Cold emailing isn’t rocket science, but if you’re not following up, you’re leaving a lot of responses (and deals) on the table. This guide is for anyone using Woodpecker for email outreach who wants real, practical advice on setting up follow-up emails that actually get replies—without annoying people or getting flagged as spam.
If you’re tired of vague tips and just want a straightforward walkthrough, you’re in the right place.
Why bother with follow-ups?
Here’s the honest truth: Most people don’t respond to your first email. They forget, get distracted, or just miss it. Following up—politely and with purpose—gives them another chance. No, it’s not “annoying” if you do it right. In fact, most replies come after the first or second follow-up.
But not all follow-ups are created equal. Spamming your list with “Just following up!” emails every two days won’t do you any favors. The trick is to automate the process (so you don’t go nuts) but keep it human and relevant.
Step 1: Lay the groundwork in Woodpecker
Before you even touch your follow-up sequence, do some basic prep work:
- Clean your list: Bad email addresses tank your deliverability. Use a tool to verify your contacts before uploading.
- Personalize your data: Woodpecker lets you use custom fields (like {{FirstName}}, {{Company}}) in your emails. Fill these in as much as you can—bland, generic emails are easy to ignore.
- Warm up your sending address: If you’re using a new email account, don’t send 100 emails on day one. Start slow and ramp up. Woodpecker has options to help with this, but patience is still required.
If you skip these steps, you’re more likely to get flagged as spam, and no amount of clever follow-ups will save you.
Step 2: Set up your initial campaign
Once your basics are covered, it’s time to build your sequence in Woodpecker:
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Create a new campaign
Log into Woodpecker and start a new campaign. Give it a clear name—something you’ll remember in a month. -
Write your first email
- Don’t overthink it. Keep it short, specific, and tailored to the recipient.
- Use the custom fields you set up earlier.
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The goal isn’t to pitch everything at once—just start a conversation.
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Choose your prospects
Upload your (clean) list or pick from existing contacts. Double-check that your custom fields match up.
Pro tip: Don’t try to be clever with subject lines. Clarity beats “catchy” 99% of the time.
Step 3: Add follow-up emails (the right way)
This is where Woodpecker shines. You can create entire follow-up sequences that send only if there’s no reply—no manual tracking needed.
1. Click “Add follow-up” in your campaign builder
After your initial email, hit “Add follow-up.” You’ll see options for the number of follow-ups, timing, and triggers.
2. Set the wait time
- Default: 3-5 days after the previous email is a good start.
- Don’t follow up daily—it’s a fast track to the spam folder.
- You can mix it up: maybe 3 days after the first, then 5 after the second.
3. Write your follow-up messages
Each one should feel like a natural, friendly nudge—not a nag.
What works:
- Short and to the point. One or two sentences is enough.
- Reference your previous email or their pain point.
- Offer something new (a case study, a relevant link, or a quick answer to a common objection).
- Don’t guilt trip. (“I noticed you haven’t responded…” is a turn-off.)
What to avoid:
- Repeating the same message word-for-word. It looks lazy and triggers spam filters.
- Sounding desperate (“Just bumping this to the top of your inbox!”).
- Using “RE:” in the subject line if it isn’t a real reply. That’s a trust-buster.
Example sequence:
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1st follow-up (3 days later):
“Hi {{FirstName}}, just checking in to see if you had any thoughts on my last email.” -
2nd follow-up (5 days later):
“Hi {{FirstName}}, totally understand you’re busy. If you’re not the right person to chat, could you point me in the right direction?” -
3rd follow-up (optional, 7 days later):
“Last quick note, then I’ll get out of your hair! If you’re interested, just reply ‘yes’ and I’ll send more details.”
That’s it. No need to write a novel or chase someone forever.
4. Choose your stop condition
Woodpecker automatically stops sending follow-ups if someone replies. You can also set it to stop if they open, click, or mark you as spam. Usually, “on reply” is all you need.
Step 4: Test your sequence before going live
Don’t skip this. Even small mistakes (like a broken custom field or an embarrassing typo) can make you look sloppy.
- Send test emails to yourself and a colleague.
- Check personalization: Make sure {{FirstName}} really pulls in the right name.
- Review the timing: Double-check your delays between emails.
- Look at your emails on mobile and desktop. Ugly formatting is a turnoff.
If you spot anything weird, fix it before sending to prospects.
Step 5: Start the campaign (and watch for issues)
When you’re happy with your sequence, hit start. But don’t just set it and forget it.
- Monitor your deliverability: If you get a bunch of bounces or spam complaints, pause the campaign and figure out what’s wrong. Usually, it’s a bad list or sending too many emails too quickly.
- Check your reply rates: If you’re not getting responses after a few days, tweak your subject lines or follow-up messages.
- Don’t overanalyze: Some campaigns just flop. That’s normal. Try a new approach or a different list.
Pro tip: Don’t send more than 50-100 emails per day from a single address, even if Woodpecker lets you. Slow and steady wins the race (and keeps you out of spam).
What works (and what doesn’t)
Here’s what I’ve learned after running a lot of cold email campaigns:
What actually helps:
- Personalization: Even small details make a difference.
- Persistence: 2-3 follow-ups is usually the sweet spot. More than that, and you risk looking desperate.
- Value: Each email should give the recipient a reason to care.
- Respect: Make it easy for people to say “no thanks” or unsubscribe.
What to ignore:
- Magic templates: There’s no one-size-fits-all email. Steal ideas, but tweak for your audience.
- Fancy HTML: Plain text emails almost always perform better and look less like spam.
- Timing hacks: There’s no “perfect” day or hour. Send when it makes sense for your audience, but don’t obsess.
Troubleshooting common problems
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Low reply rates?
Try rewriting your first email and first follow-up. Usually, that’s where things break down. -
High bounce or spam complaints?
Stop immediately and clean your list. Also, dial back your sending volume. -
No opens at all?
Your emails might be going straight to spam. Test with different subject lines, or use a different sending domain. -
Getting marked as spam?
Avoid spammy words, never use ALL CAPS, and don’t add attachments to cold emails.
Keep it simple and keep improving
You don’t need a 10-step nurture sequence or fancy automations. Two or three thoughtful follow-ups, sent automatically through Woodpecker, are enough to boost your reply rates—if your message is clear and your list is good.
Start small, review your results, and tweak as you go. Most importantly: don’t be afraid to experiment and ditch what isn’t working. Simple, honest outreach beats clever tricks every time.