Sales Follow-Up Sequence: 7 Templates + Timing Schedule

The Follow-Up Math (Why Most Reps Give Up Too Early)

Here's what the data shows:

• 80% of sales require 5+ follow-ups to close
• But 44% of salespeople give up after just 1 follow-up
• 92% give up after 4 attempts

Translation: If you follow up 5+ times, you're already in the top 8% of persistence. Most of your competition has already quit.

The problem isn't knowing this—it's doing it consistently. This sequence gives you the exact emails to send and when to send them.

The 7-Touch Follow-Up Sequence

This sequence covers 3 weeks. By the end, you'll have made 7 touches across email and LinkedIn. If they're interested, they'll respond. If not, you've given it a proper shot.

Touch 1: Same-Day Value Add (Day 0)

When: Send the same day or next morning after your first cold email.

Goal: Add value, not just "bump."

Subject: Re: [Original Subject]

Hi ,

Quick follow-up—I came across this [article/resource/case study] that seemed relevant to what  is doing with .

[Link or brief summary]

Thought it might be useful regardless of whether we connect.

Touch 2: LinkedIn Connection (Day 2)

When: 2 days after first email.

Goal: Multi-channel presence. Show you're real.

LinkedIn Connection Request:

Hi —I sent you an email earlier this week about . Thought I'd connect here too in case that's easier. Would love to stay in touch.

Touch 3: Short Email Bump (Day 4)

When: 4 days after first email.

Goal: Quick, low-friction check-in.

Subject: Re: [Original Subject]

Hi ,

Just wanted to make sure my earlier email didn't get buried. Any interest in a quick 15-minute chat?

Touch 4: New Angle Email (Day 7)

When: 1 week after first email.

Goal: Reframe the pitch with a different angle or pain point.

Subject: Different approach for ?

Hi ,

I've been thinking about  and wanted to share a different angle.

[New insight, case study, or approach relevant to their situation]

A lot of  are dealing with —is that on your radar too?

Happy to share what we've seen work if useful.

Touch 5: LinkedIn DM (Day 10)

When: 10 days after first email (if they accepted your connection).

Goal: Casual, direct ask on a different channel.

LinkedIn DM:

Hey —I've reached out a couple times via email but wanted to try here too. Any interest in a quick chat about ? Happy to keep it to 15 min.

Touch 6: Last Value Add (Day 14)

When: 2 weeks after first email.

Goal: One more piece of value before breakup.

Subject: Thought of you

Hi ,

One more thing that might be useful—we just published [resource/case study/guide] on .

[Link]

No pitch here, just thought it was relevant to .

Let me know if you ever want to chat.

Touch 7: Breakup Email (Day 21)

When: 3 weeks after first email.

Goal: Create closure and urgency. Often gets the best response rate.

Subject: Should I close your file?

Hi ,

I've reached out a few times and haven't heard back—which is totally fine, I know you're busy.

I'll assume the timing isn't right and close your file for now. If anything changes, just reply and I'm happy to pick the conversation back up.

All the best with .

Follow-Up Timing Schedule (Table)

15-Minute Follow-Up Session Plan

Use this when you have 15 minutes to batch your follow-ups:

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: "Just checking in"

Empty follow-ups feel like spam. Always add a reason—a new angle, a piece of content, or at least a direct question.

Mistake 2: Same channel every time

If email isn't working, try LinkedIn. Some people just don't live in their inbox.

Mistake 3: Giving up before the breakup

The breakup email often gets the highest response rate. People feel guilty when you're "giving up" on them.

Mistake 4: Irregular timing

Following up randomly means leads fall through the cracks. Use the schedule above and stick to it.

How Tempo Tracks Follow-Ups Automatically

This sequence works manually, but tracking who needs what follow-up on which day gets tedious fast.

Tempo does this automatically:

• Follow-up queue: Shows you exactly who needs a follow-up today and which touch they're on
• Multi-channel tracking: Sees your emails AND LinkedIn messages in one view
• Templates built in: One click to load the right template for that touch
• No manual scheduling: Follow-ups appear in your queue automatically based on last contact date