Sense check reply rates

I run outreach at a SaaS start up. we're trying to get a sense check on whether our outreach rates are good or not

ACV is £15-50k; sell to a range of buyer sizes from startups to enterprise (I know we need to narrow down)

here's our rates across the sequence (ie if a contact opens any of the emails, it counts as an open)
open rates - 80%
reply rate - 15%
positive reply rate - 2%

mainly focused on whether positive reply rates are low or not as that's the main metric we care about - no point having loads of opens if no one cares
🧠 Advice
📊 Metrics
👣 outbound
8
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
2
☕️
What does your research tell you?
oldcloser
Arsonist
3
💀
mine says 80% opened is as likely as Farrah Fawcett jumping off that famous 70s poster and, well... you know.
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Yep. Not fussed by open rates. Main focus is on reply rates and whether a positive reply rate of 2% is good or not
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
Still one of the best posters ever
oldcloser
Arsonist
1
💀
Absolutely!
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
That’s what I’m doing here
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
1
Sales Rep
No idea about your message, but I assume with an 80% open rate and a low reply rate, the emails are too long
1
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Thanks. What’s a good reply rate in your opinion?
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
0
Sales Rep
really depends, Is this 100% automated, or is this tailoring for A accounts
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Tbh, mainly automated but tailored to the segment
GDO
Politicker
0
BDM
My guess exactly
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Quite possibly

I think this is skewed by OOO opens during August

Also, it’s open rate across the sequence - so 80% opened at least 1 of the emails. But still feels high
oldcloser
Arsonist
1
💀
Hate to be the bearer of bad data news, but you ain't getting 80% open rates. Anything that lands on a device with iOS 15 meets their MPP code that prevents the collection of user data. And that little pixel that screams when it gets downloaded? You use Outlook? Many do. It won't auto-download external images.So.... You've got to rely on replies that aren't opt outs. Which, seemingly you've got covered at 2%. And that is extremely off-the-charts average.
DataCorrupter
Politicker
2
Account Executive
TOTALLY agree about the false open rates. Besides what oldcloser mentioned, there is a lot of email filtering software that opens emails, checks links, etc. Meaning you'll have a few companies where it looks like every single email you sent was opened by every person you sent it too. That really skews that data, it can't be trusted.

I've seen 2-3% over last few years, I think that's average.
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Agreed open rates don’t matter and it’s more about reply rates. To clarify, you’re saying 2% is average or bad?
oldcloser
Arsonist
0
💀
average.
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Thanks. What’s a good rate in your opinion?
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Extra context - there’s no marketing or brand awareness at all
ChumpChange
Politicker
0
Channel Manager
From the marketing demand gen execs I work with a 2% response rate is relatively low. They're typically goal-setting for the 7-10% range. With the macroeconomic conditions happening right now... it seems to be in line with the "buying freeze" that's happening. What REALLY sticks out is the open rate. That's suspiciously high.
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Think a lot of them may have been OOO replies over august or something
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
Is that 7-10% response rate or 7-10% positive/interested response rate? We’re at 15% who reply but only 2% reply saying they’re interested
ChumpChange
Politicker
0
Channel Manager
A 7-10% positive response rate is what they're looking for as their stretch goal. However, I've heard from my network that 5-6% is also considered relatively successful. As you said, it could be a timing issue that's not being accounted for. The cadences we're running are designed to book meetings for Q1 in 2024 because of the seasonality of the industry.
pirate
Big Shot
0
🦜☠️ Account Executive
I think open rate is pretty good... Just the market. Maybe need to call more those people who opened the emails
Beans
Big Shot
0
Enterprise Account Executive
That's a wild open rate - what are you getting replies to in your messaging?
0
Head of Partnerships & Strategic Accounts
What do you mean?

Reply rates are ~ 15% and positive replies are ~2%
Beans
Big Shot
0
Enterprise Account Executive
Yes but what messaging are they replying to?
ThatNewAE
Big Shot
0
Account Executive - Mid enterprise
Sometimes, some companies have a cumbersome vetting process before the email actually reaches the employee. So the open rate could be the company's IT security doing its due diligence and check, and not really being opened by the employee.
That's my first best guess.
If on another hand, it has been opened by the employee (who you wrote to), then the email is not relevant or is too long or is lacking the right amount of personalisation.

LET ME WRITE MY NEXT POST ON THIS ! Ok, keep an eye out you.
4

Thoughts on the Agoge Sequence for prospecting? Apparently provides 2x response rates for cold outreach...

Discussion
8
I would use the Agoge method
66% Yes, seems legit
34% No, you moron
44 people voted
2

Email open rate

Discussion
8
9

Outreach users, seeing a dip in open and response rates

Question
12