Most people think lead follow-up is all about making a sale. But really, it’s about building relationships. Think about how good it feels when someone checks in on you, not because they have to, but because they actually care. It feels great, right?
But how do you know if they truly care? What do you look out for as the evidence?
If you think about it, the answer lies in not just what they say, but what they do. Actions speak louder than words, and that’s exactly what lead follow-up is. It’s about showing you care through your actions.
Lead Follow Up is the Real Secret To Double Your Profits
Following up with your leads isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential if you want to close more sales.
Most people stop after the first follow-up, thinking it’s not worth the effort. But here’s the thing: consistent follow-up is how you show your leads that you’re not just trying to make a sale—but you’re genuinely there to help.
In fact, when most sales people stop following up and you do, that is where the real differentiation happens! It is the golden opportunity to build trust and show leads that you truly care about their success through your service or product.
If you’re struggling to follow up with your leads, it’s likely because you haven’t found your why or understand its importance to help you increase sales.
Once you get that, it becomes easier to do it.
Example: How We Outbid a Bigger Competitor & Closed $100k
At Exabloom, one of our clients said:
“We reached out to three companies about lead follow up & reactivation software. One sent an automated email, another gave us a generic pitch, but Exabloom was the only one that personally asked about our lead challenges and followed up consistently. Every time they followed up, we felt that we learnt something or gained something. They cared about solving our problem, not just making a sale. When it comes to decision time, they were the obvious choice”
This example shows how personalised lead follow up doesn’t just maintain interest—it builds trust. And trust is what turns prospects into paying customers.
Choosing to Follow Up Is the Only Way To More Sales
Most salespeople get follow-up wrong. They see it as just another task to get done because:
- It’s part of their job.
- Leads are waiting for a response.
- They feel guilty if they don’t.
- They need to close the sale.
These reasons are valid, but they miss the big point.
Follow-up is about showing your leads that you care.
Think about it: your leads don’t know you yet, so they’re naturally skeptical. They can’t just take your word for it—they need to see it in your actions.
And your action is the only indicator they can trust reliably to ascertain your offer quality.
Customer nowadays are hyper skeptical, and with so much information out there that can’t be trusted, they default to your behaviour to ascertain whether they should trust your service or product.
If you don’t follow up, the only assumption that your leads will have is you don’t care enough about their needs. The result ? A less likelihood of closing the sale.
That’s why thoughtful, consistent follow-ups are one of the best ways to prove you’re reliable and committed to helping them.
The 3 Golden Rules in Lead Follow up To Guarantee Profits
We all know responding quickly to leads is important. Studies show that speed can boost sales. But speed alone isn’t enough.
Consistency and quality matter just as much.
Following up quickly shows you’re serious, but being consistent keeps the lead interested and builds trust. If you just spam your leads with the same question, you’ll only annoy them.
Here’s a quick example: A few months ago, someone offered to help me with my marketing. After our first talk, I was interested but needed time to think. They followed up the next day, which was great. But what really made the difference was their consistency.
They kept in touch, giving helpful tips over time. When I was ready to make a decision, I trusted them, and the choice was easy.
Why does this work? The first follow-up kept me interested, but the regular check-ins built trust. And trust is the key that turns interest into action.
Studies show that most sales happen after the 5th to 12th follow-up, yet many salespeople give up after just two tries. Imagine how much opportunity you’re leaving on the table if you stop too soon.
Why Consistent Lead Follow Up Builds Emotional Trust
Consistency is powerful, even when the initial excitement fades. The more familiar someone is with you, the more they trust you. This is known as the “mere exposure effect,” which basically means people start to like things they see more often.
Think about it: who are you more likely to trust—someone you’ve spoken to a few times or someone you barely know?
When you follow up consistently, it shows your leads that they can count on you. It tells them you’re reliable and invested in their success. This trust often makes the difference between a lead and a customer.
The Right Mindset To Never Worry About Sales Again
If you want to get lead follow up right, remember two things:
- Build relationships—It’s not just about closing the deal; it’s about creating a bond with your customer.
- Focus on serving—Lead follow up should be about helping your customer, not just making a sale.
When you approach lead follow up with these principles, your actions show that you genuinely care. This builds trust, and trust leads to sales.
The Golden Opportunity To Double Your Profit
Here’s a statistic that should motivate you: 44% of salespeople give up after just one follow-up. That’s almost half! This leaves a huge opportunity for you to stand out. By simply being persistent and consistent, you can capture opportunities that others are leaving on the table.
Exabloom has helped our clients close an additional 30% of leads, simply by enabling them to follow up automatically and consistently. And this is no surprise.
In the fast-paced world of sales, the golden rule is this: it takes an average of seven interactions to seal the deal. Before you dismiss this piece of information, multiple research has been conducted on this topic:
- On average, high growth organizations report 8 touch points per prospect to close a sale (source%20with%20a%20new%20prospect.)).
- The most optimal number of follow-up to is 2-3 (source).
- 95% of all converted leads are reached by the sixth call attempt (source).
- 92% of salespeople give up after no sales on the 4th call. 60% of customers say no four times before saying yes (source).
Let that sink in for a moment. If it takes six to sixteen interactions before a prospect to become a customer, following up is not a choice – it is a necessity.
We’ve all seen it happen, probably more times than we realize – leads transforming into closed deals simply because a company was diligent in their follow-up game. Why? Because not every lead that comes into your sales funnel is ready to purchase your product or solution immediately. Some are in the research phase, others are getting to know your business, and some are browsing around to compare their options.
By following up with your leads consistently, you have the opportunity to guide your prospects down the sales funnel, moving them from “casual browsers” to “ready purchasers”.
Limiting Beliefs About Lead Follow Up to Let Go
It’s easy to fall into the trap of negative thoughts when it comes to lead follow up:
- “I should focus on new leads instead.”
- “They already said no, so it’s over.”
- “I don’t want to bother people.”
These limiting beliefs are holding you back. Lead follow up is about keeping the door open and continuing the conversation.
Remember, prospect need time to build comfort & trust before buying.
The fact that they are already enquiring about your product and service means deep down, they want to be sold.
At this point, you just need to move them psychologically through your actions to get them to buy.
Make a Commitment To Be Exceptional
Can you scrape by in sales without mastering lead follow up?
Sure, if your goal is to just get by.
But if you want to be exceptional, if you want to crush your sales goals, lead follow up is a non-negotiable skill.
Commit to mastering it, and you’ll see the difference in your results.
Reflection Questions To Help You Refine Your Lead Follow Up Approach
To really improve your lead follow up strategy, take a moment to think about these questions:
- How do you show your customers you care? Write down specific actions, not just words.
- How well are you practicing relationship-based and service-driven follow up? Think of a customer where you could have done better.
- Think about a recent major purchase. What delayed your decision, and how did the salesperson’s follow up (or lack of) affect that?
- When do you typically stop following up? Could you be missing out on sales by giving up too soon?
Conclusion: The Power of Lead Follow Up
Following up with people isn’t just something you have to do—it’s a way to show that you care about them. When you follow up regularly, people trust you more and get excited about what you offer.
While others might stop trying, you can be different by always showing up. Each time you follow up, you make your relationship stronger and get closer to making a sale. The more you follow up with your leads, the better your results will be!