If you've been in the job market long enough, you've likely faced this very common scenario: a team meeting ends, and immediately afterward, people start sending private messages to clarify what just got discussed. Even if matters aren't so extreme—maybe just one or two details slip through the cracks—it can still be frustrating. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: the post-meeting email.
Read on for everything you need to know about sending the perfect follow-up email after a meeting—so that you’re never responsible for prohibiting progress, only creating momentum.
Why is it important to follow after a meeting?
The goal of a follow-up email after a meeting is to recap the key topics discussed, including important deadlines, new company guidelines, or the next steps of a project.
“It holds everybody accountable to the same expectations—so you have a team on the same page working toward the same goals, which keeps things efficient and productive and also keeps frustrations down,” says Heather Yurovsky, a Muse career coach and the founder of Shatter & Shine. “Nobody likes feeling like they sat in a meeting that had good momentum and then nothing happens afterwards.”
Who should send the post-meeting email?
OK, maybe you’re all in on the idea of a follow-up email. But how do you know if you’re the one who should be sending it?
Often it’s obvious. If you organized the meeting, created the agenda, and ran the thing, then chances are you should be the one closing the loop with a post-meeting missive.
“But sometimes it’s not clear, especially if it’s maybe a new project that no one department technically owns yet,” Yurovsky says. In those situations, “if you feel equipped to send that email afterward, then raise your hand and say, ‘Hey, happy to send out the post-meeting email, unless there’s anyone else that feels like it’s more appropriate to come from them.’”
“Just make sure you don’t come off like you’re barking orders at other people, and that it really comes from the right person that people are going to listen to and respect the ownership and deadline,” she adds.
Read more: 3 Better Phrases to Follow Up on an Email
Who should be included?
Once the “from” field is settled, it’s time to think about the “to” and “cc” fields. Be sure to send your note to all the meeting participants, including anyone who was on the invite list but perhaps wasn’t able to attend.
Then think about whether there’s anyone you realized should have been in on the meeting as well as any other stakeholders who need to take action or have visibility on the topic. Finally, if you’re dealing with more senior colleagues, consider copying their assistants.
When should the follow-up email go out?
“It’s best to send the recap shortly after the meeting,” Yurovsky says. “If the meeting’s at the end of the day and you want to wait until first thing the next morning, that’s fine, but the closer you are to the meeting, the more momentum is created and it doesn’t start to fall to the bottom of people’s piles.”
In other words, consider the recap an extension of the meeting and send it off while the discussion is still fresh in your mind and everyone else’s. If you know in advance that you’ll be the one tackling this item, you can even plan ahead by blocking off time on your calendar right after the meeting to get it done.
How to write a follow up email after a meeting
OK, you've mastered the post-meeting email essentials. Now it's time to start writing yours.
“The purpose of the email is getting everyone on the same page,” says Muse career coach Kristina Leonardi. But what exactly goes into it depends, of course, on the nature of the meeting and its intention.
Need some guidance? Here's our six step guide on how to send a follow-up email after a meeting.
1. Craft a clear subject line
You obviously don't want your follow-up email to get lost in everyone's inbox, so it's wise to write a subject line that (hopefully) won't be ignored. Make it clear what the email is about, and avoid being vague.
For example:
- [Project name] next steps - Deadline [date]
- What's next for [Project name/Team name]
- Presentation and resources from today's meeting
2. Thank people for their time and effort
Begin your email by showing appreciation for your colleagues' time. In most fields, people typically have a lot on their plate, and every second matters. And even if this isn't the case, a thank you is always the most professional and polite way to start.
3. Summarize any key points covered during the meeting
Leonardi urges you to keep it short and sweet. But even the scope of the email depends on the meeting. If you’re coming out of a standard monthly team meeting or a relatively quick and routine project update meeting, your email can reflect that in its length. If you’re sending a follow-up note after a two-hour board meeting or a deep-dive strategy session, it’ll look a little different. The same goes for your tone.
4. Outline action items, deadlines, and next steps
Your post-meeting email should highlight what needs to be done, who is responsible for these tasks, important deadlines, and any next steps. Be as direct and concise as possible to ensure the whole team understands your instructions. Our tip is to make a bulleted list to increase clarity.
5. Attach or link to any relevant resources and documents
Any important document, presentation or video was mentioned during the meeting? If it can be shared, remember to attach or link them in the follow-up email. Especially if these files contain any key information or resources for the team to consult in the future.
6. Invite people to ask questions or reconvene
The best way to finish your email is by giving people the opportunity to ask questions or to meet again. The meeting may have raised some doubts, and you should make sure that your colleagues feel free to bring them up.
Choose your language carefully based on the seniority of the recipients. “You always want to be polite, and to write in not only the tone of the organization, but of the meeting itself,” says Yurovsky.
In short, don’t sum up a casual meeting with your teammates in an overly formal tone and don’t send out a recap to executives that sounds like you’re talking to your buddies at happy hour. As Yurovsky puts it, “knowing your audience makes a big difference there.”
Email templates: follow-up after a meeting
All sound good so far? Cool, you’re probably ready to get down to it. Here’s three different templates you can use in part or in whole, depending on the particular situation.
Template #1: Follow-up email after meeting to recap with the team
Hi all,
Thanks so much for taking the time to meet about [topic of meeting] today/yesterday. The purpose of the meeting was to [succinct articulation of the meeting goal/purpose].
As a quick recap, we discussed:
- [A sentence or two about topic or point #1]
- [A sentence or two about topic or point #2]
- [A sentence or two about topic or point #3]
We came to the conclusion that:
- [A sentence or two about conclusion or insight #1]
- [A sentence or two about conclusion or insight #2]
In order to make this happen, our next steps will be:
- [Next step #1] - [Name of Owner] will complete by [date]
- [Next step #2] - [Name of Owner] will complete by [date]
- [Next step #3] - [Name of Owner] will complete by [date]
- [Next step #4] - [Name of Owner] will complete by [date]
For reference, see [attached document #1] for [a few words about what’s in document #1 and why it’s relevant] and [attached document #2] for [a few words about what’s in document #2 and why it’s relevant].
We’ll plan to meet again in [amount of time], but please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, or relevant updates in the meantime.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Template #2: Follow-up thank you email after meeting with a client
Dear [Client Name],
First, I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I appreciate you listening to our business proposal and your interest in working with [Company Name]. We are very excited to make this partnership happen and to achieve the goals we discussed.
Here's a brief summary of the next steps moving forward:
- [Next step #1] - [A brief summary of what it is and the date it will take place]
- [Next step #2] - [A brief summary of what it is and the date it will take place]
- [Next step #3] - [A brief summary of what it is and the date it will take place]
Let me know if you have any questions. I am open to schedule a follow-up meeting to dive into more specific details.
Once again, thank you for your time.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Template #3: Follow-up email after meeting with your manager
Hi [Manager Name],
Thank you for meeting with me today and taking the time to discuss my [career development/salary raise/performance review]. I appreciate your consideration and continuous support.
I took notes of what you suggest, and I firmly believe that it will be beneficial to me as a [your job title]. I'm looking forward to our next meeting to discuss [subject matter] further and the next steps.
Let me know when you're available to schedule another conversation.
Thank you once again for your time.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
Final thoughts
If you've made it this far, you'll notice that writing a follow-up email after a meeting is way simpler than it seems at first glance.
The key takeaways are: 1) use it as a quick recap of what was discussed, and 2) highlight the next steps, addressing the people who are responsible for each task. That way you'll keep the whole team on the same page and make the time spent in the meeting actually worth it.