A first message is a knock on the door. Follow-ups are what happens when nobody answers, and this is where most sequences go wrong in one of two directions: they stop after one message, or they send five versions of "just bumping this" until the person mutes the thread.
A schedule you can adapt
Agaria lets you set a LinkedIn sequence and the waits between its messages. The following is an example to adapt to your audience. Message timing depends on when the lead accepts your connection request.
- Day 0, connection request. With or without a note, depending on your quota (see the post on notes).
- After acceptance, first LinkedIn message. A signal, an observation and an offer, sent on the timing you set.
- Three days after the message, first follow-up. Add a useful detail in the same LinkedIn thread, if there has been no reply.
- Five days later, an optional final follow-up. Keep it short and leave room for the person to decline or come back later.
Then it stops. A reply at any step ends the sequence and moves the conversation to you.
Why the gaps grow
Leave time for the person to read and answer. A later follow-up can wait longer than the first. No reply can mean many things, so repeated messages should add useful context instead of escalating pressure.
Review whether the original reason for reaching out still applies before adding more steps. The invitation may have waited for acceptance, and a once-timely observation may need updating.
What each follow-up is for
A follow-up that only repeats the ask is the one people delete. Each touch should add one thing:
- The message after acceptance gives the reason you reached out.
- The first LinkedIn follow-up adds something useful: the one-pager, the number, the short story of how you solved the thing they are dealing with. It should be readable without replying.
- The final LinkedIn follow-up takes the pressure off. "I'll leave it here. If the SDR ramp becomes a priority later, the one-pager is above." That gives the reader a clear stopping point.
The one thing a follow-up should never say
"Just following up." "Bumping this to the top of your inbox." "Did you see my last message?" Every one of those puts the work on the reader: go find the old message, re-read it, decide again. Repeat the point in one line instead. The reader should be able to reply to the follow-up alone.
How many is enough
Start with a short sequence and read the results before adding more steps. Compare replies and booked meetings with the number of leads reached. If follow-ups add little, revisit the audience or offer. Agaria handles the schedule and stops the remaining steps when someone replies.