In this post I explain the single marketing mistake I see again and again that quietly kills sales: poor or missing follow-up. This article summarizes the idea I shared in my video and gives a clear, practical follow-up process you can start using today.
What do I mean by “follow-up”?
When I say follow-up, I mean the actions you take after a first contact, a lead is generated, or even after a sale. As I often say:
“Follow-up is what happens after a first contact, a lead generated, or even a sale.”
Every customer has a different buying cycle. Some respond immediately, others need more touches. The problem is not that leads never arrive — it’s that once they do, too many businesses stop there.
Why lack of follow-up kills sales
- First contact without a next step usually leads to nothing. A prospect calls or sends an email, you talk, then nothing happens — and the lead dies.
- People are busy or distracted. They forget appointments or simply don’t reply. Without follow-up, you never give the relationship a chance to continue.
- No follow-up = no qualification. You won’t know if a lead is truly interested or just not ready yet.
A simple follow-up process you can implement
Here’s a straightforward sequence I recommend. It’s short, respectful, and gets results.
- Initial contact: A lead contacts you by phone, email, or in person. This is marketing’s job — now yours begins.
- Schedule the next step: Aim to move the contact to a call or appointment. If you set a date/time, confirm it.
- If the appointment/call doesn’t happen: Follow up. Don’t assume the lead is gone.
- Three days later: Send a short text or make a quick call: “Hi, how are you? Just checking in to reschedule our call/appointment.”
- If still no response: Try again in about two weeks. This gives them space but keeps the door open.
- Decide and move on: After these touches you should know if they’re interested. If they say they’re not, that’s fine — move to the next lead.
Sample follow-up messages
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After a missed appointment: “Hi [Name], hope you’re well. We missed our call — would you like to reschedule for this week?”
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Three-day check-in: “Hi [Name], just checking in. Are you still interested in talking about [service/product]?”
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Two-week nudge: “Hi [Name], I wanted to follow up one last time to see if you’d like to continue. If now isn’t a good time, let me know and I can reach out later.”
Best practices and mindset
- Be polite and empathetic: Assume something happened — maybe they got busy or had an emergency. A friendly tone revives many leads.
- Use multiple channels: Text or call — both work. Email is fine too, but a short direct message often gets faster responses.
- Be consistent but not annoying: Some people say “follow up until they block you.” I don’t recommend that. Follow until you clearly know whether they’re interested or not.
- Track your touches: Use a simple CRM or spreadsheet to record when you contacted them and what happened next. This prevents leads from slipping through the cracks.
Conclusion
If one thing in your marketing is killing sales, it’s usually not the traffic — it’s the failure to follow up. Implement a short, consistent follow-up process: try a quick reschedule after a missed appointment, a check-in after three days, and a two-week nudge if needed. With a little persistence and empathy, many “dead” leads will come back to life.
If you want more tips like these, check out my channel and other resources from Salazar Digital – Marketing & Web Design for practical ideas you can use to grow your business.
Salazar Digital Local Marketing
1172 Murphy Ave #208, San Jose, CA 95131
(408) 532-5118
