By Freedom Marketing Group · Published
Follow-up is where agencies quietly win or lose money. Two agencies can buy identical leads and get very different results because one calls once and gives up, while the other has a defined sequence and records every attempt.
The first response
Try to make the first attempt as soon as the lead arrives. If it goes to voicemail, leave a short message that says who you are and why you're calling, then follow with an email if the consumer provided one.
Build a multi-attempt sequence
Spread attempts across different days and times. A simple starting point many agencies adapt:
- 1Day 1: immediate call, then a second call later in the day
- 2Day 2: call at a different time of day
- 3Days 3 to 5: one call per day, varying the time
- 4Week 2: two or three spaced attempts
- 5After that: move to a long-term nurture list
Phone, email and SMS
Phone usually does the heavy lifting. Email works well for confirmations and information the consumer asked for. Text messaging can help with appointment reminders, but messaging rules are strict and depend on how consent was captured. Get advice from your compliance team or counsel before texting; this guide is not legal advice.
Confirm every appointment
Send a confirmation when the appointment is booked and a reminder before it. Missed appointments are a hidden cost, and tracking your show rate shows how big it is.
Record dispositions consistently
Use a short, fixed list of outcomes in your CRM, such as no answer, voicemail, wrong number, not interested, callback, appointment set, quoted and sold. Consistent dispositions let you compare lead sources fairly. See our insurance CRM guide.
Measure follow-up
- Attempts per lead before contact
- Contact rate by attempt number
- Time from delivery to first attempt
- Share of leads with no attempt recorded
Related resources
Educational information only; not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm regulatory requirements with qualified counsel and current official guidance.