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.
Write clearlyEach 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. Again. Also, refer to the original message and include all the data and documents you sent the first time.
Subject must be easy to understandMention 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: “inquiry follow up for project”, “follow up on leave request email”, “follow up on meeting with the client,” and “follow up on the unpaid invoice.”
Be polite with the receiverThe 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. It may be a professional “Dear Sir/Madame,” a friendly “Hello Recipient Name,” or a generic “To all whom it may concern.”
Body shall contain the introduction, context, conclusionThe body section of the follow-up email starts with you referring to the previous email and letting the recipient know this is a reminder, check-in, or follow-up. Then, you need to summarize the last email, provide information and relevant documents, and reiterate the purpose of your message.
The closing 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.
End the follow-up mail professionallySign off in the same manner as in the first email, using formal or informal language as appropriate in each case.
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]
Tips: 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]
FAQs
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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