If you’re in B2B sales, you already know one cold email almost never gets the job done. The real magic? Well-timed, well-written follow ups that don’t feel like spam. This guide is for people who want to use Lemlist to schedule follow up emails that actually get replies—not just fill up people’s inboxes.
Let’s get into what works, what doesn’t, and how to set up Lemlist campaigns that don’t feel like they were built by a robot.
Why Follow Ups Matter (and Why Most Are Terrible)
Most prospects won’t respond to your first email. That’s normal. But here’s where most folks go wrong:
- They follow up too soon (looks desperate).
- Or too late (misses the window).
- Or with bland, generic messages (“Just circling back…”).
Good follow ups are the difference between “marked as spam” and “hey, let’s talk.” The trick isn’t sending more emails—it’s sending better ones, at the right time.
Step 1: Get Your Lemlist Campaign Basics Right
Before you even think about scheduling, get the fundamentals sorted:
- Clean your list. If your data is garbage, your results will be too. Make sure emails are valid and roles are relevant.
- Write real emails. Lemlist lets you personalize, so use it. Ditch templates that sound like templates. Use first names, mention a recent event, or anything that shows you did some homework.
- Warm up your sending domain. If your emails land in spam, follow ups won’t help. Use Lemlist’s warmup features or another service before going big.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink the tech. If your message is weak, no tool will save you.
Step 2: Map Out Your Follow Up Sequence (Less Is More)
Here’s the honest truth: More follow ups don’t always mean more replies. In B2B, 2–4 emails in a sequence is usually the sweet spot. Beyond that, you risk annoying people.
A classic sequence looks like:
- Initial Email: Short, clear, personalized.
- First Follow Up (2-4 days later): Reference your last email. Add something new—don’t just ask if they saw your previous message.
- Second Follow Up (5-7 days after first): Try a different angle or value point. Maybe a relevant case study or result.
- Final Bump (optional, a week later): A quick, respectful check-in.
What to avoid:
- “Just bumping this to the top of your inbox.” (Everyone sees through this.)
- Sending six follow ups. Save your energy.
Step 3: Build Your Campaign in Lemlist
Here’s how to actually set up your sequence inside Lemlist, step by step:
1. Create a New Campaign
- Hit “New Campaign.”
- Name it something clear (“Q2 SaaS Outreach – Midwest” beats “Campaign 7”).
- Upload your cleaned contact list.
2. Write Your Emails
- Lemlist lets you create a sequence with multiple steps.
- For each step, write your follow up as a new email, not a reply to your last one. (Replies can look weird if you’re not careful.)
- Use dynamic fields—like {{firstName}}, {{company}}, or even custom stuff—to personalize.
Pro tip: Write your follow ups before you schedule anything. You want the whole flow to make sense before it goes live.
3. Schedule Each Step
- After writing each email, set the delay (in days) before it sends.
- Example: Initial email on Day 0, first follow up after 3 days, second after 5 more days, etc.
- Lemlist will skip follow ups automatically if someone replies—no need for manual checking.
4. Set Sending Windows
- Don’t send at 2am. Use Lemlist’s scheduling to send during business hours in your prospect’s timezone.
- Avoid Mondays (inboxes are full) and Fridays (people check out early). Tuesday-Thursday mornings are usually safest.
Step 4: Optimize Your Timing (Without Overcomplicating)
The best sending time depends on your audience, but a few things hold true:
- Wait at least 2 days between emails. Any faster feels like harassment.
- Weekdays, mornings or mid-day. That’s when most professionals check email.
- Adjust based on industry. Tech folks might be fine with a bit more frequency. Legal or finance? Give them more breathing room.
Ignore: “Best practices” that claim there’s a magic hour. Test a few options, but don’t obsess. Consistency beats chasing the ‘perfect’ time.
Step 5: Track, Iterate, and Actually Read Your Replies
Lemlist tracks opens, clicks, and replies. Here’s how to use that data:
- High open, low reply? Your subject line works, your email doesn’t. Rewrite the body.
- Low open? Try a new subject line or check if your emails land in spam.
- No replies after multiple follow ups? Cut the sequence shorter. You’re not going to win them with email #5.
Pro tip: Don’t automate yourself out of real conversations. When someone replies, respond like a human, not a script.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works: - Authentic, concise emails with clear asks. - Following up with something new (a case study, insight, or question). - Personalization beyond “Hi {{firstName}}.” - Testing and tweaking based on real data.
Doesn’t work: - Sending more than 4–5 emails. If they wanted to respond, they would have. - Gimmicky subject lines (“Quick Question…” or “Did you see this?”). - Blindly copying someone else’s schedule or templates.
Ignore: - Anyone who says you have to follow up exactly X times or at X hour. Every audience is different. - “AI magic” that promises to write the perfect follow up. Use AI for drafts, but always edit yourself.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Be Annoying
Scheduling follow ups in Lemlist is easy enough; making them good is the hard part. Nail your message, pick sensible intervals, and watch how people respond. Don’t get lost in automation for its own sake—focus on real conversations.
Start simple, track what happens, and tweak as you go. If you find yourself overthinking it, remember: the best follow up is the one you actually send (and that doesn’t make people roll their eyes).