The Ultimate Guide to Sales Follow-Up Emails

Summary:

• Effective follow-up emails should directly reference details from the sales call, using the recipient's name or specifics about the discussion to create a personal connection and clear context.
• Subject lines should be compelling and clear, using personalization or questions to provoke curiosity and urge the recipient to open the email.
• Emails must outline clear next steps and summarize the benefits discussed during the call, focusing on how the service or product can solve the recipient's problems or improve their situation.
• Tools like PhoneBurner can streamline the creation and sending of follow-up emails, with features like one-click sending and customizable templates that save time and maintain consistency in communication.

Most sales don’t happen during the call; they actually happen after. That means successful sales teams need a follow-up strategy—and email is one of the most effective tools your team has if you know how to use it correctly.

PhoneBurner is here to help with this guide for creating and sending follow-up emails after sales calls. Whether you’re using the email features built into our power dialer or sending emails manually, you can use these to keep deals moving forward with your prospects long after the initial call has ended.

Using PhoneBurner for More Efficient Follow-Up Emails

Our platform includes several features that make post-call follow-up emails faster, easier, and more consistent:

• Send in one click and save precious time for reps
• Create custom buttons for different call outcomes and have templates ready to go
• Track email opens and engagement to continue refining your outreach strategy

Start a free trial of PhoneBurner here, or keep reading to learn more about what situations require email follow-ups and what all your follow-up emails should include.

3 Situations Worthy of Follow-Up Emails

It’s a mistake to assume you only need to send sales follow-up emails when a prospect has asked for more information. In fact, that’s not always the best way to deal with an “I need to think about it” objection response.

But here are three situations where you should strongly consider sending follow-up emails after a sales call:

#1: No One Answers Your Call

If your lead doesn't pick up the phone, it’s wise to leave a voicemail with a compelling value statement about how you can help them (or how you have helped their competition, or other relevant companies). 

Sending an email is smart too, and your voicemail and email can actually work very well together.

Your subject line should make this value statement clear. You could reference the result you got for a business or person like them:

"How we helped X Inc. close 30% more sales."

An alternative approach is to reference the voicemail you just left, as that is bound to create some curiosity:

"Alice, I left you a voicemail."

Personalization—both in the subject line and in the email itself—can improve response rates significantly.

As for content, your email should indicate that you left them a voicemail. If your email is seen first, this can help get your voicemail heard, often with closer attention paid to it You should also reiterate why you called and a compelling reason for them to call you back. In other words, WIIFT (What's In It For Them).

Specificity is key. Vague comments like, "we can help improve your website" aren't going to cut it. Speak to a pain point, or address a specific benefit they want to obtain.

Then let them know that they can reach you by phone, or email. Even if they don't reply, if you follow up at a later date, they may be more likely to answer your call. And that means your email did its job.

#2: The Prospect Answers but Declines

Perhaps your prospect was busy, and they didn’t give your “pitch” any real consideration. Maybe they even brushed it off without much thought. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll never be interested; they just may not be interested right now.

Your follow-up email should reference and respect that your services aren't needed at the moment—but make sure you still leave the door open.

You can, using specifics (perhaps those that you were unable to get to on the call), let them know what you can do for them, what you've done for similar businesses (or people), and let them know that they can reach out anytime should their needs change.

An email can also be used to deliver something of value. For example:

Dear Name,

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

I understand that you're happy with your current mortgage at the moment, but if you start thinking about refinancing, this will definitely help:

6 Refinancing Mistakes that Can Cost You (Dearly)

If I can help in any way, now or in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Your report, blog post, video, or whatever else you have to share, might help build your credibility, alert them to something they don't know, or simply get them to reconsider.

#3: The Prospect Answers & Sets an Appointment

In this scenario, the outbound call was a success. You set up an appointment to discuss your products or services in the near future.

A good follow-up email thanks them for their time, reminds them of the details of your set appointment, and gives them a brief overview of what you'll cover. It also details anything that might be needed prior to the appointment (something filled out, or signed, for example).

This sets the stage for a successful meeting and a possible sale.

Always remember to be personable and approachable.

6 Elements All Effective Sales Follow-Up Emails Should Have

No matter which of the situations above you’re creating an email for, remember to include the following:

1. Enthusiasm & Authority

From the subject line to the postscript, every part of your email should have good, positive energy—but you should also display confidence in your products and services. Here’s an example to show you what we mean:

“Hey Sandra, it was a pleasure meeting you on Thursday. You’re doing really interesting work in the airline industry and I enjoyed learning about it. It’s been on my mind, and I think that we may have a way to increase your sales by roughly twenty to thirty percent based on your current lead generation process. I’d love to talk more and see if this is a real possibility.”

As you can see, it’s possible to be enthusiastic without gushing—and present a solution without groveling. You want to be honest with your prospects, but be positive and optimistic too.

2. A Compelling Subject Line

All emails need a subject line that compels the reader to open the message and start reading. It should be engaging and clearly related to your discussion, ensuring the recipient feels compelled to read more. Keep it precise and personal to grab attention quickly.

Here are some tips to try when crafting subject lines for your emails:

• Personalization: Use the recipient's name or specific details, e.g., "John, take a look at your customized plan!"
• Clarity and Urgency: Make the subject line clear and urgent, e.g., "Enhance Your Team's Efficiency Overnight—Learn How Today!"
• Question and Intrigue: Engage with a thought-provoking question, e.g., "Ready to boost your sales by 30%?"

These tactics help make your email a priority in your recipient’s inbox.

3. Clear Next Steps

Since these aren’t cold emails, make sure to include the personal connection you made. It reminds them who you are and portrays you as more of a friend than another sales rep. Case studies show that people buy from those they trust.

Build trust by mentioning something from your last conversation. Show them that you were listening and you’re there to help them solve a problem. By building this trust you’ll quickly see an uptick in your email response rates.

4. A Summary of Benefits

Always show your prospect how you can make their life better. Maybe you’re helping them achieve a dream. Maybe you’re helping them eliminate a fear.

Find something that will speak to their emotions. Making extra money or saving an hour every day may not seem emotional, but once you start asking what they would do with that additional money or time, it gets emotional quickly. For example, maybe they would spend more time with their family.

Rather than showing them your product’s features, remind your prospect how the benefits will improve their life.

5. A Clear Call to Action (CTA)

Every prospect needs to know what the next step is. Do they send you an email? Do they respond to a specific email address? Do they click over to a product page? Do you give them your phone number to continue the discussion?

You can give them a single call-to-action so they know exactly what to do or you can give them a few options in case they have a strong aversion to certain means of communication.

Help your prospects clearly understand the path forward and they’ll be much more likely to take that action.

6. A Sign-Off with Your Contact Information

By leaving your contact information—and making it clear that the prospect can contact you for any reason—you remove a potential roadblock from the sales process.

Being approachable and easy to reach encourages contact and builds trust and credibility. It’s easy to include this in your email templates so you never forget it.

Remember, prospects aren’t always ready to purchase during the first meeting. You need to take them on a sales journey.

Make Your Post-Call Emails Count with Help from PhoneBurner

It’s a mistake to assume that your emails are an “add-on” to your sales calls—they’re actually a critical part of the journey you want to take prospects on, so paying attention to how you craft them is vital for getting the results you want.

Using the right tools can save you time and make your emails more likely to connect. With PhoneBurner, you can have an email built and configured for any call outcome - sent with a single click. Rather than having to cut/paste/compose an email, it’s done for you as the next contact is dialed.

Start a free trial of PhoneBurner and learn more about how our features can help you accomplish more in less time.