So you finished your product demo. The prospect is interested in your SaaS solution, but you didn’t close the deal right away. The next step is sending a follow-up email to reinforce the value of your solution and guide your prospect to the next steps they should take.
Whether your demo went perfectly or flopped, you need to follow up afterward. You can’t skip follow-up because only 2% of sales are completed in the first meeting, and 80% of sales are closed after five messages. So a few more steps will have to happen if you are going to close your deal.
How to Write a Follow-Up Email After a Demo
Successful sales often take time, patience, and persistence. It’s helpful to think of a follow- email as building a relationship with a client while moving them through the buyer’s journey. Instead of always trying to close, build trust and remember a deal should be mutually beneficial to you and your prospect.
When Should You Send a Follow-up Email?
Studies show that the best open rate for email is actually at 6 pm. The next best times are 1 PM and 10 AM. The best days for your follow-up to land in someone’s inbox are Tuesday, Thursday or Wednesday.
If your wondering how to be polite with a follow-up email or are worried about being annoying, focus on adding value. Check your notes from the demo, and be empathetic to your customer’s expressed needs and pain points. A well-thought-out follow-up will show that you understand what the client is looking for.
4 Ways to Grab Attention With a Follow-Up Email Subject Line
Your leads might be getting hundreds of emails a day, and you need to grab their attention fast. Research suggests you maybe have only seconds to grab someone’s attention with your chosen email subject line.
There is no secret formula to make sure everyone opens all your emails. Your strategy will depend on your client, where you are in the sale, and what sector you are working in. However, we do have a few tips:
- Keep it Short and Casual – A study suggests that 41 characters or about seven words is an optimal length, and a survey showed that 85% of people preferred lowercase letters with no caps.
- Include a Call to Action – Keep this simple, like a meeting time or valuable information to check out.
- Make it Personal – You know the client’s name, organization, pain points, and goals. Stand out by including one or more of these details.
- Build Curiosity – Humans are naturally curious. Just make sure you can deliver a resolution to any interest you create.
5 Essential Elements to Include In a Follow-Up Email
Your follow-up email should be as few words as possible. Study shows that the length should be between 50 and 125 words. So, get to the point fast with as few words as possible. Avoid jargon and keep in mind that 50% of Americans read below an 8th-grade level.
- Thank you – People are busy, acknowledge their time is valuable.
- Conversational tone – After demoing your product, you ideally have established some rapport, use their first name, and relate to them personally if it feels appropriate.
- Mention goals – Recap a mission the person or company has. Show you are attentive to the prospect’s needs and tie them to your product.
- Add real value – Avoid making another pitch, and don’t waste words trying to be clever. Answer questions, and don’t shy away from addressing your prospect’s concerns.
- A single call to action – Don’t just check in. Focus on a specific next step, like engaging the prospect with helpful content or getting them on the phone.
5 Follow-Up Email Templates To Send Prospects After a Product Demo
Here are five sample templates for following up with your leads. Although you can copy and paste, we encourage you to customize them and experiment by yourself to see what works best for your company.
1. Quick and Easy Follow-Up Email
This is a basic template that covers the essential elements. Show appreciation for your lead’s time, recap their needs, and show how your product helps. Follow-up emails and meetings are also a good moment to address specific concerns a prospect may have.
Subject line: “Hey (client), thanks for attending (product) demo”
Hello (Client name),
It was great meeting you; we appreciate you showing up for (product demo)!
We are excited to see that (product) will help (client’s organization). Particularly that,
(problem and solution)
(problem and solution)
I’ve also included (video/tutorial) on how to use (feature they needed). We can set up testing for (product) on (date and time) so you start getting a feel for (product).
Have a good one!
(Your name)
2. Addressing Client’s Concerns Post Demo
Did your client have doubts? No worries! Take a quick check through your notes from the demo to make sure you understand your prospect’s precise needs.
Be sure to recap what is working at the start. Then provide a genuine fix and keep momentum. Then, schedule a follow-up meeting to explain exactly how you can offer a solution.
Subject Line: “An easy solution for (client’s problem)”
Hi (Client’s first name),
It was great to spend some time together yesterday and understand that (solution) will provide (benefit for the client).
I have a couple of other ideas regarding (clients concern). What I’m thinking is (problem and solution).
On (date and time), we can go over this and set up a trial, so you can get a feel for how (product) works.
Cheers,
(Your name)
3. “It Worked for Other Client’s” Follow-Up Email Template
Real-world results can tip the scales for a client on the fence. Use bullets to keep the recap digestible, and don’t overwhelm your lead with too much information. Stick to measurable results that you can back up with solid numbers from another client’s or even a competitor’s testimonial.
Subject Line: “(client) check out (another client) results with (product)”
Hello (Client’s first name),
A real pleasure speaking with you today about (client’s goal). I’m glad we could agree that your organization can benefit from (product) features we chatted about:
(problem and solution)
(problem and solution)
I can relate to the challenges you shared about (problem). Several of our other clients have found that (product features) solved this. Here’s how it works:
(additional video/tutorial)
I’m drafting the proposal so we can go over it on (meeting date), and we will have a trial ready for you then.
Talk soon,
(Your name)
4. Providing Additional Info Follow-Up Email Template
Providing some additional resources for a prospect to understand key features is the only nudge needed. Make sure the content you provide is relevant to a client’s biggest pain points.
Sending along something that can be shared can create cohesion between decision-makers and influencers in an organization.
Subject Line: “(Client) this is going to help”
Hi there (Client name),
Glad our teams could connect about (company’s goal). Your team has some great ideas of how to implement (product feature).
Here are those resources I mentioned that clarified:
(Whitepaper, tool, article, video)
I invite you to share this with your team, and we can go over the details on (date and time).
Thanks,
(Your name)
5. Fresh Insight Email Follow-Up Template
While it can be tempting to focus only on the positives and please the prospect with your attention to their needs. Drawing attention to concerns the client hasn’t considered creates additional leverage.
In your demo, you might be aware of a future roadblock or problem you have observed for other clients in the past. Educate your lead with a case study and then show them the solution your product provides.
Subject Line: “(client) did you think about this (problem)?”
Hey there (Client),
I hope you’re doing well. In our last meeting, we discovered that (product) will facilitate (solution) for (client’s company).
But when I went over your case later, I realized I needed to share this case study showing how (another client) used (product). Has your team considered:
(case study and solution)
Would you like to pick up this conversation again on (date and time) to discuss (solution)?
Cheers,
(Your name)
Summary: Follow-Up Email Essentials After a Product Demo
As we have discussed, following up is an essential tool to carry your product demo forward. But many marketers will tell you it’s an art and takes practice.
Check your email open rates and experiment until you find what works for your leads and brand. Whatever methods you settle on, remember you are guiding the customer on a journey, and every communication needs to progress towards the goal.
Creating follow-up emails after a SaaS product demo is vital. But remember, follow-up emails are only one segment of your overall sales funnel. Other elements like the quality of the product demo itself, and how your sales reps choose to demonstrate the value of your SaaS solution should be optimized as well in order to close more deals.