It often takes more than one follow-up to close a deal. If fact, 80% of sales require at least 5 touches. You may think a prospect isn’t interested if you don’t hear back from them right away, but in reality, the deal may stall because you don’t have a consistent follow-up strategy.
Instantly’s Hans Dekker says follow-ups should never start with “just checking in.” Instead, they should help move a prospect from cold to conversation. He says the best sales sequences balance persistence with value, using spacing and content variation to maintain engagement without feeling robotic. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share his tips for staying top of mind without overwhelming your prospects.
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Follow This Proven Pattern
Dekker says this pattern works best because you’re spacing your outreach and varying your content:
Day 1: Initial email (value-focused, short, clear ask)
Day 3: Follow-up email (reference first email, add new insight)
Day 6: Follow-up email (share case study or result)
Day 12: Follow-up email (video or screenshot, address objection)
Day 24: Break-up email (graceful exit with door open)
How To Add Value To Every Touch
Share a relevant case study or result. Dekker advises referencing a client outcome that mirrors the prospect’s situation. For example, you could say, “You mentioned wanting more visibility at trade shows without increasing your budget. Here’s how we helped a client boost booth traffic by 40% using a targeted merch campaign.”
Offer a resource, insight or data point. Another good idea, according to Dekker, is to send an article or piece of industry research. For example, you could say, “I came across this article on solopreneurs and branded merch. Thought it might spark a few ideas.”
Address a common objection. If a prospect is worried about memorability, you could say something like, “Many clients worry that branded merch will just get pushed to the side and forgotten. In reality, though, when you tie your merch to a specific audience or experience, people will use and keep it.”
Ask a specific question or offer a quick win. For instance: “I noticed your team is attending several trade shows this fall. Want a copy of our event merch checklist that helps brands choose giveaways attendees actually keep and use?” The idea, according to Dekker, is that every follow-up should give the prospect a reason to engage.
For a high-converting sales sequence, remember to space your outreach appropriately and add value with every touchpoint. Whether it’s a link to an article or a targeted question, each interaction should give the prospect a reason to stay engaged.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Hans Dekker is the head of education and outreach innovation at Instantly.
