Why you need a plan
Follow-up slips when people get busy. A plan puts each touch on a schedule so it does not depend on memory.
In a 2016 mystery shop of 85 UK law firms, only 6% of website enquiries and 7% of phone enquiries were followed up after the first contact. In a 2024 shop of 92 franchise brands, half followed up on an online form at all.
Those are small tests in other fields. We found no study that proves the best number of touches. Use this as a starting plan and adjust it with your own results.
Ground rules
Keep every message useful
- Start on the channel they used, then add others
- Put one clear next step in every message, ideally a time to talk
- Ask one question at a time
- Stop when they book, say no, or ask you to stop
Stay on the right side of the rules
- Only text people who gave you a number and agreed to be contacted
- Honor 'STOP' replies right away, on every channel
- Call and text in normal daytime hours in their time zone
- Rules for calls and texts differ by country and state. Check yours. This is not legal advice
The two-week schedule for a new inquiry
Day 0
- First minute: call. If no answer, leave a short voicemail and send a text
- Right after: send the email with two times to talk
- Four hours later, or end of day: call once more, no voicemail
Days 1 to 4
- Day 1: email with a short, useful answer to what they asked
- Day 2: call, then text if there is no answer
- Day 4: email with one easy question
Days 7 to 14
- Day 7: short text check-in
- Day 10: call, and email the same day if no answer
- Day 14: the close-the-loop email. Then stop, unless they asked to hear from you later
That is about a dozen touches in two weeks, on three channels. It is a plan you can adjust. If your buyers are slower to decide, stretch the days. Keep the order.
Templates for the first reply
Email, sent right after the call attempt
- Subject: Got your message about [topic]
- Hi [First name],
- Thanks for reaching out about [topic]. Here is the short answer to your question: [one sentence].
- Can we talk for 15 minutes? I have [day, time] or [day, time]. Reply with the one you want, or pick a time here: [link].
- [Your name], [Company]
Text
- Hi [First name], it's [Your name] at [Company]. I just tried to call about your note on [topic]. Do you have 10 minutes today or tomorrow? I can do [time] or [time]. Reply STOP to opt out.
Voicemail
- Hi [First name], this is [Your name] from [Company], calling about the note you sent on [topic]. I'm sending you a text with two times to talk. Or call me back at [number]. Again, [Your name], [number].
Templates for the days after
Day 2 text
- Hi [First name], [Your name] again from [Company]. Still happy to help with [topic]. Is [day] at [time] okay for a quick call?
Day 4 email
- Subject: One question about [topic]
- Hi [First name],
- I want to make this useful. What is the one thing you most want to fix about [topic] in the next 90 days? One line is plenty.
- If now is not the right time, tell me and I will check back in [month].
- [Your name]
Day 14 close-the-loop email
- Subject: Should I close your file?
- Hi [First name],
- I have reached out a few times about [topic] and have not heard back, which is fine. I will stop here so I do not crowd your inbox.
- If it comes up again, reply to this email and I will pick it right back up.
- [Your name]
When a proposal goes quiet
A proposal that gets no answer is not a no. It is usually a busy person. Give it a short schedule, and make it easy to answer with one word.
Timing
- Day 2 after sending: confirm it arrived and ask if they have questions
- Day 5: offer a 15-minute walkthrough
- Day 10: ask what is in the way
- Day 17: close the loop, and ask for a clear yes or no
Day 5 email
- Subject: Want me to walk you through the proposal?
- Hi [First name], proposals are easier to judge out loud. I can take you through it in 15 minutes and answer anything on the spot. Does [day] at [time] work?
Day 10 email
- Subject: What is in the way?
- Hi [First name], I do not want to guess. Is it timing, budget, the scope, or something else? A one-word answer helps me, and nothing you say will upset me.
Day 17 email
- Subject: Closing out the proposal
- Hi [First name], I will close this proposal on my side so it does not hang around. If you want to move ahead or just talk it through, reply and I will reopen it. If it is a no for now, that is fine too, and I would value knowing why.
Track it for 30 days
Count these weekly
- Replies by touch number: which message got the answer
- Replies by channel: call, email or text
- Meetings booked, and on which day of the plan
- How many inquiries never got all the touches
After a month you will know which touch earns replies in your market. Keep that one. Rewrite the rest.
Scouq's AI agents run a follow-up plan like this by call, email, text and chat, using words you approve first. Every call and text says up front that it is an AI.
