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We all write emails at different stages in our lives. There are those people who write emails to close deals, while others write emails when making applications. One clear thing is that whatever email you write must be perfect.
Only by a perfect email will you be able to get feedback from your recipient. Well, when you write an email, there are always two possibilities in terms of outcomes. Either your email will be responded to, or in some cases, you will not get feedback.
In most cases, when people fail to get feedback, they tend to think that that is the end. There are those who think that failure to get a response means that their emails have been declined. However, that is not always the case; there is a chance a response will be on its way.
Time Taken To Respond To Your Email
There is no exact time that people should take before writing back a response email. There are those who write back a response immediately, while others take time to respond. Some different people respond immediately, while others take time to respond.
For this reason, it is very important that we learn how to write a follow-up email. This will help you write back to your recipient to enhance the chances of getting feedback. In fact, it is proven that people respond better to follow-up emails than to other emails.
This is why you need to learn how to write a follow-up email right away. Do not be afraid to write one for fear of bothering your recipient. There is nothing wrong with this; in fact, people do it quite often.
You need to draft the follow-up email correctly. Because of this, we have taken the time to help you learn how to write one.
We are certain that the information below will help you as you learn how to write a follow-up email. It is organized into steps and will help you draft the best follow-up email.
Step 1- Drafting The Follow-Up Email
So, you just met this guy, talked about a business deal, and even wrote him an email. However, contrary to your expectations, you have yet to get feedback, and time is moving. At this time, you are getting worried and wondering whether your email was read or not.
Well, this is the perfect opportunity for you to write a follow-up email. Although follow-up emails have been proven to work, how you write them makes a big difference. It is how you write the follow-up email that will determine whether you will get a response.
How Do You Write A Follow-Up Email?
Step 1: Offer Gratitude And Provide Context
Start your follow-up email by thanking the recipient for their time or correspondence earlier. This conveys respect and establishes a good mood. Next, give them some background so they can remember your previous conversation.
Mention the date of your most recent email, the primary subject matter, and any pertinent information. For instance, “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me last Tuesday to discuss our potential partnership.”
Step 2: Restate Your Objective
Restate the goal of your follow-up in plain English. This makes it more likely that the person you are contacting will comprehend your motivation. Highlight the most important points or requests from your first email in a summary.
For example, “I wanted to make sure we are in agreement on the next steps and follow up on our discussion about the marketing strategy.” Your opinions on the suggested schedule would be much appreciated.”
Step 3: Add A Call To Action
Put a clear call to action at the end of your email. Indicate what action you want the receiver to take next, such as setting up a follow-up meeting, sending more details, or verifying that the email was received.
Be clear and straightforward to cut down on misunderstandings.
For instance, “Could you please confirm your availability for a meeting next week to finalize the project details?” A concise call to action facilitates the recipient’s response and aids in the accomplishment of your follow-up goals.
Step 2: Providing Context
An identifier is essential in your follow-up email to help the receiver remember you, especially given the number of emails individuals receive daily. Begin by referring to your prior email and any pertinent talks or meetings.
Mention, for example, the date of your most recent conversation and the primary subject you covered. If a considerable duration has elapsed since your original email correspondence, this is very crucial.
Giving the receiver precise context makes it easier for them to remember your prior communication and see how relevant your follow-up is. For example, you can write, “I hope this message finds you well. I am contacting you in reference to the email I sent on Monday about our future marketing campaign.”
Step 3: Stating Your Purpose Clearly
After going through the other steps of writing a follow-up email, it’s time we moved ahead. At this time, we need you to state the purpose of writing the follow-up email. You need to make sure you do this properly to capture the recipient’s attention.
When it comes to writing a follow-up email, you need to be straightforward. Just state your intentions as you need them without appearing to sound vague. Many people appear to be confused when writing their follow-up emails.
You need to avoid this at all times in the follow-up email. Try to be as clear as possible to avoid causing unnecessary confusion. There are so many ways to do this.
For instance, if you are writing to organize a meeting, you need to bring it out well and direct. For instance, you can use a phrase like I wanted us to meet for a drink while we discussed something. This way, your recipient will be able to understand you without any confusion.
With the best clarity and high level of specificity, your contacts will feel confident and not waste time. They will be able to easily understand why you are seeking their attention and its importance. This will certainly help you to get the response you need in the manner in which you need it.
Step 4: Crafting An Eye-Catching Subject Line
There is a need for you to write a strong and eye-catching email if you need to get a response. You need to work through the content of the email itself before writing the subject line of the email. This is the only way you can use it to write a strong, eye-catching subject line.
The subject line you write will compel the recipient to open the email. For this reason, the subject line has to perfectly describe what is in your email. There are some tips for writing subject lines.
For instance, you need to try to use concrete numbers and times as well. It is proven that emails that contain the word quick in the subject line are always opened faster. If you need your email to be opened this way, then this is one trick you can use.
The other trick you can use is creating a sense of urgency, like using the words tomorrow. Emails with tomorrow in the subject line have a high likelihood of getting opened. If you are looking for a trick that will help you to have your email open, then this is it.
Lastly, you can try to omit the subject line. Yes, much as it might sound funny, this is also true and something you need to try. It is also proven that emails without a subject line were opened more than those with one.
Step 5: Timing Your Follow Up-Email
After writing the follow-up email, you see that you have everything perfectly in place. The only thing that remains is for you to send the follow-up email that you have drafted. So, at what time exactly do you send it? It is important you know that when you send it, it also matters a lot.
Depending on your situation, it is always best to send your email at the right time. By this, we mean sending your email at a time when you stand the highest chance of getting a response. The schedule of the recipient and the relevance of your email are important factors.
We cannot go further into this because every email case is unique on its own. However, what is important to note here is that you should submit the follow-up email after some time. For instance, you need to make sure that your previous email is read.
If you are certain that the email you sent upfront is read and not responded to, you can follow it up. If the email is very urgent then two days from the time of writing will be perfect for you.
Conclusion
Knowing how to write a follow-up email is by no means easy. However, with the steps above, we are certain you will be able to come up with a perfect follow-up email.
These tips will help you significantly when writing a follow-up email. Implementing this strategy well will take your marketing efforts to the next level. Start using these tips now, and you will have no regrets.
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