Have you ever sent an email and experienced the disappointment of not receiving a reply, and wondered if it was ever received, read, or just ignored? If so, you are not alone. It can be unpleasant to follow up with someone who has not replied to your initial email, but there could be a number of reasons why you didn’t get a response. Perhaps the recipient is busy, or they simply forgot to reply. A follow-up email can help however, writing a follow-up email can be difficult, especially if you don’t want to seem rude or clingy.
This article will be of great use to you in this case. We’ll show you how to create a follow-up email and provide you with some tips and examples that will help you write an effective follow-up email.
What is a follow-up email?
In simple words, a follow-up email is one that you send to a connection you’ve already communicated with and are waiting for a response from them.
There could be the following reasons for sending follow-up emails.
- Reminding or alerting the recipient of an important event or previous email
- Status of application regarding job or admission
- Requiring some important data
It is a way to politely request that recipients reply or take action on the email. Follow-up emails are used everywhere in a variety of contexts, such as in business, job applications, or personal communications, which require different types of follow-ups, such as the polite way to follow-up on emails, professional follow-ups, friendly follow-up emails, and cold email follow up.
The ultimate goal is to get a response and keep the communication on track, which started earlier.
How to write a follow-up email?
There are many different types of emails, each with its own unique purpose and structure. Following up emails for each type are written differently, with different tones. We are sharing some important tips on how to write a follow-up email after no response!
The email should have the following characteristics:
- It must be specified, which means that the email needs to be specifically targeted at just one issue or theme. Instead of including pointless details, be careful to make the email’s goal and intended purpose clear.
- It should be straightforward, which means the email should be concise and to the point. Don’t go into great detail or add extra information. This is due to the possibility that the recipient will be busy and unable to read a lengthy email.
- It should have context, which implies that the email should give sufficient background details to make the message understandable. Include any background knowledge or pertinent information that your recipient might need to fully comprehend the purpose of your email.
- It should be authentic, which means the email should be written in a sincere and genuine voice. The follow-up email should be written in a natural, conversational, and polite tone that may promote interaction with your recipients and increase the likelihood that they will accept your message pleasantly.
If you are wondering, how to start and professionally follow-up on an email, then you must see the outline below to write a polite email depending on the scenario and structure.
- To begin writing the follow-up email, start with a clear but catchy subject line so the recipient knows what the email is about.
- Start your email with a kind greeting to the recipient.
- If you are following up on a previous conversation, remind the receiver of what was discussed to add context to the email. Be detailed and repeat the topics covered in earlier conversations so the recipient can remember them. Additionally, if this is cold email follow-up (first time following up) , kindly request a response or acknowledgement to make sure the recipient received your previous email. To add value to email state the reasons of email. Moreover, make it simple for the recipient to understand what is expected of them by condensing the request into a straightforward ask or action.
- Make sure the email is brief.
- Close the email in a respectful and polite way.
- Maintain a pleasant and conversational tone throughout while writing a follow-up email, and concentrate on the most important details.
Now, that you are ready to write a follow up email, we are not done yet!
It’s time to get deeper with the email outline so there is no room for confusion and you can write clear, well-structured emails, and effective follow-up emails.
How to send a follow-up email properly
Now let’s walk you through the step-by-step process of how to write a perfect follow-up email that will help you elicit a favorable response and bring you closer to sealing the deal.
Be crystal clear about your intentions and what you wish to accomplish by sending follow-up emails before you start working on one.
This section will have two outcomes:
- How to professionally follow up on an email
- How to send a follow-up email properly
Lets start!
Determine the objective & goals for your follow-up email
Following up on an email is meaningless if you don’t have any objective, purpose, or clear idea. Even before following up by email, you should decide on your specific objectives and desired results. Of course, the main objective is to turn recipients into clients, customers, followers, students, employees, etc. The initial follow-up email, however, might not result in this.
Setting specific goals and objectives for your follow-up email will help you make sure it is focused and successful in attaining the desired result. Your goals and objectives for a follow-up email will depend on a variety of things, such as the purpose of the previous interaction and the recipient’s response or lack of it, any information or feedback that you need from the recipient, or to remind the recipient of something.
Furthermore, whatever your objective is, make sure to make it clear in your email, mention it, and be as specific as you can so the recipient knows what you’re trying to accomplish with this particular follow-up email.
Add an attention grabbing email subject line
Do you know that the subject line is the first thing that receivers see in any email, making it incredibly important?
Additionally, the subject line of the follow-up email is what determines whether either recipient will open it or not. Additionally, the subject of a follow-up email can determine whether or not a cold email is successful.
According to research, recipients delete 47% of all emails because the subject lines are not appealing. Depending on the subject line, 69% of email recipients classify emails as spam.
Key Point: If you don’t pay attention to the keywords and include spam-triggering words in your follow-up emails, they will end up in the spam folder.
Subject lines should read:
- Customized
- Concise
- Straightforward and interesting inquiries
- Catchy
Add Context
The majority of the time, it’s probable that email receivers won’t recall you. As a result, it is critical to remind them who you are through hints from previous communication as well as intimate connections that will provide context to help them recognize you.
You should provide a specific and clear context for your body text in a follow-up email. This will make it easier for the receiver to figure out your email’s goal and the purpose of your request or offer.
Key Point: Practice responding to your emails as soon as you can to build trust and motivate recipients to open up to you more
Strengthen Your Value
Your follow-up email needs to have value and a point if you want it to be effective. The receiver will very certainly dismiss your email if it lacks context. Customer endorsements, blog entries, social proof, e-books, guides, case studies, attractive offers/discounts, or free trials are examples of ways to give value. You must be sure that the value you are offering is relevant to the subject of the follow-up email. Additionally, expressing a view or asking a question can make a good first impression and advance a professional relationship. In order to encourage responses, you must consider including systems of incentives. Moreover, always state the purpose of the follow-up email in clear words.
Add a Call-To-Action in your email
Your follow-up email needs to be actionable after you’ve clarified your purpose, context, and value. A follow-up email would not be considered appropriate if it had a strong subject line but no clear call to action, as you would not be instructing the recipient on what to do.
Follow these tips for a strong call to action:
- Create urgency
- Use various illustrations.
- Build trust
- Be certain of next actions.
- Be precise and simple.
Close your Email
For both cold email follow-up and regular follow-up emails, you should be polite while closing your email. Other than expecting the response from the recipients, educate them about your goals and what will you do if you don’t hear back.
Follow-up email templates
Let’s walk you through some follow-up email examples on how to create a polite follow-up email, a follow-up email after no response, a friendly follow-up email, a follow-up email for a job application after no response, a cold email follow-up, and many more. Moreover, we have created templates for you to make everything easy for you. Let’s see each of the templates one by one:
A polite follow-up email for a request
The purpose of this email is to follow up on a previous request. The purpose of the email is to remind the recipient of the request and to kindly check on its status. The email is written in a respectful and thankful tone that admits the fact that the recipient has other priorities to attend to.
Subject line: Reuse the [Original subject line]
Hi [name]
I wanted to follow up on a recent request I made regarding [nature of request] on May 15, in case you forgot and it got lost in your email because it’s been a while I haven’t heard from you. I wanted to check the status of my request, and if there is anything else you need from me to speed up the procedure, please let me know. I appreciate your interest in this issue and would be thankful for whatever support you can give.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Follow up sales email after no response
The email should be sent in a polite yet professional tone. It should be respectful of the recipient’s time and interests while also conveying trust in the product or service. Key Tip: It’s important that you keep from being excessively pushy or aggressive because doing so could come across as unprofessional and might lose potential customers too.
Subject: Let’s continue our chat: Increase Your ROI with Our Proven Strategy
Hi [Name],
I sent you an email recently about how you can boost your ROI and it could be a great fit for your company [name]. I wanted to follow up on my previous email about boosting your ROI.
We’ve had great success with our ROI strategy, which helped our client [Insert Name] achieve a 25% increase in their yearly ROI. Our team is confident that we can achieve similar results for your business.
If you’re interested in learning more about our strategy, let’s schedule a meeting to discuss how we can help you achieve your financial objectives. Please reply to this email, and we’ll find a time that works for you.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Cold email follow up
Cold email follow-up depends on the context and the purpose to send follow-ups such as, after the meetup, in case of any help, triggering any event, after multiple follow-ups, etc: Let’s get through each of them:
- Follow-up after a meeting or event:
Subject: Following up on our meeting at [Event/Date]
Dear [Name],
Upon our meeting at [Event/Date], I wanted to follow up and express my gratitude for your time. I was glad to get the chance to talk to you about [subject], and I thought our conversation was quite informative.
I would like to continue our discussion and look into fresh opportunities to collaborate or assist each other’s initiatives. If you are interested in setting up another meeting or phone call to talk more, just let me know.
Once more, I appreciate your consideration and time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
- Follow-up in case of any help:
Subject: Offering assistance
Dear [Name],
I hope you are well and reading my email. I wanted to check in and offer my help if you need it for [a particular task or project].
I am aware that you are working on [project/initiative] based on our previous communication, and I think that my expertise in [certain skill or industry] would be useful to you. If there is anything I can do to support you or your team, do not hesitate to get in touch.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
- Follow-up to trigger an event:
Subject: Final reminder: [Event Name/Date]
Dear [Name],
I wanted to send a final reminder about the upcoming [Event Name/Date] and encourage you to register if you haven’t already.
As a reminder, the event will feature [list of speakers/topics], and it will be a great opportunity to network with other professionals in [specific industry/field]. Feel free to reach out to me in case of any issues or assistance.
I look forward to seeing you at the event.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
- Follow-up after multiple attempts:
Subject: Same as the [Orignal one]
Dear [Name],
I have been trying to reach you for the past few weeks regarding [Reason for follow-up], but I have not received a response. I realize you may be busy, but I wanted to check in to see if there is anything I can do to help. Please select one of the following so we can better understand your needs and experiences:
1: I would appreciate the chance to discuss this with you more if you are interested but do not have time to respond.
2: You believe that [Follow-Up Context] is not the appropriate moment for a response.
3: The [Follow-up Context] is not at all interesting to you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Follow-up email after no response
Use this sample for following up with someone after no response.
Subject line: Same as the [Original subject line]
Hi [Name],
We have not heard from you in a while, so we were wondering whether you are still interested in [add context]. Please let us know your availability if you are interested so that we can have a brief conversation.
We value your privacy and will not trouble you if you are not interested.
Thank you!
Best Regards,
[Name]
[Company Name]
Follow-up emails for job applications after no response
Sending a follow-up email after no response have two perspectives: either from the applicant who applied for the job or from HR to the applicant. In general, the follow-up emails for job applications after no response are written in a polite yet professional way. We have covered both scenarios.
Applicant’s Perspective:
Subject: Follow-up on Job Application
Dear HR,
I recently applied for the [position] role at [company name], and I wanted to follow up to check on the status of my application.
I’m still very interested in the role and would appreciate any updates you can provide. If there is any additional information you need to support my candidacy, please let me know.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Employer’s Perspective:
Subject: Follow-up on Your Job Application for the post of [Post name]
Dear [Candidate’s Name],
Thank you for your interest in the [position] role at [company name]. We appreciate your application and the time you took to apply.
While we continue to review applications, we will let you know as soon as we have any new information. Please be aware that it can take some time for us to thoroughly review each application due to the large number we receive.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need additional information. We appreciate your patience and interest in our company.
Best regards,
[Company Name]
Inquiry follow-up email template
The follow-up email for the query should be formal and polite, and it should be clear that you are willing to have a discussion with the person if they are interested. This follow-up email can be written in two perspectives either from the perspective of the user who initiated the inquiry or from the perspective of the company or organization that received the inquiry. We are sharing follow-up email samples from both perspectives.
User’s Prespective:
Subject: Follow-Up on My Inquiry
Dear [Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to follow up on my recent inquiry regarding [nature of inquiry].
I wanted to know if you had any updates or feedback regarding the matter. I am eager to assist you in any way I can, and I would appreciate the opportunity to further discuss your needs.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am available to speak by phone or email at your convenience.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Company’s Prespective:
Subject: Follow-Up on Your Inquiry
Dear [Name],
I hope this email finds you well. We wanted to follow up on your recent inquiry to [Company Name] regarding [inquiry].
We appreciate your interest in our company and would like to assist you in any way we can. If you have any questions or feedback regarding your inquiry, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are available to speak by phone or email at your convenience.
Thank you for considering [Company Name]. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Company Name]
Invoice follow-up email template
The most unpleasant one is invoice follow-up, since it can be awkward for both client and company sides to follow up after an invoice has been delivered to a client.The invoice follow-up email should be in respectful, direct, and friendly tone.To automate invoice follow-up emails, consider using invoicing software.
Subject: A reminder on an invoice [invoice-number]
Hi [Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to follow up on the invoice I sent on [Invoice Date] for [Amount], with the invoice number [Invoice Number].
As per our agreement, the payment was due on [Due Date], and I have not received any payment. Could you kindly provide me with an update on the payment status?
A soft reminder: Payment is due on [Due Date]. Also, I’ve re-attached the invoice in case it got lost in your inbox.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
Marketing collaboration follow-up email template
The email should be warm and professional in tone, showing an interest to collaborate and commitment to accomplishing common objectives. Along with contact details, the email should invite the recipient to get in touch if they have any queries or concerns.
Subject: Let’s Take Our Marketing to the Next Level
Dear [Collaborator’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. We wanted to follow up on our recent discussion regarding a potential marketing collaboration between our companies.
We are excited about the opportunity to work together to achieve our marketing goals, and we believe that our combined efforts can have a significant impact. We just wanted to check in and see if you had any further thoughts or ideas on how we can collaborate.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are available to speak by phone or email at your convenience.
We look forward to the possibility of working together and creating something truly special.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company Name]
Why is there a need for follow-up emails?
Customer support, technical support, HR, inquiries, and complaint departments are very important to keep users happy and loyal and grow your business or product. But sometimes these departments of companies fails to follow up with their clients due to a lack of resources during peak times, communication breakdowns, etc. Following up on emails is not difficult, but most of the time they are missed and considered a challenge that can cause more problems than you think.
It is recommended to send 2-3 follow-up emails, according to Yesware.
According to Invesp 44% of sales teams give up after only one follow-up call, while 48% don’t even follow up once.
But, why is following up so important?
As we stated above, to bring growth to your business, follow-up is highly important, and now people can even complain if you have poor follow-up.
But, that’s not all!
According to Superoffice, if you have a bad follow-up strategy, then 68% are leaving your company right away are you are not taking care of them
That’s right!
But why this happens? why email gets ignored?
As per the research, there are five basic reasons why clients don’t receive follow-up on emails and why emails are overlooked:
- If an email appears to be too time-consuming or difficult to handle, the recipient may ignore it.
- If the sender is unknown or not credible, the recipient may ignore the email.
- If an email has too many recipients, the recipient may feel less inclined to respond or act on it.
- If the recipient is too busy or the email is not relevant to their current priorities, they may ignore it.
- If the email is not urgent or doesn’t require an immediate response, the recipient may prioritize other emails or tasks over it.
Therefore, to avoid your loyal clients and employees leaving you, you must follow up.
When to send a follow-up email?
Before learning how to write a follow-up email, let’s discuss when is the best time to send a follow-up email.
Experts recommend waiting 3–5 days before sending the initial follow-up email. There should be a significant gap between each follow-up, so you don’t look pushy or impatient. However, sending follow-ups is also dependent on the urgency and context of the email. For example, if you are writing a follow-up email to remind someone of an event or meeting, then sending a polite follow-up email is acceptable.
But, if you are writing a follow-up email to someone you don’t know, a 3 to 5-day wait period is a must to leave a professional and mature impression on the recipient. The difference between first follow-up email and second follow up email after no response can depend on the situation and the urgency of the matter.
Moreover, waiting for the other recipient to follow up can take a long time, and both of you might forget important details, which can make it difficult to continue the conversation.
According to Crawlbase, the best time to send marketing emails is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on alternative weekdays, as this time has the highest possibility of getting a response from the recipients.
Conclusion
We’ve learned that only one email is not enough!
To enhance customer service and leave a lasting impression on clients, it’s essential to focus on your follow-up email strategy. Follow-up emails have the potential to attract new clients, establish strong business connections, etc. We’ve discussed 5 key elements that a well- structured follow-up email should include, and if you implement them, you’ll see improved responses and results that will directly impact your business or service.
Also, don’t forget to utilize the templates we’ve created for various domains and contexts. We hope this blog has provided you with a helpful guide on how to write a successful follow-up email.
FAQS
what to say in follow up email?
In a follow-up email, there should be five points that must be mentioned:
- Objectives and purpose of the email: The email should have a clear purpose and intention that explain the reason for the follow-up email and what you hope to achieve.
- Context: The email should provide some context for the reason for the email, such as a previous conversation or meeting, so the recipient can have a clear understanding of the follow-email.
- Value: The follow-up email needs to have value and a point if you want it to be effective and what value you can offer to the recipients.
- Reason for email: This should provide specific details about what you’re asking for, the purpose of the email, and why it’s important.
- Email closing: The follow-up email must end in a polite and professional way by thanking the recipient for their time and including your contact information for further communication, etc.
What is the best subject line for follow up email?
The success of the subject line of a follow-up email depends on a variety of factors, including the email’s type, context, and urgency level. However, it is important to make the subject line interesting and creative so that the recipient feels compelled to open the email and respond. A well-written subject line can improve the likelihood that the email will be read and responded shortly.
