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How to Stay Top of Mind Without Crossing the Line
My guest for this podcast is S. Robert August with North Star Synergies, Inc.
What is effective follow-up in sales?
Effective follow-up is the intentional, consistent communication that adds value, respects buyer timing, and keeps you top of mind—without pressure, gimmicks, or guesswork.
And yet, follow-up is still one of the most uncomfortable and inconsistently executed parts of the sales process.
Why?
Most sales teams were never taught how to be persistent professionally.
Why Follow-Up Breaks Down (Even on Good Sales Teams)
Let’s start with a hard truth.
Most salespeople don’t struggle with effort.
They struggle with confidence, clarity, and structure.
When follow-up feels awkward, it’s usually because:
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Expectations were never set clearly during discovery
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The salesperson doesn’t know what to say next
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There’s no agreed-upon cadence by buyer timeline
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Follow-up feels personal instead of professional
So instead of following up with purpose, people either:
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Overdo it and feel pushy
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Or avoid it altogether and hope the buyer comes back
Neither works.
What Does Persistence Really Mean in Sales Follow-Up?
Persistence does not mean:
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Sending more emails just to “touch base.”
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Repeating “just checking in” messages.
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Following up without new information or context.
True persistence is intentional presence over time.
It means:
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Staying relevant
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Staying respectful
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Staying connected because the buyer gave you permission to do so
And that permission is earned—or lost—during discovery.
Where Is the Line Between Persistent and Pushy?
This is the question every salesperson asks, whether they say it out loud or not.
Here’s the simplest way to define the line:
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If your follow-up is about you, it feels pushy
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If your follow-up is about them, it feels helpful
Buyers don’t mind follow-up.
They mind irrelevant follow-up.
That’s why effective follow-up always connects back to something the buyer already told you.
Examples of professional follow-up language:
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“You mentioned timing was tied to selling your current home—how is that progressing?”
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“Last time we spoke, schools were a key factor. Has anything changed there?”
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“You said spring was your target move. As we get closer, would it make sense to reconnect?”
That’s not pressure.
That’s listening.
How Discovery Drives Better Follow-Up
You cannot fix follow-up on the back end if discovery is weak on the front end.
Strong discovery gives you:
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Buyer timelines
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Motivations
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Obstacles
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Emotional drivers
Weak discovery leaves salespeople guessing—and guessing is where follow-up goes to die.
If your team struggles with follow-up, don’t start by auditing emails or CRM notes.
Start by listening to discovery conversations.
How Often Should Salespeople Follow Up?
This is one of the most common questions sales leaders ask—and the answer is: it depends on the buyer’s timeline, not the salesperson’s comfort level.
A simple framework sales leaders can use:
Follow-Up Cadence by Buyer Timeline
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30–60 days out: Frequent, specific, progress-oriented
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3–6 months out: Scheduled check-ins tied to milestones
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Long-term / “someday”: Periodic, value-driven touchpoints
When cadence is defined this way, follow-up stops being emotional and starts being strategic.
A Sales Meeting Exercise Every Leader Should Use
If you want follow-up to improve quickly, do this in your next sales meeting:
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Draw three columns on a whiteboard:
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30–60 days
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3–6 months
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Long-term buyers
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Ask the team:
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What’s the purpose of follow-up at each stage?
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What questions should we be asking?
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What value are we delivering with each touch?
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This shifts the conversation from activity to intent.
Salespeople gain confidence.
Leaders gain consistency.
Buyers feel supported—not chased.
Why Follow-Up Is a Leadership Issue (Not a Personality Trait)
Here’s the part company leadership needs to hear clearly:
If follow-up is inconsistent, it’s rarely a motivation problem.
It’s a leadership and systems problem.
Follow-up improves when leaders:
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Set clear expectations
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Model professional behavior
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Coach language, not just activity
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Provide structure instead of pressure
When follow-up becomes a shared standard—not an individual style—it scales.
Who This Follow-Up Strategy Is For
This approach works especially well for:
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New home sales leaders
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Onsite and online sales teams
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Marketing managers supporting CRM cadence
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Company leadership focused on predictability and performance
In other words, anyone who wants follow-up to feel professional, consistent, and effective—not awkward or optional.
Final Thought: Persistence Is About Relevance
Persistence isn’t about being relentless.
It’s about being relevant.
When salespeople know:
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Why they’re following up
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When to do it
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How to do it professionally
Follow-up stops being something they avoid—and starts being something that drives results.
And that’s when persistence becomes an asset instead of a liability.