The Power of The Follow-Up in Sales – When and How to Do It Effectively

Simon Hazeldine

Follow-up is the unsung hero of successful selling. You can spend countless hours prospecting, qualifying, and pitching, but if you don’t master the art of follow-up, all that hard work could be wasted. The truth is, many sales opportunities slip through the cracks simply because the follow-up process is either inconsistent, poorly executed, or abandoned too soon.

If you want to close more deals and develop strong customer relationships, mastering the follow-up is non-negotiable. Done right, it demonstrates professionalism, persistence, and a genuine desire to serve your customer’s needs. Done wrong, it risks making you look pushy or desperate.

In this post, we will explore:

Why follow-up matters
Common mistakes salespeople make
Practical strategies to follow up effectively
How to strike the right balance between persistence and pestering

Let’s get started.

Why Follow-Up Matters

Various pieces of research suggest that something like 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups after the initial meeting. Yet, many salespeople give up after just one or two attempts. Why? Because they fear being a nuisance. The reality is that persistence not only shows your commitment to winning the customer’s business but also keeps you top of mind.

More importantly, multiple follow-ups demonstrate your professionalism and desire to help your customer. In a busy world where your prospect’s priorities may shift daily, consistent follow-up ensures you remain part of their decision-making process.

Common Follow-Up Mistakes

Salespeople often fall into these traps:

Being too aggressive: Follow-up should feel helpful, not desperate or pushy.
Lack of clarity: Ending a conversation without agreeing on a clear next step leaves room for confusion and missed opportunities.
Giving up too soon: Many salespeople stop at one or two follow-ups, even though customers often need more time.
Not adapting to the customer’s preferred communication style: Some customers prefer email, others like phone calls or even messaging apps like WhatsApp. Ignoring this reduces your chances of success.
Failure to add value: Each follow-up should offer something meaningful, not just a “checking in” message.

Practical Strategies for Effective Follow-Up

1. Take Final Responsibility (TFR)

As recommended by my good buddy Anthony Stears (AKA “The Telephone Assassin”) at the end of every interaction, take ownership of the next step, or what Anthony calls “Take Final Responsibility”. Never leave it to the customer to get back to you.

Example: “When would be the right time for me to follow up with you if I don’t hear back?”

This question:

Demonstrates respect for the customer’s timeline
Prevents you from being overly aggressive
Allows the customer to guide the process, making them feel more in control

2. Follow the Three P’s: Polite, Persistent, and Patient

To strike the perfect balance between persistence and pestering, follow the three P’s:

Polite: Be courteous and professional in every interaction.
Persistent: Don’t give up too easily. Remember, follow-up shows you want their business.
Patient: Respect their timing and decision-making process. Pushy salespeople repel customers; helpful salespeople win trust.

Action Point: Add a reminder in your CRM to check in at regular, agreed intervals. If they say, “Follow up next month,” note it and stick to it.

3. Clarify Next Steps During Every Conversation

At the end of a meeting or call, confirm what will happen next. This avoids ambiguity.

Example: “Let’s schedule our next conversation now so we can ensure we keep the momentum going. How does next Friday at 10 AM sound?”

4. Mix Up Your Follow-Up Methods

Different prospects prefer different communication methods. Don’t rely solely on email. Use a mix of:

Phone calls (leave voicemails if necessary)
Emails
Texts/WhatsApp (for more informal relationships)
LinkedIn messages

Experiment to see which method gets the best response.

5. Add Value with Every Follow-Up

Each follow-up should provide something of value. Don’t just “check in”. Examples of value-add follow-ups:

Share a relevant case study or article
Offer insights based on their challenges
Send a recap of your previous meeting and next steps

Action Point: Before every follow-up, ask yourself, “How can I make this interaction useful for the customer?”

6. Time-Block for Follow-Ups

Set aside dedicated time in your calendar for follow-ups. Consistency is key to making it a habit.

Pro Tip: Try the “5 before 9 and 9 after 5” method:

Make 5 follow-up calls before 9 AM (when gatekeepers are less likely to be active).
Make 9 calls after 5 PM (when your prospects are winding down).

When to Stop Following Up

One of the most common questions salespeople ask is, “How many follow-ups are too many?” There’s no universal answer, but use your common sense. If a prospect has repeatedly shown no interest, consider pausing.

Before giving up, send a final follow-up:

Example: “It seems like now isn’t the right time, so I’ll step back for now. I’ll check back in a few months to see if your situation has changed.”

This approach leaves the door open while allowing you to prioritize other opportunities.

Final Thoughts: Make Follow-Up Your Competitive Advantage

Effective follow-up isn’t just about persistence; it’s about professionalism, patience, and understanding your customer’s buying process. When done well, it sets you apart from the competition and positions you as a trusted advisor rather than a pushy salesperson.

To recap:

Take Final Responsibility (TFR) for the next step.
Be Polite, Persistent, and Patient.
Always clarify next steps during conversations.
Use a mix of follow-up methods.
Add value with every touchpoint.

Master the follow-up process, and you’ll close more deals, strengthen customer relationships, and achieve consistent sales success.

Action Step: Commit to implementing at least one new follow-up strategy this week. Consistency will make it part of your sales DNA.

Remember, persistence pays off. Follow up effectively, and the results will follow.

Here are some additional resources on follow ups for you:

Inc Magazine “The Art of Following Up (Without Being Annoying)”

HubSpot “The Art of the Sales Follow-Up: 7 Ways to Keep the Conversation Going”

Salesforce “5 Ways To Master The Follow-Up In Sales”

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About the author

Simon Hazeldine works internationally as a revenue growth and sales performance speaker, consultant, and coach. He empowers his clients to get more sales, more often with more margin.

He has spoken in over thirty countries and his client list includes some of the world’s largest and most successful companies.

Simon has a master’s degree in psychology, is the bestselling author of ten books that have been endorsed by a host of business leaders including multi-billionaire business legend Michael Dell and is co-founder of leading sales podcast “The Sales Chat Show”.

He is the creator of the neuroscience based “Brain Friendly Selling”® methodology.

Simon Hazeldine’s books:

Neuro-Sell: How Neuroscience Can Power Your Sales Success
Bare Knuckle Selling
Bare Knuckle Negotiating
Bare Knuckle Customer Service
The Inner Winner
How To Lead Your Sales Team – Virtually and in Person
Virtual Selling Success
How To Manage Your People’s Performance
How To Create Effective Employee Development Plans
Virtual Negotiation Success

And as a bonus here is a list of some follow-up tools to help sales professionals streamline follow-ups, automate tasks, and boost productivity:

1. CRM Systems

A robust CRM helps organize contacts, track interactions, and schedule follow-ups.

Salesforce: Industry-leading CRM with task reminders, automation workflows, and robust analytics for follow-ups.
HubSpot CRM: User-friendly and offers email sequencing, task management, and automated follow-up reminders.
Pipedrive: Focused on sales pipeline management with visual workflows, follow-up tracking, and customizable automations.
Zoho CRM: Affordable CRM with tools for reminders, lead scoring, and automated follow-up campaigns.

2. Sales Engagement Platforms

These tools enhance outreach through automated follow-up sequences and multi-channel communication.

Outreach: Automates personalized email sequences, call scheduling, and task follow-ups to improve engagement.
Salesloft: Combines multi-touch follow-up workflows (emails, calls, LinkedIn), analytics, and task tracking.
Mixmax: A Gmail-based tool that helps set up follow-up email sequences, reminders, and meeting scheduling.
Apollo.io: A sales intelligence and engagement platform with automated multi-channel follow-ups.

3. Email Follow-Up Tools

These tools automate email follow-ups, track opens, and simplify outreach.

Mailshake: Perfect for email outreach and follow-up campaigns with detailed analytics and automation.
Boomerang for Gmail: Schedule follow-ups, get reminders if no reply is received, and set up recurring tasks.
Yesware: Email tracking and follow-up tools integrated into Gmail and Outlook with templates and reminders.
FollowUp.cc: Simple email reminder tool to schedule follow-ups or “nudge” contacts.

4. Calendar and Scheduling Tools

For managing follow-up calls and appointments seamlessly.

Calendly: Allows prospects to schedule follow-up calls directly into your calendar, reducing back-and-forth.
Acuity Scheduling: Advanced scheduling tool that syncs with multiple calendars and automates reminders.
Chili Piper: Helps schedule follow-ups right after calls or meetings and streamlines lead routing.

5. Communication Tools

Keep your follow-ups consistent across various channels.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator: A powerful tool to follow up with prospects, send InMail, and track relationships.
WhatsApp Business: Stay connected with leads via personalized messages and reminders.
Slack: Ideal for internal follow-up and team collaboration to ensure timely actions.
Google Workspace: Tools like Gmail and Google Calendar help streamline follow-up communication and scheduling.

6. Automation and Workflow Tools

To eliminate repetitive tasks and streamline follow-ups.

Zapier: Automates workflows by connecting apps (e.g., CRM + email reminders).
ActiveCampaign: Combines CRM and automation for multi-touch follow-up workflows, including emails and reminders.
Keap: Sales automation software that creates follow-up sequences based on triggers and customer actions.

7. Task Management Tools

Stay organized with to-do lists and reminders for your follow-ups.

Trello: Visual task management tool for setting follow-up tasks and deadlines.
Asana: Allows sales teams to collaborate and prioritize follow-up tasks with reminders.
Todoist: A simple, powerful tool for managing follow-up tasks and prioritizing to-dos.

8. Voice and Call Tools

Tools to follow up with calls, track interactions, and improve engagement.

Aircall: Cloud-based phone system for managing follow-up calls, recording, and tracking outcomes.
RingCentral: A business phone solution with follow-up call scheduling and call reminders.
Dialpad: Voice and AI-driven calling platform with call transcription and automated follow-ups.

9. Note-Taking Tools

Capture key insights and follow-up details during sales calls.

Evernote: Take detailed notes and set reminders for follow-ups.
OneNote: A free Microsoft tool for organized note-taking and task follow-up tracking.
Notion: Combines notes, tasks, and CRM capabilities to manage follow-up details.

10. Follow-Up and Reminder Apps

Simple tools to ensure timely follow-ups and reminders.

FollowUpThen: An email-based reminder tool that helps you send and track follow-ups.
ReminderCall: Sends automated text and call reminders to clients for follow-ups.
Cloze: An AI-powered tool that reminds you to follow up based on your communication history.