What is a follow-up cadence?
A follow-up cadence is a defined schedule of follow-up attempts: how many, how far apart, by which channel, and where it ends. The ending matters as much as the rest — without a defined stop, follow-up either continues into nuisance or tails off with nobody deciding it has. A written cadence is the difference between following up consistently and following up when there is time.
The short definition
A cadence is a defined schedule of follow-up attempts: how many, how far apart, by which channel, and where it ends.
The ending matters as much as the rest. Without a defined stop, follow-up either continues into nuisance or, more often, tails off with nobody deciding it has.
Why it needs to be written down
Until it is, follow-up is a matter of individual judgement made under time pressure. Which means it happens for the enquiries that feel promising, on the days that are not busy — and both of those filters are wrong.
The enquiries that feel unpromising close more often than people expect, and busy weeks are exactly when there is most to follow up.
A cadence for a new enquiry
Minute zero. Automatic acknowledgement, so they know it arrived.
Within fifteen minutes. A real attempt by a person. Speed matters more than anything else in this list.
Two hours. Second attempt if no contact, different channel — call then text.
Next day. Third attempt, morning.
Day three. Final attempt, with an easy way to say they went elsewhere.
Then stop, and move them to a longer-term list.
A cadence for a quote
Day zero. The quote, with what is included, what is not, and how long the price holds.
Day two or three. A short check-in: any questions, anything to adjust.
Day seven. Something useful rather than a chase — what to watch for, what happens if it waits.
Day fourteen. The direct question: are you moving ahead, or should I close this out?
Day thirty or sixty. A long-tail note for jobs that can wait.
The day-fourteen message is the highest-response one in the sequence, because it is easy to answer and it gives permission to say no.
Channel mixing
Alternate. Someone who does not answer a call may reply to a text; someone ignoring texts may open an email.
Using the same channel five times reads as pestering. Using three different ones reads as trying.
Knowing when to stop
A clear ending protects the relationship. "I'll close this out unless I hear from you" is polite, professional, and leaves the door open for them to come back in six months — which a fair number do.
Endless chasing does the opposite and costs you the referral as well as the job.
Automating it
The scheduling and reminding should be automatic. The conversations should not be — a high-value quote followed up entirely by automated messages reads as exactly what it is.
Where it sits
Follow-up workflow design is part of the AI Marketing System — $8,500 setup, $2,500 a month.
Frequently asked questions
How many follow-up attempts should a new enquiry get?
Four or five over three days: instant acknowledgement, a real attempt within fifteen minutes, a second at two hours on a different channel, one the next morning, and a final one on day three.
What does a quote cadence look like?
The quote, a short check-in at day two or three, something genuinely useful at day seven, a direct decision message at day fourteen, and a long-tail note at thirty or sixty days.
Should I use the same channel each time?
No. Alternate between call, text and email. The same channel five times reads as pestering; three different ones read as trying.
Why does having a stop point matter?
Because a clear ending protects the relationship. "I'll close this out unless I hear from you" leaves the door open, and a fair number of people come back months later.