# CRISPR Brief — Consented Follow-Up Skeleton
## Draft: use only after observing engagement. Do not send without a signal.

---

## When to use this template

Use this when a warm biotech contact (VC scout, associate, or research coordinator) has:
- Opened the CRISPR Brief Issue Zero email, OR
- Clicked through to the one-pager, OR
- Replied to the warm intro

AND has not yet subscribed.

This is **NOT for cold re-engagement.** Do not send this to contacts who have not opened or clicked.

---

## Consent mechanism

The consent signal is **observed engagement:**
- Email open tracked via email client (if available)
- Link click tracked via click tracker (if available)  
- Direct reply from the contact

If none of these signals are available, do not send this template. Instead, wait for the contact to reply or re-engage organically.

---

### Follow-Up Email

```
Subject: CRISPR Brief — Issue Zero still available

Hi [Name],

Following up on CRISPR Brief — Issue Zero is still live if you want 
to read it before deciding.

Fair warning: I won't follow up again after this. The brief goes out 
every other Thursday, and early subscribers lock the $10/mo rate for life.

Issue Zero (free, no account needed):
https://store-v2-khaki.vercel.app/crispr-brief-issue-zero.html

Happy to answer any questions if you have them.
```

---

## When NOT to send this follow-up

| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Contact replied "not interested" | Do not send — respect the no |
| Contact said "send it later" | Wait — they asked you to follow up |
| 10+ days since initial send | Check if new issue published; reference new issue instead |
| No open/click observed | Do not send — not a re-engagement for cold leads |
| Contact is a cold prospect | Do not use this template — use warm intro instead |

---

## Timing

- **Send 5–7 days after the initial warm intro** (not same day)
- **Only if engagement signal is present** (opened/clicked/replied)
- **Do not send if a new issue has published** — reference the new issue instead of this template

---

## Personalization checklist (do this before every send)

- [ ] Engagement signal confirmed: opened email, clicked link, or received reply
- [ ] Trigger line replaced with context from the engagement (e.g., "Following up on CRISPR Brief — you opened Issue Zero last week")
- [ ] [Name] replaced with recipient's first name
- [ ] Check whether a new CRISPR Brief issue has published since the initial send — if so, use new issue reference instead
- [ ] Issue Zero URL confirmed live: `curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" https://store-v2-khaki.vercel.app/crispr-brief-issue-zero.html` → returns HTTP 200 ✅ (use the issue-zero URL for this follow-up; vc-scout.html is a separate outreach landing page for cold LinkedIn DMs, not the follow-up target)
- [ ] Owner sends from their own email (not E. Voss pseudonym) — reduces impersonation concern

---

## What NOT to say in the follow-up

| Don't say | Why |
|---|---|
| "Just checking in" | No value, no signal, sounds like a sales nudge |
| "Did you see my last email?" | Accusatory if they didn't open |
| "Last chance" or "Offer ends" | False urgency destroys trust with B2B buyers |
| Full pitch again | They already read Issue Zero if they're at this stage |
| "I won't email again" then continue emailing | Broken promise destroys credibility |

---

## Funnel this template closes

```
Warm contact receives warm intro
  → Opens Issue Zero / clicks one-pager (engagement signal)
  → Does not subscribe
  → Owner waits 5–7 days
  → Owner sends follow-up skeleton (engagement-contingent)
  → Contact reads Issue Zero again OR decides to subscribe
  → Subscribes at $10/mo (early-bird, locked for life)
  → First-dollar conversion from re-engaged warm contact
```

**The follow-up skeleton is the last mile of the warm-channel funnel.** Without it, engaged non-converters are permanently lost. With it, they get one timely, respectful nudge before the owner closes the loop.