What should a meeting request email say?
Four things, in this order: why you want to meet, how long it will take, two or three specific times with the time zone, and what happens if none of those work. Put the purpose in the subject line. Keep the whole email short enough to read on a phone without scrolling. If the person already knows you, skip the introduction and start with the ask.
Template 1: cold request to someone who does not know you
Use this for a first contact where you have one clear reason the meeting is worth their time.
Hi [Name],
I run [company], where we [one line on what you do]. I am writing because [specific reason this person, for example: your post on X / your team is hiring for Y / a mutual contact suggested it].
Could we take 20 minutes next week? I can do:
Tuesday [date], 11:00 to 11:20 IST
Wednesday [date], 15:30 to 15:50 IST
Thursday [date], 10:00 to 10:20 IST
If none of those suit, send me any slot that does and I will work around it. A Google Meet link will follow once you pick.
Thanks,
[Your name]
[Title, company]
Template 2: warm request after an introduction or event
Use this within two days of meeting someone or being introduced, while the context is fresh.
Hi [Name],
Good to meet you at [event] on [day]. You mentioned [the thing they said], and I have been thinking about it since.
I would like to pick that up properly. Would 30 minutes on [day, date] at [time] IST work, or [second day, date] at [time] IST?
Happy to come to you, or Google Meet if easier.
Best,
[Your name]
Template 3: internal request for a decision
Use this inside your own company when a thread has stopped moving and a decision needs a room.
Hi [Name],
The [topic] thread has three open questions and nobody can close them over email. I would like 15 minutes to decide [the decision] so [team] can start on [date].
Options: [day] [time] or [day] [time]. I will send a two-line summary of the choices the day before so we can decide inside the slot.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Template 4: short-notice request for today or tomorrow
Use this when something cannot wait and you need the other person to understand why without alarming them.
Hi [Name],
Something has come up on [topic] that needs your input before [deadline]: [one sentence on what changed].
Can you spare 10 minutes today? I am free 14:00 to 16:00 IST and again after 17:30 IST. Reply with a time and I will call, or send me yours.
If today is impossible, first thing tomorrow works too.
[Your name]
Template 5: formal request to a senior or external stakeholder
Use this for a client sponsor, a regulator, a board member or anyone whose assistant may be reading.
Dear [Name],
I am writing to request a meeting to discuss [topic]. The purpose is to [one line: agree the scope of X / review the proposal dated Y / introduce Z].
I expect the discussion to take 30 minutes. I am available at the following times, in IST:
[Day, date], [time]
[Day, date], [time]
[Day, date], [time]
If it would be more convenient, I am glad to work around your calendar. Please let me or [assistant name] know what suits.
With regards,
[Your name]
[Title, company, phone]
What to change before you send
Every placeholder is a decision. The ones below are where templates go wrong.
- Write the time zone on every slot, not once at the bottom. IST, not India time, and add the other person's zone if they are abroad.
- Offer slots at least 24 hours ahead unless the request is urgent. Slots in the next two hours read as pressure.
- Say the length you actually need. A 20-minute ask gets accepted more easily than a vague "catch up" with no end.
- Give the reason this specific person, not a reason you could send to anyone. One concrete detail beats a paragraph of flattery.
- Check the slots against your own calendar after you edit the dates. Sending a time you are not free for is the most common error.
- Remove any sentence that starts with "I hope this email finds you well". The ask is the opener.
How much notice to give, and how many slots
Two or three slots across two different days is enough. One slot forces a counter-offer; five or more reads like a calendar dump. Spread them: one morning, one afternoon, and avoid the first hour after lunch.
For someone outside your company, aim for next week rather than this one. For colleagues, two working days is fine. If they have not replied after three working days, send one follow-up with fresh slots, since the old ones may already be gone. How to schedule a meeting by email walks through what to do with each kind of reply, including "none of those work".
Let Momo AI do the thread
Momo AI handles this thread for you: it reads your Google Calendar, drafts the request in your writing style with two to four free slots, and saves it to Gmail Drafts for you to send. When the reply comes, it books the pick with a Google Meet link and writes the confirmation. Nothing goes out until you tap Send. See scheduling by email and how it works for founders.
