The best examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new

Real‑world examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new

Let’s skip the theory and start with what you probably came for: actual wording you can use. These are the kinds of messages people are sending in 2024–2025 that feel modern, respectful, and human.

1. Casual networking coffee: example of a warm, friendly follow‑up

Use this after you’ve grabbed coffee with someone new, maybe through a mutual connection or at a local meetup.

Subject: Great talking with you today

Email body:

Hi Alex,

Thanks again for meeting up for coffee this morning. I really enjoyed hearing how you transitioned from marketing into product management, especially your point about treating internal teams like customers.

I took your advice and bookmarked a few of the resources you mentioned. If you’re open to it, I’d love to follow up in a month or so and share how I’ve applied them.

Also, if you ever need an extra set of eyes on a campaign or someone to bounce content ideas off of, I’m happy to help.

Thanks again for your time and generosity.

Best,
Jordan

Why this works:

• It mentions a specific detail from the conversation.
• It lightly suggests a future touchpoint without pressure.
• It offers value back, which is a big trend in modern networking.

This is one of the best examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new in a casual setting because it feels like a real human conversation, not a stiff form letter.

2. After a first meeting with a potential client

When you’ve just had a discovery call or intro meeting with a prospect, you want to sound professional but not robotic.

Subject: Thanks for your time today

Email body:

Hi Taylor,

Thank you for taking the time to walk me through your team’s plans for Q1 and Q2. I especially appreciated your insight into how you’re balancing growth with keeping the team lean.

As discussed, I’m attaching a short summary of what we covered, along with a few initial ideas for how we could support your launch timeline.

Please feel free to reply with any questions or clarifications. If it’s helpful, I’m glad to schedule a quick follow‑up next week to review together.

I appreciate the opportunity to explore ways we might work together.

Best regards,
Morgan

This example of a thank you email does three important things in a few lines: shows you listened, confirms next steps, and keeps the door open without being pushy.

3. After meeting someone new at a conference or event

Events are noisy. People forget who’s who quickly. Your follow‑up should jog their memory fast.

Subject: Great to meet you at [Event Name]

Email body:

Hi Priya,

It was great meeting you at the Future of Work Summit yesterday. I really enjoyed our chat about hybrid team culture and your experience rolling out flexible schedules.

You mentioned you were looking for research on remote productivity. This report from Stanford on work‑from‑home performance might be helpful:
https://www.gsb.stanford.edu

If you’re ever in Chicago, I’d love to continue the conversation over coffee. In the meantime, feel free to reach out if I can ever be a resource.

Best,
Daniel

Why this is one of the best examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new at an event:

• It reminds them where you met and what you talked about.
• It includes a helpful resource, which makes you memorable.
• It keeps things light and open‑ended.

4. After an informational interview or career chat

If someone has given you 20–30 minutes to share career advice, your follow‑up should show that you respect their time and plan to use their guidance.

Subject: Thank you for sharing your career path

Email body:

Hi Ms. Chen,

Thank you again for speaking with me today about your path into data analytics. Hearing how you combined your psychology background with analytics was both encouraging and eye‑opening.

I’ve already started looking into the courses you recommended, including the online resources at Harvard’s data science program:
https://online-learning.harvard.edu

I’ll keep you posted on my progress and what I learn along the way. If there’s ever a way I can be helpful to you or your team, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

I really appreciate your time and openness.

Sincerely,
Amina

This is a strong example of a thank you email after meeting someone new in a mentoring context because it shows follow‑through and respect, without asking for another favor right away.

5. Short LinkedIn‑style follow‑up after a quick intro

Sometimes you only talked for a few minutes. You still want to send something, but it can be very short.

Subject: Great connecting today

Email body:

Hi Chris,

It was great meeting you briefly during the breakout session today. I appreciated your comment about measuring onboarding success beyond the first 90 days.

I’d love to stay connected and keep learning from your perspective on HR analytics. If you’re open to it, I’ll send a connection request on LinkedIn as well.

Thanks again,
Sam

This kind of message is one of the simplest examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new that still feels thoughtful, even though it’s only a few lines.

6. When the meeting was virtual and a bit awkward

Not every first meeting is magic. Maybe the Wi‑Fi cut out, or the agenda went sideways. You can still send a thoughtful note.

Subject: Thanks for meeting with me today

Email body:

Hi Jordan,

Thanks again for taking the time to meet with me over Zoom today. I appreciate your patience with the connection issues, and I’m glad we were still able to cover your main questions about our platform.

I’ve attached a short overview that fills in a few of the gaps from our call. If you’d like, I’m happy to schedule a brief follow‑up at a time that works better for you.

Thank you again for your flexibility.

Best,
Riley

This is a good example of how to acknowledge a less‑than‑perfect meeting while keeping the tone positive and forward‑looking.

7. After meeting a senior leader or executive for the first time

You want to be respectful, concise, and specific about the value you got from the conversation.

Subject: Thank you for your perspective today

Email body:

Dear Mr. Alvarez,

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today and share your perspective on the company’s long‑term strategy. Your comments about focusing on customer retention rather than short‑term growth targets really resonated with me.

I’ll be thinking about how to apply that mindset to my work on the client success team, especially around our Q2 renewal projects.

I appreciate the opportunity to learn from you and look forward to supporting the goals you outlined.

Sincerely,
Casey

This is one of the best examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new in a senior role: it’s respectful, specific, and shows alignment with their priorities.

8. After a first sales call where they said “not yet”

Even if the answer wasn’t a clear yes, a thoughtful thank you email keeps the relationship alive.

Subject: Thank you for the honest conversation

Email body:

Hi Elena,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today and for being so open about where your team is right now. I understand that this may not be the right quarter to bring on a new vendor.

I’ve included a short summary of what we discussed, along with a few no‑cost resources that might still be helpful as you evaluate your options:

• A guide to small business financial planning from the U.S. Small Business Administration: https://www.sba.gov
• A checklist on budgeting from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: https://www.consumerfinance.gov

If it makes sense down the line, I’d be glad to reconnect when timing is better.

Thanks again for your time and transparency.

Best,
Luis

This kind of message is a smart example of a thank you email because it respects their decision, offers value, and keeps you top of mind for later.

How to write your own thank you email after meeting someone new

Now that you’ve seen several examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new, let’s break down the moving parts so you can customize them without overthinking.

Start with a clear, simple subject line

Overly clever subject lines can backfire. In 2024–2025, people skim their inboxes on their phones, so clarity wins. Some reliable patterns:

• “Great talking with you today”
• “Thank you for your time”
• “Nice to meet you at [Event Name]”
• “Following up from our conversation”

Each of the best examples above uses a subject line that tells the recipient exactly what the email is about.

Open with context so they remember you

People meet a lot of faces and names, especially at conferences or in busy roles. In your first line, quickly remind them:

• Where you met
• When you met
• One specific thing you discussed

For example: “It was great meeting you at the marketing roundtable yesterday. I enjoyed our conversation about customer lifetime value.” That tiny bit of context is what turns generic text into one of those real examples that actually gets a response.

Mention one specific detail you appreciated

Every strong example of a thank you email after meeting someone new in this article has at least one concrete detail:

• A piece of advice
• A story they shared
• A resource they mentioned
• A perspective that stuck with you

Specifics show that you were paying attention and that you’re not blasting the same message to everyone.

Keep the tone aligned with the relationship

Notice how the examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new above range from casual (“Hi Alex”) to formal (“Dear Mr. Alvarez”). Match your tone to:

• Their seniority
• The culture of their company or industry
• How your conversation felt in real time

If you’re unsure, lean slightly more formal. You can always relax the tone later as the relationship develops.

Offer value when you can

Modern networking is less about “What can you do for me?” and more about “How can we be useful to each other?” The best examples include small offers of value, such as:

• Sharing a relevant article or report
• Offering feedback in your area of expertise
• Making a light offer to introduce them to someone (only if you truly can)

This doesn’t need to be huge. Even one helpful link, like a relevant guide from a .gov or .edu site, can make your email stand out as thoughtful rather than transactional.

Close with a light next step (or none at all)

Not every thank you email needs a call to action. Sometimes the whole point is simply to express appreciation and keep the connection warm.

That said, if there’s a natural next step, you can phrase it gently:

• “If you’re open to it, I’d love to stay in touch and share how things progress.”
• “If it’s helpful, I’m happy to schedule a brief follow‑up next week.”
• “If you’re ever in [City], I’d love to continue the conversation over coffee.”

Notice how these examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new don’t pressure the other person. They invite, rather than demand.

Timing: when to send your thank you email in 2024–2025

Research on memory and follow‑through still supports what career centers and business schools have been saying for years: send your thank you email within 24 hours when possible. Many university career offices, such as those at large public universities and Ivy League schools, recommend same‑day or next‑day follow‑ups for networking conversations.

If you met on a Friday afternoon or at a weekend event, sending on Monday morning is fine. The key is to strike while the conversation is still fresh in their mind.

Frequently asked questions about thank you email examples after meeting someone new

What are some quick examples of subject lines for thank you emails?

Some quick examples of effective subject lines include:

• “Thank you for your time today”
• “Great meeting you at [Event Name]”
• “Following up from our conversation”
• “Appreciate your insights on [Topic]”

Each one is short, clear, and easy to read on a mobile screen.

How long should a thank you email be after meeting someone new?

Most of the best examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new are between 75 and 200 words. That’s long enough to show you were paying attention and short enough that a busy person can read it in under a minute.

Is it okay to reuse the same example of a thank you email with different people?

You can absolutely reuse structure and phrasing, but always customize at least:

• Their name and title
• Where and when you met
• One or two specific details from your conversation

That’s what turns a template into a real example that feels personal instead of copy‑pasted.

What’s an example of a thank you email if I want to stay in touch long‑term?

Here’s a simple wording you can adapt:

“Thank you again for taking the time to talk today. I really appreciated your perspective on [topic]. I’ll keep you posted on how things develop on my end, and if you’re open to it, I’d love to stay in touch and compare notes from time to time.”

This kind of language fits smoothly with the other examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new in this guide.

Should I send a thank you email if the meeting didn’t go well?

Yes. A short, gracious note can reset the tone and leave a better final impression. You don’t need to over‑explain. A simple “Thank you again for your time today. I appreciate the opportunity to connect and learn more about your work” is enough.

Use these real‑world examples of thank you email examples after meeting someone new as your starting point, then tweak the tone, details, and level of formality so it sounds like you. The goal isn’t to write the perfect message; it’s to show that you’re thoughtful, attentive, and someone worth staying connected with.