The Science of Following Up: Why, When and How?

Why does following up matter?

Sales is really about persistence and staying top of mind. Most deals don’t happen after the first touch. Studies show around 80% of sales take at least five follow-ups, but most people give up after one.

When you follow up, you’re not just “checking in.” You’re reminding people you exist. Psychologically, we remember recent interactions more clearly than old ones, which is called recency bias. 

When someone sees your name again, they naturally think of you first. And the more familiar you feel, the more they trust you.

People forget fast. A quick follow-up, even a short one, can be the difference between being forgotten and being the first person they think of when they’re ready to move forward.

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When and How to follow up?

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Follow Up for Outside Sales:

• After every meeting, follow up next day
• Touch base every 1–2 weeks during active deal cycles
• Monthly or quarterly check-ins after a sale (customers forget fast too).
• Example: Give a call to ask “How can we be better partners to you”
• Mix it up: call, email, or quick visit.
• Keep notes on birthdays, site visits, or company changes, small touches go a long way

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Follow Up for Inside Sales:

1.  Acknowledge the quote right away

The first touch point starts the moment a quote lands in your inbox. Reply quickly to confirm you’ve received it and are working on it.

A short note like, “Got it, I’ll get this over to you shortly,” helps set expectations and builds trust.

2. Following up after quoting within 24–48 hours.

Even a simple “checking in to see if you had any questions” Inside sales studies show that quotes followed up within 24–48 hours have 30–50% higher close rates. (HubSpot)

3. Check in around day 4–5

At this point, shift the focus toward clarity. Ask questions like:

“Has the team had a chance to review the quote?” or

“When can I expect to hear back?”

This keeps the deal moving without being pushy.

4. Create urgency around day 7–10

If you still haven’t heard back, use a gentle nudge to create urgency:

“We’re holding this pricing through the week, just wanted to check if you’d like us to lock it in.”

This gives them a small push to decide while keeping it professional.

5. After two weeks, close the loop‍

If there’s still no response, follow up one last time to close the loop gracefully:

“Should I close this quote out or keep it open in case plans change?”

The tone should depend on your relationship with the customer. Long-term vendor relationships might call for keeping the door open a bit longer.

Additional tip: try every follow up as a chance to add value “We can get this part to you 2 days faster than quoted if needed.”

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Follow Up for Sales Managers

• Follow up on stalled or high-value quotes
  
• Run weekly reviews to catch quotes with no activity for 7+ days
  
• Encourage reps to use CRM / Soff reminders for quote aging
• Coach tone: persistent, never pushy

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Best Follow-Up Methods Based on Type of Follow Up

Email

Short + specific (“Following up on the 10/5 quote for stainless bolts”)

Add value or new info (lead time, pricing update)

Always include a call-to-action

Call / Voicemail

Ideal for warm accounts or larger quotes

Keep under 30 seconds

Use tone that sounds helpful, not urgent

LinkedIn / Social

Great for staying visible between follow-ups

In-Person (Outside Reps)

Stop by when you’re nearby

Bring samples or updates

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Final Takeaway

Following up isn’t just another task. It’s how you build trust and stay top of mind. The reps who stay consistent are the ones who win when customers are ready to buy.

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Sources

• Yesware. “Top Sales Follow-Up Statistics for 2024 [+ Templates]” (2024). https://www.yesware.com/blog/sales-follow-up-statistics/  
• GrowthList. “40+ Sales Follow-Up Statistics For 2025” (2024). https://growthlist.co/sales-follow-up-statistics/  
• Invesp. “The Importance of Sale Follow-Ups – Statistics” (2019). https://www.invespcro.com/blog/sale-follow-ups/  
• Belkins. “Sales Follow-Up Statistics in B2B: Belkins’ 2025 Study” (2025). https://belkins.io/blog/sales-follow-up-statistics  
• Qwilr. “14 Sales Follow-Up Statistics for Pipeline Success in 2025” (2024). https://qwilr.com/blog/sales-follow-up-statistics/  

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