Follow-up Emails: How to Be Professional, Not Pushy

Emilio felt optimistic when first sent his email. He had recently attended a medical technology conference, where he shared a demo of his company’s AI-powered radiology software with Jeremy Park, the Chief Innovation Officer at a large hospital network in California. The demo went well. Jeremy said he was interested in the software’s potential to help doctors detect anomalies, and he told Emilio to email him with more details.

But two weeks after he sent the requested email, Emilio still hasn’t heard back from Jeremy.

Emilio re-read his original message. It was polite and included the details (including pricing) that Jeremy had asked for. Was Jeremy no longer interested in the radiology software? Did the email somehow end up in Jeremy’s spam folder? Should Emilio send a follow-up email or give Jeremy more time to respond? Emilio didn’t want to come off as impatient or desperate, yet he also didn’t want his company to miss out on a major opportunity.

If you’re in a situation like Emilio’s, the answer to the question about whether you should send a follow-up email is almost always “yes”. But writing a good follow-up email can be tricky. A message that’s too aggressive can make you seem unprofessional, while one that’s too vague might be ignored.

So let’s take a closer look at how to write follow-up emails that are professional, polite, and effective without being pushy. We’ll also look at when using ChatGPT and other AI writing tools can help with this task and when you should seek help from a real human.

Why Should You Send a Follow-Up Email?

People are busy. Inboxes get clogged, and even important business communications can slip through the cracks. Sending a follow-up email isn’t nagging. Rather, it’s part of good email etiquette.

A thoughtful follow-up email shows that you’re:

• Organized
• Proactive
• Respectful of the other person’s time
• Genuinely interested in continuing the conversation

Timing matters too. In most situations, the best time to send a follow-up is three to five business days after your original email. If you have a deadline or are dealing with a time-sensitive issue, it might be okay to send a follow-up email sooner, but don’t overdo it.

Emilio sent his original email to Jeremy two weeks ago. Has too much time passed for him to follow up? No, two weeks should be fine, but two months would probably be too long to wait in this situation. However, a two-month gap might be okay in other situations, especially if it fits the timetable the other person has given you (e.g., “I’ll get back to you on this proposal in six to eight weeks.”).

How Can You Make Sure Your Follow-Up Email Sounds Professional?

Here’s a simple structure that works well for almost any professional context. While it is most often used in business, you can also follow this format if you are writing a follow-up email to a professor, admissions officer, or someone else at an academic institution.

1. Choose a subject line that is specific.

If you want to stay out of your reader’s spam folder, be sure to choose a subject line that is specific to your message. “Follow-up on previous email” is too vague and might be flagged as spam. Instead, include a few words that will get your reader’s attention. In Emilio’s case, an effective subject line might be “Follow-up re: AI-powered radiology software from Company YYY”.

2. Remind the reader who you are and why you’re writing.

Once you have chosen a specific subject line, you can open your email by elaborating on the reason why you are writing to this person.

Here is an opening that would work for Emilio:

Hi Jeremy,

I was thinking about our recent conversation at XXX Conference about Company YYY’s new AI-powered radiology software, and I wanted to follow up on the email I sent you two weeks ago.

3. Be polite and understanding.

Don’t ask why the other person hasn’t already gotten back to you. Instead, just acknowledge that you realize the other person is busy.

I understand how busy you are…

4. End with a clear, polite call to action

Encourage the reader to take just one simple next step. It can be writing an email, or it can take the form of a phone call, a Zoom meeting, a text message, an in-person meeting, a casual cup of coffee, etc. Include details about your schedule, if it’s appropriate.

If you are still interested in the software, we could jump on a call or meet up for coffee next week. I am available on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and my schedule is also open most Friday mornings.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced professionals can make small email etiquette mistakes. Watch out for these:

• Sounding impatient: Don’t ask why the person hasn’t already responded or pressure them for a speedy response.
• Over-apologizing: Phrases like “I am so sorry to bother you again” will make you seem like you lack confidence.
• Following up too often: One or two polite reminders are enough. If the reader still doesn’t respond, then it’s time to move on.
• Including unnecessary filler: Keep it under four or five sentences, if possible.

Example: A Professional Follow-Up Email

Here is the finished version of Emilio’s follow-up email:

To: JeremyPark@xxx.com
From: EmilioFontana@yyy.com

Re: Follow-up re: AI-powered radiology software

Hi Jeremy,

I was thinking about our recent conversation at XXX Conference about Company YYY’s new AI-powered radiology software, and I wanted to follow up on the email I sent you two weeks ago.

I understand how busy you are, but if you are still interested in the software, we could jump on a call or meet up for coffee next week. I am available on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and my schedule is also open most Friday mornings.

Best regards,
Emilio Fontana
Sales Representative
Company YYY
Phone: (XXX) XXX-YYYY

Should You Use AI to Write Follow-Up Emails?

Many professionals now turn to AI writing tools to draft their business emails. These tools can be a great starting point, but AI-generated writing is usually too formal, robotic, or generic to be truly effective. An AI tool will probably give you a wordy follow-up email peppered with overused phrases like “I hope this message finds you well” and “I am reaching out to follow up regarding…”

AI tools often struggle to capture the right tone and context. For example, Emilio’s email to Jeremy is fine for an American “business casual” context. However, if he were writing to someone overseas, Emilio might need to adjust his email so it sounds more formal. An AI tool wouldn’t understand this distinction the way a human would.

If you do decide to use AI to help you write your follow-up email, think of it as a draft, not the final version. Always review it carefully before you hit “send”.

This is where TextRanch can help.

Whether you write your whole email yourself or start with AI, our human editors will make sure you sound natural, polite, and confident. In fact, TextRanch recently launched two new services designed especially to fix issues with AI-generated writing! Your finished email will sound like the best version of yourself, not like a robot.