What To Do When You Get No Response To An Email (And How To Follow Up)

Getting no response to an email you sent can be frustrating. You put time and thought into crafting the perfect message, hitting send, and then… nothing. The recipient leaves you on read.

We’ve all been there According to a Boomerang study, 36% of email recipients will open an email and not respond to it.

Lack of response hurts. But don’t take email silence personally There are many reasons an email may go unanswered that have nothing to do with you or the quality of your message

The good news is there are proven techniques you can use to get a response, even if your first email went ignored. In this article, I’ll explain why people don’t respond to emails and how to tactfully follow up when you don’t get a reply.

Why People Don’t Respond to Emails (And It’s Not You)

Not getting a response to an email is common. But if you take the silence personally, it will hurt your confidence and make follow-up even harder.

Here are some of the top reasons an email may go unanswered that have nothing to do with you:

• They missed seeing it – Email inboxes are busy places. According to a McKinsey study, professionals spend 28% of their workweek on email alone. It’s easy for messages to get buried or overlooked.

• It got filtered to spam – Increasingly aggressive spam filters may accidentally flag legitimate emails and prevent them from reaching the intended recipient.

• They forgot to reply – We’ve all had the experience of meaning to respond but getting distracted and forgetting. For busy professionals, this happens often.

• They didn’t feel urgency to reply – If your email didn’t convey any urgency or specific call to action, the recipient may have felt no pressure to respond quickly.

• You’re not a priority – Sad but true, you may not be a priority contact for them at this time. But that can change with persistence.

• They don’t know the answer…yet – Some questions require research or input from others. The recipient may be waiting on information before they can respond.

The key is not to make assumptions. You don’t know why the email went unanswered. Avoid taking it personally and focus your energy on crafting a great follow-up message instead.

Follow Up After No Response With This Template

The first step is waiting an appropriate amount of time before following up to an email. Don’t follow up five minutes later – that comes across as pushy. But you also don’t want to wait so long that the recipient forgets who you are or what you asked.

Follow this timeline when emailing colleagues or peers:

• Send initial email
• Follow up after 2-3 business days if no response
• Send a second follow up after 4-5 business days if still no response
• One more attempt after another 1-2 weeks may be warranted for important requests

For cold contacts, use this extended timeline:

• Send initial email
• Follow up after 7 business days if no response
• Send a second follow up after 10 business days if still no response
• Consider a third and final follow up after 3-4 weeks if there’s a good reason

Now let’s get into the details of what an effective follow-up email looks like.

Here is a template that works for most situations:

Subject Line: Following Up on [main topic of original email]

Hi [First Name],

I’m following up on the email I sent you on [date] regarding [topic]. I wanted to make sure you received it and see if you had a chance to give it any thought.

[Briefly restate key points from original email or summarize request here, 1-2 sentences max]

Thanks,
[Your Name]

This template works because:

• The subject line clearly indicates this is a follow up
• It starts by politely acknowledging the previous email
• It briefly summarizes the original request
• It offers recipients multiple ways to respond
• It has a pleasant but clear call to action

Some people recommend including a deadline for response in a follow-up email. This can work for internal colleagues but comes across as aggressive with external contacts. Avoid deadlines in cold outreach.

What to Include in Your Follow-Up Email

Beyond the basic template, there are several strategies you can use to improve your chances of getting a response after no reply to your initial outreach:

1. Restate the value proposition

Quickly remind them of the value, resources, or solutions you can provide if they engage. Jog their memory.

2. Share new information or incentives

Give them new reasons to respond that weren’t in your first email. For example, you might share a case study, new content, or limited-time offer.

3. Make it easier to say yes

4. Use positive social proof

Mention credible institutions, publications, or people that can validate what you’re offering. Social proof builds trust.

5. Add options for replying

6. Express flexibility

Communicate that you can accommodate needs or constraints, like schedules. Show you’re eager to make something work.

How Many Follow-Up Emails to Send

Don’t bombard people with endless follow-ups. That will backfire and cause them to tune you out entirely.

Here are some guidelines on when to stop emailing:

For colleagues:

• 1 follow up email is usually sufficient if it’s not an urgent request
• For time sensitive matters, up to 2 follow-up emails may be warranted
• Any more than that risks being annoying

For customers:

• Up to 2 follow-up emails over 2-3 weeks is ok
• If still no response after a month, it may be time to move on

For prospects:

• 2-3 follow up emails over a period of 1-2 months is usually appropriate
• Any more and you risk seeming desperate or pushy

Gauge the relationship and previous responsiveness when deciding how many follow-up emails to send.

If there is zero relationship and the prospect never engages, move on faster. With existing customers or close colleagues, persistence may pay off.

How to Follow Up Without Being Annoying

The last thing you want is for your follow-ups to annoy someone and cause them to actively avoid you. Here’s how to avoid irritation:

• Vary your message – Don’t copy and paste the same exact email. Tweak the wording.

• Change the call to action – Don’t ask for the same thing each time. Modify your request.

• Increase time between emails – Don’t follow up daily. Expand the time between each message.

• Convey value – Don’t make it just about you. Show how responding will benefit them.

• Be polite and gracious – Avoid frustrated language even if you feel it. Take the high road.

• Offer alternative channels – Don’t rely exclusively on email. Suggest a quick call.

• Ask indirectly – For example, ask, “I’m wondering if you had a chance to review the proposal?” rather than “Why haven’t you responded to my email?”

Show the recipient that while you’d value a response, you respect their time and situation too. Find that balance and you’ll maximize your odds of getting a reply without annoyance.

When to Pick Up the Phone and Call

At a certain point, you may need to switch from email to phone (or another channel like messaging) to get a response from someone.

As a rule of thumb, consider making a call if:

• You emailed someone important 2 times with no reply
• Your request is very time sensitive
• You have an existing relationship and need a quick answer

It can feel intrusive to pick up the phone unannounced. To make it go smoothly:

• Plan what to say – Know why you’re calling and what you want before dialing.

• Leave a voicemail – Get right to the point. Mention you emailed too and need their input. Leave some options for responding.

• Watch your tone – Don’t sound frustrated or demanding. Be gracious and upbeat.

• Set future follow-ups – Before hanging up, set expectations. For example, say you’ll follow up via email in X days if you don’t hear back.

With preparation, a call may get you the reply you need while preserving the relationship