You will produce a reusable follow-up sequence for buyers who go quiet after a first meeting.
Every time a buyer goes quiet, most sellers write a follow-up from scratch. They stare at an empty chat, try three openings, and either send something vague or put it off until tomorrow. Multiply that by a dozen buyers and follow-up becomes the part of the job that quietly never gets done.
A written sequence fixes that. In this exercise you will build three follow-up messages as reusable templates, with gaps for the details that change from buyer to buyer. Once they exist, following up takes two minutes instead of twenty, and every buyer gets the same careful treatment. Set aside about twenty minutes and have the notes from a recent first meeting in front of you, real or from your practice call in lesson 5.4.
The first message goes out on the day of the meeting, ideally within a few hours. Its job is to confirm what you discussed and the next step you agreed, as lesson 5.3, Ask for a next step every time, described.
It has four parts: a first line that mentions something the buyer said, a two- or three-line summary of their situation as you understood it, the agreed next step with its owner and date, and a line inviting them to correct anything you got wrong.
Template:
"Hi [name], thanks for your time today. [Something specific they said.] Just to make sure I've got it right: [two-line summary of their situation and what they want]. As agreed, I'll [your action] by [day], and we'll [next step] on [date]. If I've missed anything, tell me."
The second message goes out a few days later, usually when the agreed step is due or just after a quiet patch. It follows the rule from lesson 6.2, Follow-up messages that add something: it must give the buyer something they can use.
Choose what to add from their situation. An answer to a question they asked, a short guide, a worked example with their numbers, a new option, or a deadline that matters to them. Keep it to three or four sentences and end with one easy question.
Template:
"Hi [name], [personal first line tied to something they said]. I [found / put together / checked] [the useful thing], which [what it helps with in their terms]. [Attachment or one-line summary.] Would [simple option A] or [simple option B] work better for a quick chat?"
The third message is the one you send if there has still been no reply after your follow-up limit, as lesson 6.3, Knowing when to stop and how to leave the door open, explained. It says you will stop, gives a face-saving reason, and leaves a clear way back in.
Template:
"Hi [name], I haven't heard back since [when], so I'm guessing [the timing / the budget / something else] isn't right at the moment. That's completely fine, and I'll stop following up. If things change, [the situation that might bring them back], you can reach me here any time. [A warm closing line that fits them.]"
The templates handle the structure. The first line is where the buyer decides whether this is a real message from a real person or a mass mailing, so it must come from them. Use a phrase they said, a detail about their situation, or something that happened since you met.
"Hope you're well" is not personal. "Hope the move to the new office went smoothly" is, if they mentioned the move. If you cannot think of a personal first line, look back at your meeting notes. If your notes have nothing, that is a sign to take better notes next time, and lesson 3.3, Summarise back what you heard, will help.
Here is the sequence filled in by Nadia, who runs a tuition centre in Jurong East and met a parent, Mr Lim, about maths tuition for his Secondary 2 daughter.
Message one, sent the same evening: "Hi Mr Lim, thanks for coming in today, and I hope Chloe's netball match went well. Just to make sure I've got it right: she's comfortable with most topics but loses marks on algebra word problems, and you'd like her steady before Sec 3. As agreed, I'll send the timetable for the two Saturday classes by Wednesday, and we'll speak on Friday evening. If I've missed anything, tell me."
Message two, sent the following Monday after Friday's call did not happen: "Hi Mr Lim, you mentioned Chloe freezes when a word problem has more than two steps. I've attached three practice questions we use for exactly that, with worked answers, so she can try them at home whether or not she joins. Would Wednesday or Thursday evening be better for a quick call about the class?"
Message three, sent two weeks after that with no reply: "Hi Mr Lim, I haven't heard back since we spoke in January, so I'm guessing the timing isn't right for Chloe at the moment. That's completely fine, and I'll stop following up. If things change, for example closer to her mid-year exams, you can reach me here any time. All the best to Chloe for the term."
Each message stands alone, each first line belongs to this parent only, and none of them asks "any updates?" Pick one buyer you have met recently, real if you can, and have your notes from that meeting ready before you start the activity below.
Write the three messages as templates with gaps for personal details, then fill them in for one real buyer.
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