How One Service Business Doubled Their Close Rate With a Sales Follow Up Sequence

We recently worked with a local appointment-based business that was spending $3,000 a month on Google Ads. They were generating a decent amount of leads, but their close rate was a dismal 12%. They thought their ads were broken. In reality, they just lacked a sales follow up sequence.

The Diagnosis: The "One and Done" Problem

When we audited their sales system, the problem was glaringly obvious. When a lead came in, the owner would call them once. If the lead didn't answer, he left a voicemail and moved on. That was the entirety of their sales process.

Industry data shows that 80% of sales require 5 to 8 follow-ups to close. By stopping after one attempt, this company was literally throwing 80% of their ad budget in the trash.

The Solution: A Multi-Channel Sales Follow Up Sequence

We designed a simple, 7-day automated sales follow up sequence that utilized both SMS and email, while prompting the owner to make manual phone calls at strategic times.

Day 1: Speed to Lead

• Minute 0: Automated SMS: "Hi [Name], received your quote request! Are you available for a quick 5-min call today?"
• Minute 5: Manual Phone Call. If no answer, no voicemail.
• Hour 2: Automated Email with a link to their portfolio and an online booking calendar.

Day 2: The Value Add

• Morning: Manual Phone Call. Leave a voicemail this time.
• Afternoon: Automated Email sending a helpful guide related to their service (e.g., "5 Things to Check Before Hiring a Contractor").

Day 4: The Soft Nudge

• Morning: Automated SMS: "Hey [Name], just bubbling this up to the top of your inbox. Still looking to get that project done?"

Day 7: The Breakup

• Afternoon: Automated Email: "Hi [Name], I haven't heard back so I'm assuming you went another direction or the project is on hold. I'll close out your file for now, but feel free to reach out if things change!"

The Results: Doubling the Close Rate

The "Breakup" email on Day 7 alone generated a 15% response rate. People hate having things taken away from them, and the polite closure often prompts them to finally reply with an apology for being busy.

Within 60 days of implementing this sales follow up sequence, their close rate jumped from 12% to 26%. They didn't spend a single dollar more on advertising; they simply stopped letting the leads they already paid for slip through the cracks.

Conclusion

If you do not have a documented, multi-touch sales follow up sequence, you are losing money. Automate the persistence so you can focus on the closing. Check out our services to see how we can build this for you.