Replied “not now”
A prospect replies to outbound that it is not the right time, and often says when would be.
A “not now” is a qualified lead with a date on it. People who say “reach out in Q2” usually mean it, and almost nobody does.
- Strength
- Good
- Act within
- The date they named
- Best for
- Any company running outbound
How we detect it
Runs on Instantly, Clay, and HubSpot or Salesforce.
- Classify replies with AI and pull out timing language.
- Create a task or sequence for the date they gave.
What it triggers
An opening line, to show the angle. It never goes out as written.
You asked me to check back after your planning in January. Is now a better time?
- CRM: Set the follow-up for the date they named, with the reply attached.
- Ad audience: Keep the account warm with ads until then.
- Email: Follow up on the date, quoting their timing back.
Where it goes wrong
- Marking it as lost.
- Forgetting the date.
Stack it with
A second signal on the same account moves it up.
Closed-lost, revisited
A deal you lost months ago, at an account where something has since changed.
Planning season
An account enters its budget planning window, usually the quarter before its fiscal year starts.
More your crm and network signals
Every your crm and network signalLookalike of your best customers
An account that matches the traits of your closed-won customers, modeled from your own deals.
Mutual connection or shared investor
An account shares an investor, a board member, a former employer, or a close connection with you or your customers.
Customer growing a new team
An existing customer hires, expands, or launches a new team that could use your product.
FAQs about this signal
A prospect replies to outbound that it is not the right time, and often says when would be. A “not now” is a qualified lead with a date on it. People who say “reach out in Q2” usually mean it, and almost nobody does.
Classify replies with AI and pull out timing language. Create a task or sequence for the date they gave. Understory Agency runs it on Instantly, Clay, and HubSpot or Salesforce.
The window to act is the date they named. Understory Agency routes it to crm, ad audience, and email. Set the follow-up for the date they named, with the reply attached. Keep the account warm with ads until then. Follow up on the date, quoting their timing back.
It works best for any company running outbound. It is strongest alongside “Closed-lost, revisited” and “Planning season”.
Or let us run it for you
Understory Agency's GTM engineers build the detection in Clay, wire it to the play that fits, and sync every touch to your CRM. Tell us who you sell to, and we'll show you where we would start.