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.
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.
HubSpot 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.
So glad we got to meet at [Event]. I checked out your website afterward and loved your take on creating high-performance teams. Have you tried using the [Recommendation]? I use that framework with my team and it has been incredibly successful.
Happy to chat more about it or send over some templates and examples if you’re interested.
Again, it was great meeting you at [Name of Networking Event], and I hope to see you again soon.
[Signature]
It was great meeting you at [Name of Event]. I remember you mentioning that you’re trying to revamp [Project] next quarter, and I thought I would share a book that I used to exceed my own target goals by [result].
It’s called [Name of Book] and I just sent you the Kindle version of it. Hope you like it!
Happy to discuss the book or my approach if you’d like.
Just let me know!
[Signature]
Use Case 2: To Ask for a Meeting
Maybe you’re looking to schedule a meeting with someone you met to continue building your relationship with them. Whether they’re located in your city or elsewhere, you can still request that follow-up meeting in your message.
I’ve really enjoyed learning more about what you do and would love the opportunity to connect over coffee to learn more about your experience with [Industry or Specialty]. I’m currently working [Role or Project] at [Company Name] and I am very interested in learning more about how you use A/B testing to enhance [Detail Mentioned in Last Conversation].
I know you must be very busy, but I thought I’d try my luck. Would you be able to grab a coffee for 20 minutes this [Day of Week] at [Time]?
Thanks,
[Signature]
I’m here in [City Name] this week — I’ve missed being out in [City or State Name]!
I know you must be busy, but I’ve always admired your work in your role and appreciated all you had to say when [Mention Last Time You Spoke]. Since then, I’ve made some developments of my own in this arena and I’d love to share them with you over coffee.
If you’re around, I’m flexible to work with your schedule while I’m in town.
[Signature]
Use Case 3: Follow Up to the Follow-Up Meeting Request
If you’re missing a response to your initial meeting request, it’s possible your follow-up email got lost in the recipient’s inbox or they simply forgot to respond. In situations like these, a quick reminder message may be all they need to get back to you.
Just wanted to send you a quick follow-up in case this email got buried.
[Signature]
Use Case 4: To Promote Your Business or Service
Again, follow-up emails after networking are messages in which you can demonstrate your value. They’re a great opportunity to promote the products or services you offer that solve pain points similar to the ones your recipient is experiencing.
Great meeting you yesterday and learning more about the [Company Name] story. I really admire how you [Compliment].
I’ve been thinking about your struggle with [Business Challenge] more, and I think we could help you solve the problem by thinking through [Your Solution]. There are a ton of companies just like yours using our [New Product] which helps with [Value of Product].
Would you be able to hop on a call sometime this week to discuss more? I can also introduce you to a few of our customers that were experiencing the same issues with their teams prior to using our product.
Cheers,
[Signature]
It was great meeting at the [Name of Event].
I remember you talking about how you had [Project] coming up. I just sent you the Kindle version of my favorite branding book, [Name of Book]. I hope it is helpful.
By the way, have you ever considered our [Product] for [Solution Product Provides]? If so, I’d love any brutal feedback. I provided some specific questions below.
Anything I can help with?
[Signature]
Use Case 5: After A Cold Ask
In different networking situations, you may find yourself needing help from a stranger — someone you can’t ask a friend or colleague to connect you with. But, when you send a message to a stranger, you may not hear back the first time. So, be ready with your follow-up.
I’m [Name] from [Company Name].
I sent you an email last week about [Resource] that could be useful for your readers. I’ve come across your website and it’s amazing how much value you offer readers looking to learn about [Blog Content Topic].
I thought you’d be interested in including our resource in your round-up page because it’s different from the other links you’ve referenced and may provide your readers with a different way of consuming information about [Topic] — a more visual medium.
You can take a look at the resource here: [Insert Hyperlink].
Let me know if you decide to share it! I would love your feedback as well.
[Signature]
Use Case 6: Thank You Email After Meeting
In a thank-you follow-up email, describe concrete results your contact helped you achieve and express why that result is meaningful.
Another rule is to pay it forward. In return for their help, you can provide something valuable to the recipient in the form of an introduction or a relevant resource that demonstrates your gratitude and the fact you’re not looking for a one-way relationship.
Thank you so much for meeting with me today. I really enjoyed our conversation and learning more about what you do at [Company Name]. I truly appreciated all your advice and tips on how to break into [Industry].
I actually just met [Name of Contact] who runs the [Department Name] at [Company Name] and I think you two would really hit it off. She has an interesting perspective that I think you would find useful. Can I make an intro?
Thanks again for your time, and good luck with your upcoming feature launch! I hope to stay in touch and see you around soon.
Best,
[Signature]
Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me today and discuss [Topic].
I enjoyed learning more about [Specific Discussion Point] and hearing more about your experience as a [Job Title].
Our discussion confirmed my interest in this industry, and I hope to keep in touch as I begin my journey towards a career path similar to the one you’ve taken.
Thank you again for your time and advice.
Best,
[Signature]
Thanks so much for meeting with me today. It was great to connect with you on [Topic]. I’m touching base again with a few resources that I think would be helpful as your business tries to [Outline Desired Results].
- [Link 1]: [Explain Value of Asset]
- [Link 2]: [Explain Value of Asset]
- [Link 3]: [Explain Value of Asset]
If this isn’t a good time for us to connect, I’d love for us to stay in contact. Feel free to put some time on my calendar [Insert Link] so we can discuss this further.
Best!
[Signature]
Use Case 7: Asking For An Introduction
Let’s say the person you are networking with is of value because of someone else in their network – someone you want to know. To get introduced to this valuable contact, it’s often best to go through a referral introduction via the person you just met.
It was fantastic meeting you last week at [Event]. I enjoyed our conversation about [Topic Discussed].
As we were discussing what I’m working on, you mentioned that you know [Contact Name] over at [Company Name] and how she’s an expert in this space. If you’re willing, an introduction to [Contact Name] would be greatly beneficial.
I understand you might have a lot going on so I attached a short message below to make the introduction as easy as possible. Would you be able to take a moment to introduce me?
Thank you.
[— About Your Name & Your Company/Product/Project]
[Description to be used in the introduction email]
[Signature]
Use Case 8: After Business Meeting
Every email you send is a reflection of you — so, when you send follow-up emails after business meetings, ensure they’re as useful as possible for recipients.
If the business meeting is especially long or important, you may even mention a few notable accomplishments in your email. This helps you keep everyone motivated while showing them you recognize their achievements.
Thanks for another great meeting today. Here’s a quick recap of what we talked about, what we have to focus on in the coming weeks, and the steps we need to take to accomplish our goals.
Objective:
[Discuss monthly growth figures to determine wins, losses, and areas to improve]
Conversation items:
[New channels struggling to maintain retention levels]
[Missed target: increase upgraded users by 7%]
[Hiring needs: 3 additions to growth team, 7 additions to dev team]
Action items:
[Restructure support team to improve retention and customer satisfaction (Owner)]
[Implement A/B testing discussed on premium products (Owner)]
[Begin job board posting and internal outreach for open positions (Owner]
Next meeting: [date] to review learnings from [topic]
[Signature]
Incredibly excited about the progress we’ve all made. Wanted to take a moment to recognize a few key accomplishments:
[- Describe key accomplishment and why it matters.]
[- Describe key accomplishment and why it matters.]
In addition, I wanted to recognize some key players in making the above happen smoothly.
[- [Team Member Name]: Describe key accomplishment and why it matters.]
[- [Team Member Name]: Describe key accomplishment and why it matters.]
Thank you!
[Signature]
Use Case 9: Asking for Feedback
Maybe you simply want to ask someone in your network for feedback. Whether they’re an industry expert, recently interviewed or met with you, or worked on a project similar to the one you’re embarking on, feedback can be extremely valuable to your success — all you need to do is ask for it.
I really enjoyed meeting you at [Event]. Your impressive experience and influence in [Industry] align with what I am currently working on, [Project Name], at [Company Name].
I know how busy you must be, but I was wondering if you’d have a moment to take a look at part of [Project Name], if possible? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
In particular, I’m looking for any and all feedback in these areas: [List Areas for Feedback].
Thank you so much for your time and input.
[Signature]
Use Case 10: After an Informational Interview
Whether you’re looking for an internship, your first job out of school, or a position in an entirely new industry, you may schedule an informational interview with someone in your network to learn more about the field.
Informational interviews are a great way to get advice from those already in the industry you’re thinking about entering and to learn from their experiences.
Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me today and discuss [Industry or Company Name].
I enjoyed learning more about [Specific Thing You Learned] and hearing about your transition from undergrad into [Job Title].
Our discussion confirmed my interest in [Industry]. I hope to keep in touch as I begin my journey towards a career path similar to the one you’ve taken.
Thank you again for your time and advice. I’ll let you know how my interview with [Company Name] goes next week!
Best,
[Signature]
Take Your Networking to the Next Level
Your follow-up email after networking might be the difference between landing the next round of interviews, connecting with a potential business partner, or acquiring a new customer.
Whether you attended a conference, business meeting, or special event, it’s important to reach out afterward to foster your relationship, demonstrate your value, and express your gratitude.
So, review the templates above and begin customizing your messages to grow your network.
This article was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
