days after meeting a lead or potential referral partner at a networking event.
Template summary: While attending a networking event hosted by an association, leadshare group, or Chamber of Commerce, you may have met someone who could provide tremendous value and vice versa—prompting post-event email. This could be a prospect that expresses interest or fits a customer profile, someone who is a great center of influence for referral opportunities, or a business that may offer partnership opportunities down the road.
Subject Line: It Was a Pleasure Meeting You at [event name] Hi [contact name], It was great meeting you at the [event name] [when the event took place]. I wanted to continue the conversation we had regarding [something you talked about at the event]. [OPTION 1]: Per what I gathered when we talked, I think my business can assist. We help [your main audience/customer base] [problem or pain point your product or service solves] through [solution your product or service provides + unique selling proposition]. [OPTION 2]: Sounds like we both work with similar [customers or businesses] and could offer a great referral network to one another. [OPTION 3]: Sounds like we could work well with one another, particularly for [describe a way you could partner with the person]. I’d love to schedule a [consultation/interest call/product demo/one-to-one call] to [better understand your needs/see how we can help each other out]. You can reply directly or use the Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. Looking forward to connecting! Thank you, [Email signature]
9. Email Follow-up Templates for Trade Shows
When to use: One to two weeks after meeting someone at a trade show or expo.
Template summary: Trade shows often involve business representatives setting up booths to showcase what they offer to attendees. During that time, they meet and collect business cards from tons of people, including potential customers, supply chain partners, and referral sources. After the show concludes, they need to follow up with those who’ve expressed interest.
Subject Line: It Was a Pleasure Meeting You at [trade show name] Hi [contact name], It was great meeting you and exchanging business cards at the [trade show name] [when the event took place]. I wanted to continue the conversation we had regarding [something you talked about at the event]. [OPTION 1]: Per what I gathered when we talked, I think my business can assist. We help [your main audience/customer base] [problem or pain point your product or service solves] through [solution your product or service provides + unique selling proposition]. [OPTION 2]: I was interested in your [product or service name] solutions to use for my [operation or business]. [OPTION 3]: Sounds like we both work with similar [customers or businesses] and could offer a great referral network to one another. [OPTION 4]: Sounds like we could work well with one another, particularly for [describe how you could partner with the person]. I’d love to schedule a [consultation/interest call/product demo/one-to-one call] to [better understand your needs/learn more about your offerings/see how we can help each other out]. You can reply directly or use the Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. Looking forward to connecting! Thank you, [Email signature]
Sales Email Follow-up Templates on Proposals
Business proposals, whether they contain project estimates, sales quotes, or signable contracts, are often the last thing standing between a sales rep and a closed deal. These templates are specifically designed for that late sales process stage when you’re ready to finalize the opportunity, but your lead needs a little extra push.
10. Follow-up on Quote Email Template
When to use: One to two weeks after sending a sales quote to a lead—and they haven’t given a response.
Template summary: The follow-up sales quote email template is meant to give a little nudge to your lead and see where they’re at in terms of a buying decision. During the quote follow-up email, you don’t want to seem too pushy, but simply find out if there’s anything causing hesitation, such as the price or some internal decision process causing delays.
Subject Line: Checking in With [contact name] Hi [contact name], I wanted to reach out regarding the quote I sent you [time you sent it] to see where you and your team are at, and if you had any questions or concerns regarding pricing. Based on the pain points you’ve expressed regarding [challenge lead would like to solve], I believe we can be a great fit for [lead’s organization name]. Let me know if you’d like to hop on a call or schedule a meeting to discuss further. Talk soon, [Email signature]
11. Estimate Follow-up Email Template
When to use: One to two weeks after sending a pricing or project estimate to a lead where they haven’t given a response.
Template summary: The follow-up for sending an estimate email template is similar to reaching out on a quote proposal. But because it’s an estimate and not a formal pricing sheet or contract, there may be some wiggle room for tailoring. It’s also common that a sales rep will need additional information before offering more set-in-stone pricing.
Subject Line: Checking in With [contact name] Hi [contact name], I wanted to reach out regarding the estimate I sent you [time you sent it]. [OPTION 1]: I understand you were waiting to get information regarding [something they need to find out regarding their needs that could impact pricing]. Once I have that, I can send more accurate quotes. [OPTION 2]: Depending on whether or not you need [something specific they were considering that could impact pricing], we may [be able to reduce the cost a little/have to increase the pricing just a bit]. [OPTION 3]: If you are ready to go through with the engagement, I can send over the contract for signature and we can get moving on this. Let me know if you’d like to hop on a call or schedule a meeting to discuss further. Thank you, [Email signature]
12. Contract Follow-up Email Template
When to use: Three to five days after sending a contract proposal to a lead where they haven’t given a response or signed.
Template summary: After the sales lead has confirmed they’re happy with the pricing, you likely sent a contract and service agreement for signature. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, the point of contact has yet to sign, so you can’t begin distributing your product or service. Now is the time to give them that friendly reminder or see if they’ve had second thoughts.
Subject Line: Checking in With [contact name] Hi [contact name], I wanted to reach out regarding that contract I sent for signature [time contract was sent]. Once you’re signed on, we can [begin the onboarding process/start your desired projects/get our products shipped out to you]. Let me know if you have an estimated timetable to start the engagement or if there are any concerns you’re having regarding the contract terms. I’d be happy to hop on a call or schedule a meeting to discuss further. Talk soon, [Email signature]
Pro tip: You can check on proposals sent to leads using customer relationship management (CRM) software like Pipedrive. It has an email tracking solution specifically for monitoring progress on proposals. It also has Smart Docs, which is a tool that auto-populates contact data onto proposals and then easily lets users distribute documents to leads via email. Reps can view email activity reads and opens—and see if recipients opened the specific document sent.
Pipedrive sales document tracking (Source: Pipedrive)
Learn how else Pipedrive can help you grow your sales operations in our Pipedrive review.
Customer Service Follow-up Email Templates
In addition to sales follow-up email templates, you should have resources ready for those who are already customers of your business. Customer service follow-ups can be used by support teams and customer success managers to provide notifications, check in with someone, or follow up on an attempt to add more value to your customers.
13. Ticket Resolved Email Template
When to use: Immediately after a service ticket or customer support inquiry has been resolved.
Template summary: Like most people, customers like to have closure. After assisting them with a billing, delivery, product, or technical issue, send them some type of notification indicating everything has been resolved. During this time, you should provide context around the issue, how it was resolved, apologize for the inconvenience, and possibly offer a sign of good faith like a coupon or free product.
Subject Line: Your [type of inquiry] Inquiry Has Been Resolved Hi [customer name], Thank you for bringing [describe the issue] to our attention. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. We wanted to let you know that [your inquiry/ticket#] has been fully resolved and closed out. It appears that [describe what caused the issue]. We fixed this by [describe how you fixed the issue] and can assure you it should not happen again. [OPTIONAL OFFER]: [Your company name] would like to offer you [describe product, service, or promotional offer] as a sign of appreciation. You can get this by [briefly describe the process of retrieving the offer]. If you have any questions or additional concerns, feel free to reach out directly. Thank you, [Email signature]
14. Customer Check-in Follow-up Template
When to use: One to three months following no contact with a customer.
Template summary: If your business provides a product or service like insurance, software, or financial loans, there’s a good chance your reps may have limited customer contact and only periodically engage them after a deal is finalized. This is a good email template to check in to ensure satisfaction and show your customer or client is valued.
Subject Line: Hi [customer name], Just Checking In Hi [customer name], I hope all has been well since we last spoke. I just wanted to check in to see how you’re doing and make sure our [product or service name] has been meeting your needs. [OPTIONAL VALUE PROPOSITION]: I also wanted to let you know about a new [offer/product/service/add-on] we are providing. [Describe the new product, service, promotional offer, or product add-on]. Let me know if you’re interested, and I can let you know more about the next steps. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns regarding how we can help [you/your business] out. Thank you, [Email signature]
15. Follow-up on Upsell Attempt Template
When to use: Three to five days after trying to upsell or cross-sell a current customer where they haven’t responded.
Template summary: A robust sales plan should include tactics for new business generation and maximizing revenue for current customers. This is where upselling (an offer to upgrade a customer to a better product or service) and cross-selling (an attempt to offer complimentary products or services) come in handy. After the initial offer, you’ll need a follow-up template to try again and see where the customer’s mindset is at.
Subject Line: Coming Back to See About [product or service you attempted to up or cross-sell] Hi [customer name], I’m just coming back to that offer we made [when the upsell or cross-sell attempt took place] for [product or service you tried to sell]. Like I mentioned before, the [product or service] can help you better [solve {indicate pain point}/meet your {indicate objectives}]. [Describe the value of accepting the offer]. Customers who have adopted [product or service you tried to sell] reaped valuable benefits like [outcomes with possible metrics], and I’m confident it can do the same for you. Let me know what you think and as always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you, [Email signature]
Follow-up Email Templates to Revive Opportunities
Great sales reps have the instinct to know when to stop trying and when to try again. These revival templates are designed for those circumstances where you’re throwing one last Hail Mary at a sales opportunity that looks like it’s going nowhere and when you’re trying to bring back a former customer.
16. Final Sales Follow-up Email Template
When to use: After five to seven follow-up email attempts where you haven’t gotten a response.
Template summary: Sadly, a majority of follow-up to cold emails will not receive a response The average open rate is 21.5% across all industries—requiring numerous attempts to get a response. At some point, however, enough is enough and the cold lead is clearly not interested—making it the right time for a final follow-up.
Subject Line: Trying One More Time Hi [contact name], Hope all is well! As I’m confident in the value we can offer, I wanted to try you one more time regarding [OPTION 1/COLD LEAD]: how we can help you address [problem or pain point your product or service solves] through [solution your product or service provides + unique selling proposition]. I am confident we can add tremendous value to [you/your business] and I’d love to showcase it with a [consultation/interest call/product demo]. You can reply directly with a time request or use the Schedule Appointment button in my signature to get on the calendar. [OPTION 2/WARM LEAD]: the [estimate/quote/contract/proposal] I sent [when you sent the proposal]. If you have any questions, concerns, or hesitations, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll wait a few days and close out your file. Thank you, [Email signature]
17. Former Customer Follow-up Template
When to use: A year after a customer left your business or if you recently launched a new product, service, add-on, or offering you want to promote.
Template summary: It’s not uncommon for a former customer or client to come back to a business after churning. Though it may not happen on its own, you can make another attempt that showcases new value you can offer through this former customer follow-up template.
Subject Line: Hi [contact name], It’s Been a While–I Have New Info to Share Hi [contact name], It’s certainly been a while since we last spoke. Hope all has been well in your world. Though I’m aware you left us as a [customer/client] [when they left you], I did want to reconnect regarding a new offering that may be of interest to you. We recently [launched/started] a [name of new offering]. It allows our customers to [describe the offering and how customers can benefit from the product, service, add-on, or promotion]—something that definitely would appeal to you. Let me know if you’re interested in learning more and as always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you, [Email signature]
Tips to Optimize Follow-up Emails
A great sales manager offers the resources and guidance to help their sales team succeed. In addition to providing reps with sales email follow-up templates, use the tips below to make sure your team is maximizing the value of their follow-ups:
- Use a straightforward subject line: Subject lines are the first indicator of whether someone opens your follow-up email. Try and avoid sales-y terms such as “promotion,” “free,” or “get started now,” as those tend to trigger spam filters and come across as non-personalized to a recipient.
- Simplify appointment scheduling: Most of the sales follow-up email templates attempt to schedule an appointment. We recommend making this process as easy as possible for the prospect and recipient using a calendar appointment automation tool such as Calendly. This gives them a simple process to click on an email button or link, find an open slot, schedule the meeting, and receive the invite without any back-and-forth requirements.
- Keep your message concise: A great general messaging tip is to keep the content copy as short as possible. People have short attention spans, especially with cold email follow-ups where you have no prior relationship with the recipient. Even if you’re lucky enough to get the email open, you may only have a few sentences to grab their attention.
- Avoid spam elements: To ensure the follow-up gets to the inbox, avoid elements in the email message that will trigger a spam filter. For instance, downloadable content is how malware is often delivered, and the spam system knows that, so if you need to send a resource, send it as a web link. Also, avoid multi-color copy and spam trigger words such as “give away” or “free offer.”
- Focus on the prospect: For both follow-up and introduction emails going to prospects, make sure you’re keeping it about them. Rather than detailing what you do, focus on their pain points and objectives and how you can make their lives easier.
Bottom Line
Follow-up email templates allow reps to have access to premade content they can customize with contact and contextual information to streamline the follow-up process. In addition to having available templates to connect with new leads, events, customers, and former opportunities, you should also leverage technology to maximize production. CRMs, for instance, have tools to store and share templates, track follow-up email opens, and automate follow-up sends using sequences.
