A polite follow-up assumes the reader is busy, not ignoring you. Reply in the same thread, restate in one line what you need and by when, make it easy to answer, and thank them. Replace "just following up" with the actual reason you are writing.
| Situation | Timing |
|---|---|
| Gentle reminder | 3–5 business days after the first email |
| Second reminder | About a week after the first reminder |
| Final note | Say it is your last message and leave the door open |
Hi [their first name], I know things get busy, so a gentle nudge on [topic / what it is about]. All I need is [specific thing] by [date] to keep things on track. Thank you, [your name]
Hi [their first name], To make this easy: would option A ([option]) or option B ([option]) work better for you? A one-word reply is perfect. [your name]
Hi [their first name], I will stop nudging after this one. If [topic / what it is about] becomes useful later, just reply here and I will pick it straight back up. Thanks for your time, [your name]
Check how yours truncates on a phone with the subject line tester.
Reply to your original email, restate in one line what you need and by when, and give them an easy way to answer — a choice or a yes/no question. Keep the tone warm and assume they are busy.
Name the reason instead: "Following up on the proposal I sent Tuesday", "One update since my last note", or "Quick question so I can plan next week".
Three to five business days is reasonable for most work emails; sooner if there is a real deadline you can mention.
No. Most people appreciate a short reminder; what feels rude is a long, guilt-tripping message or daily nudges.