Did you know that the top-performing 25% of cold outreach campaigns generate reply rates of 20% or more?

Unfortunately, this means that the other 75% of campaigns receive less than one response for every five emails sent. And that’s not even taking into account the sentiment of those replies — clearly, not all will be positive.

This tells us that it’s vital to make the most of every reply you receive by crafting engaging, persuasive responses.

Of course, there’s no such thing as the perfect reply for all situations. Rather, your message should vary based on how your prospect responded: what did they say? And how did they say it?

To help you out, we’ve written 23 templates for cold outreach response emails, categorized into eight common scenarios:

  1. When the lead is interested

  2. When they want more information

  3. When they ask to book a call

  4. When the lead is confused by your initial email

  5. When they say "not now"

  6. When they’re not the right person to speak to

  7. When they’re just not interested in your product or service

  8. When the lead requests to unsubscribe from your campaigns

Let’s get into it…

Understanding Professional Email Etiquette

Email etiquette helps maintain effective communication and a positive image. Here are some key points to consider in this regard:

  1. Clear and Concise Subject Line: Use a subject line that accurately summarizes the content of your email. This helps recipients prioritize their emails.

  2. Greeting: Start with a polite greeting, such as "Hey," "Hi," or "[First Name]." Use the recipient's name if known.

  3. Email Structure: Organize your email into paragraphs with clear, concise sentences. Use bullet points or numbered lists for important information.

  4. Clarity and Brevity: Be clear in your communication and get to the point quickly. Avoid lengthy, convoluted sentences.

  5. Respect Privacy: Be cautious about sharing sensitive information in emails. Use encryption if necessary.

  6. Avoid Overuse of Emojis: Emojis can be used in moderation for a friendly tone but should not replace professional language.

23 Engaging Outreach Response Email Examples

Any email response from a prospect is better than none.

At worst, it’s a signal to leave them alone and focus your attention elsewhere. On the flip side, a positive response can be a major step toward closing the deal.

However the lead responds to your initial email, you want to send the best possible reply. Get inspired with these 23 examples of engaging outreach response emails:

Learn more: The Best Time To Send an Email in 2024 (Backed by Data)

How To Reply When: The Lead Is Interested

Leads in this category are showing buying intent, but it’s not totally clear how they want to proceed. Let’s consider some potential replies:

1. Book a Meeting

Hi [prospect’s name],

Thanks for getting back to me, and I’m glad you like the sound of [product/service name].

The best next step is to book a 15-minute discovery call so I can better understand your needs and how I can help.

Feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link [add link to calendar].

I’m looking forward to the call.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

2. Find Out More

Hi [prospect’s name],

You said you’re potentially interested in [product/service name]. 

So I can get you the information you need to make an informed decision, could you let me know [question about prospect’s needs, e.g. use case, size of team, budget, what solution they’re currently using, etc.]?

Thanks again,

[Your name]

3. Share a Case Study

Hi [prospect’s name],

Glad you like the sound of [product/service name].

We’re already helping lots of companies in your industry to achieve [prospect’s goal]. For example, [existing client name] saved 50 hours a week by switching to our solution.

Would you like me to send you more information so you can share it with your buying team?

Thanks again,

[Your name]

Learn more: How To Build Trust in Cold Emails Through Social Proof

How To Reply When: The Lead Wants More Information

These leads are somewhat interested in your product or service, but there’s at least one potential stumbling block in the way — and it’s your job to overcome it. Try these reply templates for size:

4. Answer Their Questions

Hi [prospect’s name],

You said you want to know more about our integrations: we integrate natively with dozens of sales and outreach tools, including HubSpot and Pipedrive.

You can find a full list of our integrations here. For anything that’s not on the list, we’ve got Zapier.

I’d recommend arranging a call to discuss your needs more fully — feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

5. Qualify Their Needs

Hi [prospect’s name],

You wanted to find out more about our integrations.

So I can get you the right information, I’d like to know which integrations you need, and how you use those tools.

I’d be happy to discuss this with you in more detail on a call and answer any other questions you might have. Feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

6. Ask If They Have Further Questions

Hi [prospect’s name],

As requested, here’s a full list of our integrations.

Do you have any other questions I can help you with?

If not, I’d suggest booking a call with our product team, who can give you a custom run-through of [product/service name].

Thanks again,

[Your name]

How To Reply When: The Lead Asks To Book a Call

This is the best possible response you can receive, so your primary goal is to get that meeting confirmed, fast. But there are a couple of different approaches you can take:

7. Keep It Simple

Hi [prospect’s name],

Great, let’s get you booked in! 

Feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link [add link to calendar].

Thanks again,

[Your name]

8. Start Your Call Prep

Hi [prospect’s name],

Great, let’s get you booked in! 

Feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link [add link to calendar].

While you’re here, it’d be good to get a couple of details about your needs so I can start prepping for our call:

  • What’s your timeline for making a purchase decision?

  • Who else is on your buying team? I can add them to the meeting invite as required.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

9. Share Valuable Content

Hi [prospect’s name],

Great, let’s get you booked in! 

Feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link [add link to calendar].

Ahead of the meeting, I’d recommend checking out this case study. It explains how we helped another company in your industry to generate 100 new leads in a week.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

How To Reply When: The Lead Is Confused By Your First Email

If your initial email left the prospect with more questions than answers, it’s clear you need to do some serious clarification. Let’s consider some potential solutions:

10. Explain Why You Reached Out

Hi [prospect’s name],

Thanks for your feedback.

To clarify, I reached out to you because [your product/service name] helps companies like yours generate more leads and sales.

Here’s a case study featuring one of our existing clients to explain what we do (and how).

I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have about [product/service name], so let me know how I can help.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

11. Ask If They’re the Right Person

Hi [prospect’s name],

Perhaps I reached out to the wrong person in your organization.

Who would be the best person to speak to about lead generation?

Thanks again,

[Your name]

12. Break Down Your Value Proposition 

Hi [prospect’s name],

I reached out to you because [product/service name] helps companies like yours:

  • Generate more outreach replies

  • Reach more main inboxes

  • Save time with outreach automation

Would you be interested in finding out more? If so, I’d recommend booking a 15-minute call so I can answer your questions face-to-face. Feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link [add link to calendar].

Thanks again,

[Your name]

How To Reply When: The Lead Says "Not Now"

Your prospect might be theoretically interested in your product or service, but they might have other priorities right now. In that case, your goal is to keep the conversation alive until the time is right.

13. Find a More Convenient Time

Hi [prospect’s name],

No problem, I know this is a busy time for companies in your industry.

Shall I follow up in a month when things are quieter?

Thanks again,

[Your name]

14. Share Lead Nurturing Content

Hi [prospect’s name],

No problem, I know this is a busy time for companies in your industry.

I’ll follow up when things are quieter in a couple of months.

Until then, it might be useful to check out this case study on how we were able to help another company in your industry add $347,000+ in MRR.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

15. Identify the Prospect’s Barriers

Hi [prospect’s name],

I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Could I ask what’s holding you back right now? Is it about time, money, or something else?

If you’re at all interested in [product/service name], I could potentially find solutions to those problems.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

How To Reply When: The Lead Isn’t the Right Person

If you’re targeting large companies with huge teams, you’ll occasionally reach out to the wrong person. Don’t sweat it — just find out who you should have contacted instead.

16. Ask For an Alternative Contact

Hi [prospect’s name],

Sounds like you’re not the best person to speak to about lead generation at your organization.

In that case, could you let me know who I should reach out to instead?

Thanks again,

[Your name]

17. Ask Them To Forward Your Email

Hi [prospect’s name],

Sounds like you’re not the best person to speak to about lead generation at your organization.

In that case, would you mind forwarding this email chain to the right person so I can pick this conversation up with them?

Thanks again,

[Your name]

How To Reply When: The Lead Isn’t Interested

It’s easy to feel dispirited when a lead says they’re not interested in your product or service. But it’s worth finding out if they’re really not interested, or something is holding them back. Here’s how:

18. Restate Your Value Proposition

Hi [prospect’s name],

Thanks for your reply.

Like most of our customers, you’re probably super busy. 

But [product/service name] helps them save an average of 50 hours a month on email outreach, and we’d love to do the same for you.

If you’d like to find out more, feel free to book an appointment slot that suits you best through my calendar link [add link to calendar]..

If not, do let me know if you change your mind in the future!

Thanks again,

[Your name]

19. Find Out About Their Objections

Hi [prospect’s name],

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Could I ask what’s putting you off? 

In my experience, it’s usually down to time or money, and I might be able to overcome either of those issues!

Thanks again,

[Your name]

20. Dig Into Their Current Solution

Hi [prospect’s name],

Glad to hear [competitor product] is working out well for you.

Most of our current customers were pretty happy with their current solution when we first reached out. 

But they ended up switching to us, mainly because we helped them scale up their email outreach, hit more inboxes, and get more replies.

If you’re not 100% satisfied with your current results, let me know and I’d be happy to discuss further.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

How To Reply When: The Lead Requests To Unsubscribe

An unsubscribe request isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sure, you likely won’t be selling to this prospect any time soon — but at least you’re not going to waste any more time on someone who’s not interested. Here’s how to respond to an unsubscribe request:

21. Confirm Their Request

Hi [prospect’s name],

Thanks for your reply. I’m not interested in spamming anyone, so I’ve removed you from our list, active immediately.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

22. Ask Them To Reach Out If Things Change

Hi [prospect’s name],

Sorry I couldn’t help you right now.

I’ve removed you from our list, but if you ever need help scaling up your lead generation in the future, please drop me a line.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

23. Offer a Discount

Hi [prospect’s name],

I’ve removed you from our list, so you won’t hear from me again without your say-so.

But just so you know, we’re currently offering three months at half-price, so let me know if you want to find out more.

Thanks again,

[Your name]

Automate Your Outreach Follow-Ups With QuickMail

Whether your prospect responds with a question, requests a call, or asks to be removed from your outreach list, it’s in your best interests to reply promptly.

That’s all well and good if you only receive a handful of replies per day. But once you scale up your outreach and start generating hundreds of responses, it becomes a major time sink.

Fortunately, QuickMail is here to help. With QuickMail, you can use AI to launch sub-campaigns based on any of these types of replies for automatic, immediate follow-up. So your team spends less time handling simple requests (and more time converting hot leads into paying customers).

See for yourself by signing up for your 14-day free trial today!