How to Write and Send a Sales Follow Up Text Message

A sales follow up text message is a brief, polite message sent to a prospect after your first interaction, such as a call, meeting, or inquiry. Its purpose is to remind the prospect of your product or service, answer any questions, and encourage them to move forward. This article covers why timely follow-ups matter, how to write and send effective text messages step-by-step, a worked example with Indian business figures, common mistakes to avoid, and how HelloGrowthCRM supports follow-up workflows.

Why this comes up / what goes wrong

Small business owners in India often lose leads because they do not follow up promptly or consistently. After a first call or inquiry, prospects may forget your offer or choose a competitor if you fail to stay in touch. Many businesses rely on WhatsApp chats or spreadsheets to track leads, which can lead to missed or late follow-ups. Without a clear system, sales teams struggle to keep track of who to contact and when, causing lost sales opportunities.

Step-by-step

1. Identify the right prospects to follow up: Review your list of recent leads or inquiries. Prioritise those who showed interest but did not commit.
2. Prepare a clear message: Keep your text polite, concise, and focused on the prospect’s needs. Mention the previous interaction and offer help or more information.
3. Choose the right timing: Send your follow-up message within 24-48 hours after the initial contact. Avoid sending too early or too late.
4. Include a call to action: Ask a simple question or suggest a next step, such as scheduling a call or confirming interest.
5. Personalise the message: Use the prospect’s name and refer to specific points from your previous conversation.
6. Send the message via WhatsApp or SMS: Use the channel your prospect prefers or where they are most responsive.
7. Set a reminder for the next follow-up: If there is no reply, schedule another follow-up in 3-5 days.
8. Track all follow-ups in one place: Use a task board or CRM to log messages and due dates to avoid missing any.

For managing follow-ups efficiently, consider using sales task boards to organise calls and messages systematically. See sales task boards.

Example (fictional figures)

A Mumbai-based small business receives an inquiry on 01/06/2024 for ₹1,00,000 worth of products. The sales rep calls the prospect the same day but the prospect is busy and asks to follow up later.

• On 02/06/2024, the rep sends a follow-up text: "Hello Mr. Sharma, just following up on your inquiry for ₹1,00,000 of products. Please let me know if you need any details or want to schedule a call."

• If no reply by 05/06/2024, the rep sends a second follow-up: "Hi Mr. Sharma, checking in again to assist you with your order. We have some offers this month. Would you like to discuss?"

• On 07/06/2024, the prospect replies and schedules a call.

This example shows timely follow-ups spaced 2-3 days apart, polite language, and clear calls to action.

Common mistakes

• Following up too late: Leads lose interest if you wait more than 48 hours. Prevent by setting reminders immediately after first contact.
• Sending generic messages: Avoid copy-paste texts. Personalise each message with names and details.
• Overloading with messages: Too many follow-ups can annoy prospects. Limit to 3-5 messages spaced over two weeks.
• Not tracking follow-ups: Relying on memory leads to missed messages. Use a task board or CRM to keep follow-ups organised.
• Ignoring prospect responses: If a prospect replies with questions or objections, respond promptly instead of continuing automated follow-ups.

Use sales templates for personalised message ideas and WhatsApp and SMS CRM for managing messages on popular channels.

Doing this in HelloGrowthCRM

HelloGrowthCRM helps sales teams manage follow-ups effectively. Each follow-up becomes a task with a due date on your sales task board, so you never miss a call or message. WhatsApp conversations with leads are logged on their records, and follow-ups can be sent as WhatsApp or SMS messages directly from the CRM. You can also set up automated sequences: a five-step follow-up over two weeks that runs on its own and stops as soon as the prospect replies. Learn more about these features on sales task boards, WhatsApp and SMS CRM, and email automation and sequences.

Frequently asked questions

What is a follow up sales text message? A follow up sales text message is a short message sent after initial contact to remind the prospect about your offer and encourage a response. It keeps the conversation active and helps close sales.

Can you share follow-up text message templates? Yes, effective templates are polite, personalised, and include a call to action. For example, "Hi [Name], just checking if you need any more info on [product]. Happy to help!" You can find more templates on sales templates.

How do I write a follow up text message to a client? Start by greeting the client by name, remind them of your last interaction, offer assistance, and end with a simple question or next step. Keep the tone professional and friendly.

How many follow-up messages should I send? Limit follow-ups to 3-5 messages spaced over 1-2 weeks. Stop if the prospect responds or clearly declines.

Is WhatsApp good for sales follow-ups? Yes, WhatsApp is widely used in India and allows quick, informal communication. Using a CRM that logs WhatsApp messages helps track conversations and schedule follow-ups.

Key takeaways

• Send sales follow up text messages within 24-48 hours after initial contact.
• Personalise messages with names and references to past conversations.
• Use clear calls to action and polite, concise language.
• Schedule and track follow-ups using task boards or CRM tools.
• Avoid too many messages; limit to 3-5 over two weeks.
• Automate follow-ups with sequences that stop when prospects reply.

Start improving your sales follow-up process today. You can Start on the Free Forever plan (200 leads, no credit card) to organise and automate your follow-ups efficiently.