You meet someone at a fair, a site visit or a café. You both say “let’s talk next week”. Then the week fills up and neither of you does. Most small businesses don’t lose customers to competitors; they lose them to silence.
Following up is not a talent. It’s a small routine.
1. Write it down before you leave
The details fade fast: where you met, what they needed, what you promised. Before you walk away, write two lines:
- Where and when you met.
- What they asked for and what you said you would do.
A voice note works too. The point is that future you knows who this is.
2. Send the first message the same day
The first message is not a sales pitch. It’s a reminder of who you are and the one thing you promised. Keep it short:
Hi Selin, it was good to meet you at the trade show today. As promised, here’s the price list for the 50-unit order. Happy to answer any questions.
Send it the same day, ideally within a few hours, while you’re still fresh in their mind. Use the channel they actually read; for many people that’s WhatsApp, not email.
3. Pick a date for the next step
If they need time to decide, agree on when you’ll check in. If you didn’t agree, choose a date yourself: two or three working days for a quote, a week or two for a bigger decision. Put a reminder on it right away, not “later”.
4. Follow up with something useful
A second message that only says “just checking in” is easy to ignore. Add something:
- an answer to a question they asked,
- a photo of similar work you did,
- a time slot they can book.
Two or three follow-ups are normal. If there’s still no answer, close it politely: “I’ll leave it here for now; get in touch whenever it suits you.” People often reply to that one.
5. Keep everyone in one place
The routine breaks when contacts are spread across paper cards, phone contacts and chat history. Keep one list with the note, the date you met and the next step for each person. Then once a week, look at who you haven’t talked to in a while.
Make it automatic
This is what the Minodo contact book is for. Scan a paper card or save someone who opened your card, add a note by typing or speaking, and Minodo suggests the follow-up and reminds you on the day. When the reminder comes, one tap opens WhatsApp.
Following up isn’t pushy. Forgetting is what costs you the customer.