In this new digital world, email communications are a vital source of professional contact. A Radicati Group report shows that the email population in the world will exceed 4.3 billion users by 2023, sending and receiving approximately 126 emails per day on average. With email traffic at an all-time high, it’s important to make sure your follow-up emails will get read and opened on time. This article will tell you how to send the perfect follow-up email, including laying out your message, politeness, and best practices in order to get more response.
Understanding Why Follow-Up Emails Are Important.
Follow-up emails are used for several reasons, both personal and professional. They can help:
Expand on the Original Sentence or Request: A follow-up is an update on what was said or asked in the first place, and can come in handy for a reader who might have forgotten the topic.
Explain Misconceptions or Unresolved Issues: If your initial email has given rise to questions or confusion, a follow-up email could clarify them or include additional details that will foster clarity.
Build Relationships and Maintain Relations: Frequently sent letters tell the respondent that the recipient is valuing his or her time and care. Following-ups serve to establish trust and solidify interactions that attempt to present interest and concern in the interaction.
Be Consistent and Proactive: In either case, a second email must demonstrate your determination and your willingness to work for something-such as a goal or a project-so that you are viewed as a proactive individual.
Increase Your Probability of Getting A Response: Sometimes a courtesy reminder is enough to catch messages that often get lost in the whirlwind of a busy office-to get that response.
How to Write the Right Follow-Up Email
This is what you want to see in a properly formatted follow-up email:
1. Email Subject: Use a short, descriptive, compelling subject line that entices the email recipient to read it. Try to add an allusion to the original email or conversation and use action words or phrases that are ebullient or important.
2. Good Morning: Use the person’s first name, if you can, to build an intimate relationship. Keep the email in a friendly and professional voice.
3. Setting and referencing: Begin the email by reminding the sender of the original conversation or inquiry. Just briefly recite the main idea, and add any detail they might need to remember.
4. Value Proposition: Make it very clear why you’re following up and what value it adds to the person. Tell them why replying to your email will benefit them or solve a common issue.
5. Call-to-Action: Incentivize the person to perform some specific action, like responding to your email, setting up a meeting, or giving more information. Keep your responses as easy as possible by including links, phone numbers or suggested meeting times.
6. Signing off: Sign off the email using a professional and courteous “Best Regards” or “Sincerely.” Don’t forget to include your name, title, and phone number for quick access.
How to Write Effective Follow-Up Emails : Best Practices
For your follow-up emails to be effective, consider the following best practices:
Timing is Key
Getting those follow-up emails right in time is an important factor in your success. You’ll need to balance the amount of interest and commitment you have without coming across as aggressive or irruptive. The right time to send a follow-up email is between 3-7 business days after the initial contact. This window gives the recipient enough time to process your original message while still having you in their inbox.
Keep it Short and Sweet
We live in an age where time is money, and it’s very important to respect the time of the receiver by designing short, targeted emails. – keep your article under 150-200 words, and split the sentence into small paragraphs and bullet points to keep the text easy to scan. This not only honors the recipient’s time but also makes your email more likely to be opened and read in full.
Personalize Your Message
Perhaps the best way to keep the recipient’s attention is to focus your follow-up email on their needs, interests, or pain points. Call the person by name and send them any extra personal information they might want to know so that they can get to know you and see that you are interested in developing a relationship. Such personalization not only sets your email apart but builds rapport and trust.
Show Appreciation
Don’t take the message of thanksgiving for granted. A thank you will create a great relationship and make a lasting impression. Make sure to take a second to acknowledge the time and attention the recipient spent on you and thanks them for your consideration. This not only makes your email feel more human, but it also sets the recipient up for a good, respectful conversation.
Be Persistent, Not Pestering
When no one responds to your first follow-up, it makes sense to send a second email with a reasonable waiting time. However, don’t waste the recipient’s time by sending too many or frequent reminders. For the most part, 7-14 business days is all it takes to induce a response without being pushed or aggressive.
Proofread and Edit
Please proofread your follow-up email before sending it, making sure there is no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors. Use Grammarly or Hemingway to find any mistakes and polish up your communication. This last step makes sure your email is error-free and easy to read, which gives it a better chance of receiving a response.
Conclusion:
Email follow-ups are crucial in maintaining your professional relationships and securing the success of business ventures. Knowing why you should email follow-ups and applying best practices allows you to create compelling, effective emails that make your responses count and will get you what you want. Remember, be respectful, persistent, and patient, and always try to add value and make friends with your recipients.
