I sent an email N days ago and haven't heard back. Help me write a follow-up that doesn't feel pestering and actually gets a reply.
ORIGINAL EMAIL I SENT (paste verbatim):
```
{paste_original}
```
WHEN I SENT IT: {how_many_days_ago}
WHO I SENT IT TO AND OUR RELATIONSHIP: {context}
WHY I THINK THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE REPLIED: {your_honest_guess — busy / not interested / forgot / dragging feet / no internal buy-in}
WHAT I NEED FROM THEM: {the_specific_ask}
HOW BADLY I NEED IT: {nice_to_have / time_sensitive / blocking_me}
GIVE ME 3 FOLLOW-UP OPTIONS:
**Option A — 'Top of inbox' (lightest touch).** 1-2 lines. Resends the ask gently. Best for: they're probably just busy.
**Option B — 'Make it easier' (medium touch).** Restructures the ask as a Yes/No question so it's quicker to reply to. Adds a small new piece of info or context.
**Option C — 'Direct close' (firmest touch).** Names the ambiguity head-on. Offers them an easy 'no' so the thread ends cleanly. Best for: you'd rather have a 'no' than another week of silence.
RULES:
- All 3 options ≤60 words.
- Reply in the same thread (subject: 'Re: original subject') — don't change the subject line.
- Don't apologize for following up.
- Don't use 'just circling back', 'bumping this up', 'gentle nudge'.
- Don't ask if they got the email.
AFTER, tell me which option fits THIS situation best and why.0 copies·0 saves·4 views
234 words·1,365 chars
Sample output
Context: You sent a cold-ish pitch to a head of marketing at a Series B SaaS 8 days ago about a partnership. No reply.
Option A — Top of inbox
Hi Sara — bringing this back up. Happy to share more on what a 4-week trial would look like, or just to know if this isn't the right fit right now.
Maya
Option B — Make it easier
Hi Sara — wanted to make this easier to respond to.
Would a 20-min call next Tue or Thu work? If neither — no problem, happy to send a 1-page doc with what I'm proposing and you can decide async.
Maya
Option C — Direct close
Hi Sara — I don't want to be the person who keeps following up. If this isn't a priority for your team right now, totally fair — just hit reply with a 'not now' and I'll close the loop on my side.
If it is, I'll send a short proposal today.
Maya
Best fit for THIS situation: Option B.
Cold outreach to a busy head-of role rarely gets reply on a 'top of inbox' nudge — they need a clearer next step. Option C is too strong for a first follow-up; save it for the second one. Option B reduces the cost-of-reply to a Yes/No while still keeping the door open.
Parameters
Text generation parameters
FAQ
If Option B doesn't work in 5 days, send Option C. Don't follow up more than 3 times. The fourth is harassment regardless of how polite the language is. The prompt targets Claude Sonnet and lives in the Writing & Content category on mycopyprompt.
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