How do I handle replies to cold emails and book the next step?

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Both

Stage: Live

Owner: CS

Last updated: 2025-12-19

Most deals aren’t won by the first cold email—they’re won by how you handle replies. Poor reply handling leads to stalled conversations, long back-and-forths, or lost opportunities. This guide shows how to respond clearly, confidently, and efficiently once a prospect engages.

Your goal is not to convince someone in one message.

Your goal is to:

In most cases, the “next step” is:

A Loom video is one of the most effective ways to convert a reply into a booked call because it:

1. Personalized greeting (≈15 seconds)

“Hey [Name], appreciate you replying. I made this quick 3-minute video going over [specific value].”

2. Establish credibility (≈30 seconds)

3. Deliver value using the “3 Things” approach (≈2 minutes)

For each point:

4. Clear CTA (≈15 seconds)

“If this was helpful, does [Day] at [Time] or [Day] at [Time] work for a quick call to discuss implementing this?”

Key rules

Subject: Custom [service] audit for [Name] at [Company]

Hi [Name],

Here’s the custom video I recorded for you—just click the thumbnail to watch.

At [timestamp], I cover [specific insight], and at [timestamp] I show how to [specific improvement].

Does [Day 1] at [Time] or [Day 2] at [Time] work for a quick call to map out the full step-by-step?

If those don’t work, you can grab a time here: [Calendar Link]

— [Your Name]

Follow up every 2–3 days, short and direct:

Hi [Name],

What did you think of the custom video?

Does [Day] or [Day] work for a quick call?

— [Your Name]

Use these templates as a base and adapt them to your offer.

A) “Yes, send the video / more info”

Hi [Name],

Great to hear from you—I’ll send the personalized video right over.

After you watch, happy to answer any questions or we can book a quick call to discuss implementing this for [Company].

Does [Day] or [Day] work for you?

Best,

[Your Name]

B) “Interested, but I have questions”

Hi [Name],

Thanks for replying—happy to clarify.

[Answer their questions briefly and clearly.]

Would it help to do a quick 15-minute call so I can walk you through exactly how this works for [Company]?

Best,

[Your Name]

C) “Let’s book a call”

Hi [Name],

Perfect—here are a few times that work for me:

Or you can book directly here: [Calendar Link]

Looking forward to it,

[Your Name]

“We’re happy with our current lead gen”

Hi [Name],

Totally fair—many teams feel that way.

What we often see is adding this alongside what’s already working creates a safety net, especially when referrals or paid channels slow down. It’s not about replacing anything—just adding consistency.

Worth a quick 15-minute call to see if it could complement what you’re already doing?

Best,

[Your Name]

“We don’t have budget right now”

Hi [Name],

I hear you—budget timing matters.

This tends to work even in tight quarters because it’s designed to pay for itself quickly if the outcome is achieved.

Would it help if I sent a short Loom showing the ROI math so you can evaluate it without committing to anything?

Best,

[Your Name]

“We tried this before and it didn’t work”

Hi [Name],

That makes sense—and it’s common.

Usually when it fails, it’s because the approach is too generic or not tailored to the ICP. The difference here is we focus on [your differentiator] and build it around how your buyers actually decide.

Open to seeing the exact approach that’s working for similar companies?

Best,

[Your Name]

They watched the video but didn’t reply

Hi [Name],

Saw you had a chance to watch the video—did you have any questions about how this could work for [Company] specifically?

Happy to clarify anything or map out next steps.

Best,

[Your Name]

They agreed to a call but no-showed

Hi [Name],

No worries—I know things come up.

Want to reschedule for [Day] or [Day]?

Best,

[Your Name]

They asked to be contacted later

Hi [Name],

Following up as requested.

Is now a better time to discuss how we could help [Company] with [specific outcome]?

Best,

[Your Name]

A “not interested” reply is not always a dead end—it’s a signal.

1. Treat it as data

They opened and replied. Your message landed.

2. Don’t shut it down immediately

Unless they say “unsubscribe” or “don’t email me again,” you can follow up politely.

3. Ask for quick feedback (humble + curious)

“Thanks for the quick reply—can I ask: is this not relevant to your role, or is it the way I framed the offer? I’m testing a few approaches and your feedback would really help.”

This often leads to:

4. If they engage, ask for clarification

“Would you be open to me walking you through the offer quickly so you can tell me where it misses?”

5. Reset intent briefly (if appropriate)

“I was intentional with who I reached out to because I believed this solves [problem]. Thanks for the honesty—it helps tighten my targeting.”

You should now be able to:

If ListKit runs campaigns for you (DFY Managed Program)

What ListKit handles:

What you should do:

If you use ListKit self-serve (DIY)

Steps you should follow: