How Do I Follow Up with Investors After No Response?
Most investor responses come from follow-ups. Learn the exact framework for following up after no response without seeming desperate.
Send 2–3 follow-ups spaced 5–7 days apart, each adding new value or information.
Keep emails brief (3–4 sentences), reference your original message, and include a small update, new traction, customer win, or milestone. After three attempts with no response, move on. Don't take silence personally; investors receive hundreds of emails weekly. Persistence matters, but desperation doesn't.
Why Following Up Is Essential
Most investor responses come from follow-ups, not initial emails. Studies suggest 70%+ of positive replies happen after the second or third touch. Yet most founders send one email and give up.
Investors aren't ignoring you maliciously. They're overwhelmed. Your email competes with hundreds of others, plus portfolio company fires, LP meetings, and deal flow. A thoughtful follow-up reminds them you exist, and demonstrates persistence, a trait investors value in founders.
The Follow-Up Framework
Follow-Up #1: 5–7 Days After Initial Email
Keep it short and add context:
"Hi [Name], following up on my note last week about [Company]. Since then, we've [brief update: closed a customer, hit a milestone, added a key hire]. Would love 15 minutes to share what we're building. Does [specific time] work?"
Key elements:
Reference your original email
Add one new piece of information
Include a specific ask
Keep it under 5 sentences
Follow-Up #2: 5–7 Days After First Follow-Up
Shift the angle slightly:
"Hi [Name], wanted to try once more. We're now at [updated metric] and seeing strong momentum in [area]. I noticed you backed [portfolio company], we're tackling a similar customer pain point. Happy to share a quick overview if helpful."
Key elements:
Acknowledge this is a second follow-up (implicitly)
Provide another update or new angle
Connect to their portfolio or thesis
Keep it brief
Follow-Up #3: 7–10 Days After Second Follow-Up
Make it your last attempt:
"Hi [Name], I'll keep this short, last note from me. We've hit [milestone] and are closing our round in [timeframe]. If the timing isn't right, no worries at all. Happy to reconnect down the road."
Key elements:
Signal this is your final outreach
Create gentle urgency without desperation
Leave the door open for future contact
Stay professional and gracious
For more tactics on investor communication, read our guide on how to follow up with VCs after a meeting.
What to Include in Follow-Ups
Each follow-up should add value, not just repeat your ask:
Traction updates: New revenue, users, or growth metrics
Customer wins: Notable logos or partnerships
Product milestones: Launches or feature releases
Team additions: Key hires that strengthen your story
Social proof: Other investors who've committed
Never send a follow-up that just says "checking in." Empty follow-ups hurt your credibility.
When to Stop Following Up
After three quality follow-ups with no response, stop. Continuing beyond this point:
Appears desperate
Damages your professional reputation
Wastes time better spent on responsive investors
No response after three attempts is itself a response. The investor isn't interested right now. Accept it gracefully and move on.
Use SheetVenture's investor database to find fresh targets instead of chasing dead ends. Focus energy on investors who engage.
Tracking Your Follow-Ups
Organization prevents embarrassing double-sends and dropped conversations. Log every outreach with dates, set reminders for follow-up timing, and record responses for future reference.
SheetVenture's intelligence tools help you track investor activity and identify who's actively deploying, so you prioritize follow-ups with investors most likely to respond.
The Bottom Line
Following up is not optional, it's where most responses happen. Send 2–3 thoughtful follow-ups spaced 5–7 days apart, each adding new value. After three attempts, move on without burning bridges.
Persistence shows commitment. Desperation shows poor judgment. Know the difference.
SheetVenture helps founders focus on investors who are actively engaging, so you follow up with the right people.