How to Write a Check-In Email Without Saying "Just Checking In"

Picture this: you open your inbox to find yet another email from a salesperson "just checking in" or "touching base" for the umpteenth time. Your eyes glaze over and your finger hovers over the delete button. Sound familiar? We‘ve all been on the receiving end of those generic, mildly annoying check-in emails.

Now imagine you‘re the one writing that email. You stare at a blank screen trying to find a compelling reason to follow up with a prospect who‘s gone radio silent. So you resort to the dreaded "just checking in" opener. No shame – we‘ve all done it. But there are far more effective ways to reignite a stalled deal or keep yourself top-of-mind with buyers.

The reality is, the vast majority of sales emails go unread. A staggering 80% of prospects say they prefer communicating with reps via email, yet only 24% of sales emails are opened on average. Therein lies both the challenge and opportunity for savvy salespeople – how to craft follow-ups that stand out in a sea of generic outreach and actually provide value to the recipient.

Here are some creative alternatives to the standard "checking in" email that will boost your reply rates:

1. Hit Resend

Here‘s a novel idea: if your initial email went unopened, just send it again. Maybe your prospect missed it the first time or it got buried in their inbox. Instead of spending time crafting a separate follow-up, simply resend your original email, perhaps with a note at the top like "Wanted to bump this to the top of your inbox." Easy as that.

Of course, this requires having email tracking software in place to know whether your message was opened or not. If you aren‘t using a tool that provides real-time open notifications, now‘s the time to get one. No sense wasting a well-written email or your prospect‘s time on an unnecessary check-in.

2. Skip the Small Talk

We‘re all busy, so cut to the chase. Your prospect doesn‘t need another "hope you‘re doing well" or "wanted to touch base." Jump straight into the reason for your follow-up, whether that‘s reiterating the value prop you outlined in your first email, asking for a meeting, or referencing a timely event.

For example, instead of:

"Hi Sarah, I wanted to check in and see if you had a chance to look over the proposal I sent last week. Let me know if you have any questions!"

Try:

"Hi Sarah, I know you‘re evaluating solutions to streamline your sales operations. Our platform helped XYZ company shorten their sales cycle by 20% and increase revenue by $2M last quarter. Do you have 15 minutes this week to discuss how it could impact your goals?"

3. Switch Channels

Email isn‘t the only way to reach your prospects. If you aren‘t getting through to them in their inbox, try connecting on LinkedIn, Twitter, or even old-fashioned phone. Leaving a thoughtful comment on their recent post or reaching out via a different medium allows you to start fresh and grab their attention without referencing a trail of unanswered emails.

Just remember: don‘t copy-paste the same generic message across platforms. Tailor your outreach to each channel while keeping it relevant to them and their business.

4. Provide Value

The best way to pique a prospect‘s interest and show you aren‘t just checking boxes is to provide something of value. Share an article, white paper, case study, or other content that speaks directly to their industry, role, or challenges. Even better if it‘s something you‘ve created yourself to demonstrate your subject matter expertise.

You might say something like:

"Hi Tom, I came across this article on common struggles sales leaders face when scaling their teams and thought of you. It offers some interesting insights on compensation plans and coaching models. Let me know if you‘d like to brainstorm how these strategies could work for your organization."

5. Ask a Question

Questions are a great way to re-engage prospects and gather valuable intel. Ask about their current priorities, upcoming initiatives, or recent announcements. This shows you‘ve done your homework and are interested in them, not just pushing your own agenda.

For instance:

"Hi Maggie, I saw your company is expanding into new markets in EMEA. How is your team preparing to support that growth? I‘d be curious to learn more about the challenges that come with that kind of expansion and share how I‘ve helped other clients in similar situations."

6. Timing is Everything

While following up is important, there‘s a fine line between being persistent and flat-out annoying. If you‘ve reached out several times with no response, it might be time to take a step back and wait for a relevant trigger event.

Things like funding rounds, mergers/acquisitions, product launches, new hires, etc. all present timely opportunities to reach out with a valid reason and personalized message. Set up Google alerts for your target accounts or use sales intelligence tools to notify you when something notable happens. Then craft your outreach around that event to catch their attention.

The key to all of these approaches is to put yourself in the buyer‘s shoes. Think about what would entice you to reply to a sales email. Chances are, it‘s not a generic "just checking in" but rather a message that is relevant, compelling, and valuable.

Some other techniques to keep in mind when crafting follow-ups:

• Personalize, personalize, personalize – use their name, reference specifics about their company/role
• Keep it concise – no need for lengthy paragraphs, use short sentences and bullet points
• Have a clear call-to-action – make it easy for them to take the next step, whether that‘s booking a meeting, downloading content, or making an introduction
• Experiment with creative subject lines – ask a question, make a bold statement, try something funny or clever to stand out in their inbox
• A/B test different approaches – use two variations and see which one gets better engagement, then optimize from there
• Automate with triggers – set up your CRM or sales engagement tool to automatically send follow-ups based on prospect behaviors like email opens, clicks, etc.
• Know when to walk away – there‘s no magic number of follow-ups, but use your judgment and don‘t waste time chasing prospects who clearly aren‘t interested

At the end of the day, successful selling is about helping, not hounding. No one likes to feel like they‘re being sold to, but everyone appreciates relevant, timely outreach that provides value and makes their job easier. Ditch the "just checking in" emails and focus on being a trusted resource and partner to your prospects. The replies (and revenue) will follow.