Today’s Marketing

How to write a breakup email in sales

A sales breakup email ends a sequence politely and often gets the reply the earlier emails did not. Acknowledge you have not heard back, restate why you wrote, invite them to correct you, and say you will stop. The 30MPC bye for now email and Josh Braun's voicemail email are two real templates.

Updated · By Blake Emal · 4 real examples, each linked to its source

What are the steps

  1. Acknowledge the silenceTake the blame for timing.
  2. Restate the reasonWhy you thought it fit them.
  3. Invite a correctionIf I have it all wrong, tell me.
  4. Say you will stopLoss aversion does the rest.
  5. Ask for a referralA PS asking if someone else owns it.

How do the options compare

Bye for nowVoicemail multiple choice
Source30MPC and Lavender toolkitJosh Braun
ToneTentative and professionalLight and playful
Reply effortShort replyOne letter
Best forCold prospectsWarm prospects who went dark

Which real examples show it

End a sequence with a polite breakup
30 Minutes to President's Club

1. End a sequence with a polite breakup

Tentative wording and an easy way to say no often draw the truth, and the PS asks for a referral.

  1. Acknowledge you have not heard back
  2. Restate the reason you reached out
  3. Invite them to correct you
  4. Say you will stop for now
  5. Ask if someone else owns it

Full breakdown · Source

Give a quiet prospect multiple choice answers
Josh Braun

2. Give a quiet prospect multiple choice answers

Replying takes one keystroke, and option C gives permission to say no, which makes any answer easier than silence.

  1. Call first and leave a voicemail about the outcome
  2. Use voicemail as the subject only if you left one
  3. Restate the result they wanted
  4. Offer lettered options including a clear no
  5. Keep the tone light and human

Full breakdown · Source

Agree with the no budget reply
30 Minutes to President's Club

3. Agree with the no budget reply

Agreeing lowers the reader's guard, and asking about the future is easier than asking for a purchase now.

  1. Reply in the same thread
  2. Agree with the objection
  3. Explain why you thought the timing fit
  4. Ask for a no pressure look ahead
  5. Add a human PS

Full breakdown · Source

Add something new in every follow up
Josh Braun

4. Add something new in every follow up

Each follow up gives the reader something useful or personal, so it reads as help rather than pressure.

  1. Never send just checking in
  2. Offer a resource, analysis or insight
  3. Reference something the prospect said
  4. Ask a yes or no question
  5. Change the angle each time

Full breakdown · Source

Get three ideas for your own product

Pick a channel and a goal. Get real examples and a plan to fill in. Free, no login.

Open the idea generator

What else do people ask

Do breakup emails work

They often draw a final answer because they make saying no easy. Judge them by replies in your own sequences.

Is a breakup email rude

Not if it is polite and takes the blame for timing.

What subject line works for a breakup email

Something short like Bye for now.

Related answers

One email every Monday