Use cases, by job
Multichannel follow up sequences: how many follow ups, how far apart, and where a lead goes next
Follow ups earn a large share of replies, but each extra one costs goodwill. Sellinger sets a default number of follow ups per channel, a default gap, and a next channel for when they run out: after 4 LinkedIn follow ups a lead moves to email, and after 5 email follow ups to WhatsApp. Every default can be changed per campaign.
Published by Sellinger AI. Numbers and settings checked on 19 October 2026 against the fact register. Report an error.
- default follow ups on LinkedIn, email and WhatsApp before a lead is exhausted
- 4 / 5 / 4
- default first gap on LinkedIn. Email and WhatsApp start at 24 to 72 hours
- 5 days
- more replies from follow ups in the wealth network study, with 16% negative from the fourth message
- +49%
- of replies in the Shelly installer programme came only because of a follow up
- 76%
The defaults, by channel
| Channel | Follow ups | Next channel when exhausted | First gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 days, then 5 to 7 days, then 7 to 14 days | ||
| 5 | 1 to 3 days, then 3 to 6 days, then 7 to 14 days | ||
| 4 | 1 to 3 days, then 2 to 6 days, then 3 to 7 days | ||
| 4 | 1 to 3 days, then 3 to 7 days, then 7 to 14 days |
Defaults from the follow up configuration in the backend, checked 19 October 2026. A campaign's own settings, a flow sequence step or an AI scheduled follow up take priority. The plan is a starting point, not a recommendation for your market.
How Sellinger runs it in four steps
- 1
Step 1
Set the limit and the gap
A direction template reads: "Send at most {max_followups} follow-ups to a silent lead, spaced at least {days} days apart, each shorter than the last and each adding a new angle. The final one is a clean one-sentence exit, then stop for good."
- 2
Step 2
Choose the next channel
Set where a lead moves when follow ups on one channel run out, or leave the default.
- 3
Step 3
Respect the schedule
Sending follows the days, hours and time zone you set. Without a schedule a quiet window of 01:00 to 08:00 local time applies.
- 4
Step 4
Stop on a reply or an opt out
A reply ends the sequence and the agent takes over the conversation. An opt out closes the lead and puts the contact on the suppression list.
What the case studies say about follow ups
| Study | Reply rate, first message only | With follow ups | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamothermic, LinkedIn | 17.2% | 30.9% | 7 negative first replies across 1,699 follow up recipients |
| Wealth advisor network, LinkedIn | 29.0% | 43.3% | 16% of replies negative from the fourth message |
| Uberwood, LinkedIn | 19.6% | 27.9% | Very few replies beyond the second follow up |
| Green Shield, email, regulated buyers | 2.2% per touch | 6.0% on follow up 1 | 3 of the 4 replies to follow up 2 were opt outs |
The shape that held across studies: the first follow up adds the most, a second adds something new, and later ones return less and cost more. A small regulated market wanted one letter and at most one follow up. Shelly capped its installer sequence at two follow ups after the fourth and fifth touches produced the only stop complaints.
LinkedIn plus email, and WhatsApp as a third step
LinkedIn plus email is the most common combination: 48 customer teams use both. WhatsApp sends first messages and follow ups through your connected account at a small daily volume, so use it for a short, personal step and not for volume. Details are on the WhatsApp agent page.
Common questions
How many follow ups should I send?
Can a lead move from LinkedIn to email?
Does the agent keep following up after a reply?
Can I pause follow ups for a lead?
Sources and method
Default follow ups before a lead is treated as exhausted: LinkedIn 4, then email; email 5, then WhatsApp; WhatsApp 4, then email; Instagram 4, then email. Default gaps start at 5 days on LinkedIn, 1 to 3 days on email and WhatsApp. Every value can be changed per campaign. Source: backend follow up configuration and the direction template file (checked 19 October 2026). Study figures from the linked case studies.
Related: LinkedIn agent, email agent, cold email vs LinkedIn, outreach rules.
