I was wondering if… Ways to follow-up when your reader ignores you
Following up often ties to our job; but many of us cringe when needing to do so. Why? My clients say it ties to a fear that we’re a bother, or badgering, or over-demanding, too. And yet follow-up, when done well, helps us meet our goals, activate our strategy, and even stand out amidst many. (Many clients I’ve coached have won their jobs (in part) simply by following up.)
But how to follow up in ways which signal the opposite to our fears? Meaning: helpful, considerate, and clear on what we want and need without being over demanding, meek, or desparate? Consider these tips.
Use active verbs vs weak ones
Some of the more popular follow-up terms include weak verbs at a time when we must sound confident. A few examples, and I’m italicizing the weak verb:
- I was wondering if you received my email last week…
- It would be nice to hear from you…
- I am writing to follow up with…
Some counters to replace the weak verb? Did my email from last week make the cut? I’d love your response. Following up on…
Avoid assuming they’ve read the email (they might not have done)
Startling data on email among executives cured me of assuming they’ve read my text or message. McKinsey and Company tracks the average US professional spends 28% of their day responding to or reading emails. LinkedIn tracks CEOS receiving 500–1,000 emails daily. (Yikes.) This insight has helped me as a journalist and as an entrepreneur on how I even think about myself when following up. My Sage Sayers podcast episode on why cold calling nor outreach don’t bother me lives here. The sheer volume of emails many of us wade through also helps drive strategy on ensuring our email gets read, which we get to next.
Bottom line what you need and want
As we follow-up, put the request for the information or action in 1–3 sentences. Some examples:
- Hoping you’ll say ‘yes’ to me presenting on behalf of the team in next week’s marketing meeting. I have the insights and the rest of the team’s approval. May I have yours?
- Seeking your insights by EOD into what part of my performance ought I include in this quarter’s PERF. I outlined what stands out to me. What say you?
- Awaiting your vital feedback on yesterday’s pitch so we know what remaining work remains. Two sentences suffice!
You’ll notice with these examples I’ve incorporated some core journalistic elements reporters use in their introductory paragraphs: Who, what, where, when, why, and how.
Tell us what you need, why, by when, and in what format. Also, use the subject line strategically, which we get to next.
Tweet your message via the subject line
Data tells us that most readers ignore a request via email if the subject line does not indicate a request exists within. Why? Because as we skim through our emails via our phones, we’re often distracted. If the ask comes up (with the deadline) within the subject line, our eye cues our brain to know: this one feels timely or urgent. Must respond.
Use your subject line strategically. Consider it a Tweet of your message. From the above examples, let’s try a few:
- How did yesterday’s pitch go? [Please alert us today, 10/21]
- Request to lead next week’s marketing all-hands
- What to put in my PERF review… please inform by EOD (10/21)
Greet your audience, acknowledge their schedule, and offer a time stamp
Final handful of tips on emails tie to courtesy and tone. Often my clients report not greeting their audiences. By adding in a greeting (especially when communicating down the chain) they see an uptick in responses. The greeting can become personalized. For instance, if your reader’s in Florida, ask after their wellness post hurricane. E.G. Dear Sandra, Hoping you and yours stay well in the wake of last week’s Hurricane Ivan.
Note their schedules. E.G. I realize you’ve X, Y, and Z ahead this week. What chance exists, if any, to offer the insights we seek on A so B can occur. (Remind them the why for your request.) Scroll down for more details.
Tell them how long you think the task might take so they don’t assume something laborious. Riffing on the example above. E.G. Ballpark, I don’t anticipate this task will take more than 10 minutes. Or, we don’t need more than five sentences; and if you prefer, a voice text can cut it.
Remind them why they’re expert
Final tip for today and then I’ll leave you alone. Without flattering or buddying up, reminding the reader briefly why they can help can motivate and show respect, too. For instance, if you request insights from your manager on what to put in your PERF, remind them briefly you trust them and that above everyone, they know you best. For feedback on the pitch, remind them they helped you so much and they know the client better than any of us. You seek their insight because you know you can learn from it.
Following up can feel like a chore at times and awaiting the response can drive us silly. But seizing the opportunity as one that can teach us new things and bring new ways of experimenting with our language — and our strategy — can yield surprisingly good results.
Debbi Gardiner McCullough has reinvented three times across three continents and three industries, most recently leaving academia after 19 years of service to train to become a coach. From Wisconsin, she owns and runs Hanging Rock Coaching and serves as a communications coach to leaders all over the globe with BetterUp and Sales Rocket Fuel.