Some are more buttoned up, some more familiar. Each one does the crucial job of reminding without chastising. Rather than saying, “Just checking in,” here are some options that feel more authentic. It worked! Lisa heard back from the editor, and scored a meeting. I wrote something for Lisa that I think is way more effective: “So should I say something like, ‘Hey, just checking in?” Grateful, rather than annoyed, when someone reminds you-in a guilt-free way-that they’re waiting for an answer.Even if you meant to answer that email when you got back to your desk, it’s now buried beneath new ones. Addicted to checking your emails, many of which you open while in line at the grocery store and usually flag as unread but sometimes forget to even do that, especially when you realize the cashier is yelling “next customer” and it’s you.“First of all,” I told Lisa, “Let’s assume that the editor, rather than deciding that you aren’t worth meeting with, is simply human.” Lisa was still waiting to hear back from her last two emails asking to reschedule and was wondering how she could follow up a third time without coming across like a psycho. She was discouraged because she’d scheduled a meeting with a top magazine editor, and the editor had cancelled three times. My friend, a journalist-we’ll call her Lisa-recently found this perspective shift helpful. Remember that this person’s attention is split a zillion different ways, and they probably won't mind a kind reminder from you. How many items are in your own inbox waiting for a reply? Everyone's busy.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. So how can you follow up without being a passive-aggressive nag? Here are the steps to crafting the perfect follow-up email. Together, the phrase rings false when you clearly want something. And “checking in” has a casual, “no biggie” undertone.

“Just” is a word we habitually use to minimize what we have to say. While it's meant to be gentle, 'just checking in' comes across as disingenuous. When we say “just checking in,” we’re trying to soften the real message: “Don’t ignore me. “Just checking in - did you get this, and are you able to meet with me?” “Just checking in to make sure you’re coming to the meeting.” “Just checking in to see if you’ve completed that report I asked for.” “Just checking in to see if you got my invoice.” So you drop them a note with those three deadly words: Just checking in. Nothing in there.Īre they avoiding you on purpose? Did they forget? Is it a no? Do they hate the idea you pitched? Do they hate you? All you know for sure is that you want an answer, but you don’t want to come across as pushy. You’re waiting to hear back from a colleague, a boss, a prospect, a client, a potential employer.

Just checking in alternatives