“Just checking in” kills conversations before they start. This three-word phrase signals to recipients that your message has no real purpose, making it easy to ignore or dismiss with a quick “all good” reply.
Most people use this opener because it feels safe and requires no thought. The problem is that safe messages create safe responses—or no response at all. Your outreach gets buried under more important priorities.
Better follow-ups exist that actually grab attention and create meaningful exchanges. The right approach can turn a simple message into a genuine conversation that strengthens relationships and opens new opportunities.
What to Say Instead of “Just Checking In” (20 Cool Ideas)
The key to memorable follow-ups lies in giving people something specific to respond to. Here are twenty alternatives that actually work.
1. Reference Their Recent Win
Start by celebrating something they’ve accomplished recently. Maybe they landed a new client, got promoted, or launched a project you saw on LinkedIn.
Try this: “Saw your post about the Johnson account—that’s huge! How are you planning to tackle such a big project?”
This approach shows you’re paying attention to their professional life without being creepy about it. People love talking about their successes, and acknowledging their wins makes them feel seen. The follow-up question gives them a natural way to continue the conversation while sharing something they’re probably excited about.
2. Share a Relevant Article or Resource
Send them something useful based on what you know about their current challenges or interests. Skip the generic business articles everyone’s already seen.
Try this: “Found this piece on remote team management and thought of your new distributed team. The section on async communication might be right up your alley—curious what you think about their approach to daily standups.”
The magic here is in the specificity. You’re not just forwarding random content; you’re curating something that matches their exact situation. Plus, asking for their opinion positions them as the expert, which most people appreciate.
3. Ask About Their Current Challenge
Reference something they mentioned struggling with during your last conversation. This shows you were actually listening and care about their progress.
Try this: “How’s that hiring search going? Last time we talked, you were having trouble finding developers who understood your tech stack.”
This approach demonstrates genuine interest in their problems. You’re not just making small talk—you’re checking in on something that actually matters to them. Most people will appreciate that you remembered and took the time to follow up.
4. Offer Specific Help
Instead of vague offers like “let me know if I can help,” propose something concrete based on your skills or network.
Try this: “I know you’re expanding into the Portland market. My college roommate runs marketing for three restaurants there—happy to introduce you if that would be useful.”
Specific offers feel more genuine because they require actual thought and consideration. You’re not just being polite; you’re presenting a real solution to a real problem they’ve mentioned. Even if they don’t take you up on it, they’ll remember that you offered something valuable.
5. Share an Industry Insight
Pass along something interesting you’ve learned that relates to their field or current projects. Make it personal by explaining why you thought of them.
Try this: “Just heard at a conference that 73% of B2B buyers prefer video demos over written proposals now. Made me think of your sales process—are you seeing similar preferences with your prospects?”
This positions you as someone who’s plugged into industry trends and thinks about their business even when you’re not talking to them. The statistic gives them concrete information they can use, and the question invites them to share their own experience.
6. Reference a Shared Connection
Mention someone you both know and what they’re up to, especially if it relates to your recipient’s interests or business.
Try this: “Ran into Sarah Martinez at the Chamber event yesterday—she mentioned your companies might have some interesting partnership opportunities. Got me thinking about your expansion plans.”
Name-dropping mutual connections creates immediate relevance and gives you both something to discuss. It also shows you’re active in your professional community and naturally think about potential synergies between people in your network.
7. Ask for Their Opinion
People love being asked for their expertise, especially on topics they’re passionate about. Frame your question around something current and relevant.
Try this: “What’s your take on this new AI tool everyone’s talking about? With your background in automation, I’d love to hear whether you think it’s actually useful or just hype.”
This approach flatters their expertise while giving them an easy topic to discuss. You’re not just asking for their time—you’re asking for their valuable perspective on something they probably have opinions about anyway.
8. Follow Up on Their Goal
Reference an objective or target they mentioned working toward and ask about their progress.
Try this: “How’s that certification program going? Last month you were halfway through—must be getting close to finishing up.”
Goals matter to people, and checking on their progress shows you care about what’s important to them. This kind of follow-up often leads to deeper conversations about challenges they’re facing or excitement about what comes next.
9. Share a Personal Update with Connection
Lead with something happening in your life that connects to their interests or situation, then bridge to asking about them.
Try this: “Just got back from the Austin tech meetup—the energy there was incredible. Reminded me of when you were telling me about the startup scene in your city. How’s that entrepreneur group you joined working out?”
Personal sharing makes the interaction more human while still keeping it professional. You’re offering something of yourself first, which makes your question about them feel more natural and less one-sided.
10. Reference Seasonal or Timely Events
Use what’s happening right now—whether it’s end of quarter, conference season, or holiday planning—as a natural conversation starter.
Try this: “Q3 wrapping up next week—this always seems to be the crazy scramble time. How are you feeling about hitting your targets?”
Timing-based openers feel natural because everyone’s dealing with the same calendar pressures. You’re acknowledging shared experience while opening the door for them to discuss what’s really on their mind right now.
11. Ask About Their Team
Show interest in the people they work with, especially if they’ve mentioned hiring, training, or team changes.
Try this: “How’s your new marketing coordinator settling in? Big learning curve going from agency side to in-house, but sounds like they bring great experience.”
People are usually happy to talk about their team members, especially new hires they’re excited about. This shows you remember details about their organization and care about their success in building their team.
12. Connect to Current Events
Reference something happening in their industry or market that might affect them, but keep it constructive rather than doom-and-gloom.
Try this: “Seeing a lot of buzz about the new regulations in your industry. Are you guys seeing any immediate impact, or is it still too early to tell?”
Current events provide natural conversation starters, especially when they directly impact someone’s business. Just make sure you’re bringing up topics that invite discussion rather than just adding to their stress.
13. Reference Their Hobby or Interest
Mention something they’re passionate about outside of work, especially if you’ve found something relevant to share.
Try this: “Saw that your favorite hiking trail made it into Outside Magazine’s top 10 list. Must feel good to have your secret spot get some recognition—though probably less good for the crowds!”
Personal interests often matter more to people than work topics, and remembering what they care about outside the office shows you see them as a whole person. These conversations often feel more relaxed and genuine.
14. Ask About Their Location
Reference something specific about where they are—new restaurant, local event, weather event, or development they might have an opinion about.
Try this: “How’s the downtown revitalization project affecting your office area? Seems like it could be really good for foot traffic once it’s finished.”
Location-based topics feel immediate and relevant. Everyone has opinions about what’s happening in their city or neighborhood, and these questions often lead to interesting conversations about local business climate or community changes.
15. Share a Success Story
Tell them about something that worked well for you that might be relevant to challenges they’re facing.
Try this: “Finally figured out that client onboarding issue I was complaining about—turns out the solution was embarrassingly simple. Since you mentioned having similar problems, thought you might want to hear what worked.”
Success stories feel generous rather than self-promotional when you frame them as potentially useful to the other person. You’re sharing what you learned specifically because it might help them, not because you want credit for being smart.
16. Reference Their Content
Comment on something they’ve posted, written, or shared recently, showing you actually read it rather than just liked it.
Try this: “Your point about customer retention being cheaper than acquisition really resonated—we’re seeing the same 5:1 cost ratio you mentioned. What’s been your most effective retention strategy?”
Engaging with their content shows you’re paying attention to their professional voice and value their insights. The specific reference proves you actually consumed what they shared rather than just skimming headlines.
17. Ask About Their Process
Show curiosity about how they approach something they’re good at, positioning them as someone you can learn from.
Try this: “Your project management always seems so smooth—how do you keep everything organized when you’re juggling multiple clients? I’m always looking for better systems.”
Process questions appeal to people’s desire to share expertise while also showing that you respect their professional skills. Most people have systems they’re proud of and enjoy explaining to others.
18. Connect Through Mutual Challenges
Reference a problem you’re both dealing with in your respective industries or roles.
Try this: “Are you finding good developers as impossible to hire as everyone says? We’ve had three positions open for months—starting to wonder if we need to completely rethink our approach.”
Shared challenges create instant connection because you’re dealing with similar frustrations. These conversations often turn into valuable problem-solving sessions where you both benefit from comparing notes and strategies.
19. Reference Future Plans
Ask about something they mentioned planning or looking forward to, showing you remember their goals and timeline.
Try this: “Wasn’t your office move supposed to happen around now? How’s the new space working out, or are you still in transition mode?”
Future-focused questions show you’re thinking beyond just the current moment and remember what matters to them longer term. These often lead to updates about how their plans are evolving or what they’ve learned along the way.
20. Offer a Genuine Compliment
Acknowledge something specific you admire about their work or approach, then connect it to a natural question.
Try this: “I’ve been thinking about how you handled that difficult client situation you mentioned—your patience and problem-solving approach were really impressive. Do you have a framework for dealing with challenging relationships, or is it more intuitive?”
Genuine compliments feel good to receive and show you’ve been reflecting on previous conversations. Connecting the compliment to a question about their methods or approach keeps the focus on them while inviting them to share their expertise.
Wrapping Up
The next time you catch yourself typing “just checking in,” pause and think about what you actually know about this person. What are they working on? What challenges are they facing? What wins have they shared recently?
Your follow-up messages don’t need to be perfect, but they should be personal. When you show that you’ve been paying attention and thinking about their specific situation, you transform a forgettable check-in into a meaningful conversation starter.
That small shift makes all the difference between messages that get ignored and ones that actually strengthen relationships.