Within the skilled world, conversations incessantly contain follow-up emails. You may must revisit a gathering’s matter, remind a colleague a few venture you’re engaged on, or attain out to a potential shopper by partaking with them a number of instances.
What’s a follow-up e mail?
A follow-up e mail is an e mail despatched to maintain the recipient engaged. You may write a follow-up e mail in nearly any situation the place you must convey a dialog again to the recipient’s consideration. Listed here are a number of examples:
- Following up a few job after an interview
- Following up about an software you submitted
- Following up a few request or query you requested
- Checking in on a venture’s standing
Usually, a follow-up e mail needs to be direct, concise, and use a skilled tone.
Comply with-up emails may also be despatched to reengage an individual after a cellphone name, message, or in-person dialog. It’s not unusual to ship a follow-up e mail after a spoken dialog to doc its matters in writing.
What’s the function of a follow-up e mail?
Typically, emails slip by way of the cracks and go unanswered. In different circumstances, you must proceed a verbal dialog over e mail. In each situations, a well-written, assured follow-up e mail retains the topic high of thoughts.
Comply with-up emails serve quite a lot of functions, together with these:
- Rising conversion charges
- Participating with prospects
- Scheduling calls and conferences
- Managing initiatives
Comply with-up e mail format
Topic line
An e mail’s topic line is the temporary line of textual content a recipient sees of their inbox earlier than they open the e-mail. That’s why it must be concise and catchy.
Opening
An e mail’s opening is its first part. It has two parts:
- The greeting
- The primary paragraph
An e mail’s greeting is the half that addresses the recipient. Pair their title with a salutation:
- Good day [Name]
- Expensive [Name]
- Hello [Name]
Typically, beginning an e mail with simply a person’s title is taken into account informal or, in some cases, impolite. While you’re unsure of the salutation to make use of, your greatest guess is to stay with “Expensive” or “Good day.”
Subsequent is a brief introductory paragraph, which could possibly be a sentence or two. Rapidly remind the recipient of the subject at hand and hold them sufficient to learn the textual content that follows.
Physique
That is the place you present extra details about your follow-up. For instance, you may remind a prospect why your provide is a superb deal or rapidly recap the assembly you’re following up about.
CTA
The decision to motion (CTA) is the a part of your follow-up e mail that tells the recipient what to do subsequent. Listed here are examples of calls to motion:
- Name me again
- Let me know in the event you’re
- Schedule a gathering
- Affirm a job was accomplished
Closing
Your e mail’s closing is the half that reiterates why you adopted up and consists of your CTA.
Make sure to additionally embody your title and any contact info the recipient may want, akin to your cellphone quantity.
Writing a follow-up e mail: 6 suggestions and methods
1
Decide the target (have a transparent intent)
A follow-up e mail’s job is to elicit a response. Earlier than you write your e mail, decide what you need that response to be. Listed here are some examples:
- Scheduling a name or assembly
- Shopping for a services or products
- Answering a query
With an goal in thoughts, it’s simpler so that you can write a follow-up e mail that clearly communicates what you want.
2
Write an attention-grabbing topic line
Whereas they shouldn’t be clickbait, topic strains must seize recipients’ consideration and drive them to click on. Folks get plenty of emails each day, so your topic line must shout loud sufficient to keep away from getting misplaced within the noise.
Typically, hold topic strains to sixty characters or fewer.
3
Present context within the opening line
In a follow-up e mail, the opening line ought to rapidly inform the recipient why you’re following up. Keep in mind, individuals get plenty of emails each day, so your recipient may use a reminder.
4
Add worth to the message—what’s in it for them?
Your follow-up e mail ought to provide a purpose the recipient ought to reply to you. For instance, in a follow-up with a potential gross sales lead, you may point out a limited-time provide they’ll miss in the event that they don’t purchase inside a sure timeframe.
5
End with a name to motion
The decision to motion needs to be clear and direct. Keep away from hedging language and pointless particulars or choices. For instance, as an alternative of “be at liberty to name or e mail me whenever you get an opportunity,” write “please name me at your earliest comfort.” With clear, direct language, it’s unlikely the recipient will misunderstand your message.
6
Proofread earlier than you hit ship
When you’re completed writing your follow-up e mail, learn it fastidiously to verify it doesn’t comprise any errors, akin to misspelled phrases or unclear phrase decisions.
Comply with-up e mail examples
Expensive Johan,
It was nice talking with you final Thursday. I’d prefer to comply with up on our dialogue about you presenting to my Econ 200 class subsequent month.
Please let me know in the event you’re nonetheless obtainable to talk. I’m free to speak extra any day this week between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Greatest,
Marissa
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Comply with-up e mail FAQs
What’s a follow-up e mail?
A follow-up e mail is an e mail despatched to reengage somebody after a earlier dialog.
What’s the function of a follow-up e mail?
The aim of a follow-up e mail is to convey a topic again to the recipient’s consideration. This could possibly be persevering with a dialog you started beforehand, reminding them a few query or request, or asking for his or her response to one thing you’ve beforehand submitted, akin to an software or interview.
How do I get a response to a follow-up e mail?
Listed here are two methods to extend the probability of getting a response to your follow-up e mail:
- Make your request clear
- Inform the recipient why it’s of their greatest curiosity to reply