Sales Follow-Up Best Practices

Introduction

The difference between clubs that convert enquiries and clubs that lose them almost always comes down to follow-up. Most golf clubs give up too early, respond too slowly, or rely on memory instead of a system.

This guide shows you exactly how to follow up with every lead using CAPTURE -- so nothing falls through the cracks.

The Golden Rules

1. Speed wins. Leads contacted within 5 minutes are 21x more likely to convert than those contacted after 30 minutes.

Source: MIT/InsideSales.com Lead Response Study

2. Persistence pays. 80% of sales require at least 5 follow-ups. Yet 92% of salespeople give up after just 4 attempts -- and 44% give up after just one.

Source: Close.com, Salesforce

3. Mix your channels. Some people answer calls. Some prefer texts. Some only read emails. Sales teams using 3+ touchpoints see 28% higher conversion rates than those using a single channel.

Source: IRC Sales Solutions

4. First responder wins. 78% of customers buy from the first company that responds to their enquiry.

Source: Lead Response Management Study

The Numbers That Matter

The 7-Day Follow-Up Cadence

This is the recommended sequence for every new enquiry. It's front-loaded (more touches early) because that's when leads are warmest.

Total: 5-7 touches across 3 channels in 7 days.

Research shows that 95% of converted leads are reached by the 6th call attempt.

Source: IRC Sales Solutions

What Happens After Each Response Type

Not every lead responds the same way. Here's how to handle each scenario:

Engaged Leads (They Respond Positively)

• Stop the automated sequence immediately.
• Move them to the next stage in your pipeline (e.g., "Contact Made" or "Appointment Booked").
• Continue the conversation personally -- this is now a 1-to-1 relationship.

"Not Right Now" Leads (They Respond But Aren't Ready)

This is where most clubs lose money. Someone says "not interested right now" and they're forgotten forever. Don't let this happen.

• Acknowledge and respect their timing -- don't push.
• Ask when would be better -- "No problem at all. When would be a good time to check back in?"
• Set a future task -- If they say "maybe in a few months," set a task for 90 days.
• Move them to a "Future Interest" or "Nurture" stage -- not "Lost."
• Add them to a long-term nurture sequence -- monthly newsletter, seasonal offers, or club updates.

Why this matters:

• 63% of leads who enquire won't convert for at least 3 months (Startup Bonsai)
• 50% of leads are qualified but just not ready yet (Gleanster Research)
• Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads (The Annuitas Group)

Non-Responders (No Reply After Full 7-Day Sequence)

• Mark them as "Unresponsive" and move to a long-term nurture stage.
• Do not delete them.
• Add them to a low-frequency nurture sequence (monthly email, quarterly check-in).
• They may re-engage months later when the timing is right.

Following Up With "Not Right Now" Leads

This is one of the most valuable -- and most neglected -- parts of the sales process.

The 90-Day Re-Engagement Process

If someone says "not interested right now," "maybe later," or "timing isn't right," here's what to do:

Immediately:

1. Thank them for their honesty.
2. Ask: "When would be a good time to check back in?" (This gives you permission to follow up.)
3. Log their response in CAPTURE with a note (e.g., "Said timing not right -- follow up in 3 months").
4. Set a task for 90 days (or whatever timeframe they suggested).
5. Move them to a "Future Interest" or "Nurture" pipeline stage.

During the waiting period:

• Add them to your monthly newsletter or seasonal updates.
• Don't bombard them -- 1 email per month maximum.
• Content should be value-led (club news, offers, events) -- not sales pitches.

At the 90-day mark:

• Personal outreach -- a call or personalised email, not a mass message.
• Reference the previous conversation: "Hi [Name], we spoke back in [month] about membership and you mentioned the timing wasn't quite right. Just wanted to check in and see if anything has changed?"
• If still not ready: repeat the process. Set another task for 90 days.

Example Re-Engagement Email (90 Days Later):

Subject: Checking in, [First Name]

Hi [First Name],

We spoke a few months ago about membership at [Club Name], and you mentioned the timing wasn't quite right at that point.

Just wanted to check in and see if anything has changed -- or if there's anything I can help with.

No pressure at all. Happy to answer any questions or arrange a visit whenever suits.

Best, [Your Name], [Club Name]

When Do You Lose a Lead? When Do You Abandon Them?

This is one of the most common questions -- and getting it wrong costs revenue.

You Do NOT Abandon a Lead Just Because They:

• Didn't answer your first few calls
• Said "not right now"
• Went quiet for a few weeks
• Didn't open your emails

You ONLY Mark a Lead as "Lost" When:

The "Lost" vs "Unresponsive" Distinction

Key principle: Unresponsive does not equal Lost. Someone who didn't respond may simply have been busy, distracted, or not ready. They might convert 12 months later.

Pipeline Setup

Your pipeline should reflect where each lead is in the follow-up process. Keep it simple -- don't create a stage for every attempt.

Recommended Stages:

Key Principles:

• Only move to "Contact Made" when there's actual two-way engagement (not just because you tried).
• Only move to "Unresponsive" after the full 7-day sequence is complete (minimum 5 attempts).
• Only mark as "Lost" when they've explicitly said no or joined a competitor.
• Use automation to move leads between stages where possible -- don't rely on memory.

Tasks: Your Follow-Up Safety Net

Every follow-up action should have a task assigned to a specific person with a due date. This is your accountability layer.

How to use tasks:

• Create a task for each call attempt (e.g., "Day 1 Call -- [Lead Name]").
• Set due dates that match your cadence (Day 0, Day 1, Day 3, etc.).
• Mark tasks as complete when done -- don't leave them hanging.
• Review overdue/missed tasks daily.
• Set 90-day tasks for "not right now" leads.
• Set 6-month tasks for unresponsive leads.

Manager tip: If tasks are consistently missed or overdue, that's a coaching conversation waiting to happen.

Logging Everything

If it's not logged, it didn't happen. Every call, text, and email should be recorded in CAPTURE.

Best practices:

• Always make calls through CAPTURE (or log them manually if you use your mobile).
• Use call outcomes/dispositions (e.g., "No answer", "Left voicemail", "Connected -- interested", "Said not now -- follow up in 3 months").
• Add notes after every interaction -- even a quick "LVM, will try again tomorrow" is better than nothing.
• Log the reason for "Future Interest" leads (e.g., "Timing not right -- check back September").
• Before marking a lead as "Unresponsive", add a note confirming the sequence was completed.

Tracking Follow-Up Attempts

You need to know how many times each lead has been contacted. This prevents leads being closed too early and gives you data to improve.

Recommended approach:

• Create a custom field on the opportunity: "Follow-Up Attempts" (number).
• Increment this field each time a call, SMS, or email is sent.
• Display this number on your pipeline cards so it's visible at a glance.

Why this matters:

• If a lead is marked "Unresponsive" but only shows 2 attempts, something's wrong.
• If most of your contacted leads responded after 3-4 attempts, you know persistence is working.
• It makes follow-up effort visible and measurable.

Spotting Neglected Leads

Set up filters or alerts to catch leads that are slipping through:

Manager tip: Check these filters daily. If leads are piling up in "New" or "Attempting Contact" with no recent activity, intervene immediately.

Key Metrics to Track

Use these to spot problems (e.g., slow response time, low persistence) and celebrate wins.

Voicemail and SMS Tips

Voicemails:

• Keep them short (under 30 seconds), friendly, and human.
• State your name, the club name, and why you're calling.
• End with a clear next step ("I'll try you again tomorrow, or feel free to call me back on...").

SMS after a missed call:

• Send immediately after leaving a voicemail.
• Keep it short: "Hi [Name], I just tried to call about your enquiry. Happy to chat whenever suits -- just reply here or call me on [number]. [Your name], [Club]"

The voicemail + SMS combo is powerful. The text gives them an easy way to reply without calling back.

The "Breakup" Message (Day 7)

On Day 7, if there's still no response, send a polite final message:

"Hi [Name], I've tried to reach you a few times about your enquiry with [Club Name]. I understand if now isn't the right time -- no problem at all. If anything changes, feel free to get in touch. We'd love to help when you're ready. Best, [Your name]"

This often prompts a response ("Sorry, been busy -- can we chat next week?"). And if not, it closes the loop professionally.

The Long-Term Nurture Sequence

For leads in "Future Interest" or "Unresponsive" stages:

Content ideas for nurture emails:

• Club news and updates
• New facilities or improvements
• Member success stories
• Seasonal offers (summer membership, winter deal)
• Event invitations (open days, taster sessions)
• Useful tips (golf improvement, course guides)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Follow-Up Logging: Acronyms and Quick Notes

Use these standardised codes when logging activity in CAPTURE. Consistency makes reporting easier and helps anyone picking up a lead understand what has happened.

Call Outcomes

Email and SMS Outcomes

Lead Status Codes

Quick Note Templates

Copy and adapt these when logging activity:

After a voicemail:

LVM -- mentioned [reason for call], will try again [day]. Sent SMS.

After no answer (no voicemail):

NAA -- attempt [#]. Will retry [day].

After a conversation:

CON -- spoke re [membership/society/event]. [Interested / Has questions / Wants to visit]. Next step: [action]. APT booked for [date] / CB requested for [date].

After "not right now":

NRN -- interested but timing not right. Said [reason]. FU90 task set for [date]. Added to nurture.

After no interest:

NI -- not interested. Reason: [joined elsewhere / not playing golf / other]. Marked LOST.

After full sequence with no response:

UNRESP -- 5 attempts over 7 days, no response. Moved to nurture. FU6M task set for [date].

After a booked appointment:

APT -- tour/call booked for [date] at [time]. Sent confirmation email.

Example: Complete Follow-Up Log

Here's what a complete follow-up log might look like for one lead:

At-a-Glance Reference

Call Outcomes: LVM (left voicemail) - NAA (no answer) - CB (call back) - CON (connected) - GK (gatekeeper) - WN (wrong number) - DIS (disconnected) - BZ (busy)

Message Outcomes: ES (email sent) - SS (SMS sent) - ER (email replied) - SR (SMS replied) - NR (no reply) - BO (bounced) - OPT (opted out)

Lead Status: HOT - WARM - COLD - NRN (not right now) - FU90 (follow up 90 days) - FU6M (follow up 6 months) - NURTURE - UNRESP (unresponsive) - LOST - BAD DATA

Result Codes: NI (not interested) - APT (appointment booked)

Quick Reference: The Follow-Up Checklists

For every new lead:

• Attempt first call within 5 minutes
• If no answer: send SMS + email immediately
• Create follow-up tasks for Days 1, 3, 5, 7
• Log every call, text, and email
• Update pipeline stage when status changes
• Stop automation when lead responds
• Add notes before closing any lead
• Mark "Unresponsive" only after 5+ attempts

For "not right now" leads:

• Move to "Future Interest" stage (not Lost)
• Log their reason and suggested timing
• Set a 90-day task to follow up
• Add to monthly newsletter
• Personal re-engagement at 90 days
• Repeat if still not ready

For unresponsive leads:

• Complete full 7-day sequence first
• Move to "Unresponsive" stage (not Lost)
• Add to monthly newsletter
• Set a 6-month re-engagement task
• Final attempt at 12 months before archiving

Summary

The formula is simple:

1. Respond fast (within 5 minutes).
2. Follow up persistently (5-7 touches over 7 days).
3. Use multiple channels (phone, SMS, email).
4. Stop when they respond -- then continue personally.
5. If they say "not now" -- nurture them for the long term.
6. Only mark as "Lost" when they explicitly say no.
7. Track everything -- attempts, outcomes, timing.
8. Review and improve -- use data to get better.

Clubs that follow this process will contact more leads, book more tours, and convert more members. The ones that don't will keep wondering why enquiries don't turn into revenue.