How many touches should be in a sales cadence?

8-12 touches over 30 days is the benchmark. Most deals require 5+ follow-ups before a response — stop at 1 and you're leaving deals on the table.

What channels should a sales cadence use?

Mix email, LinkedIn, and phone. Multi-channel cadences outperform single-channel by 3-5x. Never send two consecutive touches on the same channel.

How long should a sales cadence last?

30 days for most B2B prospects. Enterprise deals may warrant 45-60 days. After 30 days with no response, send a break-up email and move them to a nurture list.

Free Guide

Sales Cadence: How to Build a Multi-Touch Sequence That Converts

One email doesn't close deals. A systematic multi-touch cadence does. Here's how to build one.

Why Single-Touch Outreach Fails

80% of sales require 5+ follow-ups (most reps stop at 1)

The data is clear — the vast majority of deals close after multiple touches. A single email isn't a cadence. It's wishful thinking.

Buyers aren't ignoring you — they're busy (timing determines everything)

Your prospect probably saw your email. They just didn't have 2 minutes to respond. A systematic cadence catches them at the right moment.

Inconsistency kills momentum (sporadic outreach looks like you don't care)

Random follow-ups signal low confidence. A deliberate, structured sequence signals that you're serious — and that you know what you're doing.

The 10-Touch Sales Cadence Framework

Day 1 — Cold Email #1

Personalised opener, one value prop, soft ask.

Script / Message

Subject: Quick question, [Name]

Hi [Name],

I noticed [specific thing about their company/role] — and it made me think we could help [Company] with [specific outcome].

We helped [similar company] achieve [result] in [timeframe].

Worth a 15-minute call this week to see if it's relevant?

[Your name]

Day 3 — LinkedIn Connect

Connection request with a short note.

Script / Message

Hi [Name], saw your work at [Company] — particularly [specific thing]. I sent you an email earlier this week. Would love to connect here too.

Day 5 — Email #2 (Value Add)

Share a relevant insight or resource.

Script / Message

Subject: Thought this might be relevant, [Name]

Hi [Name],

Thought this might be useful given [their specific context or challenge]:

[Link to relevant article, stat, or insight]

We see this come up a lot with [their role/industry]. If you're open to it, happy to share how we've helped others navigate it.

[Your name]

Day 7 — LinkedIn Message

Brief follow-up if connected.

Script / Message

Not sure if my email landed, [Name] — wanted to follow up here in case. The short version: we help [type of company] achieve [outcome]. Would love to explore if there's a fit.

Day 10 — Email #3 (Social Proof)

One-line proof point.

Script / Message

Subject: What we did for [Similar Company]

Hi [Name],

We helped [Similar Company] achieve [specific result] in [timeframe].

Their situation looked a lot like [Company]'s — [one-line parallel].

15 minutes to explore if we can do the same for you?

[Your name]

Day 14 — Phone Call #1

Phone

Brief voicemail if no answer.

Script / Message

Hi [Name], [your name] here — just following up on a couple of emails I sent over. I'll keep it quick: we help [type of company] with [outcome], and I think there's a fit worth exploring. I'll send a short email now. If you're open to it, a 10-minute call is all I'm asking.

Day 17 — Email #4 (Different Angle)

Try a different pain point or use case.

Script / Message

Subject: Different angle, [Name]

Hi [Name],

I've been reaching out about [original topic] — but I wanted to try a different angle.

Wondering if [different problem] is on your radar? We've been seeing a lot of [their role type] flag this as a Q[X] priority.

If that's relevant, happy to share what's working.

[Your name]

Day 21 — LinkedIn Engage

Comment on or react to their content, then follow up.

Script / Message

Saw your post on [topic] — great point about [specific thing]. It connects directly to what I've been sharing with you about [your value prop]. Still think there's something worth 15 minutes here.

Day 25 — Email #5 (Case Study)

One-paragraph story.

Script / Message

Subject: Story that might resonate, [Name]

Hi [Name],

A [role] at a [company type] was dealing with [problem]. They'd tried [alternative] but it wasn't working. Within [timeframe] of working with us, they [specific result].

I think [Company] is in a similar spot. Worth 20 minutes to find out?

[Your name]

Day 30 — Break-Up Email

"Last email" — permission to close or re-engage.

Script / Message

Subject: Closing the loop, [Name]

Hi [Name],

I won't keep reaching out after this — I respect your time and clearly this isn't the right moment.

If [problem] becomes a priority in Q[X] or beyond, I'd love to reconnect. Just reply to this email and we'll pick it up.

Wishing you and the team well,
[Your name]

Cadence Rules That Actually Matter

✓Never send two touches in the same channel back to back
✓Always vary your subject line — never reply to your own thread
✓The break-up email gets the most replies — always send it
✓Monday morning and Friday afternoon are dead zones — skip them
✓Personalise touch 1 and touch 10. Templatise everything else.

How to Adapt Your Cadence by Persona

SMB Decision-Maker

Shorter cadence (7 days), phone-first, direct ask. SMB buyers make decisions fast — match their pace. Get to the point by touch 2 and ask for the meeting directly.

Enterprise Buyer

Longer cadence (45 days), multi-threaded (champion + exec), content-led. Enterprise deals need consensus. Reach the champion, the economic buyer, and a blocker in parallel.

Inbound Lead

Speed matters (call within 5 mins), 3-touch max, already warm. Inbound leads convert at 8x the rate of cold outreach — but only if you respond instantly. Don't run them through a 30-day sequence.