Alright Sales Players: If you're trying to get traction on the pipeline generation front, then you're going to want to keep reading.
I'm about to share an outbound play and email template that has the potential to get you some quick wins and some points on the board.
Most reps have a CRM full of closed-lost opportunities they didn’t lose, they just inherited.
But 95% of reps ignore these stale opportunities and opt to go straight into cold outbound against a list of the flashiest accounts in their territory. Classic shiny object syndrome.
But here's the thing...
Some of the easiest potential wins aren’t net-new prospecting accounts, they’re folks who are already familiar with your company. They just need a slight nudge.
When I’m ramping up in a new role (or trying to jumpstart a stagnant territory), one of my first moves is digging through the lost pipeline to find low-hanging fruit.
A few years ago, I came up with this outbound play and email to restart conversations with a long list of closed-lost opportunities in the territory I was working.
Since then, it's consistently achieved a 60%+ reply rate (across 3 different companies/products) and it's been the secret behind almost a dozen, $100K+ SaaS deals.
Lucky for you, I'll be sharing exactly how I do it (and why it works).
Step One: Do Some Light Research
Before you blast anything out, do your damn homework.
Skim the old opportunity notes. Check past call recordings if you have them. Scroll LinkedIn for recent company updates, and use your favorite AI tool to uncover additional insights.
You're looking for:
- Pain points they mentioned last time
- A project or initiative they had in-flight
- Leadership, funding, or org changes
One or two relevant, personalized insights are all you really need to show you’re informed about where things left off previously.
Step Two: Send This Email
Subject line: Mutual update
Email Body:
Hi {Prospect Name},
A while back you evaluated {insert your company/product name and a quick category description, i.e. Zendesk's AI-powered ticketing for support teams}.
{Insert a relevant reminder from prior conversations, i.e. when we last spoke, there was a project to consolidate your support tools into a single platform.}
Would you be open to reconnecting next week for a quick mutual update?
I’m curious to hear about your team’s priorities right now, and I'll be sure to get you up to speed on updates we've made to our offering since your last engagement with our team.
{Your Name}
*You'll need to fill in the red sections, and of course, feel free to wordsmith this and make it your own. The idea here is quick and personalized.
Why This Works:
- Low Pressure - No sales pitch. Just a low-stakes catch-up.
- Fresh - You’re a fresh face, a new name. Easy excuse to reach out, no baggage attached.
- Clean Slate - You didn’t lose the deal last time. You’re a reset button.
- Casual, Professional Tone - Mutual update feels safe and human. Not spammy or desperate.
I've seriously seen a 60%+ reply rate on this email and, more importantly, it's genuinely helped me restart conversations months (or even years) after they went dark.
Improving Your Odds of a Response:
- Go multi-channel: Follow up with a call or send this via LinkedIn in addition to email. I make this part of a 5-touch sequence.
- Send it early in the month: Prospects are less slammed and more open to quick meetings.
- Mention something new: A feature launch, big customer win, or product update, or fundraise (give them a reason to care).
- Personalize with one line: Even a simple “When you last spoke with our team…” or “I noticed you recently…” makes you stand out.
Conclusion:
Don't forget to re-engage stale, closed-lost opportunities since they already know your company and product. Sometimes, all it takes is a nudge to turn these into short-cycle wins.
The Mutual Update email works because it’s simple, human, and non-threatening. You’re not selling, you’re reopening the conversation thread to revisit an area where resources were previously invested.
Give it a try this week, and be sure to share your results!
-Jesse