14
My old boss told me to stop adding 'just checking in' to every email
He said it makes you look like you have nothing useful to say, and after I cut it out for a week I got way more replies. Has anyone else gotten a tiny wording fix that totally changed how people respond to you?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
rose_cooper6d ago
Oh, cutting "just checking in" was a game changer for me too. I swapped it for, "let me know if you need anything else on this" or just a simple, "what's the latest?" People respond much faster when they see you have a specific ask or update, not just a vague nudge. Also, putting a clear deadline or next step in the subject line helped way more than any soft follow-up ever did.
9
pat_schmidt606d ago
Totally agree, @rose_cooper! That subject line trick is something I learned the hard way after sending way too many "just checking in" emails into the void. But here's what I'm curious about: have you found that the deadline in the subject line backfires sometimes? I tried it once with a client and they got defensive, like I was rushing them. I'm wondering if it works better with certain people or if I just phrased it wrong. Would love to hear how you handle that balance!
1
the_ray6d ago
Bet on that deadline thing backfiring hard if you're not careful. I had a vendor once put "URGENT - REPLY BY EOD" in the subject and I literally deleted the email out of spite. Felt like they were yelling at me before I even opened it. Deadline stuff works way better when you've already built some trust with the person, otherwise it just reads like you're trying to boss them around. Honestly I think the best approach is just putting the date in the body of the email without making it sound like a threat.
1