Follow-Up After Meeting: 7 Templates + Best Practices

Effective follow-up emails after meetings help maintain relationships, clarify action items, and move projects forward. These templates help you follow up professionally after various types of meetings.

What to Include in a Follow-Up After Meeting

A good follow-up email should include:

Essential elements:

• Thank you: Express gratitude for their time
• Specific reference: Mention something specific from the meeting
• Action items: Summarize what was agreed upon (if applicable)
• Next steps: Outline what happens next
• Timeline: Include deadlines or timelines (if discussed)
• Professional closing: Thank you again and contact information

Optional but helpful:

• Summary of key discussion points
• Attachments or resources mentioned
• Scheduling for next meeting
• Questions or clarifications

Subject Lines for Follow-Up Emails

Standard:

• "Thank You - Meeting on [Date]"
• "Follow-Up - Meeting on [Date]"
• "Re: Meeting on [Date]"

With action items:

• "Follow-Up - Meeting on [Date] - Action Items"
• "Action Items - Meeting on [Date]"

Specific:

• "Thank You - Meeting on [Date] - [Topic]"
• "Follow-Up - [Event Name]"
• "Re: [Topic] - Meeting Follow-Up"

Best practices:

• Include the date of the meeting
• Be specific about the topic if relevant
• Keep it professional
• Make it easy to identify

When to Use Each Template

Standard Business Meeting: Use for most business meetings - professional and complete.

Networking Event Follow-Up: Use when following up after meeting someone at a networking event or conference.

With Action Items: Use when you need to document and track action items from the meeting.

Brief Check-In: Use for quick, informal follow-ups or when the meeting was brief.

Scheduling Next Meeting: Use when you need to schedule a follow-up meeting.

After Client Meeting: Use for follow-ups after client meetings to show professionalism and accountability.

After Team Meeting: Use for follow-ups after team meetings to ensure everyone is aligned.

Timing Best Practices

Send timing:

• Within 24 hours of the meeting
• Ideally the same day (within a few hours)
• Business hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)
• Not on weekends unless urgent

Action item timing:

• Include deadlines discussed in the meeting
• Be realistic about timelines
• Follow up on your commitments
• Hold others accountable (politely)

Best Practices

Personalization:

• Reference something specific from the meeting
• Show you were listening and engaged
• Personalize based on the meeting type
• Be genuine and authentic

Action items:

• Be clear about who is responsible for what
• Include deadlines or timelines
• Make action items specific and measurable
• Follow up on your commitments

Content:

• Keep it brief and focused
• Summarize key points
• Outline next steps clearly
• Don't rehash the entire meeting

Tone:

• Professional but warm
• Collaborative and positive
• Clear and actionable
• Grateful and appreciative

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't:

• Send a generic, copy-paste email
• Forget to include action items
• Be too long or verbose
• Miss deadlines you committed to
• Be vague about next steps
• Send multiple follow-ups too quickly

Do:

• Send within 24 hours
• Reference something specific
• Include clear action items
• Follow up on your commitments
• Be clear about next steps
• Maintain professional relationships

Related Resources

For more guidance on professional follow-ups:

• Follow-Up After Interview - Templates for interview follow-ups
• Follow-Up After No Response - Templates for following up when you haven't heard back
• Professional Email Templates - Browse all professional templates