The New Breakup Emails That Get Responses Right Away [Updated for 2022]

Michael Pici
Michael Pici

Updated:

Published:

The traditional breakup email doesn’t work as well as it used to. Asking if you can close your prospect's file, or if they haven’t responded because they’ve been eaten by a bear, used to be funny and attention-grabbing -- now it's just tired.

I haven’t responded to a single breakup email following the standard format for a couple months. However, I recently got one I replied to immediately. Read on to see what it said and why it worked, as well as a sales email template you can use with your own prospects.

The Breakup Email That Prompted Me to Respond Right Away

Some background: I’d had two calls with this salesperson about her tool. Although it seemed like a good fit, I decided the problem it solved wasn’t high-priority enough right now.

Here’s the breakup email this rep sent me after I told her I wasn’t interested:

I didn’t think twice before hitting “Reply.” And before you think, "Sure, a response is good, but only if it leads to a sale" -- I ended up buying.

Why This Breakup Email Works

Let’s break down why this email is so effective.

First, it plays upon my desire to help. Like most people, I like the boost of doing a good deed. It’s especially hard to reject a direct request when you know the person is trying to get better at their job.

Second, it’s simple. I knew I could help Jordan in under five minutes. The ease of fulfilling an ask is crucial.

Third, it felt genuine. I truly believe Jordan wanted my opinions and would incorporate them into her future conversations with prospects. And since she wasn’t trying to be clever or memorable, this message stood out from most of the other sales emails in my inbox. (I’m typically a fan of sending humorous emails to your prospects, but you need to know when to be serious.)

Fourth, and most importantly, it made me think about the product and why I’d walked away. I had trouble coming up with a valid reason for deciding against buying. The earlier reason -- the pain point wasn’t pressing enough -- no longer felt compelling once I’d typed it out.

Here’s the message I sent Jordan:

Breakup Email Templates

If your prospect has ghosted within the last few weeks, use this template:

If your prospect ghosted sometime this year, use this template:

Does this mean sending this message will automatically convert revive all of your lost deals? Of course not. But even if your prospect responds with some suggestions for making your presentation better or tells you why they went with the competitor, you’ll gain valuable intel on how to win next time.

Plus, you’ll make a name for yourself as a dedicated, thoughtful rep. That specific prospect might not buy from you, but you never know if they’ll refer their friend or come back to you when they start working at a new company.

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