Follow-ups two and three add 61% of total replies — beyond four they add 3%

Follow-ups two and three add 61% of total replies — beyond four they add 3%

Reply attribution across 3,400 outreach threads (n=3,400).

— First email: 39% of all replies
— Follow-up 1: 28%
— Follow-up 2: 21%
— Follow-up 3: 9%
— Follow-up 4+: 3%

Chart in words: cumulative replies climb steeply through the third touch, then flatten hard.

The tradeoff: each follow-up costs sending reputation and annoyance risk. Past four touches you're mostly mining people who already decided no — and inviting spam complaints that hurt deliverability.

Spacing matters too: 3-4 days between touches outperformed same-day or weekly.

Run exactly three follow-ups spaced 3-4 days apart, then stop — touch five and beyond is negative ROI.