Updated: 23 October 2026

Follow up when someone has not replied

This prompt writes three follow-ups for someone who has not answered your earlier message. You give the topic, the date and what you need, and each message is shorter and polite without sounding pushy.

text-follow-up-no-reply — chatgpt — 69 words

Write 3 follow-up messages for when [PERSON, ROLE] has not replied to my earlier message.

My earlier message was about: [TOPIC]
Sent on: [DATE]
What I need from them: [ACTION]

Make each one shorter than the last, polite and never guilt-tripping. Message 1: a friendly bump. Message 2: add something useful or new. Message 3: a graceful close that leaves the door open. Add a subject line for each.

Edit in the builder Copy & open ChatGPT ↗Copy & open Gemini ↗Copy & open Claude ↗

Wait 3 to 5 working days between follow-ups.

Get a better result

What you will get

Three follow-up messages, each shorter than the last: a friendly bump, one that adds something useful and a graceful close that leaves the door open, each with its own subject line.

Common mistake

Message 2 only says “just checking in again”.

Fix: Give it something new: a link, a deadline, a short update or a smaller ask. A follow-up with a reason to reply gets more replies.

Also watch for

Phrases such as “as per my last email” sound passive-aggressive. Add “never use ‘per my last email’, ‘as I mentioned’ or ‘just circling back’”, and keep the tone warm.
Each follow-up goes out as a new email with a new subject. Send them as replies in the same thread, so the first message sits beneath them. Use the AI’s subject lines only for a new thread.

Try a variation: WhatsApp version

Ask for “the same three follow-ups as two-line WhatsApp messages with no subject line, friendly and informal”. Chat apps need a different, shorter tone than email.

Still not right? Reply with this

In message 2 add one new piece of value (a link or a smaller ask), remove phrases like per my last email, and keep every message to three lines.