How to Stop "Quick Question" Emails (Without Sounding Rude)

What are "Quick Question" Emails?

"Quick question" emails are cold outreach messages that use phrases like "quick question" or "just one thing" to create false urgency and bypass email filters. These emails are typically AI-generated sales pitches disguised as casual inquiries, designed to get you to open and respond. Learning how to stop quick question emails helps protect your inbox from these common cold outreach tactics.

"Quick question" emails are one of the most common cold outreach tactics. Sales teams use phrases like "quick question" or "just one thing" to create false urgency and bypass your email filters. Here's how to stop them without missing important messages.

Why this pattern works

The "quick question" pattern works because it exploits psychological triggers that make you more likely to open and respond:

Psychological Triggers

1. Low Commitment

The phrase "quick question" implies a small, easy-to-answer request:

• Feels like it won't take much time
• Seems like a simple favor, not a sales pitch
• Creates impression of minimal effort required
• Makes you think "I can answer this quickly"

Reality: These emails are rarely quick. They're usually the first step in a longer sales sequence designed to get you on a call or demo.

2. False Urgency

The word "quick" creates artificial urgency:

• Suggests the question is time-sensitive
• Implies it won't take long to answer
• Creates FOMO (fear of missing out) if you don't respond
• Makes you think you need to respond immediately

Reality: There's no real urgency. The sender can wait, but they want you to respond quickly before you think about it.

3. Social Pressure

Questions feel more personal and require a response:

• Social norms suggest you should answer questions
• Feels rude to ignore a direct question
• Creates obligation to respond
• More personal than generic sales emails

Reality: It's not a real question - it's a sales tactic designed to get you to engage.

4. High Open Rates

These subject lines consistently outperform generic sales emails:

• "Quick question" has 2-3x higher open rates than "Product Demo"
• People are curious about what the question is
• Lower barrier to entry than formal sales emails
• Feels less threatening than direct sales pitches

Reality: High open rates don't mean high conversion. Most people open, realize it's sales, and delete.

Why Sales Teams Use This Pattern

Sales teams use "quick question" emails because they work:

For the sender:

• Higher open rates than generic sales emails
• Lower barrier to engagement
• Feels less pushy than direct sales
• Can bypass some email filters
• Creates opportunity for follow-up

For the recipient:

• Wastes time reading sales pitches
• Creates false expectations
• Feels manipulative when you realize it's sales
• Clutters inbox with unwanted emails
• Makes it harder to find real questions

The Problem with This Pattern

The "quick question" pattern is problematic because:

1. It's deceptive: Pretends to be a simple question when it's actually a sales pitch
2. It wastes time: Makes you read through a sales email thinking it's a quick question
3. It's manipulative: Uses psychological triggers to get you to engage
4. It's common: So many people use it that it's become a red flag
5. It's ineffective: Most people recognize it and delete immediately

The problem? These emails are rarely quick. They're usually the first step in a longer sales sequence designed to get you on a call or demo. Even if you respond, you'll likely get follow-up emails, calendar invites, and more sales pitches.

Detection cues

Here are the most common "quick question" patterns to watch for:

Subject line patterns:

• "Quick question"
• "Just one thing"
• "One quick question"
• "Quick favor"
• "Quick question about [your company]"
• "Just a quick one"

Email body patterns:

• Opens with "I know you're busy, but..."
• Mentions they "won't take much of your time"
• Asks a vague question that requires a call to answer
• Includes a calendar link in the first email
• No previous relationship or context

Sender patterns:

• From a domain you don't recognize
• Generic email address (e.g., john@company.com instead of john.smith@company.com)
• No previous email history
• Sent during off-hours (evenings, weekends)

Routing strategy

The best approach is to route "quick question" emails to a label or folder, not delete them. This way you can review them later if needed, but they won't clutter your inbox. Here are detailed strategies for routing these emails:

Gmail Filter Setup (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Create a Label

1. Go to Gmail Settings -> Labels
2. Click "Create new label"
3. Name it "Cold Outreach" or "Quick Questions" or "Sales Emails"
4. Click "Create"

Step 2: Create the Filter

1. Go to Gmail Settings -> Filters and Blocked Addresses
2. Click "Create a new filter"
3. In the "Has the words" field, enter:

   "quick question" OR "just one thing" OR "one quick question" OR "quick favor" OR "just a quick one" OR "quick question about"
   

4. Click "Create filter"

Step 3: Set Filter Actions

1. Check "Skip the Inbox (Archive it)" - This removes emails from inbox
2. Check "Apply the label" - Select your "Cold Outreach" label
3. (Optional) Check "Mark as read" - If you want them marked as read
4. Click "Create filter"

Step 4: Add Allowlist Exceptions (CRITICAL)

This is the most important step. Without exceptions, you might filter important emails:

1. Edit your newly created filter
2. Click "Add more search criteria"
3. In "Doesn't have", enter your allowlist:

   from:@yourcompany.com OR from:@client.com OR from:important@contact.com
   

4. Replace with your actual domains and email addresses
5. Save the filter

Why allowlist exceptions matter:

• Colleagues might send legitimate "quick question" emails
• Clients might use this phrase in legitimate inquiries
• Important contacts shouldn't be filtered regardless of subject line
• Prevents false positives that could cause you to miss important messages

Advanced Filter Combinations

For better accuracy, combine "quick question" patterns with other criteria:

Combo 1: Subject Line + Unknown Sender

• Subject contains: "quick question" OR "just one thing"
• From: \[Not in your contacts\]
• Doesn't have: \[Your allowlist\]
• Action: Apply label "Cold Outreach", Skip inbox

Combo 2: Body Text + No Previous Contact

• Has the words: "quick question" OR "just one thing"
• Doesn't have: \[Your allowlist\]
• From: \[Senders you've never emailed before\]
• Action: Apply label "Cold Outreach", Skip inbox

Combo 3: Multiple Patterns + Calendar Link

• Has the words: "quick question" OR "just one thing"
• Has the words: "calendly" OR "cal.com" OR "book a call"
• Doesn't have: \[Your allowlist\]
• Action: Apply label "Cold Outreach", Skip inbox

Email Ferret Approach

Email Ferret automatically detects "quick question" patterns and routes them intelligently:

How it works:

1. Content analysis: Detects "quick question" patterns in subject and body
2. Context understanding: Understands when it's legitimate vs. sales
3. Sender analysis: Checks if sender is known contact or cold outreach
4. Smart routing: Routes to label while protecting allowlist
5. Automatic adaptation: Learns from new patterns automatically

Benefits:

• More accurate than keyword-only filters
• Understands context (legitimate questions vs. sales pitches)
• Automatically protects your allowlist
• Adapts to new tactics without manual updates
• Provides transparency with score breakdowns

Setup:

1. Install Email Ferret Chrome extension
2. Connect your Gmail account
3. Configure your allowlist (important contacts)
4. Enable auto-labeling for cold outreach
5. Review filtered emails for first week to ensure accuracy

Email Ferret automatically detects "quick question" patterns and routes them to a label, while ensuring emails from your allowlist always reach your inbox. This gives you the best of both worlds: clean inbox, no missed messages.

Comparison: Gmail Filters vs. Email Ferret

| Feature | Gmail Filters | Email Ferret | |---------|---------------|--------------| | Detection | Keyword matching only | AI content analysis | | Accuracy | Moderate (many false positives) | High (fewer false positives) | | Context | No (matches keywords only) | Yes (understands intent) | | Maintenance | Manual (update filters yourself) | Automatic (adapts automatically) | | Allowlist | Manual setup required | Built-in automatic protection | | Setup | Medium complexity | Low complexity (automatic) |

Best approach: Use both. Gmail filters for obvious patterns, Email Ferret for sophisticated detection.

Response templates

If you do need to respond to a "quick question" email, here are some templates:

Polite decline:

Hi \[Name\],

Thanks for reaching out. I'm not interested in \[product/service\] at this time, but I appreciate you thinking of me.

Best,
\[Your name\]

Request for more information:

Hi \[Name\],

I get a lot of "quick question" emails. Could you be more specific about what you're asking? If it's a sales inquiry, I'd prefer to know upfront.

Thanks,
\[Your name\]

Redirect to a better channel:

Hi \[Name\],

I prefer to handle inquiries through \[website form/email address\]. Could you send your question there?

Thanks,
\[Your name\]

FAQs

What is a "quick question" email?

A "quick question" email is a common cold outreach tactic where senders use phrases like "quick question" or "just one thing" to create false urgency and bypass your normal email filtering. These emails are often AI-generated sales pitches disguised as casual inquiries.

Why do salespeople use "quick question" subject lines?

Salespeople use "quick question" subject lines because they have high open rates. The phrase implies urgency and low commitment, making recipients more likely to open the email. However, these emails are rarely quick and usually lead to sales pitches.

How can I filter "quick question" emails in Gmail?

You can filter "quick question" emails in Gmail by creating filters that match common phrases like "quick question", "just one thing", "quick favor", or "one quick question". However, be careful to add exceptions for emails from your allowlist to avoid missing important messages.

Will filtering "quick question" emails make me miss important messages?

Not if you set up your filters correctly. Use an allowlist to ensure emails from important contacts (colleagues, clients, partners) always reach your inbox, regardless of subject line. Email Ferret can help you automatically route these emails while protecting your VIP contacts.