How do I follow up without being annoying?

Tim Castle in action

Here are my Top Tips to Follow Up With a Prospect Without Being Annoying.

• Every email must have only one request and one desired outcome. E.g. I want to meet you.

• Cut the jargon. Keep emails simple and easy to understand, people are time poor, especially important influential people. You have about 5 seconds to get your point across. 

• Cut the waffle. Get to the point - if you make convoluted requests or make it difficult to understand what you want - you will be ignored.

• Talk like yourself. People try to be too formal, to perfect when they email and they lose authenticity and understanding when they don’t sound like themselves. 

• Email people how you would actually speak to someone.

• Cut out the big words - your only job with this cold email is firstly to get the meeting.

• Use an attractive email headline, (something personalised to them)

• Always be polite. If you are too relaxed using poor language and grammar such as “thx” or “see ya 2nite” it reflects badly on your professionalism and care.

• Talk about outcomes; what you can do for them. 

• Do not make demands (e.g. here’s my calendar, you can put in a meeting that works for you) – it’s way too big headed and assumptive.

• Don’t suck up.

• Stop trying to sell your product in the first email, this can all come later.

• Don’t sound like everyone else - stand out, be interesting, be you!

• Add value - actually genuine value not I saw this article and I wanted to email you again so I am sending it to you in the hope that it gets you to respond. Add real value - this comes because you know what matters to them.

• Don’t waste their time. Be conscious that every email is an attempt to gain energy, resources and time from this person, therefore be respectful. Don’t write an essay, if you can’t convey what you need in 3-5 sentences, then you need to sharpen your ask.

Don’t be annoying, follow up is not annoying if you do it right. Asking for a favour isn’t annoying if you do it right. Be a giver, give first, give often and give with genuine international to help the betterment of others lives and you’ll be a very good person to know.

Don’t make more than one request in an email, don’t blame or discredit anyone, don’t complain, don’t assume they know the context, make it easy for them to say yes, why does what you are doing matter - to them?

Think from their perspective - you are not annoying if you have real value to offer. A fly is annoying because it keeps coming back with nothing to offer. A dog that keeps coming back but brings a bar of gold is not annoying, it's an asset. Be the asset. 

Keep this in mind, are you being the annoying nat that you want to swat or someone who saves the day.

The Magic Formula for Cold Emails That Actually Get Replies

How to Write High-Impact Outreach That Opens Doors, Builds Trust, and Wins Meetings

Cold emails don’t fail because people hate emails.They fail because most emails are self-centred, vague, and robotic.

The highest-performing cold emails do one thing exceptionally well:

They build a clear bridge from the prospect’s current reality to their desired future — in a few human sentences.

Here’s the magic formula I teach entrepreneurs and top sales professionals to consistently get replies, meetings, and momentum.

1. Start With a Personalised Email Header

Your subject line decides everything.

Generic subject lines get ignored.Specific, personalised ones get opened.

Effective formats include:

• “The Art of Negotiation – Exclusive Rights Deal – Turkey”

• “[Their Company] x [Your Company] – Conversion Rates – Singapore”

• “[Their Company] – [Outcome] – [Result]”

  
  

Why this works:

• It signals relevance

• It shows intent

• It respects their time

  
  

Your subject line should answer one silent question instantly:

“Why should I open this?”

2. Explain What the Email Is About — Immediately

No mystery. No waffle.

Open with clarity:

“It would be great to catch up regarding…”

This removes friction.People don’t want to decode emails — they want to understand them fast.

3. Add a Hook That Applies Specifically to Them

This is where most people miss.

Your hook should answer:

“Why you?” and “Why now?”

A strong hook sounds like this:

“We help brands like Adidas, Nike, and Puma increase conversion rates while reducing acquisition costs.”

Or:

“We work with senior leaders navigating growth, promotion, and increased commercial responsibility.”

Notice what’s happening:

• Social proof

• Clear outcome

• Zero hype

  
  

4. Tie Your Value to Outcomes They Actually Care About

Nobody cares about your product.They care about results.

Anchor your message to benefits such as:

• Making more money

• Saving time

• Reducing risk

• Increasing status

• Securing promotion

• Protecting reputation

Your business is not the hero.

Your prospect’s future is.

Your role is simply to be the bridge.

5. Ask for the Meeting — Clearly and Confidently

Don’t dance around it.

Ask directly:

“Would you be free on Tuesday at 10am or Thursday at 2pm?”

Clear asks get clear answers.

Ambiguous asks get ignored.

6. Differentiate by Sounding Like a Human

If your email sounds “salesy”, it’s already dead.

Top performers:

• Write like they speak

• Use normal language

• Show confidence without ego

Your email should feel like:

“A smart human reaching out to another smart human.”

Not a template.Not a script.Not a corporate broadcast.

7. Do the Research (This Is Non-Negotiable)

Before you write a single word:

• Scan their LinkedIn

• Look at what they post

• See how long they’ve been in role

• Notice what they care about

Then link one sentence to what motivates them.

Examples:

• Promotion → “We’re helping leaders position themselves for the next step up.”

• Revenue → “We help teams increase deal size and pipeline velocity.”

• Status → “We work with people who want to be known for delivering results.”

One sentence. That’s it.

8. Get to the Point While Making It Personal

Here’s a strong example:

“Are you still at Union Bank? I’d love to chat about how we’re helping banks secure more high-net-worth clients. Would you have any availability next week?”

Clear.Relevant.Human.

9. Loosen Up — Don’t Sound Robotic

Many follow-up emails almost work… but feel scripted.

That’s your cue to inject personality.

Entrepreneurs and elite salespeople:

• Take full ownership

• Stay curious

• Ask better questions

• Constantly refine their craft

Cold email isn’t spam.

It’s a skill. And like all skills, it rewards intention and practice.

Final Thought: Master This, and Everything Compounds

When you nail this formula:

• Meetings increase

• Confidence grows

• Momentum builds

• Opportunities stack

This is how you land your first flagship client.And once one domino falls — the rest follow.

Success isn’t random. It’s engineered.

If you liked this, then check out my award winning book The Momentum Sales Model (4.8 stars on Amazon and Amazon #1 bestseller) and The First Domino (#1 Amazon bestseller in US & UK).