If you’re running outbound campaigns in the APAC region, your focus isn’t just activity, it’s results. The key question:
👉 “What’s a good response rate in APAC in 2025?”
While benchmarks vary by market, channel, and industry, here are data-backed indicators to guide your strategy.
1. What “response rate” really means
In outbound outreach, response rate refers to the percentage of recipients who reply, regardless of sentiment (positive, neutral, negative).
Don’t mistake this for meeting rate or conversion rat, they measure different outcomes.
2. APAC outbound benchmarks for 2025
- Email outreach typically yields
- 5–10% response rates (across industries)
- Engagement (opens + clicks) in APAC reaches 22.4%, with a ~3% CTR
- LinkedIn response rates commonly range from
- 10–25% when personalized and sequenced appropriately
- WhatsApp and similar local channels can outperform others in markets like Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines (based on qualitative reports)
3. Key factors driving response rate
If your campaigns are underperforming:
Audience targeting: Are you engaging the right people?
Personalization: Is your message relevant and localized?
Value offer: Are you bringing immediate benefit or just asking for time?
Channel fit: Are you using the most effective regional platforms?
Timing: Are messages sent during local business hours
4. What counts as "good"
Not every campaign needs to hit the same benchmarks:
- Initial ICP testing: A 5% response rate may already signal interest.
- Warm or retargeted outreach: Aim for 10%+ replies.
- Enterprise-level sequences: May yield lower volume, but quality responses matter more.
A useful rule:
Five replies from ideal prospects are more valuable than fifty random snaps.
5. Quick tactics to boost response rate
To optimize your campaigns quickly, try:
- Shorten workflows: Keep outreach to just 2–3 lines
- Add local relevance: E.g. “Noticed your expansion in …”
- A/B test subject lines every couple of days
- Layer channels: Email → LinkedIn → WhatsApp
- Humanize it: Tone should feel natural, with a clear offer (e.g. “15-min demo with local case studies”)
6. A real-world case: European fintech in APAC
One European fintech used an outsourced SDR motion in Singapore and combined email with LinkedIn outreach:
- Email achieved a 4.8% response rate
- LinkedIn saw 18.7% replies
- Led to 14 qualified meetings within 30 days, all before any hires were made
This insight allowed focus on Malaysia and Hong Kong next, without premature resource commitments.
7. The bottom line
In 2025 APAC outbound, a “good” response rate means:
- Messages are personalized and context-aware
- SDRs are combining AI tools with local intuition
- Cadences are being iterated every 7–10 days
You don’t need a local headcount to start, but you do need early engagement signals. And response rate is your primary benchmark.
Ready to see how your outreach stacks up against APAC standards?
Book a free consultation with our team, get insights based on 100+ tested campaigns across APAC.
👉 Contact sdr.sg to schedule your session.