The average number of times you need to communicate with a potential prospect before they decide to respond varies by industry, communication method, and the quality of your outreach. However, general sales and marketing data suggest the following:
- Email Outreach:
- It typically takes 5 to 8 touches before a prospect responds.
- Email sequences with multiple follow-ups increase response rates significantly.
- Cold Calling:
- On average, 6 to 7 call attempts are needed to reach a decision-maker.
- A mix of voicemails and direct conversations improves engagement.
- Social Media & LinkedIn:
- Engaging with a prospect’s content and sending 3 to 5 messages is common before getting a response.
- Multi-Channel Approach (Email, Phone, Social Media, Direct Mail, Events):
- Using multiple channels 5 to 12 touches over a few weeks to a couple of months is often required before a prospect responds.
Key Factors That Influence Response Time:
- Relevance of Your Message: If your message directly addresses their pain points, they may respond sooner.
- Personalization & Timing: More personalized outreach and strategic timing (e.g., reaching out after an event or a trigger like job change) increase response rates.
- Industry Norms: Some industries, such as government contracting or high-security services, have much longer sales cycles, requiring more persistent follow-ups.
On average, most salespeople give up too soon—far before a prospect is likely to respond or convert. Here’s what the data shows:
- 44% of salespeople give up after just one follow-up.
- 92% of salespeople give up after the fourth follow-up.
- However, 80% of sales require at least 5-12 follow-ups to close.
This means that most sales reps stop reaching out long before a prospect is ready to engage, leaving potential deals on the table.
Reasons Salespeople Give Up Too Soon:
- Fear of being too pushy – They worry about annoying prospects.
- Lack of a structured follow-up plan – No clear cadence for persistence.
- Immediate rejection discouragement – Not realizing “not now” doesn’t mean “never.”
- Assumption that no response means no interest – When in reality, it often just means the timing isn’t right.
- Discomfort with multiple touches – Many don’t realize that persistence is expected in B2B sales.
Takeaway:
If you’re following up 5-12 times across multiple channels (email, calls, LinkedIn, etc.), you’re putting yourself ahead of most competitors who quit too soon.