You had a good conversation, asked thoughtful questions, and sent a proposal you felt confident about. Now…silence. You don’t want to be pushy, but you don’t want the opportunity to disappear either. So, you send the familiar message: “Just checking in to see if you’ve had a chance to review.”

It’s polite, but it leaves the prospect responsible for restarting the conversation. They have to find the proposal, remember the details, decide what they think, and figure out how to respond. Before sending another follow-up, ask yourself: What am I bringing to this conversation that makes it worth reopening? A useful follow-up gives the client something specific to consider and an easy way to answer.

The best place to start is with something the prospect already told you. Their business goals, concerns, and unanswered questions can guide your next message. For example:

• If they want more weekday traffic: “You mentioned Tuesdays and Wednesdays are your slowest days. I have an idea for an offer we could build the campaign around. Would you have ten minutes Thursday to talk it through?”
• If they’re reviewing a proposal: “When we spoke, reaching new homeowners was your priority. Is there anything in the recommendation you’d like clarified before deciding on the next step?”
• If the timing wasn’t right: “You asked me to reconnect after your fall rush. Is attracting new customers still the priority, or has your focus shifted?”
• If they need someone else’s approval: “You mentioned reviewing this with your business partner. Would a brief summary of the goal, recommendation, and investment help with that conversation?”

Each message connects to a real business need. You can also follow up with a relevant observation, an answer to a question from your meeting, or a useful idea you’ve developed since you last spoke. Keep the connection clear: explain why you’re sharing it and how it relates to their business. A generic article or an unrelated promotion can create more work for an already busy prospect.

Make the next step small and specific. Ask one question, offer a short conversation, or confirm whether the original priority still stands. If you’ve made several relevant attempts without a response, give the prospect room to reset expectations: “Is this still something you’d like to move forward with, or would it make sense for me to reconnect later?” That answer can help you decide where to focus your time.

Your challenge this week: Choose three stalled conversations and rewrite your next follow-up. Include one detail the client shared, one useful idea or question, and one clear next step. You can’t control when someone responds, but you can make sure every message gives them a reason to.

Good Luck & Happy Selling