You’ve just returned from an inspiring conference. You attended groundbreaking talks, presented your research, and met dozens of interesting people during the coffee breaks. But here’s the reality: all that valuable networking is wasted if you don’t follow up.

A well-crafted follow-up email is the bridge between a casual conversation and a meaningful professional relationship. It solidifies the connection, demonstrates your professionalism, and opens the door for future collaboration. This guide provides actionable templates and best practices to help you write the perfect follow-up email.

The Golden Rules of a Great Follow-Up Email

Before you start writing, keep these five principles in mind.

1. Be Prompt: Timing is Everything Send your email within 24 to 48 hours after the conference ends. This ensures the conversation is still fresh in the recipient's mind. The current date is Thursday, September 18, 2025; if your conference just ended, today or tomorrow is the perfect time to write.

2. Write a Specific and Professional Subject Line Vague subject lines like "Hello" or "Following Up" get lost in a crowded inbox. Be specific to jog their memory.

• Examples: "Great to meet you at [Conference Name]" or "Following up from our chat at the [Conference Name] coffee break" or "Enjoyed your talk at [Conference Name]."

3. Personalize and Reference Your Conversation This is the most important rule. A generic, copy-pasted email is easy to spot and ignore. Mention a specific point from your conversation.

• What to include: "I really enjoyed our discussion about your work on aerospace composites," or "Thanks for the advice you gave me about applying to PhD programs," or "It was fascinating to hear about your research on renewable energy in Southeast Asia."

4. Have a Clear Purpose or Call to Action Why are you writing? Your email should have a clear goal. Do you want to ask a question, share a paper, or simply connect on another platform? Make the next step obvious and easy for them.

5. Keep it Concise and Respectful Academics and professionals are busy. Keep your email brief, professional, and to the point. A few short paragraphs are all you need.

Actionable Email Templates for Different Scenarios

Use these templates as a starting point. Remember to customize them with your specific details.

Template 1: Connecting with a Peer or Fellow Student

Subject: Great to meet you at [Conference Name]!

Dear [Peer's Name],

It was a pleasure meeting you at the [Conference Name] in [City] last week. I really enjoyed our conversation about [mention a specific topic you discussed, e.g., the challenges of data collection in our field].

As we discussed, I’m attaching the paper I mentioned on [Paper's Topic]. I’d love to hear what you think when you have a moment.

It would be great to stay in touch. Here is the link to my LinkedIn/ResearchGate profile if you’d like to connect.

Best regards,

[Your Name] [Your Affiliation/University] [Link to your profile]

Template 2: Contacting a Senior Researcher or Potential Supervisor

Subject: Following up from our chat at [Conference Name]

Dear Professor [Last Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am a [Your Position, e.g., PhD student] at [Your University]. We had a brief but insightful conversation during the coffee break at [Conference Name] after your excellent talk on [Topic of their talk].

I was particularly interested in your comments on [mention a specific point]. Your work has been very influential on my own research in [Your research area].

If you have a moment in the coming weeks, I would be grateful for the opportunity to ask a couple of follow-up questions about your lab's work.

Thank you again for your time and the inspiring presentation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] [Your Affiliation/University] [Link to your Google Scholar/ResearchGate profile]

Template 3: Following Up on a Collaboration Idea

Subject: Collaboration idea from [Conference Name]

Dear Dr. [Last Name],

It was great to connect at the [Conference Name] and I hope you had a good trip back from [City].

I’ve been thinking more about our conversation regarding [the specific research problem or idea, e.g., combining our datasets to explore X]. I am very excited about the potential of this collaboration.

I have attached a brief, one-page document outlining some initial thoughts on how we could approach this. When you have a chance to look it over, perhaps we could schedule a brief 15-minute call next week to discuss it further?

All the best,

[Your Name] [Your Affiliation/University] [Link to your profile]

By taking a few minutes to send a thoughtful, personalized follow-up email, you show initiative and respect. It’s a simple act that can transform a fleeting conference encounter into a valuable, long-term professional asset.