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Process GuideMarch 16, 20266 min read
When to Give Up on a Lead
Stop vs pause grid. FAQ.
give upleadpausenurtureStop Now
Explicit 'not interested'
Stop. Remove from list.
Unsubscribe or opt-out
Honor immediately.
Bounce or invalid email
Remove. Don't retry.
Pause (Don't Delete)
5+ emails, zero opens
Pause 2-3 months. Revisit or remove.
Opened but no reply after 2-3 follow-ups
Pause. Nurture later.
'Not now' - said clearly
Pause. Nurture at 3-6-12 months. See when business says not now.
Follow-up count: how many follow-ups. Not now: nurture timeline.
FAQ
How many follow-ups before giving up?
For no reply: 3-5 total. For 'not now': pause and nurture. For 'not interested': stop. See how many follow-ups before giving up for full breakdown.
Should I remove leads or keep them?
Remove bounced and opted-out. Archive or tag 'not now' for nurture. Don't keep bad data - it skews metrics and wastes time.
When is it worth revisiting a cold lead?
After 3-6 months for 'not now.' After a visible change (new hire, rebrand, expansion). Don't ping every month.