What is a follow-up email?
A later email in the same thread, sent when the first one got no reply or after a conversation.
What it means
A follow-up email is a later email in the same conversation. In sales it usually means a note sent after an earlier email got no reply, or after a call or meeting to confirm what was said and what happens next.
What it means for a sales email
The most common weak follow-up only checks in: just bumping this to the top of your inbox. Belkins' cold email research supports the simple rule behind the Follow-Up Email Checker: each follow-up should add something new, such as a fresh idea, a relevant example, or a clearer reason it matters.
Skip guilt-trip phrases like I have not heard back. Keep one easy ask. After a call, a follow-up recaps what you heard in their words and names the next step.
A good follow-up can stand on its own. Someone who never read the first email should still understand why you are writing and what you are asking. Keep it shorter than the first email.
Research mentioned above: Belkins, 2023
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