What do you do when you don’t receive an answer to your leave request email? How do you gather information and feedback after a meeting? How can you get a response to your inquiry? What can you do when you need an update for a project? The follow-up email is the answer to all the above questions.
A polite email that reminds people you are waiting for a response, approval, or information is the easiest way to get through and continue your activity. And here is everything you need to know about writing a follow-up email for any situation.
A follow-up email should have a good structure that helps the reader understand who you are and why you wrote them. Furthermore, it needs to be to the point and include a clear call to action to guarantee a response. The main sections of a follow-up email are the subject line, greeting, email body, closing, and signing off.
Find below the key steps and our recommendations for anyone writing follow-up emails:
Each section needs to be concise, clear, and specific. Give all the information the recipient needs to identify the matter and come up with a response. If they don’t understand your message, your email will end up at the bottom of their email pile. Another aspect that it is important to consider is timing: Is better to send a follow-up email 2 weeks after your initial message, versus 6 months after. Refer to the original message and include all the data and documents you sent the first time.
How to write clear and concisely:
Mention the reason for writing and the fact that this is a follow-up in the subject line. People are more likely to answer you when they realize you’ve been waiting for a response for a long time.
Good examples of subject lines for follow-up emails are:
Related: Need more inspiration with subject lines? We do have more email subject line examples to share.
The greeting section is the same as in the first email. It depends on how well you know the recipient, the nature of your relationship, and the purpose of the message.
Here are some examples of gretings for your follow-up emails:
Discover additional email salutations.
The body section of the follow-up email starts with an opening sentence referring to the previous email and letting the recipient know this is a reminder, check-in, or follow-up.
Within the context part you need to summarize the last email, provide insights and relevant documents, and reiterate the purpose of your message.
The conclusion section is the place for making a statement and a call to action. You can add additional contact methods (e.g., phone number), propose a meeting, or just ask for a response.
Tips: As best practice we do recommend just one call for action, and to include the original message from your recipient for easy reference.
Sign off in the same manner as in the first email, using formal or informal language as appropriate in each case.
Email sign-off examples include:
Tip: If you are looking for alternative words on how to end your email, check out our guide with 10 examples.
Find below an infographic with the key elements that a professional follow-up email must have.
Don’t worry. You don’t need to write every follow-up email from scratch. You can use follow-up email templates for each situation and tailor them to your purpose. Here are the most frequent follow-up emails you will need.
A polite and generic follow-up email fits many situations and opens many doors. Be genuine, kind, and warm, and people will react to your message in the best way.
Subject line: Following up on the [matter]
Dear [Recipient Name],
I hope you are doing well.
As I didn’t receive an answer to my email on [matter], I’m writing you again to remind you of my inquiry. I resume here all the necessary information.
I know you are very busy this time of the year, but I need an answer by [date]. Please answer my request as soon as possible. I appreciate your help.
Best wishes,
[Sender name and signature]
You often need a follow-up email to remind the recipient of a previous email. Again, summarize the previous email and clarify why you need a response and why you need it.
Subject line: Follow up to my previous email on [matter]
Dear Sir/Madame,
I am following up on my previous email sent on [date]. I didn’t receive an answer, and it’s very important to me to receive one by [date] because [reason]. Please let me know if you need more data or details on the matter.
Can you please review my email and give me a response as soon as possible? Thank you in advance for your time and cooperation.
Best regards,
[Sender name and signature]
When you write a follow-up to a colleague or friend, the tone is gentler and more friendly. Maybe you don’t have a strict deadline and just want to catch up on a joint project.
Subject line: I would really like to hear from you
Dear [Recipient Name],
I’ve been waiting for your reply for some time, and I’m getting worried. Are you OK? It would be nice to catch up.
Please let me know if you are free for a call or meeting.
Yours,
[Sender name]
If your company doesn’t provide specialized HR software that automatically takes care of annual leave of absence requests, you must rely on emails for communication, especially in remote circumstances. However, a manager may overlook your email and fail to send their approval promptly. A follow-up email at the right time ensures you can plan everything smoothly and stress-free.
Subject line: Following up on my annual leave of absence request
Dear Mr./Mrs [Recipient Name],
I sent you an annual leave of absence request on [date]. Until now, I didn’t receive any response. As the date is not so far away, I would appreciate getting your approval as soon as possible so that I can arrange for someone to cover for me during my absence.
Let me know if you have any questions about my request.
All the best,
[Sender name]
__
Tip: If you want to request annual leave, we have some templates you can use. Alternatively, you can use annual leave management software.
Not all follow-up emails are based on a previous unanswered email. Sometimes you just need updates or information on a matter previously discussed or of common interest.
Subject line: Update on [matter]
Dear [Recipient Name],
I hope you are well. I didn’t hear from you in a while, so I’m following up on our previous discussions to find out how things are going with [common matter]. I would appreciate any details you can give me as the topic is highly important.
Please let me know if you think we can arrange a meeting or a call. I’m at the office until [time]. I’m eager to receive your feedback.
Best wishes,
[Sender name]
Sending a follow-up email after a meeting reinforces the relationships between attendees and speeds up the process. You may inquire about future steps, send a call to action, or provide and ask for feedback.
Subject line: Next steps after meeting on the [matter]
Hello [Recipient Name],
I’m writing this message to follow up on the meeting we [date/day] had on the [matter]. What are the next steps? It seems obvious to do [action] for me, but I need your input.
Let me know what you think.
All the best,
[Sender name]
__
Tip: If you want to organize professional meetings at work, we have some agenda examples you can use for every occasion. Additionally, if you're a notetaker, we have some tips on how to be more effective with your meeting notes.
You don’t always need to set up a meeting each time you need an update on a project. Sometimes, a simple follow-up email is all you need to find the project’s status.
Subject line: Following up on project [matter]
Hello [Recipient Name],
I hope you are doing well. I’m writing to check on the status of [project]. Our team reached the [milestone] and is ready for the next step. What happens on your side? Do you have any questions or issues? Let me know at what stage you are and if you need me to supply more materials or manpower.
Thank you, and keep up the excellent work!
All the best,
[Sender name]
A professional sends such an email after a sales meeting or presentation to keep a potential customer engaged. The focus of the email should be to reiterate the key points discussed, provide additional information, and call to action.
Subject: Following Up on Our Conversation
Dear [Client's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to follow up on our meeting last week regarding [product/service]. As discussed, I believe our [product/service] can provide significant value to your [business/project/team].
Attached, please find additional information on [specific feature or benefit]. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification.
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best,
[Your Name]
Send this email after a networking event to establish and maintain professional relationships. We recommend reminding the recipient of your meeting, expressing your interest in maintaining contact and suggesting a next step.
Subject: Great Meeting You at [Event]
Dear [Contact's Name],
It was a pleasure meeting you at the [event] last [date]. I enjoyed our conversation about [specific topic].
I believe there are several ways we could support each other professionally. Perhaps we could arrange a time to meet for coffee or a call to discuss this further?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
[Your Name]
Suppose you send a message with an invoice; however, you didn’t get any answer yet. In this case, you will send a follow-up email as a polite reminder for the pending invoice. When writing this email, be polite and professional, provide invoice details, and request payment.
Subject: Payment Reminder for Invoice #[Invoice Number]
Dear [Client's Name],
I hope you're well. I'm writing to remind you that according to our records, payment for Invoice #[Invoice Number], due on [due date], has not been received.
Please find the invoice attached for your reference. Kindly let us know the payment status at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Best,
[Your Name]
We recommend sending such an email when your previous request hasn't been addressed. The key tips are to remain respectful and professional, remind the recipient about your request, and ask for an update.
Subject: Following Up on [Your Request]
Dear [Recipient's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I'm writing to follow up on my previous email regarding [your request]. I understand you're busy, but I'd appreciate any updates when you have a moment.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Best,
[Your Name]
__
Info: We do provide samples and templates of how you can write a request email professionally.
Send this email after a job interview to show your continued interest in working for the company. Thank the interviewer for their time, express interest in the role, and ask about the next steps.
Subject: Following Up on [Job Title] Application
Dear [Interviewer's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to thank you again for the opportunity to interview for the [Job Title] position. I enjoyed our discussion and remain very interested in contributing to [Company Name].
Could you kindly provide an update on the next steps in the selection process?
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best,
[Your Name]
__
Tip: We do have some additional examples of sending a thank you email after interviews.
A follow-up email is an electronic message sent after a previous action, such as sending a request or inquiry, attending a meeting, or debating on a project. The key aim of a follow-up email is to establish a better connection with the recipient, improve communication, ask for information, remind the receiver about a certain subject, and clarify unsolved issues.
The best follow-up email format includes a clear subject line, a friendly greeting, a concise body, a call to action closing, and a signature. It has just two or three paragraphs, is straightforward, and is easy to read.
Follow-up emails bring a previous matter to attention and reinforce the relationship between sender and receiver. Sometimes, in the absence of a follow-up email, the issue may be forgotten, resulting in conflicts, penalties, or long-term drawbacks. A follow-up email keeps things in motion and active.
Choose the right time for sending the follow-up email. If you send it too soon, the recipient may feel overwhelmed or unprepared to provide an answer. If you wait too much, the recipient may forget about the matter, and the answer may come too late.
Use appropriate language (avoiding metaphors and flowery expressions), keep the message short, and make sure you include a direct call to action that can’t be misinterpreted.
You can send a helpful follow-up email by following these principles:
Conclusion
If your company relies on emails for HR and other internal processes, chances are some of them will get lost. Therefore, knowing how to write a follow-up email and when to send it to be efficient is a skill any employee needs. Use templates to start but personalize your messages and create human connections. Over time, you’ll get used to it. Furthermore, people will get to know you and build warm work relationships and a trustful work environment.
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