How to Write a Follow-Up Email After a Conference or Networking Event

After I spoke at Her Conference, Elizabeth Wolfe sent me one of the best conference follow-up emails I had ever received. It was thoughtful, specific, and memorable — exactly the kind of email that makes you want to stay in touch with someone. It also made me realize how much a good follow-up can matter. Meeting someone at a conference, panel, networking event, or industry gathering is only the beginning. Following up gives you a chance to continue the conversation, reinforce the connection, and make it easier to stay in touch in the future. The good news is that a great networking follow-up email doesn’t need to be long or overly polished. In fact, the best ones usually feel natural: a brief continuation of a conversation you already started. Here’s how to write one.

Follow Up While the Conversation Is Still Fresh

You don’t need to email someone the second you walk out of an event, but it’s a good idea to follow up within a day or two. That way, your conversation is still relatively fresh in both of your minds — and you’re less likely to put it off indefinitely. If a few days have already passed, don’t overthink it. A thoughtful email later is still better than never following up at all.

Remind Them Where You Met

People often meet dozens — or even hundreds — of people at conferences and networking events, so give them a little context. You can simply mention where you met and, if relevant, what you discussed.

For example:

“I really enjoyed meeting you after the careers panel at Her Conference.”

Or:

“It was great chatting with you before the keynote about freelance writing and pitching.”

You don’t need to provide your entire résumé or reintroduce your life story. You just want to give them enough information to place you.

Mention Something Specific

This is probably the most important part of a good follow-up email. Mention something they said that stuck with you, a topic you discussed, a piece of advice they gave you, or something you appreciated about their presentation. Specificity makes the email feel genuine rather than like a message you sent to everyone you met that day.

For example, you might say:

“I especially appreciated your advice about pitching editors with a very specific story idea rather than introducing yourself with a general offer to freelance.” That tells the recipient that you were actually listening — and gives them a natural reminder of your conversation.

Keep the Thank You Simple

You absolutely should thank someone for their time, advice, or conversation. But you don’t need to spend half the email doing it. A sentence or two is enough. Something as simple as “Thank you again for taking the time to chat with me” works perfectly well. The goal is to sound appreciative, not overly formal.

Give the Relationship Somewhere to Go

A follow-up doesn’t need to contain an ask. In fact, sometimes the best follow-up is simply about establishing a connection so that reaching out again later doesn’t feel completely out of the blue. You might say that you’d love to stay in touch, that you’re going to follow their work, or that you hope to see them at another industry event. If there is a logical next step, you can mention that too. For example, if they recommended a book, article, company, or person to contact, you can tell them you plan to follow up on the suggestion. And if they specifically offered to help you with something, it’s fine to take them up on it. The key is not to force an ask simply because you feel like networking emails are supposed to lead somewhere immediately.

Keep It Short

A networking follow-up email does not need to be an essay. In most cases, a few short paragraphs are plenty. Remind them who you are, mention something specific, thank them, and leave the door open for future communication. That’s it. The easier your email is to read and respond to, the better.

Use a Clear Subject Line

Your subject line doesn’t need to be clever.

Simple options usually work best:

• Great meeting you at Her Conference
• Thank you for your advice
• Following up after Her Conference
• Great chatting with you yesterday
• Thank you for speaking at [Event Name]

The goal is simply to help the person recognize why you’re emailing.

Match Their Tone

Not every networking email needs to sound like formal business correspondence. If you had a casual, friendly conversation with someone, your email can be casual and friendly too. If you’re emailing a senior executive you met briefly after a formal panel, you may want to keep things slightly more polished. You don’t need to suddenly become a different person because you’re writing a “networking email.” Aim for professional, warm, and natural.

A Conference Follow-Up Email Example

Here’s a simple example:

Hi Adrienne,

It was so nice meeting you after the freelance writing panel at Her Conference yesterday. I especially appreciated your advice about being specific when pitching editors rather than sending a general introduction.

Thank you again for taking the time to chat with me after the panel. I’m going to put your advice into practice as I start pitching more publications this month.

I’d love to stay in touch, and I hope our paths cross again soon.

Best,
Natalie

A Simple Networking Follow-Up Email Template

You can also use this basic structure and customize it depending on the situation:

Hi [Name],

It was great meeting you at [event] and talking about [specific topic].

I especially appreciated your advice about [specific advice or takeaway]. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

[Optional: Mention something you plan to do based on their advice, a resource you discussed, or a natural next step.]

I’d love to stay in touch, and I hope to see you again soon.

Best,
[Your Name]

Should You Connect on LinkedIn Too?

Usually, yes.

If you had an actual conversation with someone, sending a LinkedIn request shortly afterward can be an easy way to stay connected. Whenever possible, personalize the invitation rather than sending the default connection request. Even one sentence — “It was great meeting you at Her Conference today!” — gives the person context. You don’t necessarily need to send both a lengthy email and a lengthy LinkedIn message. Think of them as complementary: the email can continue the conversation, while LinkedIn makes it easier to stay loosely connected over time.

What If You Want to Ask for Something?

Sometimes you meet someone at an event because you genuinely want their advice, an introduction, or information about an opportunity. That’s completely fine. But if you can, avoid making the entire interaction feel like a setup for an immediate favor. If someone explicitly says, “Email me and I’ll introduce you to my editor,” remind them of that offer and take them up on it. If they didn’t offer, think about whether you’ve built enough of a connection to make the request reasonable. Sometimes it makes sense to ask right away. Other times, simply staying in touch first is the better move. Networking works best when it feels like relationship-building rather than collecting contacts.

The Best Follow-Ups Feel Like a Continuation of the Conversation

You don’t need the perfect subject line or the perfect networking script. You just need to remind someone who you are, show that you genuinely valued the conversation, and make it easy to stay connected. The best follow-up emails don’t feel like networking tactics. They feel like the natural continuation of a good conversation. Sometimes, one thoughtful email is all it takes to turn a brief meeting at an event into a relationship that lasts for years.