Reply rate means unique human replies divided by delivered emails. Track positive replies separately. Remove bounces and auto-replies; decide in advance whether follow-ups belong in the same denominator.
Use these planning ranges, not promises:
• Broad, lightly personalized link requests: 1–5%
• Relevant, personalized pitches: 5–12%
• Data-led digital PR angles: 8–20%
• Warm introductions: 15–30%
The offer, list quality, and relationship usually matter more than the label.
Segment results by niche, prospect source, offer, sender, and follow-up count. Record delivered emails, unique replies, positive replies, and placements. Compare like with like; small batches can swing wildly, so use a consistent sample size and your median across campaigns.
If replies are low, improve targeting and relevance before adding follow-ups. If replies are plentiful but positive replies are rare, change the offer. Your own median from comparable campaigns is the benchmark worth trusting.
Outreach Reply Rate
@OutreachReplyRate
Realistic reply rates by outreach type—and the tracking mistake that skews yours
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