Follow up email subject lines
Most of the time, the best follow-up subject line is no new subject at all: reply in the same thread and Gmail or Outlook shows "Re:" plus the original. That keeps the history together.
When you do need a new subject, for a fresh thread, a new angle or a final email, pick one below. They're grouped by situation.
Subject line generator
Subject lines
- Re: [original subject]
- Following up on [topic]
- Next steps from our call
- Great speaking today
- Recap of our meeting
- Notes from [day]'s meeting
- Thank you – [Job title] interview
- Following up on my [Job title] interview
- Checking in on my application
- [Job title] application – [Your name]
- Any update on [topic]?
- Did you get a chance to look at this?
- Quick question about [topic]
- Still interested in [topic]?
- Two options for [topic]
- Is this still a priority?
- Should I close this out?
- Closing the loop
- Any questions about the proposal?
- Your quote from [Company]
- Proposal for [project] – next steps
- Great meeting you at [event]
- Following up from [event]
- [Mutual connection] suggested I reach out
- Invoice [number] – friendly reminder
- Invoice [number] is now overdue
- Payment reminder: [amount] due [date]
- Reminder: [document] needed by [date]
- Still need your input on [topic]
- One more thing about [topic]
- Thought you'd find this useful
- Idea for [Company]
- Time for a quick call this week?
- Does [day] still work?
- Rescheduling our call
- Sorry we missed each other
- Last chance: [offer] ends [date]
- Your trial ends [date]
- Checking in after [event/launch]
- Happy to help with [topic]
What makes a follow-up subject line work
- Specific: "Invoice 1043 – reminder" beats "Following up".
- Short: under 50 characters so it isn't cut off on a phone.
- Honest: never fake a "Re:" or "Fwd:" on a first email.
- Calm: no ALL CAPS, "URGENT" or exclamation marks unless it really is urgent.
Frequently asked questions
What should I put in the subject line of a follow-up email?
Ideally reply in the original thread so it keeps the same subject. Otherwise name the topic and the action, like "Following up on the [project] proposal".
Should I write 'follow up' in the subject line?
It's fine, but more specific subjects work better. "Any update on the [job title] role?" tells the reader what you need.