The Art of the Follow Up Email

There are two types of people in this world… the 30,000 email inbox people and the people who try to get to inbox 0. And both of them work in the world of entrepreneurship.

Emails, and just following up, is both an art and science. You do not want to be a nag but you also need to remind because if you are like me, your target audience may just need a nudge to remember.

That was the question I got the other week, and wanted to dissect in today’s newsletter.

You sent the email, you waited. Now with nervousness, you are probably thinking now what?

I’ve been there—staring at my  inbox, wondering if our carefully crafted message disappeared into the ether or we are being ghosted. But, here's the truth: people are busy, and often times, drowning in emails. Your message probably got buried under 400 other things competing for their attention.

But, there’s both an art and a science to the follow up, so let’s break down my top tips to turn those crickets into clicks. 

#1. Be Kind, Remind

People are busy, you are busy, and there is a good chance someone is reading your email on their phone, in the car, or somewhere inconvenient.

There is absolutely nothing rude about sending a reminder email. In fact, I'm the person who needs at least one reminder to respond to anything. (Thank you to the founders who nudge me!)

Here's my recommended cadence, after you send the initial email.

• Day 3: Send a gentle nudge, about 3 business days after the initial email.

• Day 7: Send another reminder, maybe just to circle back

• Day 10-11: Final follow-up.

After three reminders with no response, then it may be time to move on.

#2. Make Their Lives Easy

Want to know what kills a potential conversation? Making someone work to respond to you.

I see this constantly: someone wants to schedule a meeting, but there's no booking link. No clear next step. Just vague "let's connect sometime" energy that requires five more emails to actually coordinate. (Please don’t be that person…)

Think of ways to make it easier for you, them, and your inbox:

• Add a strong email signature with your LinkedIn, website, and booking link

• Make your call-to-action crystal clear and clickable (I love clickable things)

• Include your Calendly link, purchase link, or whatever action you want them to take

Take out the friction and back and worth to keep the momentum of the conversation. 

#3. Keep Track to Keep in Touch

Here's something that took me months into entrepreneurship to learn: you need a system.

You don't need a fancy CRM (though you can use one if you want). Even a simple spreadsheet or Airtable works. The point is to track:

• Who you've reached out to and when

• What you pitched them on

• When to send follow-ups

• Their response status

This system becomes incredibly powerful when you can go back months later and re-engage someone who ghosted you—but this time with a relevant case study or new offering that might resonate.

#4. Follow Up with Value

This is the "please don't be annoying" rule.

Let's say you pitched a speaking opportunity and got the dreaded "not right now, maybe next year" response. (Hey, they got back to you which is a good thing, and now just log it in your tracker!)

But, now when you circle back to that event, conference, or investor, bring something genuinely valuable to share: a case study, promo video,  a testimonial, exciting news, etc. 

Example: In my previous EdTech business, whenever we signed a museum partnership, I'd personally email similar museums and say: "We just completed this work for [this museum]. Here's what they said about it and our case study. We thought this might be valuable for your audience."

That's not a random, ChatGPT generated follow-up.  You are showing thoughtfulness by bringing relevant, tangible value that keeps you top of mind.

#5. Realize It Takes Time

Every industry has its own unofficial timeline for deals, partnerships, and decisions. If you're not accounting for this, you're setting yourself up for frustration.

Getting an email back from a regulated body, or sectors like medicine or education, will take time. But once you get into the swing of things, you can truly master the art of the follow up.

Let me know your tips or any startup questions you have with the link below!

If this has been useful to you or if you have feedback to improve, please drop me a quick line. Or share with a friend!