The saying goes that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” but being overly insistent can also backfire. Just like a noisy wheel might make you ditch the whole cart, the way you write your follow-up emails can make or break your chances of getting a response.

This post will guide you on crafting effective follow-up emails for various situations, providing adaptable templates and illustrative examples.

What’s Inside

• Crafting a Follow-up Email
• Template for Inquiry Follow-ups
• Template for Follow-up After Content Download
• Template for Follow-up After a Discovery Call
• Following Up on Quotes or Proposals
• Template for Invoice Follow-ups
• Template for Following Up on Requests
• Template for Networking Follow-up Emails
• Template for Interview Follow-up Emails
• Following Up When There’s No Response
• Useful Words and Phrases for Follow-up Emails

Crafting a Follow-up Email

Different situations call for different approaches to follow-up emails. While some tips are universally applicable, others might not be. Remember to adhere to general email copywriting principles, particularly brevity.

Specificity is Key

When following up after interviews, introductions, or meetings, personalize your email by referencing something specific the recipient mentioned, ideally something they seemed passionate about. This can help them recall the interaction while demonstrating your attentiveness.

Be Authentic

While follow-up emails can seem formulaic, strive for genuineness. Avoid generic, impersonal language. Instead, genuinely reflect on the specific item you want to highlight to refresh their memory. Maintain a conversational tone whenever possible, making it easier to read and encouraging a similar tone in their response.

Include the Original Message

When following up on a previous email, don’t make the recipient search for it. Instead, reply all to the original email, removing yourself from the recipient list. This ensures they have all the context without needing to dig through their inbox. If the initial email included an attachment, re-attach it for their convenience.

One Clear Ask

While providing context is important, don’t make them reread the entire original email. Summarize the main request succinctly, for example: “Just following up on my previous email regarding the data request. Would you be able to provide that information for April 25-May 31?” Even if your original email contained multiple requests, focusing on a smaller, specific ask might increase your chances of getting a response.

Template for Inquiry Follow-ups

Use this template when someone has reached out to your business, such as through a website inquiry form. If they provided a phone number, consider calling and leaving a voicemail before sending this email.

Example

Here’s an example of an inquiry follow-up email based on the template above:

Template for Follow-up After Content Download

Contact forms are just one lead generation tool; content downloads are another effective method. Ideally, you’ll have a sequence of lead magnets to guide prospects through your funnel, such as:

• A related blog post or another ebook
• An invitation to an event
• A case study
• A free trial or consultation These emails can be part of a drip campaign sent at predetermined intervals or a nurture series tailored to the prospect’s previous actions. Here’s a general template you can customize:

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Example

Here’s an example of a content download follow-up email based on the template:

Template for Follow-up After a Discovery Call

Use this template after an introductory or discovery call with a potential customer.

Example

Here’s an example of a discovery call follow-up email based on the template:

Discovery Call Follow-up with Action Items

This template is similar to the previous one but includes specific action items.

Following Up on Quotes or Proposals

If you haven’t heard back on a quote or business proposal, use this template. Depending on your business model and the follow-up attempt, you might offer a demo, share a case study, or provide a relevant resource.

Example

Here’s an example of this template in action:

Alternatively, you could briefly recap the quote or end with a question:

Template for Invoice Follow-ups

Sending invoice reminders is never enjoyable, but sometimes it’s necessary, especially in B2B scenarios involving finance departments. Here’s a straightforward way to follow up on an unpaid invoice:

Example

Here’s an example of an invoice follow-up email using the template:

Template for Following Up on Requests

This template is useful for following up on any request you’ve made, whether it’s asking a website with high domain authority for a backlink or requesting information from a colleague.

Example

Here’s a request follow-up email example based on the template:

Template for Networking Follow-up Emails

Cultivating relationships within your industry is crucial for business growth. Use this template to solidify a connection you made with someone. For more options, check out our collection of networking email templates.

Example

Here’s an example of a networking follow-up email using the template:

Networking Follow-up to Continue the Conversation

Use this template if you’ve met someone you’d like to build a relationship with or have coffee with.

Template for Interview Follow-up Emails

This is a delicate type of follow-up email that requires a more formal tone. Not robotic, but professional. Here’s a template you can adapt:

Example

Here’s an example of an interview follow-up email using the template:

Following Up When There’s No Response

When following up after no response, avoid open-ended questions. If the person hasn’t replied, they might be busy or not interested enough.

This template provides an easy way for the recipient to respond:

Example

Here’s an example of a follow-up email after no response, based on the first template:

Useful Words and Phrases for Follow-up Emails

To wrap up, here are some words and phrases you can use in your follow-up emails. Note that some terms are more appropriate for B2B communication.

• I thought I’d
• I wanted to
• I’m emailing to
• I’m reaching back out to
• Circle back
• Drop you a line
• Send over a friendly reminder
• Resurface
• Bring this email to the top of your inbox
• Check in
• Touch base
• Put on your radar
• Circle back
• Remind
• Revisit
• Bump this to the top of your inbox
• Gently remind Looking for more free email templates? >> Explore 30 Free Email Examples & Templates for Small Businesses