Sourcing emails: The follow-up email

3 mins, 17 secs read time

In our Sourcing emails series, we’re sharing tips on how to plan and create compelling emails so that you can find and connect with the right prospects for your open roles.

While sending an initial cold email is a good first step, it should never be the only step in your email outreach campaign. It’s entirely possible that your email got lost in a great prospect’s inbox, especially among all the other emails they might be receiving. If your prospect hasn’t responded or taken any action from your introductory email, the next step is to send a follow-up.

But what’s the most effective way to craft a follow-up email that will spark a prospect’s interest to engage with you? Not to worry – we’ve got you covered! Read on to discover some key information to include in your follow-up emails.

Three key items every follow-up email should include:

• Include the hiring manager’s LinkedIn profile so the prospect can learn more about who they’ll be working with.
• Share relevant resources so they can learn more about your company, such as your company blog, team page or any other assets that showcase the company culture.
• Include a clear call to action about what the next steps are, whether that’s connecting on LinkedIn or scheduling a call to discuss the open role further.

Here’s a follow-up email template you can include in your outreach campaigns:

"Hi [first_name]!

I am following up about the [job title] at [your company]. I shared your profile with our [team hiring manager (such as Senior Customer Success Manager)] and they wanted to be sure I did my best to connect with you for an initial conversation. I've added their LinkedIn profile here if you’d like to learn more about who you’ll be working with:

[hiring manager name, job title: LinkedIn profile URL]

From what I’ve seen, this position would be a strategic challenge given your experience as a [prospect’s current job title].

I'd love to share more about [your company] and learn about what you’re looking for in your next opportunity. Please feel free to add time to my calendar so we can chat more!

Talk soon,
[your first name]"

Pitfalls to avoid

When creating a follow-up email, it might be tempting to fall into some common pitfalls. Here are some things to avoid when reaching out to prospects post-introductory email.

• Lengthy email body copy — It’s best to keep the body of the email clear and concise. If an email appears lengthy at a quick glance, it can deter the prospect from reading the message altogether. Instead of lengthy paragraphs, try dividing the information into shorter, organized paragraphs or bullet points so it’s more reader-friendly.
• Lack of personalization — When following up with prospects, it’s essential to include elements of personalization to let them know you did your research and tailored your message to them. If an email lacks in-depth personalization, it can deter the prospect from engaging with you further since your email may come across generic and impersonal.
• Spam trigger words — When crafting emails, it’s important to avoid using words that can get flagged by spam filters. The subject line and body of your email should not include unnecessary urgency for the prospect to take action. Avoid including spam triggers words such as urgent, free and last chance.

Sometimes the first time isn’t the charm. If the first follow-up email doesn’t prompt the prospect to reply or take action, we recommend sending a second follow-up email a few days later to continue engaging and sharing additional value with the prospect.


Read the full series overview, as well as each post on introductory and follow-up to nurture and breakup emails, on the Greenhouse blog.