Introduction
In the arena of professional communication, certain phrases and strategies are key to ensuring smooth interactions and clarity. One such phrase, often employed in email correspondences, is ‘circling back’. If you’ve ever wondered about the right use of this term, you’re in the right place. This article presents an insightful exploration of the phrase ‘circling back’, setting forth contexts of usage, and providing useful alternatives to enrich your business language repertoire.
Key Takeaways
- Understanding the phrase ‘circling back’: This phrase is commonly used in professional communication to revisit or follow up on a previously discussed topic.
- Appropriate usage of ‘circling back’: It’s vital to use this phrase at the right moment, typically when you need further information, confirmation, or when you want to revisit a topic that was not completely addressed.
- Alternatives to ‘circling back’: There are multiple alternative phrases that can be used in different contexts, such as ‘touching base’, ‘revisiting’ or ‘following up’.
Other Ways to Say “circling back in an email”
- Returning to our previous discussion
- Referring back to our earlier conversation
- Revisiting our earlier topic
- Looping back to our prior email exchange
- Touching base on our prior conversation
- Readdressing our previous discussion
- Getting back to our earlier subject
- Resuming our previous topic
- Bringing us back to our earlier exchange
- Coming back around to our previous conversation
- Back tracking to our prior discussion
- Following up on our earlier conversation
- Recalling our previous discussion
- Redirecting to our earlier subject
- Reflecting on our previous topic
Revisiting Our Previous Discussion
In professional email correspondence, instead of using a casual phrase like ‘circling back’, one might choose to use a more formal variant such as ‘Revisiting our previous discussion’ or ‘Returning to our prior conversation’. For instance, ‘I am returning to our prior conversation regarding the marketing strategies’. Or ‘I would like to revisit our previous discussion about the budget allocation’. Such formal variants are often used in an attempt to maintain a professional tone, show respect to the receiver, and portray the sender’s competence and seriousness about the subject matter. These formal expressions particularly fit in situations where the sender and the receiver do not have a casual relationship, or when the topic at hand requires a certain degree of formality.
Dear John,
I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to provide a status update on the project that we discussed during our last correspondence. We have made substantial progress and I would appreciate your insight and feedback at your earliest convenience.
Revisiting our prior conversation, I recall you mentioning some strategic shifts within your team. Could you please enlighten me more about how those shifts might impact our collaborative efforts moving forward?
I look forward to your response.
Best,
Mark
How To Answer Formal
When you are “circling back” in an email, you’re essentially revisiting a topic or following up on a conversation or question. This phrase is typically used in professional or business communications when you want to revisit a certain matter that has already been discussed, but still needs resolution or further discussion. For example, you might say “Just circling back on our discussion about the quarterly report – do you have any updates for me?” This not only helps to keep the conversation organized, but also serves as a polite way to remind someone of a pending matter.
Using “circling back” in a sentence can also show that you are being proactive and taking responsibility for following up. It can be particularly helpful when you want to keep the conversation going without seeming pushy or insistent. For example, instead of asking for an update outright, you could say, “Circling back to our meeting, I was wondering if you’ve had a chance to review the proposal?” It’s a diplomatic way to follow up. It implies patience and understanding while still conveying the urgency of the matter.
- “Circling back to our conversation last week, have you decided on a course of action?”
- “Circling back on the email I sent, do you have any feedback for me?”
- “Just circling back as promised to see if you need any further information.”
- “Circling back on our discussion, I’ve managed to gather some additional data. Shall we schedule a concept review?”
Dear colleague,
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you circling back on this topic. Further exploration is certainly feasible, and I commend your diligence in ensuring all angles are considered.
Best regards,
Your name
‘Touching Base’ – An Informal Variant of ‘Circling Back’ in an Email
While articulating professional communication in emails, the term ‘circling back’ is regularly used. However, in a more relaxed environment, you could instead use the phrase ‘Touching base’. This phrase like ‘circling back’, emphasizes revisiting a topic, idea, or conversation later. It’s like saying, ‘I’m just checking in on…’, ‘I just wanted to revisit…’, or ‘I thought I would follow up on…’. The reason for selecting this more informal approach could be to foster a more engaging and down-to-earth connection. That approach can help eliminate barriers, appearing less rigid, and more approachable in your communication.
Hey Team,
I am just getting back to our discussion from last week about the project timeline. It appears there are a few items that we still need to nail down in order to move forward.
Looking forward to your insights!
Best,
Your Name
How To Answer Informally
If you’ve ever questioned how to answer the phrase “circling back” in an email in a more casual way, you’re not alone. This phrase is essentially a polite and professional way of saying “Following up on our previous conversation,” or “I’m getting back to this topic once more.” It is usually utilized when you have previously discussed a subject with someone and want to revisit it, or when you need to prompt a response from someone who hasn’t replied to your earlier email. In an informal setting, you could simply say, “Just wanted to touch on this again,” “Looking into it again,” or “Getting back to the subject.”
Although ‘circling back’ is widely used in professional scenarios, it can sound too formal in a casual context. Luckily, there are several informal alternatives that still get the point across. Among them: “Giving it another go,” “Bringing it up once more,” “Hitting it again,” or “Returning to the matter.” It is essential to consider the context and the rapport you have with the person you’re emailing to decide the best phrase to use.
- “Diving back into the topic…”
- “Throwing this into the mix again…”
- “Breathing life back into this discussion…”
- “Bumping this up…”
Hey there!
Just circling back on your previous email. Let’s dive right in and discuss those points you’ve mentioned.
Looking forward to our continued discussions!
Best,
Your Name
Is It Correct to Say “circling back in an email”?
It is certainly correct to use the phrase ‘circling back’ in an email. This term is often utilized in professional contexts, particularly in ongoing conversations where a topic was left unaddressed or a question unanswered. In such cases, ‘circling back’ serves as a polite and tactful way to revisit the subject without seeming intrusive or pushy. Additionally, the phrase follows standard grammatical rules, making it an acceptable addition to your email vocabulary.
However, it’s essential to consider that ‘circling back’ can be perceived differently based on the context and the relationship between the sender and receiver. If used excessively or out of context, it can potentially sound slightly stereotyped or insensitive towards the receiver’s potential inability to respond sooner. Therefore, it is equally important to gauge the situation and use the phrase sparingly to maintain its effectiveness.
At this point, let’s explore the alternatives to ‘circling back’. ‘Revisiting’, ‘following up on’, or simply ‘returning to’ can be used depending on the context. These phrases convey the same intention as ‘circling back’ but in different tones, thereby providing more options for your professional email language toolkit.
In conclusion, ‘circling back’ is a versatile phrase, but like any other aspect of language, it requires careful and appropriate usage. Through this article, we hope you have gained a clearer understanding of how to use ‘circling back’ in an email effectively, ensuring both the precision of communication and the maintenance of professional respect.
