You send the email. Then you wait. Days pass, maybe a week. Still nothing. Your finger hovers over the reply button, ready to type those four dreaded words: “Just following up.”
But here’s the thing—those words make you sound like everyone else. They’re bland, forgettable, and frankly, a little desperate. Your prospects and colleagues receive dozens of these generic nudges every day.
What if there was a better way to reconnect without sounding like you’re reading from a script? What if your follow-ups could actually add value instead of just adding noise to someone’s already crowded inbox?
What to Say Instead of “Just Following Up”
The secret to effective follow-ups lies in shifting your mindset from asking to giving. Instead of simply reminding someone you exist, each message should offer something meaningful.
1. Share a Relevant Resource
“I came across this case study about [specific topic relevant to their business] and thought it might interest you. The company increased its conversion rates by 34% using a strategy similar to what we discussed.”
This approach works because you’re demonstrating that you’ve been thinking about their specific challenges. You’re not just sending a calendar reminder—you’re providing actual value. The key is finding resources that directly relate to your previous conversation.
Make sure the resource is genuinely helpful, not just a thinly veiled sales pitch. Industry reports, case studies from similar companies, or tools that could solve their problems all work well. The goal is to position yourself as someone who pays attention and cares about their success.
2. Reference a Recent Development
“I noticed your company just announced the expansion into the European market. Congratulations! Given our conversation about scaling challenges, I imagine timing and logistics are top of mind right now.”
This shows you’re actively following their business, not just blasting out mass follow-ups. It demonstrates genuine interest in their company’s growth and challenges. People appreciate when others pay attention to their achievements and milestones.
The trick is being specific about what you noticed and connecting it back to your original discussion. This creates a natural bridge to continue the conversation without seeming pushy or desperate for attention.
3. Offer a Quick Win
“I spent fifteen minutes putting together a quick audit of your homepage’s conversion elements. Would you like me to send over the three biggest opportunities I spotted?”
Everyone loves quick wins. By offering something that takes you minimal time but could provide them real value, you’re making it easy for them to say yes. This approach removes friction and gives them a taste of what working with you might be like.
The beauty of this strategy is that even if they don’t respond, you’ve still demonstrated your expertise and commitment to helping them succeed. Sometimes the most effective follow-ups are the ones that don’t require a response at all.
4. Ask for Their Perspective
“You mentioned having experience with remote team management during our call. I’m curious about your thoughts on a challenge one of my other clients is facing—they’re struggling with maintaining culture across time zones. Any insights you’d be willing to share?”
This flips the script entirely. Instead of asking for something, you’re positioning them as the expert and asking for their wisdom. People love sharing their knowledge, especially when they feel their experience is valued.
The psychological principle here is reciprocity. By asking for their advice, you’re creating an opportunity for them to invest in the relationship. Once someone has helped you, they become more invested in your success.
5. Provide a Market Update
“The latest industry survey just came out, and there’s a fascinating statistic that relates to what we discussed. 67% of companies like yours are now prioritizing [specific area] over traditional approaches. Thought you’d find this timing interesting.”
Stay connected to industry trends and share relevant updates that impact their business. This positions you as a valuable source of market intelligence, not just someone trying to sell something.
Make sure your market updates are specific to their industry and situation. Generic industry news doesn’t cut it—you need information that directly impacts their decision-making process or strategic planning.
6. Share a Success Story
“Remember you asked about ROI timelines? I just wrapped up a project with a similar company, and they saw results faster than expected—a positive impact within six weeks instead of the typical three months. Thought you’d appreciate the real-world data.”
Success stories provide social proof and help prospects visualize potential outcomes. They’re especially powerful when the success story features a company similar to theirs in size, industry, or challenge.
The key is relevance and specificity. Vague success stories sound like marketing fluff. Detailed stories with specific outcomes and timelines feel genuine and valuable. Always ensure you have permission to share client information, even if anonymized.
7. Make a Specific Connection
“Your comment about employee retention stuck with me. I just connected with someone who solved a similar challenge using an approach I hadn’t heard of before. Would you be interested in a brief introduction?”
Networking is valuable, and facilitating connections makes you a valuable contact. This approach shows you’re thinking about their challenges even after your conversation ends and actively looking for ways to help.
Be selective about the connections you offer to make. Quality matters more than quantity. A thoughtful introduction to the right person can be more valuable than a dozen generic follow-up emails.
8. Reference Seasonal or Timely Context
“With Q4 planning season approaching, I keep thinking about your comment on budget allocation challenges. How are you approaching the planning process this year?”
Seasonal context makes your outreach feel timely and relevant rather than random. It shows you understand their business cycles and the natural rhythms of their industry.
This works particularly well for B2B relationships where planning cycles, busy seasons, and industry events create natural conversation starters. The timing feels organic rather than manufactured.
9. Acknowledge Changed Circumstances
“I know you mentioned budget was tight when we last spoke in March. With the positive earnings report your company just released, I’m wondering if priorities have shifted at all.”
Circumstances change, and acknowledging those changes shows you’re paying attention to their business context. What wasn’t possible six months ago might be perfect timing now.
This approach requires staying informed about their company’s developments, but it demonstrates genuine interest in their success rather than just your own sales goals. It also gives them permission to reconsider previous decisions without losing face.
10. Offer a Collaborative Solution
“I’ve been thinking about your scalability concerns. What if we structured something as a pilot program? You could test the approach with a small segment before committing to a full rollout.”
Sometimes the original proposal wasn’t quite right, but that doesn’t mean the relationship is over. Offering alternative approaches shows flexibility and commitment to finding solutions that work for them.
Creative solutions often emerge when you’ve had time to think about their specific challenges. Maybe a different timeline, structure, or scope makes more sense given what you learned in your conversations.
11. Share Comparative Insights
“After our conversation, I looked at how five companies in your space handle [specific challenge]. Three distinct approaches emerged, each with different trade-offs. Would you be interested in a quick overview?”
Research-backed insights position you as a consultant rather than just a vendor. Comparative analysis helps them understand their options and make more informed decisions.
This approach works especially well when you can provide insights they couldn’t easily get themselves. Your broader view across multiple companies in their industry becomes valuable market intelligence.
12. Address a Potential Concern
“You seemed concerned about implementation complexity during our last call. I found a case study showing how another company simplified the process significantly. Mind if I share their approach?”
Sometimes deals stall because of unaddressed concerns. By proactively addressing potential objections with concrete solutions or examples, you remove barriers to moving forward.
The key is reading between the lines of your previous conversations. What questions did they ask? What seemed to worry them? Addressing these concerns shows you were listening and care about their success.
13. Create Urgency Through Opportunity
“The vendor I mentioned is offering extended terms through the end of the month. Given your budget cycle timing, this might be worth exploring now rather than waiting until next quarter.”
Legitimate urgency—based on external factors rather than arbitrary deadlines—can motivate action. The keyword here is “legitimate.” Artificial urgency feels manipulative and damages trust.
External factors like vendor promotions, industry changes, or seasonal considerations can create natural urgency that benefits both parties. The timing advantage should be real and meaningful.
14. Request Specific Feedback
“You have great insights into [their area of expertise]. I’m refining my approach for companies like yours, and your perspective would be incredibly valuable. Could I get your thoughts on two specific questions?”
Asking for feedback serves multiple purposes: it shows respect for their expertise, gives them a way to contribute without commitment, and often reopens dialogue naturally.
Make your questions specific and limited in scope. Two focused questions are better than five general ones. People are more likely to respond when the request feels manageable and their expertise is genuinely valued.
15. Propose a Low-Risk Next Step
“Instead of jumping into a full engagement, what if we started with a focused session on your biggest pain point? No strings attached—just a deep exploration of potential solutions.”
Large commitments feel risky. Small steps feel manageable. By proposing a low-risk way to move forward, you reduce the psychological barriers to saying yes.
The best low-risk next steps provide immediate value regardless of future decisions. Think workshops, audits, strategy sessions, or pilot programs that stand alone as valuable experiences.
16. Share Personal Relevance
“Your story about the challenges with remote onboarding really resonated with me. We faced something similar when we went fully remote last year. The solution we found might be relevant to your situation.”
Personal connections create stronger relationships. Sharing your own relevant experiences makes the interaction more human and less transactional.
The key is genuine relevance. Your experience should provide actual insight or value, not just be a conversation starter. Authenticity matters more than similarity.
17. Highlight Missed Opportunities
“I noticed your competitors are starting to adopt [specific strategy]. Given your market position, you might want to consider your options before this becomes the industry standard.”
Competitive intelligence can motivate action, especially when positioned as an opportunity rather than a threat. The goal is to highlight possibilities, not create fear.
Be careful with this approach. It should feel informative rather than manipulative. Focus on opportunities for them to lead or differentiate rather than just keeping up with competitors.
18. Offer to Solve a Side Problem
“You mentioned struggling with [small adjacent issue] during our call. I actually know a simple solution for that. Mind if I send over a quick how-to guide?”
Sometimes the best way back into a conversation is through a side door. Solving a small, unrelated problem demonstrates your value and keeps you top of mind.
Choose problems you can genuinely help solve quickly. The goal is being helpful, not creating another sales opportunity. Often, solving the small problem leads naturally back to discussing the bigger one.
19. Provide Process Clarity
“I realize I didn’t clearly explain what the first 30 days would look like if we moved forward. Let me outline exactly what you could expect in terms of timeline, deliverables, and your team’s involvement.”
Uncertainty kills deals. Sometimes prospects go quiet because they don’t understand what working with you would actually involve. Providing clarity removes a major barrier.
Be specific about processes, timelines, and expectations. People need to visualize what success looks like and understand their role in achieving it. Detailed process explanations often reignite stalled conversations.
20. Schedule Future Touchpoints
“I know this isn’t the right timing for you now. Would it make sense to reconnect in Q1 when budget planning begins? I’ll add a note to follow up in January unless I hear otherwise.”
Sometimes the timing genuinely isn’t right. Rather than continuing to push, acknowledge the timing issue and suggest a more appropriate future touchpoint.
This approach respects their current situation while keeping the door open for future conversations. It also reduces the pressure they might feel to respond immediately when they’re not ready.
Wrapping Up
Your follow-up messages are opportunities to build relationships, demonstrate value, and solve problems. When you shift from asking to giving, from pushing to helping, everything changes.
The best follow-ups don’t feel like follow-ups at all. They feel like valuable communications from someone who genuinely cares about the recipient’s success.
That’s the difference between being remembered and being ignored.