Following Our Phone Conversation: Phrases & Templates (2026)
There's a Reddit thread where someone describes coworkers who document every conversation as making them feel "like I'm on trial every time I speak with you." That's the problem with "following our phone conversation" - it's not wrong, it's just loaded. The phrase carries a whiff of corporate CYA that can undermine the goodwill you built on the actual call.
The real issue isn't grammar. It's tone. And fixing it takes about five seconds once you know which phrases to reach for.
What You Need (Quick Version)
Three phrases cover 90% of follow-up situations:
- "As discussed" - concise, neutral, works everywhere.
- "Following our conversation" - forward-looking, best for action items.
- "To recap our call" - collaborative tone, great for sales and meetings.
Here's a template you can copy right now:
Subject: Next steps from our call
Hi {Name},
Great speaking with you. To recap our call - {one-sentence summary}.
- {Action item 1 - owner + deadline}
- {Action item 2 - owner + deadline}
Let me know if I missed anything. Looking forward to {specific next milestone}.
You don't need 30 synonyms. You need three good phrases and a template. For more options, subject line data, and timing guidance, keep reading.
What the Phrase Actually Means
"Following our phone conversation" means "based on what we discussed on the phone." Grammatically, it's perfectly correct.
The distinction worth knowing: "following our conversation" works best when you're describing actions taken after the call, while "as discussed" simply references what was said. The first implies forward motion; the second is a neutral callback. The choice comes down to formality and what you're trying to accomplish in the email - whether you're confirming a decision, assigning tasks, or just keeping the relationship warm.
How to Start an Email After a Phone Call
Top 3 Go-To Phrases
As discussed is the default for a reason - it's short, professional without being stiff, and works in every context from a quick Slack-style email to a formal client recap. Example: "As discussed, I'll send the proposal by Thursday."
Following our conversation signals that you're moving things forward. It's slightly more formal and fits well when you're listing action items or confirming decisions. Example: "Following our conversation, I've looped in our engineering team."
To recap our call sets a collaborative tone - you're summarizing together, not documenting against someone. In our experience, it's especially effective in sales and cross-functional meetings where multiple stakeholders need alignment after the fact. Example: "To recap our call, we agreed on a pilot starting March 1."
The Full Alternatives Table
| Phrase | Formality | Best For | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| As discussed | Professional | Any context | You need a safe, universal opener |
| Following our conversation | Professional | Action items | You're listing next steps |
| To recap our call | Professional | Sales, meetings | You want a collaborative tone |
| Thanks for the call | Casual | Warm follow-ups | The relationship matters more than the recap |
| Based on what we talked about | Casual | Internal teams | You're writing to colleagues |
| Here's what we agreed on | Professional | Decision recaps | You need alignment on record |
| Picking up where we left off | Casual | Ongoing projects | The call was part of a longer thread |
| To follow up on our call | Professional | Sales, check-ins | You're nudging toward a next step |
| Per our conversation | Mid-formal | Quick references | Slightly less stiff than "as per" - still formal |
| Circling back on our call | Casual | Second follow-ups | You're following up on a follow-up |
We filtered out a bunch of alternatives that sound like they belong in a legal brief. These ten are the ones people actually use.
Phrases to Retire
"As per our conversation" sounds bureaucratic. The consensus on r/PetPeeves and r/LifeProTips is that it's the phrase people reach for when they want a paper trail - and everyone on the receiving end knows it. Swap it for "as discussed."
"Per my last email" is the passive-aggressive hall-of-famer. Executive coach Melody Wilding called it out on CNBC - the implied subtext is "I already told you this." Just restate the information.
"Pursuant to our discussion" belongs in legal filings, not emails. As Inc. noted, people hide frustration under politeness - and it backfires every time.
A perfect follow-up template means nothing if it bounces. Prospeo gives you 98% accurate emails verified on a 7-day refresh cycle - so every post-call recap actually lands in the inbox you intended.
Stop crafting follow-ups for email addresses that don't work.
Follow-Up Email Templates
The sweet spot for follow-up emails is 50-125 words. That's enough to recap, list action items, and propose a next step without writing a novel nobody reads.
After a Sales Call
Subject: {Name}, next steps from today
Hi {Name},
Thanks for walking me through {specific challenge}. Based on our conversation, {one-sentence summary of their pain point} is the priority.
Here's what I'll do next:
- Send over {deliverable} by {date}
- Schedule a {demo/call} with {stakeholder} for {timeframe}
Does {specific date} work for a follow-up?
After a Job Interview
Subject: Great speaking with you, {Name}
Hi {Name},
Thank you for the time today to discuss the {role title} position. I especially enjoyed our conversation about {specific topic from the interview}.
The role aligns well with my experience in {relevant skill}, and I'm excited about contributing to {specific project mentioned}.
Happy to share anything else that would be helpful. Looking forward to next steps.
After a Client or Vendor Meeting
Subject: Recap - {topic} call
Hi {Name},
To recap our call:
- {Decision or agreement 1}
- {Decision or agreement 2}
- {Open item - who owns it and by when}
I'll have {deliverable} ready by {date}. Let me know if priorities have shifted.
After an Internal Team Call
Subject: Action items from today's call
Team,
Quick recap:
- {Owner}: {task + deadline}
- {Owner}: {task + deadline}
- {Owner}: {task + deadline}
Next sync: {date/time}. Flag anything blocked before then.
Subject Lines That Get Opened
A study of 5.5M emails found that personalized subject lines, 2-4 word subject lines, and question-format subject lines all hit a 46% open rate. Open rates drop noticeably after 7 words. Saleshandy's data backs this up with a 3-7 word sweet spot.
Front-load your key message into the first 33 characters. These subject lines work well for post-call follow-ups:
- {Name}, next steps - personal, action-oriented
- Quick recap - {topic} - clear, scannable
- Action items from Tuesday's call - specific, useful
- Thoughts on {specific thing discussed}? - question format
- One thing I forgot to mention - curiosity hook
- Following up on our call - direct, works well when the recipient expects your email
Skip generic lines like "Following up" or "Just checking in." They signal low effort and get treated accordingly.
When to Send (And How Often)
90% of buyers respond within two days of their most recent message. Speed matters more than perfection.
If you want a deeper timing playbook, see our guide on when you should follow up on an email.
Sales calls: within 2 hours. The conversation is still fresh - don't let it cool.
Interviews: within 24 hours. Same-day is ideal if it's before 5 PM.
Client/vendor meetings: within 24 hours. Sooner if there are open action items.
Internal calls: same day. A quick recap takes 3 minutes and saves a week of confusion.
For multi-touch follow-ups, a simple cadence works: same-day recap, then a 3-day check-in, then a 7-day nudge. Only 8% of sales reps follow up more than five times, but most deals require 5-12 touchpoints. Let's be honest - most people give up way too early.
Mistakes That Kill Your Follow-Up
Look, we've reviewed thousands of outbound sequences. Most follow-up emails fail for the same five reasons.
Being vague. "Great call, let's stay in touch" is a dead end. Every follow-up needs at least one specific action item with an owner and a deadline. We had a client whose reps were sending beautifully written recaps with zero next steps - their pipeline stalled until they added a single line: "I'll send the proposal by Friday. Does Monday work for a review call?"
Waiting too long. If 90% of buyers respond within two days, sending your recap on Friday for a Monday call means you've already lost momentum.
Writing a novel. Only 8.5% of sales outreach emails get responses. Stick to 50-125 words.
Sounding passive-aggressive. "Per my last email" and "as per our conversation" can undo the rapport you built on the call. Use the phrases from the table above instead.
Sending to a bad email address. You nailed the tone, included clear next steps - and it bounced. Verify the address before you hit send. Prospeo checks emails in real time with 98% accuracy, and the free tier covers 75 verifications a month. One bounced follow-up is one lost opportunity. If you're building lists at scale, pair verification with data enrichment so you’re not chasing stale contacts.
If your average deal is under $15k, the follow-up email matters more than the call itself. Most buyers in that range make their decision after the call, while reading your recap. Make it count. For more ready-to-send options, use these sales follow-up templates or our sales meeting follow-up email framework.
Following up after a sales call? You need the right contact for every stakeholder mentioned. Prospeo's 300M+ profiles with 30+ filters let you find decision-makers, verify their emails, and loop them in - all before the momentum from your call fades.
Turn every phone conversation into a multi-threaded deal for $0.01 per contact.
FAQ
Is "following our phone conversation" too formal?
It's grammatically correct but often reads as stiff or legalistic. "As discussed" or "to recap our call" convey the same meaning with less corporate baggage. Match the tone to the relationship - casual for colleagues, slightly polished for clients.
How do I shorten "I am writing to follow up on our phone conversation"?
Drop the preamble entirely and lead with a recap or action item - "To recap our call, here are next steps." Readers decide in 3-5 seconds whether to keep reading, and front-loading value beats throat-clearing every time.
How long should a follow-up email be?
Aim for 50-125 words. Recap key points, list action items with owners and deadlines, and propose a concrete next step. Emails in that range consistently get the highest response rates.
How soon should I send a follow-up after a call?
Sales calls: within 2 hours. Interviews, client meetings, and vendor calls: within 24 hours. Same-day recaps signal professionalism and keep deal momentum alive - 90% of buyers respond within two days of the last touchpoint.