Yes or no check-in email
AEs, founders, and recruiters
Use this when you already had a conversation and it ended on “let me think.” You are not reminding them who you are. You are asking them to retire the maybe.
Subject. Is this a yes?
Hi — we left this on a maybe. I do not need the maybe restated.
A yes means I send the next step. A no means I stop. Not yet means I wait until you tell me when.
Is this a yes?
- Yes
- No
- Not yet
In Gmail these are buttons. The recipient clicks one. The answer comes back to the thread. They do not install anything.
Before you send. Name the thing that is a maybe: the proposal, the intro, the role, the renewal. “This” is lazy if they have three threads with you.
Why this gets more replies
Maybe is a place to store a decision so nobody has to make it. Another paragraph gives them more to think about. A yes, a no, and a not yet are the only three states the deal can actually be in, and each one tells you what to do tomorrow.
FAQ
What counts as the next step on a yes?
Whatever you already discussed. Send that, and nothing new. A yes is not an invitation to attach four more documents.
Is this too blunt for a first email?
Yes. This is for after a real conversation. A stranger does not owe you a yes or a no. Use the no-reply follow-up, or ask if you reached the right person.
Free for 50 sends a month. The other person does not install anything.