Reply · Referral

How to reply to 'I'm not the right person' emails

Thank them, apologise briefly for the wrong inbox, and ask for the name of the right person. Don't ask them to forward your email; say you'll get in touch yourself and let them decide whether you mention them.

All templates
Reply Referral Any industry

Re: {{company}} and [your company]

Alex <alex@[your company].com>
to {{first_name}} · Prospect who replied at {{company}}

Hi {{first_name}},

Thanks for letting me know, and sorry for landing in the wrong inbox.

Who would be the best person at {{company}} to speak to about [the topic]? A name is plenty and I'll reach out myself.

If you're happy for me to mention you pointed me their way, that helps, but it's entirely up to you.

Appreciate it.

Alex

Grade subject Spam check 61 words
Worked example

The same email,
filled in.

How it reads once every bracket holds a real detail. The company and people are invented.

Re: Hollins Engineering and Fieldmark

Alex
Example email

Hi Raj,

Thanks for letting me know, and sorry for landing in the wrong inbox.

Who would be the best person at Hollins Engineering to speak to about warehouse labelling and barcode scanning? A name is plenty and I'll reach out myself.

If you're happy for me to mention you pointed me their way, that helps, but it's entirely up to you.

Appreciate it.

Alex

How to personalise it

What goes
in each bracket.

[the topic]
The area your product covers, described in operational terms they can match to a colleague. "Our solution" is weak; "warehouse labelling and barcode scanning" is strong because it points to a specific team.
Why it works
  1. 01

    A quick thank-you and apology makes them more willing to help.

  2. 02

    Asking for just a name keeps the favour small.

  3. 03

    Letting them choose whether you mention them removes any awkwardness about the referral.

When to use it

Use it whenever someone replies to say it isn't their area. If they've already given you a name, skip the question and just thank them.

Avoid this

Don't ask them to forward your email or make the introduction for you. That's a bigger favour than most people will do for a stranger.

Send nextMutual connectionOpen template →
FAQ

Questions
about this email.

Only if they say it's fine. A referral helps, but using someone's name without asking can put them in an awkward spot.

Find the likely owner on LinkedIn or the company site and write to them directly, without mentioning the first person.

A fresh, short first touch suited to their role. Mention who pointed you their way only if you have permission.

More templates
for the same moment.

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When a prospect agrees to a call: confirm quickly, offer two specific times plus a booking link, and say what you'll cover.

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Reply to “Not interested”

When a prospect says no: thank them, confirm you'll stop, and leave a good impression. No pushback.

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Reply to “How much does it cost?”

When a prospect asks about price: give an honest range straight away, explain what it depends on, and offer an exact number.

Open template →
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