Email template · Staffing agency (client and candidate)
Staffing agency follow-up email to client
In short
A recruiter follow up email to a client or prospect restarts a business development conversation after an introduction, a call or a proposal went quiet. The best ones add something new each time, such as a wage snapshot or an available candidate, and make one small ask. Below are four templates, subject lines, an SMS and a follow-up cadence.
When to send it: Send the first follow-up four to five business days after an introduction email or call, and within 24 hours after a meeting. After that, space touches about a week apart and stop after four or five attempts without a reply.
Staffing agency follow-up email to client: 4 versions
After a first call
SubjectNext steps on your [Job Title] hiring
Hi [First Name], Thanks for the time on [Day]. My notes, so we're working from the same page: - [Number] [Job Title] openings at [Site or City], target start [Date] - Pay range discussed: [Pay Range] - Must-haves: [two or three requirements, e.g. forklift certification, weekend availability] If that's right, I can have [Number] screened candidates to you by [Date]. All I need is a signed copy of our terms and a contact for interview scheduling. Should I send the paperwork to you or to [Other Contact]? [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name] [Phone Number] [Agency Address]
No reply to introduction
SubjectRe: [Original Subject Line]
Hi [First Name], Following up on my note last week about your [Job Title] roles in [City]. One thing that may help either way: we're seeing local offers for this role land at [Pay Range], and candidates with [skill] are taking the first offer they get, usually within [Number] days. If your postings have been open a while, pay or speed is the likely cause. Happy to share what we're seeing in a 10-minute call. If staffing partners aren't on your list right now, just say so and I'll check back next quarter. [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name] [Phone Number] [Agency Address]
After a proposal or lost quote
SubjectYour [Job Title] search: a quick question
Hi [First Name], I understand you went another direction on the [Job Title] roles. Thanks for considering us. One question, if you have a moment: was it rate, speed or something else? Your answer genuinely helps us get better. If the current plan stalls or volume grows, we can usually turn around candidates for [role type] within [Number] business days. I'll leave it there for now. [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name] [Phone Number] [Agency Address]
Quiet existing client
SubjectPlanning for [Season or Quarter] at [Client Company]
Hi [First Name], It's been [Number] months since we last worked on a role together, and [Season or Quarter] is when [Client Company] usually picks up hiring for [Department]. If you're expecting volume, now is a good time to line up candidates so they're ready to start when you need them. I can have a shortlist for [Job Title] ready within [Number] days of a go-ahead. Are you planning any hiring in the next 60 days? [Your Name] [Title], [Agency Name] [Phone Number]
Subject line ideas
- Re: [Original Subject Line]
- Next steps on your [Job Title] hiring
- Local pay data for [Job Title] in [City]
- Still hiring [Job Title] at [Site]?
- Planning for [Season or Quarter] at [Client Company]
- Available this week: [Job Title] with [Key Skill]
- Closing the loop on [Job Title]
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], [Your Name] from [Agency Name]. Following up on your [Job Title] openings. I can have screened candidates to you by [Date]. Want me to send profiles? Reply STOP to opt out.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [Site or City], [City], [Pay Range], [Number], [Date], [Day], [Original Subject Line], [Other Contact], [Client Company], [Season or Quarter], [Department], [Key Skill], [Your Name], [Title], [Agency Name], [Phone Number], [Agency Address]
Why most agency follow-ups get ignored
The typical follow-up says “just checking in” or “bumping this to the top of your inbox.” It gives a busy operations manager nothing to react to, so they don't. Every follow-up should carry one new piece of value and one small, specific ask. Value means something the client can use whether or not they hire you: a pay snapshot for the role in their market, how long similar roles are taking to fill, a note that a competitor down the road just raised its starting wage, or a real candidate who is available now.
The ask should be easy to say yes to. “Can I send two profiles?” gets more replies than “Do you have time for a call?” because it costs the reader nothing.
A follow-up cadence that works
After an introduction email, a common business development rhythm looks like this:
- Day 4 or 5: follow-up with a market insight, as a reply in the same thread so the context is visible.
- Day 8 to 10: a phone call. Leave a voicemail of under 20 seconds that mentions the role.
- Day 12 to 15: an MPC candidate marketing email with one strong, available candidate.
- Day 20 to 25: a close-out note that says you'll stop writing and when you'll check back.
After a live meeting, the rules change: send a recap within 24 hours while the details are fresh. Recaps that restate the openings, pay range and must-haves catch misunderstandings early and become the basis of the job order. Once a client signs, the cadence shifts to account management, and the client check-in email after a placement takes over.
Running these steps as an automated outreach sequence that stops when the prospect replies prevents the embarrassing case where a client gets a “haven't heard from you” email an hour after they called your desk.
Tone and personalization
Write like a peer, not a vendor. Hiring managers at a distribution center or a hospital unit respond to recruiters who clearly understand the job: shift patterns, certifications, the pay band that actually attracts people. Use the client's own language from the call, and name the site or department.
Keep it under 120 words. If you need more, the detail belongs in an attachment the client asked for, or in a call. Avoid guilt (“I've reached out several times”) and fake urgency. A wage figure or a named, available candidate creates real urgency on its own.
Personalize the first line; the rest of the email can be standard. Account managers handling 60 prospects at a time can't hand-write every message, but they can write one opening sentence that proves they looked at this client.
Commercial email rules
A follow-up to a prospect is still a commercial email under the CAN-SPAM Act. Keep subject lines honest (a “Re:” is fine only if it really is a reply in an existing thread), include your physical postal address, offer a way to opt out, and honor opt-outs within 10 business days. Texts are stricter: many agencies only text prospects who have given their mobile number for that purpose. Canada's CASL and EU and UK rules require more consent than US law, so check before following up across borders.
Tracking what turns into job orders
Log every touch against the prospect, along with the trigger and the template used. After a quarter, you'll see which messages lead to calls and which calls lead to signed terms. Most desks find that two or three triggers produce the bulk of their new accounts, often long-open postings and new site openings, and can drop the rest. A business development pipeline with stages for contacted, meeting held, terms sent and first job order makes that review a ten-minute job instead of a spreadsheet exercise.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending the same email again with “following up” at the top.
- Switching to a new thread each time, which hides your earlier context.
- Discounting your rate in a follow-up to get a reply. It sets the price for the whole relationship.
- Copying the client's boss to apply pressure. It rarely works and often ends the conversation.
- Following up forever. Four or five touches, then a clear close-out and a reminder to revisit next quarter.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write a follow-up email to a staffing prospect?
Reply in the original thread, add one new piece of useful information such as local pay data or an available candidate, and make one small ask. Keep it under 120 words and include your contact details and an opt-out.
How long should a recruiter wait before following up with a client?
Four to five business days after a cold introduction, and within 24 hours after a call or meeting. Space later touches about a week apart.
How many follow-up emails should a staffing agency send a prospective client?
Usually four or five touches across email and phone over about three weeks. If there is no reply, send a short close-out and schedule a check-in for next quarter.
What should a business development follow-up email from a recruiter include?
A reference to your earlier contact, something new the client can use, a specific ask such as sending two candidate profiles, and a signature with your phone number and physical address.
What do I say when a client hasn't responded to my proposal?
Ask one short question about where things stand or what drove the decision, offer a concrete next step, and say when you'll check back. Avoid discounting your rate just to get a reply.