Persist in contacts with an individual who remains unresponsive
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Published in HBR in 2021, this article offers effective strategies for following up with individuals who are not responding to your emails.
When following up, it's crucial to maintain a courteous and straightforward tone, as the message can easily be misinterpreted in an email. A positive tone may lead to a better response rate than a neutral message.
Persistence in follow-ups demonstrates urgency, earnestness, and the quality of the connection. However, it's essential to balance persistence with respect for the recipient's time and attention.
One effective approach is to send follow-ups as replies within the same email thread, keeping the conversation thread active and increasing visibility. This helps maintain the context of the original conversation, making it easier for the recipient to respond.
Timing your follow-ups appropriately is also crucial. A good period to reach out again after an initial request is a week, but it may be appropriate to follow up sooner depending on the nature of the request. Waiting at least 2-3 days before following up can help avoid seeming impatient, with the best initial follow-up time frame being 2-5 business days after the first email.
Personalizing each follow-up by referring to previous interactions can also increase engagement. Using a friendly, low-pressure approach, such as a "gentle nudge" email with subject lines like "Just checking in (no pressure)," and including helpful resources like case studies or checklists, can add value without expectation of an immediate reply.
Reconnecting through mutual contacts or trigger events (such as news about the person or their company) can create a natural reason for follow-up and boost the chance of response. Additionally, considering automated and triggered follow-up emails triggered by recipient actions (e.g., email opens or clicks) can help ensure your message appears when they are top of mind.
Giving an exit path in a request can make the recipient more amenable to respond. Breaking up lengthy questions into 2-3 questions can help get a better response. Realize when to follow up and when to move on based on the response or lack thereof.
By employing these strategies, you can balance persistence with respect for the recipient’s time and attention, increasing response rates without coming across as annoying or desperate.
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- In the realm of remote work, demonstrating persistence and maintaining a positive tone in follow-up emails can boost career opportunities, especially in finance and business, by showing urgency and the quality of the connection.
- For professional growth, personalizing follow-up emails with references to previous interactions and including valuable resources might pave the way for successful career advancement in finance, business, or any other sector.
