Short answer: Follow up a first time 4 to 5 days after your first message, a second time a week later, then send a short closing message and stop. Each follow-up must bring something new (a resource, an example, a different question): "just bumping this" gives nobody a reason to reply. And as soon as the person answers, the sequence stops and you take over.
Why follow up on LinkedIn?
Because acceptance is where most campaigns lose their prospects. In its analysis of 96,051 campaigns published in 2026, HeyReach found that 10.7% of campaigns with accepted connections received no reply at all, and concludes that the problem usually sits between the connection and the conversation.
An unanswered first message does not mean "no". It may have landed on a bad day, been read on a phone between two meetings, or slipped under other messages. A good follow-up offers a second chance without pushing.
When should you follow up with a LinkedIn prospect?
Here is the schedule we recommend. These are common-sense markers, not figures from LinkedIn: adapt them to your job and your target.
| Moment | Recommended delay | What you send |
|---|---|---|
| First message | 1 to 2 days after acceptance | A reason to write, one question |
| Follow-up 1 | 4 to 5 days after the first message | Something useful |
| Follow-up 2 | 6 to 7 days after follow-up 1 | A concrete example or a different question |
| Closing message | 7 to 10 days after follow-up 2 | The door stays open, you stop |
| Re-engagement | 2 to 3 months later, if something has changed | A new reason to write, not a reminder |
Three rules for timing:
- Avoid Friday afternoons and weekends for B2B prospects, and send during the hours they are on LinkedIn themselves.
- Space them further apart each time. Follow-ups that get closer together feel like a machine insisting.
- Never follow up with someone who replied, even with a "no thanks". A reply ends the sequence.
How many follow-ups should you send?
Two follow-ups and a closing message, so three messages after the first one. Beyond that you move from persistent to pushy, and you raise the chance of being reported. LinkedIn lists invitations ignored or marked as spam among the causes of restrictions (LinkedIn Help): good targeting and measured follow-ups protect your account too.
What if the invitation is not accepted?
You cannot message someone outside your network without an InMail credit, and a pending invitation is not a conversation. Three options:
- Wait. Some people accept weeks later.
- Withdraw the invitation after a few weeks if it is still pending, to keep your list short. You will not be able to invite the same person again for up to three weeks (LinkedIn Help).
- Show up another way: leave a useful comment on one of their posts, then try again later with a new reason.
Do not try to "follow up" by withdrawing and resending the invitation: LinkedIn blocks re-invitations for up to three weeks after a withdrawal.
12 LinkedIn follow-up templates to copy
The only variable used is {{firstname}}, the most reliable one: company and job title are often empty on profiles. Replace the brackets with real details.
After a first message with no reply
1. The useful resource
{{firstname}}, I put [the resource: checklist, template, summary] on a single page, since several [target job] asked me for it recently. Want me to send it over?
2. The concrete example
One example that might be relevant, {{firstname}}: [a similar client] had [the problem], we [what you did], and [the result, in one sentence]. Is that something you deal with too?
3. The simpler question
Let me put it more simply, {{firstname}}: is [the topic] a priority or a non-issue for you right now? One word is enough.
4. The different angle
{{firstname}}, I wrote to you about [first angle], but many [target job] mostly tell me about [second problem]. Is that closer to what you are dealing with?
After interest that went quiet
5. The reminder with a date
Hi {{firstname}}, you mentioned you wanted to look at [the topic] after [the deadline they gave]. Is it still on your list, or should I come back to you later?
6. The two time slots
{{firstname}}, to move forward without more back and forth: would [day and time] or [day and time] work for a 15 minute chat?
7. The written version
If a call is hard to fit in right now, {{firstname}}, I can send you the essentials in five lines. Would that be easier?
After a call or a meeting
8. The recap
Thanks for the chat, {{firstname}}. As agreed: [point 1], [point 2], and on my side [what you committed to] by [date]. Did I miss anything?
9. The follow-up after a proposal
{{firstname}}, did you get a chance to look at the proposal I sent on [day]? If something needs adjusting, tell me which part and I will come back to you quickly.
After a "not now"
10. Permission to come back
Understood, {{firstname}}, thanks for letting me know. Can I come back to you in [month], once [the reason they gave] is behind you?
11. Re-engaging a few months later
Hi {{firstname}}, back in [month] you told me [the topic] was not a priority. Since then, [a new and true fact: a change, a new service, news in their sector]. Does that change anything on your side?
To close
12. The closing message
I will stop here so I do not clutter your inbox, {{firstname}}. If [the topic] becomes a priority again, just reply to this message. All the best!
What should you never write in a follow-up?
| Avoid | Why | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| "Just bumping this" | Adds nothing new | A resource, an example, a question |
| "Did you see my message?" | Puts the person at fault | Rephrase more simply |
| "If I don't hear back, I'll assume..." | Reads like an ultimatum | The closing message, short and polite |
| Copying the first message | Shows it is automated | A different angle each time |
| A link in the first follow-up | Reads like a campaign | Offer to send, then send |
| A fifth follow-up | Annoys, and can get you reported | Stop after the closing message |
For the first message itself, see our LinkedIn prospecting message templates; for real estate agents, our 15 message templates for real estate agents.
How do you automate follow-ups with Sales Farmer?
In a Sales Farmer campaign, each follow-up is a workflow step preceded by a delay you choose in minutes, hours or days. Follow-ups stop automatically when the prospect replies or when you already have a conversation with them, so you never chase someone who answered. Two tips:
- Set the delays before you launch: they cannot be changed once the campaign has started.
- Check the analytics to see at which step the replies come in. If almost everything comes from the first message, work on your follow-ups; if nothing comes before follow-up 2, shorten your first message. Our guide to acceptance and reply rates explains what to measure.
Templates 8 to 11 belong to a conversation that has already started: write them by hand, because the person deserves an answer that reflects what they told you.
Further reading
- LinkedIn automation limits in 2026
- How to define your ICP and build a LinkedIn prospect list
- LinkedIn prospecting message templates
- Good LinkedIn acceptance and reply rates in 2026
- 5 cheaper Waalaxy alternatives
- LinkedIn for real estate agents: prospecting playbook
- 15 LinkedIn message templates for real estate agents
FAQ
How long should I wait before following up on LinkedIn?
Four to five days after the first message for the first follow-up, then a week for the second. Space them further apart each time: close follow-ups feel like a machine insisting.
How many times should I follow up with a LinkedIn prospect?
Two follow-ups, then a short closing message. Beyond that, the risk of annoying people, or being reported, outweighs the gain.
How do I follow up without being pushy?
Bring something new each time: a resource, a concrete example, a simpler question or a different angle. Avoid "just bumping this" and "did you see my message?".
Can I follow up on a LinkedIn invitation that was not accepted?
Not by message, unless you use an InMail credit. You can wait, withdraw the invitation after a few weeks (you will not be able to re-invite the person for up to three weeks) or engage with their posts before trying again.
How should I answer a "not now"?
Thank them, ask permission to come back on a specific date, then come back with a new fact rather than a plain reminder.
Do automated follow-ups stop when the prospect replies?
In Sales Farmer, yes: follow-ups stop as soon as the person replies or when you already have a conversation with them.
Follow up at the right time, automatically
Follow-ups are the step people forget most when they prospect by hand. Try Sales Farmer free for 14 days: write your follow-ups once, set the delays, and they go out on their own until the prospect replies.
