If you send cold emails, do sales outreach, or run any sort of email campaign, you know the real work starts after you hit “send.” The truth? Most people won’t reply to your first email. If you’re not following up (the right way), you’re leaving replies—and money—on the table.
This isn’t about being annoying or spamming people. It’s about sending thoughtful, well-timed follow ups that actually get responses. If you use Mailgenius, you’ve got the tools to do this without making it a full-time job. Here’s how to set up follow up emails that actually work, step by step, with no fluff.
1. Get Clear on Your Goal (Don’t Skip This)
Before you schedule anything, ask yourself: what do you actually want from your follow up? More demos? A specific reply? Feedback?
- Be specific. “Just checking in” never gets real replies.
- Don’t overcomplicate it. If you’re vague, your follow up will be too.
Pro tip: Write down your “ask” in one sentence before you start. Everything else should help support that.
2. Build a Follow Up Sequence That Isn’t Spam
The best follow up emails feel human, not automated. Here’s what not to do: - Don’t blast the same message over and over. - Don’t follow up every day. - Don’t guilt-trip people for not replying.
Instead, create a sequence that respects their time and increases your odds:
A simple, proven sequence:
- Day 1: First email
- Day 3-5: First follow up (short, polite, adds value or clarifies the ask)
- Day 7-10: Second follow up (reference previous emails, maybe try a different angle)
- Day 14+: Last follow up (a gentle nudge or a “breakup” email—e.g., “Should I close your file?”)
Space things out. Give people time to breathe.
What works: - Varying your message (don’t just “bump”) - Keeping it short (2-3 sentences is fine) - Giving an easy action (“Just reply ‘yes’ if you’re interested”)
What doesn’t: - Sending 5+ follow ups. Stop at 2-3 unless you have a really good reason. - Long-winded explanations. No one reads big blocks of text.
3. Write Your Follow Up Emails
Keep it simple. Here’s what a good follow up includes: - A quick reminder of who you are (don’t assume they remember) - Why you’re following up (be direct) - How they can respond (make it easy)
Example:
Hi [Name],
Just checking in on my last note about [topic].
Is this something you’d like to discuss, or should I close your file?Thanks,
[Your Name]
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The less you try to sound clever, the better.
4. Set Up Your Sequence in Mailgenius
Here’s where Mailgenius actually earns its keep. Scheduling follow ups is straightforward—if you know what to look for.
Step-by-step:
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Log in and start a new campaign.
Hit “Create Campaign” and pick your audience. If you’re importing contacts, double-check for duplicates. (Mailgenius will usually warn you.) -
Compose your initial email.
Write your first message. Personalize it if you can—first names, company, etc. -
Add follow up steps.
Look for the “Add Follow Up” or “Sequence” option. This is where you build your schedule. -
Set the delay (e.g., 3 days after no reply).
- Paste in your follow up email.
- Repeat for each follow up (keep it to 2-3 total).
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Double-check your timing. Too close together? People will get annoyed. Too far apart? They’ll forget you.
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Choose your triggers.
Most tools—including Mailgenius—let you choose: - Only send if no reply
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Or send regardless
Always pick “only if no reply.” If someone responds, don’t keep pestering them. -
Review and test.
Send test emails to yourself. Check for typos, broken links, or weird formatting. Make sure your “from” name and email are recognizable. -
Schedule or launch.
Once you’re happy, hit “Schedule” or “Send.” Mailgenius will handle the timing for you.
What to ignore:
- Fancy templates. Plain text almost always gets better replies.
- Overloading with images or links. Spam filters love to eat these.
5. Track Replies (and Actually Stop the Sequence)
This is where most people mess up: they set up a sequence, get a reply, and then accidentally send a follow up anyway. Ouch.
Mailgenius automatically stops the sequence when someone replies—if you set it up right (see above). But don’t trust the software blindly. Double-check your campaign settings.
- Spot check your sent messages. If you see a follow up after a reply, tweak your triggers.
- If someone asks to opt out, remove them right away. Don’t wait for an unsubscribe.
6. Analyze (But Don’t Obsess Over) Your Results
Open rates look nice, but the only number that matters is replies. Here’s how to get real insight:
- Check your reply rate per step.
Sometimes the second follow up gets the most responses. If so, make that message your best. - Don’t get sucked into vanity metrics.
Opens and clicks are fine, but they’re not the goal. - Test, but don’t overthink.
Try changing your send times or subject lines, but don’t change everything at once.
What works: - Sending emails in the recipient’s local morning (8-10am is usually safe) - Using clear, direct subject lines (“Quick question, [Name]” beats “Following up on our previous correspondence” every time)
What doesn’t: - Over-testing. If you’re spending hours tweaking, you’re wasting time.
7. Avoid the Common Mistakes
A few things that trip up even experienced folks:
- Sending too many emails.
You’re not Netflix. People don’t want a reminder every day. - Forgetting to personalize.
Even a little goes a long way. - Burying the ask.
If you want a reply, make it obvious. - Not cleaning your list.
Old or bounced emails hurt your deliverability.
Quick FAQ: Real Talk
Q: How many follow ups is too many?
A: Usually, 2-3 is plenty. If they haven’t replied by then, you’re probably not a priority.
Q: Should I use HTML templates?
A: No. Stick to plain text unless there’s a good reason not to.
Q: What if someone replies, “Not interested”?
A: Take them off your list. Don’t try to “overcome objections” unless they invite you to.
Q: Does time of day matter?
A: Yes, but not as much as your message. Morning in their time zone is safest.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t overthink it. The best follow up sequences are short, direct, and respectful of people’s time. Get your basics right, watch your reply rates, and tweak as you go. Most importantly—don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Email is a marathon, not a sprint.
Stick to what works, ignore the gimmicks, and you’ll get more replies—without annoying everyone in your address book.