Follow-up Email After No Response: 15 Templates & Best Practices

“I just had an interview and really want this job. Should I send a follow-up email? What do I say? I've never sent one, and I really want to this time.”

“I haven’t heard back from my potential client in a week after sending a proposal. I wanted to write up a follow-up email, but how to go about it without coming off as needy or obsessive.”

These are questions asked at Reddit and believe me, many of us have been in similar situations. 

‍Sending a follow-up email is a great way to pick up from where you left a conversation or stir up a response from a person or business you have previously contacted. And my rule is Follow-up, always follow-up! 

However, how to write a polite follow-up email after no response can be tricky.

In this post, I will show you how to write a follow-up email, the ideal follow-up sequence, and the follow-up email templates for just about every scenario that you can use as a guide when crafting yours. 

Why don’t people respond to emails?

So you sent a well-crafted email looking for fruitful discussion, and a week later… the only response you receive is silence.

And this happens a lot. Ever wondered why? 

It’s not you; it’s them.

Even the best-crafted emails get ignored; don’t blame yourself. The recipient may be extra busy working, overwhelmed by loads of emails every day, not interested in your request, or your email went to the Spam folder.

Or maybe it’s you.

Although you can’t force someone to respond, you should check if your subject line is clear, the timing is right, and the content is concise and to the point. All these will increase your chances of greeting a reply.

A follow-up email works and is required

By definition, a follow-up is a reminder email or a sequence of emails sent to a prospect to follow up (as its name implies) on a conversation after receiving no response. 

So, does a follow-up email really work? 

According to research, one single follow-up email can increase the average response rate from 9% to 13%. If we look specifically into sales follow-up, only 2% of sales are made during the first contact, while this number rises to 10% if they follow up four times. Besides, 43% of salespeople said they’d be more likely to close a deal with effective follow-ups. 

So the next time you send an email and get no response, don’t hesitate to send a business follow-up email. After all, more follow-ups = more replies = more opportunities.

The ideal follow-up sequence

I know I have said more follow-ups equal more opportunities; however, there is also a limit. Too many follow-ups may frustrate the recipient and leave a very bad impression (believe me, I do).

Typically you should send 2-3 follow-up emails after no response, and the first one is the most effective. But I also learned that sales need 5 follow-ups, so the ideal follow-up times depend on your industry.

Most experts recommend waiting 2-3 days before sending a first follow-up email, and the interval can increase gradually between each email. 

Here is a follow-up sequence you can adopt:

• 1st email follow-up: Day 3

• 2nd follow-up: Day 7 

• 3rd follow-up: Day 12

• 4th follow-up: Day 18

• 5th follow-up: Day 28

15 follow-up email templates to apply

Now that you know when to send a follow-up email and how to create compelling subject lines, let’s examine follow-up email examples that can guide you in crafting yours. 

Whether you need to follow up after an interview, a meeting, or a sales demo, you will find a template that fits.

Scenario 1 - first follow-up email

Scenario 2 - still no response after the first follow-up email

Scenario 3 - the last follow-up

Still don’t get any response after sending several follow-up emails? It’s time to give up and let the recipient know. However, stay polite and positive as they may be interested in the future.

So, you have completed a job interview and are waiting for feedback.

Whether you feel good about your performance during the interview or not, instead of sitting and waiting, an additional step should be taken — follow up with the interviewer or hiring manager. 

A follow-up email is a gesture that shows your interest in the position and highlights your professionalism.

Scenario 1 - a simple thank you email

The follow-up thank you email should be sent within 24 hours of the interview.

Scenario 2 - no response after interview

In this case, don’t be pushy. 4-5 days would be a suitable time to follow up if you don’t receive any response and you really want the job.

You met someone, let’s say a prospective business partner, at an event, and you exchanged cards. 

You should send a follow-up email to build a relationship. This email should refresh their memory about who you are and include what value you want to offer or gain from them.

Scenario 1 - provide value

Scenario 2 - resume discussion

Salesperson no doubt sends a lot of emails to prospective customers and constantly needs to follow up after the first contact. 

So, we craft 6 sales follow-up email templates you can use in different scenarios with the help of our salespeople here at Notta.

Scenario 1 - After a trigger event

A trigger event is any occurrence that signals a buying opportunity. It includes prospects re-opening an email, browsing your site, or signing up for a free trial; that’s when you need to reach out with a follow-up email and offer value to the lead.

Scenario 2 - After the first meeting

Scenario 3 - After a demo

Scenario 4 - After a quote/proposal

Scenario 5 - Prospect needs to consult leader/colleague 

Scenario 6 - Sales break up

It could be a meeting with your team or a business partner. Either way, post-meeting follow-up emails are good for clarifying important points, decisions, and next steps. It helps keep everyone involved on the same page. 

Template 1

‍Template 2

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Follow-up email subject line

Do you know sometimes the reason why you don’t get a response is not that the prospect is not interested but because they ignored your email in the first place? A weak subject line could have been the problem.

People receive loads of emails every day. This means that they wouldn’t have the chance to read every email they get, and your subject line is the first thing your recipient sees. Therefore, you must attract them to your email with a striking subject line to hook their attention and stimulate a response. 

To create a strong, attention-grabbing subject line, here are some tips:

• Keep it short.  Aim for 10 words or less so it reads well in the preview pane. 

• Tailor it to your recipient. Personalizing the subject line, like adding the recipient’s name, will attract a higher open rate. 

• Provide value. Directly show in the subject line what you offer and how you can help.

• Create a sense of urgency. Use words like ‘urgent’ or ‘ but only use them when there is really an emergency. Don’t clickbait.

• Make it quirky or interesting. Use some witty words to stimulate the recipient’s curiosity.

I’ve covered some email subject line examples for you:

• Follow up on …

• Let’s cut to the chase.

• 10 tactics to increase …

• Any ideas on …

• [name], let’s have a quick call

Tips for writing professional follow-up emails

Now you can get started with your follow-up email with the templates above; here are some tips that can help become a pro!

• Use a strong subject line

Using a strong email subject line can increase your chances of getting your email read by up to 87%. Most people decide whether or not to read an email when they see the subject line.

• Keep the email brief

Follow-up emails always come after a previous conversation or interaction. Therefore, it should be brief and straight to the point. Don’t begin to recount all that was said in your earlier correspondence, and avoid long paragraphs. Keep it concise.

• Be professional and polite

One rule of thumb for follow-up is to be politely consistent.

You should always mind your language even when you are really frustrated as there is no response. Start your email with a simple greeting and show professionalism because the relationship between you and the recipient is most likely formal or semi-formal.

• Include a call to action

Except you’re simply sending a follow-up email to say thank you, you should include a call to action, specifically stating what you want your recipient to do.