Do Your Team Members Need an Update? Here’s How to Write One!

Hi Leona,

Could you give me an update on the annual conference?

Dear Leona,

I haven’t heard anything about the annual conference since January 23rd. Do you have any updates?

What’s going on, Leona?

I need an update on the annual conference so that I can prepare my presentation. Do you have any info?

Poor Leona is probably feeling a bit frazzled at this point! The big annual conference is coming up and her team members keep emailing and texting her for updates.

If it’s your job to keep colleagues, customers, or higher-ups informed about an ongoing situation, you might feel overwhelmed at times. But it really doesn’t have to be that way. Follow the four steps below to prepare a status update without stressing!

1. Establish the topic

The first step is to simply explain what subject is being referred to. No matter who you’re emailing, they are probably also getting emails from other people regarding a variety of issues. They might even be getting multiple emails from you regarding a variety of issues.

Therefore, after the email greeting, start with a sentence or two that introduces your topic. Here’s an example that might work for Leona:

I have some news to share with you about our annual conference in March.

2. Move on to the specifics

Once you make a statement about your topic, it is time to provide the exact details regarding the update. Give everyone all the new information you have gathered since your last conversation.

Over 30 participants have already RSVP’d, but about a dozen more still need to confirm. Also, we have made arrangements with XYZ Catering to provide lunch.

3. Describe the next step

Now that everyone is up to speed, they need to know what’s going to happen next and what actions they need to take.

After the total number of attendees is verified, we can start setting things up at the venue. We especially need team members who can install the screens and audio equipment.

4. Ask your recipients for input

To ensure that everything is in order, it’s not a bad idea to check if anything is missing or unclear. This is also a good time to ask if anybody has any questions or comments. A fresh perspective can do wonders!

Let me know if anything is unclear or if you have any questions or comments.

By putting steps 1-4 together, we get an email like this…

Hello Team,

I have some news to share with you about our annual conference in March. Over 30 participants have already RSVP’d, but about a dozen more still need to confirm. Also, we have made arrangements with XYZ Catering to provide lunch.

After the total number of attendees is verified, we can start setting things up at the venue. We especially need team members who can install the screens and audio equipment.

Let me know if anything is unclear or if you have any questions or comments.

Regards,

Leona

“What if I don’t have much—or any—information to share?”

Sometimes you can’t give other people an update because you are waiting for an update yourself! You can still use the four steps outlined above to respond to people’s queries. You just need to make a few modifications:

• Step One is basically the same—you establish the topic.
• For Step Two, explain the reason why you don’t have much information to share at this time.
• For Step Three, describe any actions that your recipients will need to take as soon as you have the information they need.
• Step Four is the same—you ask for input. It’s also a good idea to give a timeline as to when you should be able to provide more information.

Here’s an email that Leona might send to her team members if she cannot provide a detailed update at that moment:

Hello Team,

I have received your requests for updates on the annual conference in March. We just sent out the invitations this morning, so we haven’t yet received any RSVPs. I am also waiting to hear back from XYZ Catering to see if they can provide lunch.

Once we have a better grasp on the number of attendees, we can start planning to set things up at the venue. We will especially need team members who can install the screens and audio equipment.

Let me know if anything is unclear or if you have any questions or comments. I will try to have all the information you need by the end of this week. Thank you for your patience!

Regards,

Leona

Naturally, you will want your update to be well-written and free of errors. That’s where TextRanch comes in! Our editors can look over your email, correct any mistakes, and ensure that the writing is top notch. Just click the blue box below to get started!