After a discovery call
Confirm what you heard, and make it easy to correct you.
Thanks for the time today. What I took away: [specific problem], costing you [specific number], and the thing that has to be true before you'd move is [criterion]. If I've got any of that wrong, tell me. I'd rather fix it now than build the wrong thing. Next step I'd suggest: [concrete step, with a date].
After a demo
Answer the question you couldn't answer live.
You asked about [edge case] and I said I'd confirm. The answer is [honest answer, including what it doesn't do]. Given that, the version that would actually work for you is [specific setup]. Worth a short call with [stakeholder] to check it clears their bar?
When a deal has gone quiet
Give them a graceful exit. It gets more replies than chasing.
I've not heard back, which usually means one of two things: this dropped below the line, or something changed. Either is fine. If it's the first I'll stop emailing and check back in [timeframe]; if it's the second I'd genuinely like to know what shifted. Which is it?
Frequently asked questions
- How long should I wait before following up?
- Long enough that the next step you agreed on could plausibly have happened. If you agreed a specific date on the call, follow up the day after it, not before.