Follow Up Letter : Definition, Types and Features

Introduction:

A follow-up letter is considered an essential mode of communication in many situations. If you want to consolidate the relationship between yourself and the reader, it is a good option. You can write it after a meeting, an interview, a contract signing, etc. This is the walk-through after initiating the conversation or the first meet-up.

Since getting to know each other happens in the early stage of a relationship, such a letter is written in the early stages of business relationships.

What is a Follow-up Letter?

If a letter has the following two points in it, it can be called a follow-up letter:

1.  It offers an opportunity to maintain contact after the start of the networking
2.  It allows you to reconnect to the person with whom you are out of touch

A follow-up letter is usually a shadow letter of a previously written letter and addresses the issues discussed there. They can be a reminder, an expression of gratitude, a prospect, etc.

Types of Follow-up Letters:

The following types of follow-up letters can be written:

1. Grant Follow-up Letter
2. Proposal Follow-up Letter
3. Payment Follow-up Letter (sample)
4. Vendor Follow-up Letter
5. Sales Follow-up Letter
6. Solicitation Follow-up Letter
7. Application Follow-up Letter
8. Real Estate Follow-up Letter
9. Follow-up After Quote Letter
10. Follow-up After Sales Letter
11. Job Application Follow-up Letter
12. Interview Follow-up Letter
13. Follow-up on a Complaint Letter from a Customer 

Sample:

Follow up Letter Sample

Features of a Follow-up Letter:

Here are the things that you need to have in a successful follow-up letter:

1. Enthusiasm. If your letter lacks interest, the reader won’t be interested in doing what you asked for.
2. The contribution you can make to a project or organization. If you are a potential candidate, you should include your skills and achievements to remind them of yourself and highlight yourself.
3. If this is a follow-up to a customer request, address them one after another.
4. Reminders of upcoming meetings if that is why you are writing.
5. A clear message, whatever it is.
6. An interview follow-up letter should be sent within 48 hours.
7. (You can follow-up to a follow-up letter.)
8. Nothing negative.

Steps to Write a Follow-up Letter:

There are four key factors to write the perfect follow-up letter:

Firstly, you should determine your objective: if it is to clarify information, request for something, maintaining a connection, etc. Include this in your introductory paragraph as the reason for writing the letter.

Secondly, you should a little about yourself and why you require things to happen as you just mentioned. You can give a hint as to where you met, when you met, what topics you talked on, or the reader talked on, etc. With this attach the intentions that you have in a clear manner.

Thirdly, talk of a thoughtful idea that you have or an approach that you would like the reader to take, and initiate further contact. Do not forget to add your details.

Finish it on goodwill.

Tips to Remember:

You need to remember these too:

1. If your letter lacks interest, your task will remain unaccomplished and your letter unattended. How that you are a perfect candidate and you know what you are talking about, and have a genuine interest in it.
2. Address unsolved points or queries that you have through a follow-up letter.
3. Personalize the letter a little if you wish to stand out from the crowd. Because obviously, everyone is up for writing a follow-up letter.
4. Repeat what you are writing on as you end.
5. Draw a reference to the original letter to which this is a follow-up.
6. The letter should reek professionalism.