Use this whenever the next email is a follow-up. It produces a follow-up that adds something new, because "just checking in" gives the reader nothing to respond to.
Inputs
- The thread so far, or the meeting notes.
- Stage: cold (no reply yet), post-meeting, post-proposal, gone quiet mid-deal.
- How long it has been and any known deadlines.
The play
1. Diagnose
| Situation | Likely reason for silence | Follow-up type |
|---|---|---|
| Cold, no reply | Not relevant enough, or bad timing | New angle or value add |
| After a first meeting | Busy; next step was vague | Recap with a clear next step |
| After a demo or proposal | Internal discussion, competing priorities, objection not voiced | Decision nudge with an easy answer |
| Quiet for 3+ weeks mid-deal | Priority dropped or a blocker appeared | Honest re-engage, permission to close |
| After an event or call | Momentum fading | Deliver what was promised |
2. Add something
Every follow-up carries one new thing: an insight, a short customer story, an answer to a question they had, a resource, a relevant change. If there is nothing new, the follow-up should be a short, honest question instead.
3. Make replying easy
End with a question that can be answered in one line or one word. Multiple-choice questions work well mid-deal: "Is this (a) still a priority, (b) on hold until Q3, or (c) solved another way?"
4. Keep it short
Cold follow-ups: 25-70 words. Post-meeting recaps: as long as the next steps need, in bullets.
Examples
Post-meeting recap
Hi Tom, thanks for the time today. What I heard: close takes 9 days, approvals are the bottleneck, and you want options before the budget review on the 14th.
Next steps: I send the Contoso checklist today; you loop in Priya; we meet Thursday at 10 to review it together. Does that still work?
Gone quiet mid-deal
Hi Tom, it has been a few weeks since the proposal, so I suspect priorities have shifted. Is it (a) still on for this quarter, (b) paused until later, or (c) solved another way? Any answer helps me stop guessing.
What good looks like
- The reader learns something or gets something in every follow-up.
- Post-meeting emails go out the same day.
- The common mistake is "just bumping this", "circling back" or "did you get a chance to look", which signal you have nothing to add.
Rules
- MUST add one new piece of value or one clear, easy question.
- MUST reference the actual previous conversation accurately.
- NEVER guilt-trip ("I've tried to reach you several times").
- NEVER fake urgency or deadlines that do not exist.
Example prompts
- "They went quiet after the proposal two weeks ago. Write the follow-up."
- "Write a recap email after today's discovery call. Notes below."
- "Follow up on my cold email from last week with a new angle."