It's no secret that networking can be time-consuming and difficult. Organizing meetings, making phone calls, sending emails, and attending conferences — a lot goes into relationship-building, no matter your industry.

One of the most important parts of the networking process happens after your first interaction with the person or business you're communicating with ... when you send your follow-up email.

Free Download: 30 Follow-Up Email Templates

That's why we've created this guide — loaded with insider tips and templates, it's here to help you send effective post-networking follow-up emails.

The following email templates will help you show your recipients the value you provide and develop meaningful relationships with them.

Follow-Up Email Subject Lines

Before we look at the follow-up templates below, let's review the importance of including strong subject lines in your emails.

Your subject line is the first thing a recipient sees when they glance at their inbox — meaning, it needs to grab their attention and make them want to open your message.

follow-up email subject line tipsHubSpot spent time exploring subject lines that influence people to open emails. So, with that data collected in mind, we've compiled some popular follow-up email subject lines to use after your next networking event, meeting, or conference.

How to Send a Follow-Up Email After Networking

Now, let's look at how you can craft your follow-up email. Your message should include the following features, no matter the type of networking you took part in or which industry you're in.

Follow-Up Email Must-Haves

Your email should get the reader's attention and most importantly, remind them why you should be included in their professional network. If you've just come back from a networking event, everyone is going to be bombarded with the same, formulaic emails. Don't get lost in the sauce. Be pleasant, get to the point quickly, and demonstrate your value.

When writing your email, be sure to:

  • Write an attention-grabbing subject line.
  • Mention a conversation you had with your recipient while at the meeting, conference, networking event, etc. to provide context for your recipient — this will jog their memory so they can remember you.
  • Include details about the value that you provide — how can you help your recipient? Why is this relationship mutually beneficial?
  • Copyedit the follow-up email — several times — so your message is flawless. (You wouldn't want a recruiter at your dream company reading through an error-ridden message.)

Add a Personal Touch

Once you've succeeded in communicating your value and interest in a professional relationship, add a personal touch. Politeness and sincerity are key. Here are a few things you can add to your message:

  • Express your gratitude and thank your recipient for their time.
  • Ask to keep in touch, set up a face-to-face meeting, or schedule a phone call — be sure to provide at least two dates and times that you're available.
  • Sign your email to ensure the follow-up feels professional and personal. (You may also hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile here.)

When to Follow-Up After a Meeting

As for when to send your follow-up email, here's the general rule of thumb based on the type of networking:

Note: If you're a HubSpot user, you can automate your follow-up emails with Sequences to save time.

  • Within 24 hours: Interview, business meeting, deal, conference, interview, or special event.
  • Within 48 hours: Submission of application or another type of form.
  • Within 1-2 weeks: Follow-up after no response regarding a meeting request or the status of a job opportunity.
  • Every 3 months: Catch up with a member of your network to maintain your relationship with them.

Allow your email recipients to book follow-up meetings on your calendar with free appointment scheduling software.

How to Write a Thank You Email After Meeting

Express gratitude for their time.

Life gets busy. Between juggling work and family obligations, time is a precious commodity. As such, it's important to thank your recipient for taking time out of their day to meet with you. Even if you've already thanked them in person during your meeting, reiterating your gratitude is a kind gesture that shows that you appreciate their time.

Refresh their memory (of you).

If you're following up with a new prospect, it's a good idea to remind the recipient who you are.

You'll want to jog their memory about how you met at the beginning of your message, which will spare them from having to spend extra time trying to figure out who you are and how you got their contact information.

Include a brief recap of what was discussed and key takeaways.

For business meetings, providing a brief recap of what was covered can be super helpful to reiterate key learnings and objectives discussed in the meeting. Even if attendees took their own notes, chances are they're not uniform and they may have missed some details. Providing a summary in writing will ensure everyone is on the same page and knows what's expected going forward.

For example, you may provide:

  • Summary of key metrics discussed
  • Where the company is excelling or where it is falling short
  • Colleague achievements
  • New product information or changes in strategy

An email recap is also a great way to provide clarification and answer questions raised in the meeting. You can attach any related supplemental documents to this email too.

Reference a common interest.

Another email strategy is to highlight a common interest you share with the contact or prospect. This is especially helpful when your relationship is new or you've just been introduced. Meeting new people can be awkward but focusing on what you have in common helps break the ice, and will aid in keeping the conversation going.

Browse their LinkedIn profile or visit their personal website if they have one.

You could reference:

  • Having similar hobbies
  • Growing up in the same state, or experience living in the same city
  • Attending the same college or having similar academic interests
  • Reference something they posted that interested you

Making the extra effort to establish a connection, shows that you have a genuine interest in them as a person, not just as a business contact.

Include next steps.

If you're sending a follow-up email to your team or prospect, including next steps is a good way to get the ball rolling. This can be a list of action items with an assigned point person so that each team member knows what they are responsible for and what is expected.

It could also be as simple as setting up a date to meet again.

Follow-Up Email Templates

Let's review some templates for your follow-up emails after networking. Each of these templates is organized by use case so you can easily identify the follow-up scenario that suits your needs.

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Use Case 1: After a Conference or Event

After meeting someone at a conference or event, your follow-up email should remind them of who you are and demonstrate the value that you bring to the table.

Originally published Mar 9, 2022 8:00:00 AM, updated March 09 2022