If you’re looking for one thing that can help you improve your top line over the next month, it’s follow-up texting. You can have the most robust sales tools and generate dozens of leads, but without nurturing those leads, you won’t qualify many leads.
Nurturing your leads complements your lead generation tactics to generate more revenue. But here’s the challenge: 48% of salespeople never make even one follow-up attempt.
Hoping to nurture leads more effectively? Follow up with them. More importantly, use text messages to follow up. With an average open rate of 82%, SMS beats email open rates by a broad margin.
It’s time to give your top-line growth wings. 🚀 In this guide, we’ll share follow-up text message examples to help you get started. You can use them for inspiration or as templates for your go-to repeat text messages.
20 follow-up text message examples
1. After the first contact
Your company likely has several lead gen channels. When you receive a lead’s contact details through one of these channels, follow up with a text message requesting a convenient time for a quick call.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep]. Thank you for expressing interest in [company-name]. I’d love to speak with you about your requirements and how [XYZ product/service] can help. Would you be available for a quick call between 10 PM-6 PM CST tomorrow?
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2. After the first phone call
Start a text-based communication channel right after you finish the first phone call with a lead. Ideally, wait a few minutes after hanging up, so your follow-up text doesn’t look automated or impersonal.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. Thank you for taking the time to get on a call today. If you have any questions, please text me on this number.
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3. Following up after no response to an initial text
There can be several reasons why a prospect didn’t text back. Maybe the prospect needs more time to think, is unavailable during the coming week, or decided to go a different route.
When you’re following up on a text message for which there was no response, reinstate the subject of the previous message, so the receiver immediately knows what the text was about. End the text message with a question that remained unanswered after the previous text.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. I wanted to follow up on my previous message about your interest in [XYZ product/service] and schedule a quick call to understand your needs. Would any time between 10 AM-6 PM tomorrow be good for you?
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4. Following up on an unclaimed offer
60% of millennial consumers express making a reactive purchase after experiencing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), so it can be a powerful tool in your marketing toolkit.
If you sent out an offer through SMS (or any other marketing channel like email) that wasn’t claimed, you could send a text to induce FOMO.
Example: Hi [client]. The clock is ticking away on your personalized offer! [CTA] to save $[X] and on purchases made on or before Dec. 31. Need help? Call us – we’re happy to help.
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5. After a demo or free trial
If you gave a demo of a product or a free trial of your service to a lead, you should follow up after waiting at least a week. Don’t corner them into giving a yes or no answer, though. Just aim to keep in touch, and let them know you’re available to answer any questions they may have.
Example: Hi [client]. I hope the demo/free trial for [XYZ product/service] was helpful and gave you a deeper understanding of how it can provide value. I’m happy to answer any questions you have via a call or schedule a meeting.
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6. Follow up to confirm a meeting
Your prospect might have a full plate—don’t we all, sometimes?
If you’re trying to find out how to reduce no shows, consider confirming each meeting a day before. If the prospect needs to reschedule, ask them the best date and time for rescheduling the meeting.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name], and I wanted to confirm our meeting scheduled at 10 a.m. tomorrow. If you’re unavailable, feel free to reschedule: [Calendly-link]
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7. Follow up on upselling texts
Say someone purchased your product or service last week. Along with their purchase, you recommended a product or ad-hoc service (for example, software integrations that provide more functionality) that will go nicely with the purchase.
If you haven’t heard back, the prospect may have forgotten about your recommendation because they’re busy meeting deadlines.⏰
A simple follow-up text reminding them about the product or service might get you a sale.
Example: Hi [client]. It’s [sales-rep]. Hope you’re finding the [XYZ product/service] useful. I wanted to follow up and ask if you’ve decided on getting the [ad-hoc product/service] that goes nicely with [XYZ]. Always here if you have questions.
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8. Follow up after providing a quote
If your product or service warrants a pricing structure that changes based on a prospect’s requirement, you’ll first need to get a better understanding of what they’re looking for.
Your follow-up message responding to a quote request should essentially request the information you need. You can ask for the info via a phone call or an online form.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name], and I’m texting to follow up about your request for a quote. Could you help me understand your requirements better so I can provide a more tailored quote by filling out a short online form? Here’s the link: [Link]
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9. Touching base after a networking event
Networking events and industry conferences are a goldmine for generating leads. If you’ve collected phone numbers from interested parties, don’t let their busy schedules forget you; follow up with a quick sales text message.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. Pleasure speaking with you at [networking-event]. Since you’ve been trying to [solve a pain point], I thought I’d give you a free demo of our product: [Link]. Happy to answer any questions you have!
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10. Ask for the right person
You could send a dozen follow-up emails and texts, but if you’re not sending it to the decision-maker, you’re shooting in the dark.
It’s possible that a person’s position has changed, or you had the wrong contact in the first place. If you haven’t heard back and had a positive conversation with the person you plan to text (and they’ve shown to be more responsive over the phone vs email), it’s worth checking to see if they’re indeed the decision-maker.
Example: Hi [client]. Since I haven’t heard back, I wanted to follow up and confirm if you’re the best person to speak with about [XYZ product/service] for your company. If not, who would be the right person to contact?
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11. After a successful meeting
If your meeting with a prospect went well, follow up with a text thanking them for their time. Encourage them to ask questions, and let them know you’re available if they have any questions with this business text template.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. Thank you for taking the time for today’s meeting. If you have any questions, please feel free text me on this number.
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12. Follow up before you run out of stock
Suppose you’re about to run out of stock for an item that’s not readily available or offer a product at a discounted price until the current lot lasts. In that case, you might want to follow up with a customer to let them know you’re about to run out as a way of strengthening your relationship.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m just following up to ask if you’ve decided to purchase [XYZ product] since we’re almost out of stock. We have [X] units available. Would you like to order some while they’re available?
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14. Real estate follow up text example
Some businesses require keeping in touch constantly. For instance, if you’re a real estate agent and you acquire someone’s phone number at an open house, you might want to follow up with a seller’s disclosure or a list of more open houses scheduled over the next month.
Example: Hi [client], I’m [realtor]. It was a pleasure meeting you at the open house today. I wanted to follow up on our conversation and share a list of open houses we’ve scheduled over the next month: [list]
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If you’re a broker or agent, get more go-to texts you can use by checking out our real estate text messaging guide.
15. Schedule an on-site visit or a product walkthrough
An on-site visit or a product walkthrough helps a prospect better understand your product. If the prospect sounded positive on the initial call, you might want to text them asking if they’re available for a quick site visit or an in-person product walkthrough.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. It was a pleasure speaking with you earlier. I’d love to give you a product walkthrough if you’re available during the coming week. Please text or call on this number to let me know a convenient time, and we’ll set it up.
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16. Follow up for reselling opportunities
If you use a CRM or an ERP system, you’ll have the data to estimate how much of your product, on average, a customer consumes every month or quarter.
Sending customers follow-up texts when they don’t order for a while helps build relationships, but be sure to make the text sound personal and on-brand. Too many brands send impersonal and automated texts, and the last thing you want is to sound like a robot. 🤖
Example: Hi [client]. We noticed you hadn’t ordered the XYZ product in a while. We miss you around here and wanted to check if you’d like to place an order.
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17. Follow up after leaving a voicemail
Let’s face it. Not everyone likes to call for things that can be discussed over a text, and some people simply don’t have time to call back.
Once you’ve left a voicemail, it makes sense in some cases to follow up with a text, so it’s more convenient for a client to reach out.
Example: Hi [client]. It’s [sales-rep] from [company-name]. I left you a voicemail earlier, but I also wanted to leave a text message in case that’s more convenient. Feel free to reach out over a text or call me back on this number. Thanks, [client].
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18. Follow up after sending an email
It’s easy for an email inbox to become a web of spam and promotional emails. Important emails often go unnoticed, especially when sent to a non-work email. Plus, texting is far easier than sending an email, so it’s always a good idea to follow up with a text after you’ve sent an email.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep]. I just sent you an email about [XYZ] and wanted to let you know that you can text or call me on this number if you have questions, or respond to the email, whichever is more convenient for you. Thanks, [client].
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20. Follow up to get feedback
Once you’ve rendered the service or your client has used your product for a while, you should follow up asking for feedback. Don’t send an essay explaining how you’d appreciate their feedback; be quick, and make it easy for them to leave feedback.
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. I wanted to ask how you feel about our services? I’d appreciate insights on how we can further improve our services. Thanks, [client].
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6 best practices for creating follow-up text messages
1. Identify yourself
How many times have you saved a sales rep’s number? Once? Twice? Maybe never.
Sure you have them saved in your CRM or other prospecting tools. However, many of your prospects probably won’t save your contact until much later in the sales process, so you should always introduce yourself in the beginning of your message or in the text signature when you’re sending a follow-up text.
You don’t need to add a lot of detail; just yours and the company’s name is enough.
If you’re contacting them for the first time over text, you should also mention where you got their contact information (unless they gave it to you themselves).
Example: Hi [client]. I’m [sales-rep] from [company-name]. I spoke with [person who shared contact] about the possibility of using [XYZ] at your company. She gave me your number and said you’re the best person to speak to. I’d love to hop on a call at a time of your convenience. You can text me back on this number. Thanks, [client].
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2. Don’t send a text seconds after they opt-in
Stick to an email rather than a text for following up immediately after a prospect fills out a form, unless they specifically request being contacted over the phone. The good news is you can schedule texts to avoid this issue.
Using Zap delays you can automatically send a text based on a specific time interval after they fill out your Calendly booking form or another contact form.
To find other ways to streamline your communication, check out our guide containing a few popular Zapier workflows.
3. Keep texts conversational
Text messages allow you to build a personal connection with your prospects. They’ll be more open to giving you feedback or starting a fruitful conversation when you don’t sound like a robot.
Always aim to keep your texts conversational, clever, and concise, and don’t be afraid to sprinkle emojis into your texts. 💯
4. Ask a simple question
Questions are a great way to move a conversation further. When you send a follow-up text, try and end them with a question to elicit a response from your prospect.
In cases where a question won’t look natural, encourage the prospect to ask questions they have about your product or service.
5. Reply fast
Salespeople who contact prospects within an hour of receiving a query are 60x more likely to qualify the lead compared to those who wait 24 hours or more.
Quick text responses enable you to qualify leads while they’re still hot. You don’t need to lose sleep over it, but ideally, you should aim to check for text responses every hour during working hours.
6. Save time sending your go-to follow-up texts
When you’re receiving a ton of text messages from prospects, responding quickly can be tricky, but snippets make it easy. Snippets are essentially message templates. They allow you to insert a text message quickly when responding to a prospect.
If you use OpenPhone, you can use a snippet just by typing “/” into the text box, selecting the “/snippets” option, and searching the list for the snippet you want to use.
Related: How to send a text from your computer using OpenPhone
7. Schedule your follow-up texts
In some cases, you might want to wait a while before sending a follow-up text. Granted, you can simply schedule a text message and go sip on your cup of Joe instead of maintaining a list of prospects you need to text.
But what happens when your prospect texts you before your scheduled text is sent?
Awkward, eh?
Here’s the good thing: With OpenPhone, you don’t need to worry about this awkward conversation because you can set it to cancel the scheduled text if the prospect texts you before the text is sent.
Streamline more of your sales communication
If you’re looking for more ways to stay responsive, you can also send auto-replies. Plus, send appointment reminders to reduce no-shows for meetings and payment reminders to reduce missed payments.
With OpenPhone, you can put these routine tasks on auto-pilot so you can focus on closing deals. Like the sound of it? Try OpenPhone free for seven days today to see all the other ways you can streamline your business phone communication.
