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What’s the sure-shot way to get ignored by your prospects?
Sending a follow up that starts with “Just checking in to see if you’ve had a chance to review my last email.”
That’s the reason follow-ups often get a bad rap.
The problem is, messages like ➡️ "Just checking in..“➡️ "Circling back on this..."
don’t offer any new value. They’re seen as nagging, pushy, or just another box to check off in a sales sequence.
In today’s noisy B2B sales environment, where inboxes are flooded and decision-makers are overwhelmed, generic follow-ups get ignored.
So, what separates high-performing follow-ups from ones that never get a response?
Let’s dive in.
Psychology of Follow-Ups: Why Emotional Relevance Works
People don’t buy when you want them to. They buy when they’re ready. Your follow-ups should keep you top-of-mind by offering value that resonates with their needs, fears, and desires.
Psychological Factors That Influence Email Responses:
- Reciprocity: If you provide value first (insights, a useful resource), prospects feel more inclined to respond.
- Loss Aversion: People fear missing out more than they value gaining something new. A well-crafted follow-up can subtly highlight what they’re losing by not acting.
- Social Proof: Prospects trust what others in their industry are doing. If they see competitors solving a problem they also have, they’re more likely to engage.
- Cognitive Fluency: Easy-to-read, conversational emails feel more natural and get better responses than overly formal, jargon-heavy messages.
- Personalization Bias: Emails that reference personal details (company news, mutual connections, recent activities) feel more relevant and get higher engagement.
- Curiosity: A well-crafted follow-up can spark curiosity, making prospects want to open and respond. Asking an open-ended question or teasing a useful insight can increase engagement.
Read more about this here: 5 ways to use psychology to encourage a response
6 Follow-Up Strategies That Get Responses and Moves the Deal Forward
- The Value-First Follow-Up
Instead of chasing a response, send something valuable (a case study, a personalized video, an article relevant to their challenge).
✅ Share a case study about a similar company and how they solved their pain points.
✅ Send a short industry insight they might find useful.
✅ Offer a tool, report, or template that can make their job easier.
✅ If they commented on a pain point, send them a solution idea, not a sales pitch.
📌 Example: "I came across this report on optimizing website performance for companies in [client’s industry], and I thought it might be useful for you, considering our last discussion. Let me know if it resonates."
📌 “The Gentle Nudge” Follow-Up:
"We’ve found that even a 1-second delay in website load time can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. Based on our analysis of your site, our AI identified ways to speed things up by at least 1.5 seconds.”
Why this works: People respond when they feel like they’re getting something useful, not just being pushed into a sale.
2. The Multi-Channel Follow-Up: Meet Them Where They Are
If your emails are getting ignored, it doesn’t always mean your prospect isn’t interested, it could mean a lot of things: they’re busy, they don’t feel the urgency or they don’t see the value in your solution yet. So, instead of relying on a single channel, try a mix of:
📌 Email → LinkedIn DM → Twitter/X → Phone → Personalized Video
to stand out and let them know you’re here to help.
Example Multi-Touch Sequence:
- Day 1: Send an email with value (case study, insight, resource).
- Day 3: Engage with their LinkedIn post/send a connection request.
- Day 5: DM them on LinkedIn referencing your last email.
- Day 7: Send a short personalized video follow-up.
- Day 10: Drop a casual email or a quick phone call.
Why this works: Prospects might be more responsive on LinkedIn DMs than email, or they might react better to a quick video message than another sales email. Mixing channels increases your chances of getting a reply.
3. The “What’s Holding You Back?” Follow-Up: Uncover Hidden Objections
Sometimes, prospects don’t respond because of an unstated objection—maybe they think your solution is too expensive, too complex, or not the right fit. Most of the time, people will share the reason that’s top of mind, but not necessarily the real issue.
Instead of assuming they’re not interested, probe, dig deeper, and help them uncover their true objections. Only then can you offer the right solution:
📌 “I know timing might not be right—what’s the biggest thing holding you back from exploring this further?”
📌 “I don’t want to be a bother—just wanted to check if there’s anything I haven’t addressed that’s on your mind?”
📌 “Totally understand if now isn’t the right time. Would it make sense to revisit this in [X weeks/months]?”
Why this works: Prospects appreciate transparency. Instead of pushing, you’re opening the door for them to share what’s really stopping them.
4. The Social Proof Follow-Up:
People trust what others like them are doing. Instead of just talking about your product, show how others are benefiting:
📌 Case Study Follow-Up:
“Thought you’d be interested—[Company X] in your industry just implemented this and saw a 35% increase in conversion rates. Want me to share more?”
Why this works: When prospects see that their competitors or peers are taking action, it triggers FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and makes them more likely to respond.
Also Read: 10 Top Performing Cold Email templates to Close More Deals
5. The Humor Follow-Up
Sometimes a little humor or an unexpected approach can make your follow-up stand out.
“I know inboxes are like black holes sometimes. Just wanted to follow up in case my last message got lost in there! 😅
If automating data management still sounds like something you’d like to tackle, let me know— I have a few ideas that could make it way simpler!”
Why this works: Humor creates a sense of connection and instantly lowers resistance.
6. The ‘Closing the Loop’ Follow-Up
Sometimes, it’s just not the right time—and that’s okay. When that happens, make it easy for your prospect to walk away by acknowledging it.
Giving them that space builds trust and allows them to feel comfortable enough to tell you when it’s not a priority anymore.
📌 Example:
Subject: Not a priority right now?
Hi [Name], I haven’t heard back, and I totally understand if now isn’t the right time, or if other things are of higher priority. I don’t want to keep following up unnecessarily, so unless I hear otherwise, I’ll assume you’re not interested and close your file. Wishing you all the best!
Why this works: This works because of the Zeigarnik Effect—people remember unfinished business and many times, prospects respond with “Hey, I’m still interested, just been busy!”
Also Read: Cold Calling vs. Cold Emailing: Which Works Better?
Few Tips to Write Persuasive and Effective Follow-Up Copies
✅ Keep It Short and Direct – Your prospect’s time is limited. Get to the point quickly.
✅Time It Right – The best times to follow up are early mornings or mid-week when inboxes are less crowded. Avoid Mondays (too hectic) and Fridays (mentally checked out)
✅ Make It Emotionally Relevant – Connect with their current challenges, fears, or aspirations.
✅Use Open-Ended Questions – Instead of yes/no questions, ask something that sparks a conversation.
✅Make It Easy to Read – People skim emails. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear CTAs.
✅Create a Compelling Subject Line – Grab attention with curiosity, relevance, or urgency. Spark curiosity, relevance, or urgency. Example: "[First Name], a quick idea for [Company]" or "[Mutual Connection] thought we should chat
✅Follow Up More Than Once – Most sales happen after 5+ touches, yet many give up after one or two. Stay persistent (without being pushy).
Final Thoughts: Follow-Ups Are About Building Trust, Not Pushing the Sale
Understanding the psychology of B2B buyers plays a big role in ensuring your follow-up emails get a response.
When you keep it conversational and show them you’re here to build a relationship, not just close a deal, your follow ups will feel like a natural next step in the process.
So, go ahead and apply these insights to make your follow-ups stand out, and you'll be surprised at how much easier it becomes to get a response.