<b>83% of positive outreach replies arrive after the first email — but not where you'd guess</b>

<b>83% of positive outreach replies arrive after the first email — but not where you'd guess</b>

From 1,200 outreach campaigns (n=214,000 emails, 9-month window), reply distribution by touch:

— Email 1: 17% of all positives
— Email 2: 41%
— Email 3: 25%
— Email 4+: 17%

The curve peaks at touch two, not touch one. Most teams quit after the first send and leave 83% of their eventual yes-replies on the table.

Diminishing returns hit hard after touch four — the marginal positive reply rate falls below 1.5%, roughly your unsubscribe rate by then.

<b>Send exactly three follow-ups, spaced 3-4 days apart, then stop.</b>