Has this ever happened to you?
You need to get in touch with someone important – a client, your boss, a colleague, a vendor – but you know they are swamped with work and drowning in emails.
How do you break through the noise and get their attention without coming across as pushy or inconsiderate?
Crafting the right email is key. You want to acknowledge their busy schedule while still communicating what you need.
Getting this balance right in your messaging can make all the difference in prompting a quick response and strengthening the relationship.
Let’s look at 20 effective email samples for situations when you need to tactfully say “I know you’re busy, but…”
“I Know You’re Busy” Email Samples
1. Gentle Reminder to Client on Project Status
Subject: Checking in on the ProjectX timeline
Hi Alex,
I know you’ve got a lot on your plate and the ProjectX deadline isn’t for another month. I wanted to reach out because I’m working on the designs and just need the final approved copy to keep things on track on my end.
I’ve attached the latest version of the designs for reference. If you can send over the final copy by EOD Friday, that will keep us right on schedule for the April 14th launch. No worries if you need a bit more time, just let me know so I can adjust the project timeline.
Thanks, and let me know if any questions come up!
Jessica
2. Request Input From Boss on Tight Timeline
Subject: Need your feedback on sales deck – 30 mins max
Hi Tom,
I know you’re back-to-back today with the board meeting prep. Hate to add to your packed schedule, but I’m hoping for your eyes on the sales deck before I present it to the exec team tomorrow morning.
I’ve trimmed it down to 10 slides (attached) and just need 30 mins of your time for a quick flipthrough and any high-level feedback. I’m around all afternoon and can swing by your office between meetings or hop on a Zoom, whatever is easiest. This is the only thing holding me back from having the deck 100% pitch-ready.
Appreciate your guidance and I’ll work around your schedule. Hoping to make both of our lives easier by nailing this presentation tomorrow!
Thanks,
Liam
3. Collaborate with Busy Peers on Shared Goal
Subject: Got 15 mins this week to brainstorm on a conference session?
Hey Priya,
I saw the speaker lineup for the May industry conference just dropped and I think there’s a great opportunity for us to team up and pitch a session. I’ve got some ideas percolating but want to make sure we’re aligned before I run too far with anything.
I know you’re neck deep in the product launch this month and wearing a zillion hats. Any chance you have 15 minutes to connect this week and riff on some potential topics? Maybe we can find a slice of time between your launch meetings. I’m happy to work around your schedule – just sent a few slots that could work on my end.
No worries if it’s too crazy of an ask right now with everything on your plate. I’m excited about the idea of collaborating but also want to be conscious of your bandwidth. Let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Sienna
4. Pushing for Contract Finalization with Potential Vendor
Subject: Ready to wrap up the contract and get started
Hi Luca,
I’ve been reviewing the contract you sent over last week and everything looks good on my end. I know you’re juggling a bunch of new partnerships right now, but I’m excited to get our agreement finalized so we can hit the ground running.
If you’re able to get the contract signed by EOD Monday, I can kick off onboarding with my team first thing Tuesday morning and we’ll be ready to roll. I’ve been getting everything teed up on my side, so once the ink is dry we’ll be full steam ahead. Let me know if you have any changes or need anything else from me to get this across the finish line.
Looking forward to working together! I’ll keep an eye out for the final contract and let’s plan to touch base early next week.
Thanks,
Marcus
5. Setting Up an Interview with a Busy Recruiting Manager
Subject: 15-minute chat about the Marketing Manager role?
Hi Tanya,
I know you’re in the thick of recruiting for multiple roles and probably drowning in applications. I applied for the Marketing Manager position last week and was hoping we could find a few minutes to connect so I can learn more about the role and share how my background could be a great fit. I’ve been following your company’s growth closely and I think my skills and experience align well with your needs.
I promise to keep it short and sweet – just 15 minutes of your time for a quick chat this week or next. I’m excited about the opportunity and think there could be a strong match, but I’m also sensitive to how many candidates you’re likely juggling. Are there a couple of windows that work best on your end? I’ll prioritize those on my calendar.
Appreciate your consideration and I look forward to sharing more about my background if there’s an opportunity to do so. No worries if the timing isn’t right now – I know these processes can be fluid. Thanks for your time!
Best,
Olivia
6. Following Up with Busy Editor After Pitch
Subject: Re: Article pitch for “10 Ways to Boost Employee Morale”
Hi Jason,
Just wanted to follow up on my article pitch from last week about unique ways to boost employee morale and engagement. I know your inbox is probably overflowing with pitches and to-dos, so no worries if you haven’t had a chance to review it yet.
I feel this topic would resonate with your audience and offer a fresh perspective compared to some of the generic advice out there. Happy to make any tweaks to the angle or outline to better fit your editorial needs. If there are certain points you’d like me to expand on or take in a different direction, just say the word.
Let me know what you think when you have a chance to take a look. I can turn around a draft pretty quickly once I get your green light and target whatever deadline works for your editorial calendar.
Thanks for considering my pitch! Looking forward to your thoughts.
Cheers,
Ethan
7. Connecting with a Busy Mentor for Career Advice
Subject: Quick career advice from my favorite mentor?
Hey Maggie,
I hope you’re doing well and staying sane with your nonexistent free time these days! I know you’re beyond busy between your new role and speaking gigs, but I’m hoping to steal a few minutes of your wisdom for some quick career advice.
The brief rundown: I’ve been offered a leadership role at another company and I need to give them an answer by next Friday. It’s an exciting step up, but I’m wrestling with a few reservations. Since you’ve been such an amazing mentor to me over the years, I would love your take as I weigh this decision.
Any chance you’d have 20 mins for a quick video chat in the next week? I promise to come with specific questions and make the most of your time. If a live chat is too much to squeeze in, I’m happy to shoot over my thoughts in an email as well.
Thanks in advance for any insights you can share! Your perspective is always appreciated.
Best,
Isaac
8. Scheduling an Interview with a Busy Industry Expert
Subject: Interview for “Marketing Today” podcast?
Hi Amanda,
I’ve been a huge fan of your work since your early days at EZMarketing and have loved following your successful ventures since then. Your recent Forbes article about the future trends in digital marketing was spot on and had me nodding along the whole way through.
I know you’re insanely busy and probably get media requests all the time, but I’m hoping you might be open to a quick interview for the “Marketing Today” podcast. We have an engaged audience of 5,000 marketers who eat up actionable insights from industry leaders like yourself. Our episodes are capped at 20 minutes and we’re happy to record at literally any time that’s convenient for you, including early mornings or weekends.
I’ve attached a one-pager with more details about the show and some of our most popular past episodes. No pressure at all, but if you’re open to it, I think our audience would get a ton of value from hearing your hard-won wisdom. And I’ll work around even the craziest schedule to make it happen!
Let me know if you have any other questions. Fingers crossed we can make this work!
Cheers,
Josh
9. Requesting Feedback From Busy Manager After Presentation
Subject: Thoughts on my presentation today?
Hi Greg,
I know you had to run off to another meeting right after my presentation this afternoon, but I was hoping to get your quick feedback when you have a chance. I saw you jotting down a few notes and nodding at some of my key points, so I’m curious to hear your overall impression.
No need for a formal sit down or anything – a few bullet points over email or Slack are more than enough. I’d love to know:
– What resonated most from my presentation?
– Any areas I could clarify or points I missed?
– Do you think the exec team will green-light the initiative?
I’m really passionate about this project and your feedback is super valuable as I refine the proposal before submitting it upstairs. Appreciate you taking a few minutes to share your thoughts, as I know you’re cramming a lot into this week before your PTO.
Thanks for your insights and guidance, as always!
Talia
10. Outreach to Busy Podcast Host for Guest Spot
Subject: Got 30 mins to riff on the future of SEO?
Hey Kai,
I’ve been geeking out on your SEO podcast for the past few months and love how you break down complex topics in an approachable way. It’s my go-to for keeping up with algorithm changes while I’m walking my dog or folding laundry!
Not sure if you’re currently lining up guests for future episodes, but I’d love to come on and share some of my experience with the challenges of enterprise SEO. I’ve been heading up SEO at BigCommerce for the past 4 years and we’ve weathered some wild changes in that time – from mobile-first indexing to the page experience update and everything in between. I have a ton of actionable stories and tips for how big organizations can stay nimble.
I know you’re juggling a lot between the podcast, your day job, and all your Twitter beefs. Any chance you’d have 30 mins to jam on some potential episode topics and see if it’s a fit? Happy to work around your schedule and I promise I can bring good audio quality and spicy takes. Let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Liam
11. Asking Investor for Quick Customer Intro
Subject: Next steps – ABC Company partnership
Hi David,
Hope you had a great weekend! I wanted to circle back on our conversation from last week about potential partnership opportunities. You mentioned you had a good relationship with the VP of Biz Dev at ABC Company and thought our solution could be a great fit for their needs.
I know you’re swamped with board meetings and fundraising this month, but I was hoping you might be able to make a quick email intro to connect me with your contact there. I’ve drafted up a short blurb below if that helps – feel free to modify it as you see fit. I’m happy to take it from there and run with the conversation once you’ve opened the door.
Appreciate you leveraging your network to help move this potential partnership forward. I’m excited to explore how we can add value for ABC Company and report back on progress. Let me know if you need any other details from my end.
Thanks for your support and I’ll keep you posted!
Ava
12. Briefing Busy Exec Before Board Meeting
Subject: Quick briefing before the board meeting?
Hi Angela,
I know you have back-to-backs all day and probably haven’t had a chance to review the slides yet for this afternoon’s board meeting. Wanted to see if you had 10-15 mins for a quick briefing so we can align on key points and anticipate any questions that may come up.
I can swing by your office between meetings or we can hop on a call, whatever is easier. I’ll be focused on the Product and Engineering slides, so I want to make sure you feel fully equipped going into the meeting. Happy to do a quick dry run of the presentation if that’s helpful.
Let me know if you can squeeze in a few minutes and I’ll work around your schedule. And if there are certain areas you want me to dial-up or cut back, just say the word. The more context you have, the better we’ll be able to tell a cohesive story to the board.
Thanks,
Nathan
13. Getting a Decision from a Busy Prospect
Subject: Partnership proposal – awaiting your decision
Hi Jackie,
I wanted to check in on the status of the partnership proposal I sent over last week. I know you’ve been swamped with end-of-quarter priorities, but I’m hoping we can align on the next steps soon so I can rally my team accordingly.
The proposal outlines how our software can help streamline your ops workflows and drive efficiency across your team. I’ve also included a breakdown of the different pricing tiers and the ROI you can expect within the first 90 days. Let me know if you have any other questions or need additional details to help inform your decision.
I’m excited about the potential of working together and I think we can make a big impact on your business. If there are specific points you want to discuss live, I’m happy to set up a quick call. And if budget is a concern, I’m open to exploring different options to find a mutually beneficial path forward.
Looking forward to your feedback and decision. I’m here if you need anything else to help move this across the finish line.
Thanks,
Oliver
14. Requesting LinkedIn Recommendation From Busy Former Boss
Subject: Requesting a LinkedIn recommendation
Hey Sam,
I hope you’re doing well and staying sane leading the charge on the Acme merger! I saw the announcement last week – congrats on the huge milestone.
I’m reaching out because I’m in the process of looking for my next opportunity and building up my LinkedIn presence. Given the awesome experience I had working under your leadership at XYZ Corp, I was hoping you might be open to writing a short recommendation for my profile. No pressure at all if you’re too slammed – I know you have a million things on your plate right now.
If you’re able to jot down a few lines, I’d love for you to speak to my strengths in project management, cross-functional collaboration, and driving results. I’ve attached my most recent resume for reference and here’s a link to my LinkedIn. [Insert link]
I’m aiming to have all my recs buttoned up in the next few weeks, so if you’re able to submit something by the end of the month, that would be incredible. Let me know if you have any other questions and I’m happy to provide more details.
Thanks for considering and for being such a great mentor and manager during our time working together. I learned a ton from you that I know will serve me well in my career.
Best,
Lila
15. Nudging Manager for Information
Subject: Missing info for monthly stakeholder update
Hi George,
Friendly nudge on getting the Q2 revenue figures added to the monthly stakeholder update (attached). I know you’re probably drowning in end-of-month reporting right now, so no worries at all. Just want to make sure I have the latest numbers before sending them out to the broader team later today.
If you’re able to plug those in or shoot me a quick update by 3 pm, that would be perfect. And if there are other sections you want me to modify or call out, just let me know. The rest of the deck is in pretty good shape – just pending those final revenue details.
Appreciate you taking a few minutes to help wrap this up amidst the craziness of closing out the month. Let me know if any other questions come up.
Thanks,
Madison
16. Scheduling Touch Base With Busy Mentor
Subject: Overdue catch-up?
Hey Anika,
It’s been way too long since we last connected! I know you’re likely up to your eyeballs with the book launch and speaking circuit, but I’m hoping we can find some time to catch up soon, even if it’s just a quick 15-20-minute Zoom.
Would love to hear how everything is going with the launch and pick your brain on a few questions I have about potentially changing roles. Your perspective is always so valuable and I’m excited to celebrate all the success you’ve had since we last chatted.
I know your calendar is a constant game of Tetris, but if you can find a small window in the next week or two, I’ll make it work on my end. Early mornings, lunch hours, after work – you name the time and I’ll be there. And if a live chat is too tricky, I’m happy to trade voice notes or jump on email.
Let me know what works best. I promise to come prepared with specific questions to maximize our time. Looking forward to reconnecting!
Best,
Lucas
17. Confirming Meeting Details with Busy Client
Subject: Agenda for our meeting this Thursday
Hi Sophie,
Just wanted to confirm the agenda and logistics for our meeting this Thursday at 2 pm. I know you have a jam-packed schedule this week, so I want to make sure we’re aligned on expectations and make the most of our time together.
On the agenda:
1. Review Q3 campaign performance and key learnings
2. Discuss Q4 strategy and brainstorm new creative concepts
3. Align on a timeline and next steps
I’ve blocked off 90 minutes for our meeting, but if we need to shorten it due to your schedule, just let me know. My goal is for both of us to walk away with clear action items and owners so your team can hit the ground running in Q4.
Also confirming that we’re meeting at your office. If anything has changed on your end, give me a heads-up. I plan to arrive 10 minutes early in case there are any issues with building security.
Let me know if there’s anything else I should add to the agenda or any pre-reads I can send over. Looking forward to a productive session!
Thanks,
Caleb
18. Rescheduling Deliverable Due to Busy Stakeholders
Subject: New timeline for website copy deliverables
Hi team,
I know we were planning to have all the final website copies buttoned up by EOD tomorrow, but I just heard from the legal team that they need a bit more time to review and approve the new product descriptions. They’re swamped with the GDPR updates this week, so it’s looking like EOD Friday is more realistic for them.
Rather than rushing to hit the original deadline and potentially having to re-work things after legal review, I think it makes sense to adjust our timeline. Here’s what I’m proposing:
– Finalize all non-product page copy (Home, About, Contact, etc) by EOD tomorrow as planned
– Finalize product page copy by EOD Monday, assuming we get legal’s sign-off by Friday
– Provide all copies to the web team for implementation by EOD Tuesday
This will still give us plenty of buffer for QA and testing before the planned site launch at the end of the month. And it will save us from doubling back on the product pages if legal has changed.
Let me know if anyone has concerns with the new timeline. I’m happy to jump on a quick call and walk through it in more detail. Appreciate everyone’s flexibility as we navigate these moving pieces.
Thanks,
Sahil
19. Declining Meeting Invite from Busy Coworker
Subject: Re: Brainstorm session on new social campaign
Hey Tessa,
Thanks for looping me into the brainstorming session next Wednesday! I appreciate you considering me for this project. Unfortunately, my schedule is completely booked solid that day with finalizing the Q4 media plan and prepping for our agency pitch on Thursday.
I’d love to contribute ideas to the social campaign, but I know I won’t be able to give my full focus and creativity with these other priorities. Perhaps we can grab coffee next week and I can share some initial thoughts? And if there are ways I can provide input async via email or a shared doc, definitely let me know.
I know your calendar is probably just as packed, so no worries at all if this doesn’t work. I’m excited to see what the team comes up with and will be following along for any opportunities to support down the line.
Thanks again for the invite and let me know if there are other ways I can be helpful that better fit my current bandwidth.
Cheers,
Devon
20. Looping in Busy Team Member on Project Update
Subject: Q3 website refresh – update and next steps
Hi all,
Wanted to share a quick update on the Q3 website refresh project and flag some upcoming to-dos. We’re making great progress and are on track to launch the new homepage and key landing pages by 9/15.
Deliverables and owners for this week:
– Updated homepage hero options from @Jessica (by Wed EOD)
– Final product page copy from @Mike (by Thurs EOD)
– SEO review and meta tag recs from @Priya (by Fri EOD)
@Brady – I know you’re heads down on the mobile app launch, but could you block off an hour before EOD Thurs to review the implementation plan? Want to make sure our backend updates align with the app release. Let me know if a different day/time works better for you this week.
I’ll be combining everyone’s inputs into a master deck for final review at Monday’s design sync. If anyone needs more time for their deliverable, just give me a heads up so I can adjust the timeline accordingly.
Let’s keep up the great momentum, team! Give a shout if any blockers come up or you need clarity on next steps.
Thanks,
Kai
Wrapping Up “I Know You’re Busy” Emails
No matter your role, nailing email etiquette with busy colleagues, clients, prospects, and higher-ups is crucial for getting what you need while strengthening the relationship.
With these 20 “I know you’re busy” email samples in your back pocket, you’ll be able to navigate those tricky communications with empathy and finesse.
The key is to keep your ask clear, concise, and actionable. Show that you respect their packed schedule by giving options and keeping your tone warm but direct.
A little bit of thought into crafting an effective “I know you’re busy” email can go a long way in prompting a quick response and winning their respect.
So next time you need to check in with that busy boss, prospect, or colleague, come back to these email samples for inspiration on striking the right chord.
And remember, a bit of patience and understanding can make all the difference.
After all, we’re all busy fighting the good fight and could use a bit more empathy in our inboxes.