Mistake: sending follow-ups as fresh threads

Mistake: sending follow-ups as fresh threads
Many sequences send each follow-up as a new email with a new subject. Gmail can't group them, the prospect sees a stranger emailing repeatedly, and you lose the 'replying to my own thread' deliverability bump.

The fix: reply within the same thread (empty or 'bumping this' bodies are fine) and keep the subject identical. Lemlist and Smartlead both have a 'reply to previous thread' toggle per step — confirm it's on for steps 2+.

Pros / Cons of same-thread follow-ups:
— Pro: thread continuity reads as a real conversation
— Pro: slightly better placement on the bump
— Con: a buried first email stays buried under the reply
— Con: harder to test a fresh angle without breaking the thread

Verdict: 4/5 for most. Break thread only when you're changing the offer entirely.

Who it's for: anyone whose step-2 reply rate cratered after a sender update.