Here’s something that used to drive me crazy: I sent out a bunch of offers, got a few people interested, had some good initial conversations… and then they shut up.
And I would just move on to the next set of prospects, thinking “well, I guess they were serious.”
It turned out, I was leaving most of my deals. And if you do the same thing, maybe you are too.
According to research, most businesses generate about 70% of their revenue from the follow-up, NOT from the initial conversation.
Let that sink in for a second.
If you don’t follow your chances well, he leaves seven out of every ten dollars on the table.
I know what you’re thinking, because I’ve thought it too:
“But Seth, following sounds forced. I don’t want to be that annoying person who keeps bothering people.”
I get it. I had the same doubts. But the problem is, most people do not understand exactly what follow-up is and when it should happen.
Once I figured out the right way to think about tracking (and more importantly, when to pick up the phone myself versus doing it automatically), everything started to click.
Let me walk you through this framework that has helped me and hundreds of other global investors stop leaving money on the table.
The Surprising Truth About When Tracking Actually Begins
Most people think that tracking starts when you send your first email or text message. It doesn’t.
That’s what we call “outbound marketing,” which is completely different.
Tracking does not begin until AFTER the dealer has raised his hand.
If someone never answers you, there is nothing to follow.
And if someone responds with anger or tells you to stop, they are not the leader either. They should be removed from your list immediately.
So, when does the real tracking begin?
It starts when the seller responds with anything even positive or neutral.
When they say things like this “make me a present,” or “I might like,” or just “Tell me more,” This is where tracking becomes important. Before that moment, you are still in cold access mode.
This distinction is more important than you might think, because many investors waste time and energy trying to automate negotiations. they haven’t started yet.
Three States of Retailers That Determine Your Follow-Up Strategy
Once you understand that following happens only after someone answers, the next step is to see if every seller falls into one of three different regions. And each country requires a completely different approach:
Situation #1: Not a Lead
This includes vendors:
- He didn’t answer at all
- You answered wrong
- I told you to stop
- Have a structure that you can’t use
No follow up is needed here. Nothing. No defaults, no reminders, no tasks.
These people are not in your deal pipeline, period.
Scenario #2: Lead the Qualifier into an Effective Conversation
This type of seller is responsive and cooperative. They answer your questions, show genuine interest, and you have a back and forth conversation with them. They may give you an email address, a phone number, and maybe some information about their property.
Here is something important to understand: this section is mostly done by hand.
This is when you or someone on your team has to answer real calls and real conversations. Software can help you remember to drive and organize your notes (great), but it can’t replace a human conversation or close a deal. At least for now. If a salesperson is busy talking to you, automation should support the conversational person, not replace them.
Scenario #3: The Ineligible Silent Payer
This is the type of salesperson who seemed interested at one point, maybe answered some questions, but then stopped responding.
The place may still be beautiful; make some progress, but something is stopping them from moving forward. Maybe the timing is wrong. Maybe they are distracted. Maybe they changed their mind for a while.
This is the only place where automatic tracking is realand this is where automation really shines.
Lande-Up Engagement Matrix (Visual Guide)
When I tried to explain this clearly, even to myself, I realized that I kept having a flowchart in my head. Different traders’ responses put themselves in different buckets, and each bucket deserves a very different next move.
So I tried to turn that mental image into something tangible.
The diagram below shows exactly when tracking should be human, when automation makes sense, when long-term tracking is okay, and when it’s time to stop communicating altogether.
It’s not about bothering people until they say yes. It’s about responding in the right way, at the right time, based on how the seller actually engages.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about whether to follow up, automate, or walk away, I hope this helps you click.
And if you find this helpful, feel free to share it with your team or anyone who is having trouble tracking. That’s why I won!
Converting this Outline to a Program
One of the reasons I made this framework is that knowing what to do is easy, but doing it consistently is the hard part.
This is where it is Go away it helps.
Within Stride, we’ve already created the tracking workflow shown in the diagram above.
Automated texts, emails, RVMs, and reminders for silent sellers. Call notifications and task reminders for salespeople who need a real human conversation. Long tracking that runs quietly in the background without feeling pushy.
You don’t have to figure this out from scratch. You can update the already built one, adjust the words to sound like you, select the channels you want to use, and turn it on.
Stride does not replace conversations. It supports them, so nothing falls through the cracks when vendors introduce them.
In that way, this matrix is not just a good idea. Be a system that works for your business.
What We Learned from the Harvard Business Review Course on Tracking
There is a well-known Harvard Business Review study that analyzed many thousands of leads and more than 100,000 communication efforts. The findings are very eye-opening:
- First, speed is more important than anything else. If you respond to a lead within five minutes of them reaching out, you’re more likely to actually talk to them than if you just wait 10 minutes. That’s right. A few extra minutes can reduce your chances of recurrence.
- Second, time is more important than speed. The middle of the week works better than the beginning of the week. Afternoon works better than most other times. This applies to all industries, not just real estate investing.
- Third, persistence pays off. Your chances of reaching someone increase with each additional attempt, and by the sixth attempt, your chances of connecting are even higher.
The important takeaway is that Most deals don’t happen in the first conversation. It happens after a lot of contact, at the right times, with the right people saying the right things.
Where Automation Fits (And Where It Doesn’t)
Here’s the thing about automation: it has a very specific function, and when you confuse that function with something else, your following starts to feel like spam instead of helpful.
Automation is great for re-engaging quiet creators, reminding your team when to do something, and maintaining consistency over time. It’s also great for things like appointment reminders, which build trust by showing you’re organized and willing to follow through.
But automation DOES help in conversations, making phone calls, and reading human emotions. It’s just not what it’s designed to do.
For example, if someone quits after initial interviews, you can put them in a simple pull-up schedule that gently reminds them that you’re there for the next few months. This sequence has helped global investors (myself included) close deals that otherwise would have been completely forgotten. Not every silent lead will convert, but some will, and those “others” can add tens of thousands of dollars to your bottom line without much effort on your part.
A Simple Framework That Really Works
If you don’t take anything from this, remember these three principles:
- No tracking until the seller responds.
- There is no default until the conversation stops.
- Tracking systems are the best support people rather than in their place.
You don’t need a complicated system to make this work. Start simple. Do not follow until someone responds. When they talk, talk to them like a human being. If they’re quiet, then put them into a simple automatic routine that keeps you mentally sharp without requiring constant mental bandwidth from you.
That’s all. It’s that program that helps global investors across the country stop leaving 70% of their money on the table.
And in a business where most people don’t follow at all, using these basics will put you ahead of your competition.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some follow-up calls to make.
