How To Write a Follow-Up Email: 6 Examples for Ecommerce

A follow-up email increases your chances of getting a response. Learn how to write professional emails after interviews, networking events, and abandoned carts.

Follow-up emails are a major tool in customer outreach; in fact, sending just one follow-up email can increase the chance of getting a response by 49%. That’s a massive opportunity to bring a previously dead interaction back to life.

Whether you’re an online store sending abandoned cart notifications or a B2B company sending reminder messages to potential partners, crafting the perfect follow-up can make or break your chances at getting exciting projects off the ground. Read on to learn how to write a follow-up email for any situation.

What is a follow-up email?

A follow-up email is any message used to continue or recap a previous message or recent interaction and remind the recipient that you have a genuine interest in them. Follow-up emails have different calls to action (CTAs) depending on the scenario. Some may request a direct response, while others offer more information, correct a technical error, remind the recipient of a connection, or encourage a purchase.

There are several ways to integrate follow-up emails into your business operations. A follow-up email template can help you generate emails quickly while staying consistent in tone. You can tailor your email templates with personalized greetings or auto-fill fields that insert dates, job titles, or company names. You can also use cold email software as part of your marketing strategy to send follow-up emails automatically—for instance, after a discovery call or initial conversation.

Types of follow-up emails

You can send follow-up emails in a variety of situations, including:

• After a meeting. Write an email to thank the other person for meeting you, recap next steps, and send over additional information or resources.

• After attending a social or networking event. If you’ve attended a networking event like a product launch, company celebration, conference, or summit, you can write to thank your host and suggest ways of continuing your collaboration. You can also follow-up with contacts you’ve met at the event in much the same way. Networking follow-up emails can solidify your connections and expand your professional contact list.

• After hosting an event or meeting. On the flip side, hosts may write follow-up emails after a meeting or event to summarize key points, request feedback, or answer further questions.

• As part of a marketing campaign. Use compelling follow-up emails as part of your email marketing strategy. If the desired outcome is to encourage new customers to try a new product line, you can follow up with discounts or more information about the products they were browsing.

• To address an abandoned cart. You can use automatic follow-up emails to remind your potential customers that they have items waiting for them to purchase, and offer discounts, free shipping, or other enticements.

• After an interview. Write a follow-up email to a hiring manager after a job interview to express gratitude, highlight your expertise, or mention something you may have forgotten.

How to write a follow-up email

Learning how to write a follow-up email can eventually lead to higher open, click, and response rates. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Keep it brief. Email follow-ups are meant to be polite reminders and check-ins—so don’t be too wordy. Reignite a previous conversation or remind contacts about an initial message and quickly wrap it up.

• Have a clear subject line. Rather than rely on the same subject line as your previous message, opt for a strong subject line that sets a positive tone and quickly establishes the need for action or attention. Use concise subject lines that reference the last interaction, or consider an eye-catching subject line if you’re not getting responses.

• Be professional. You don’t want to come off frustrated, impatient, or rude to your contacts. Maintain professionalism with a tone that strikes the right balance between friendly and formal.

• Reference previous interactions. Rather than make your recipient re-read your initial message or dig into their calendar to remember your previous communication, briefly summarize the main points you need them to know. Reference specific details to help jog their memory, or offer to hop on a quick call if they need a refresher.

• Clarify action items. Often emails don’t get answered because it’s not clear what is being asked of the recipient. A follow-up email with a clear call-to-action can help get the answers you need.

• Include a sign-off. Even though it’s just a follow-up email, follow general email best practices and include a sign off such as “Best regards,” or “Look forward to hearing from you!” to be polite.

• Exercise restraint. If you’re following up after cold emailing or after an initial email, avoid sending too many follow-up messages, or you could overstay your welcome in their inbox. After the first follow up, a second follow up will likely be your last chance. Multiple follow-ups after that will likely do more harm than good.

6 email templates for common follow-up scenarios

1. After a meeting with a potential customer
2. Following up with someone you met at a networking event
3. After a job interview
4. A second email after a cold email
5. To remind a customer about an abandoned cart
6. As part of a marketing campaign

Here are some of the most common scenarios for follow-up emails, with templates that follow best practices. Tailor and personalize these templates to get the best response from your audience:

1. After a meeting with a potential customer

2. Following up with someone you met at a networking event

3. After a job interview

4. A second email after a cold email

5. To remind a customer about an abandoned cart

6. As part of a marketing campaign

How to write a follow-up email FAQ

How do you write a follow-up email after no response?

If you haven’t received a response from your previous interaction, it’s normal to reach out with one or two very concise and polite reminders to confirm receipt of the previous email and briefly summarize earlier messages. Maintain a professional and positive tone, acknowledge their busy schedule, clarify action items, and be patient.

How do I professionally say I’m following up?

To write a well-crafted follow-up email, use a concise and clear subject line, briefly mention that you are following up, reference important points from previous interactions, and have a clear call to action. Include a polite sign-off to leave a positive impression, and maintain a positive tone in keeping with your brand voice.

What is an example of a great follow-up email?

A great follow-up email will be concise and polite, and offer clear action items for the recipient. Here’s an example of a follow-up email after a job interview:

Hi [hiring manager],

It was a pleasure meeting to discuss my potential for the role of [job title]. After learning more about the role, I believe my experience with [skill 1] and [skill 2] will make me a good fit, and I’m excited to be part of a company that values [company value 1] and [company value 2].

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

[your name]