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Your cheapest pipeline is already in your CRM: deals you lost on timing, and leads that went quiet.
Best for: any team with a CRM history · Plan: any (Multichannel for email) · Setup time: about 30 minutes
Why it works#
- Most "no" answers are really "not now": budget, timing, priorities.
- Things change in 3–6 months: new budget, a new leader, a failed alternative.
- They already know you, so there's no cold-start trust problem.
1. Build three lists#
| List | Who | Wait before reaching out |
|---|---|---|
| Closed-lost: timing/budget | Lost deals with reason "timing", "budget" or "no decision" | 90 days after close |
| Closed-lost: competitor | Chose a competitor | 6–9 months (renewal window) |
| Went quiet | Replied or took a meeting, then stopped responding | 60 days |
How to import:
- Export from your CRM with columns: name, email, LinkedIn URL, company,
lost_reason,last_topic,lost_date→ CSV import. Map the last three to custom fields. - Or automatically: when a HubSpot deal moves to closed-lost, send it to a custom trigger that adds it to a "Closed-lost – revive in 90 days" list.
Exclude anyone who asked not to be contacted. Mark them Do not contact before you enroll the list.
2. Sequence#
These people usually have an email in your CRM, so lead with email and use LinkedIn as the second touch.
| # | Step |
|---|---|
| 1 | Visit profile |
| 2 | If / else: has email → continue if not |
| 3 | Email 1: what changed |
| 4 | Delay 5 days |
| 5 | Connection request (short note) |
| 6 | If accepted (wait 5 days) → continue if not |
| 7 | LinkedIn message 2: new proof (sends only to connections) |
| 8 | Delay 7 days |
| 9 | Email 3: the breakup |
On Starter (LinkedIn only), use: visit → connection request → if accepted → message 1 → delay → message 2 → delay → breakup.
Copy#
Email 1: what changed
Subject: Quick update since we last spoke
Hi {{first_name|there}}, it's been a few months since we spoke about {{custom.last_topic|this}} at {{company_name|your team}}.
Since then we've shipped [the thing they were missing / a relevant improvement].
Has anything changed on your side?LinkedIn message 2: new proof
{{first_name|Hi}}, one more thing: [similar company] just got [specific result] with us in [timeframe].
If {{custom.lost_reason|timing}} is still the blocker, no problem. If not, worth a 15-minute catch-up?Email 3: the breakup
Last note from me, {{first_name|there}}. Should I close the loop on this for now, or is it worth revisiting next quarter?The breakup message is often the one that gets a reply. People answer a simple yes-or-no question.
Competitor version (6–9 months later)#
Hi {{first_name|there}}, hope the rollout of [competitor] went well. Many teams review their setup around the one-year mark. If you ever want a second opinion, happy to share what we see working. No pressure either way.3. Settings#
- Cautious or Recommended limits
- Stop on reply: on
- Warm list, so a longer delay between actions is fine
Make it a monthly habit#
On the first Monday of each month, export last quarter's closed-lost deals → import → enroll. Or automate it end to end with a custom trigger.
Metrics to watch#
| Metric | Typical |
|---|---|
| Reply rate | Often 2–3x a cold list |
| Revived → meeting | 15–30% of replies |
Common mistakes#
- Pretending nothing happened. Acknowledge the earlier conversation.
- Same pitch as last time. Lead with what changed.
- Contacting people who asked you to stop. Mark them Do not contact first.
