Sales and Lead Management

The Lead Follow-Up Problem

In the previous lesson, we explored financial analysis made simple. Now let’s build on that foundation. A potential customer reaches out. You’re busy. You respond the next day—or forget entirely.

By then, they’ve already talked to your competitor who responded in 20 minutes.

Speed matters. Research shows that responding within 5 minutes makes you 9x more likely to make contact than waiting 30 minutes.

AI helps you respond faster and follow up consistently.

The Lead Response Workflow

When a lead comes in:

Acknowledge immediately (within minutes)
Qualify quickly (is this someone you can help?)
Follow up systematically (don’t let them slip away)
Convert or close (move forward or move on)

AI can help with steps 1-3. Step 4 still needs you.

Instant Acknowledgment

The goal: When someone inquires, they get a response immediately—even if it’s not the full answer.

Template to customize:

AI: "Write an instant response template for new inquiries.

My business: [what you do]
Typical inquiry: [what people usually ask]

This response should:
- Acknowledge their inquiry specifically
- Let them know you'll follow up shortly with details
- Give them a sense of timeline
- Feel personal, not robotic
- Be brief (under 100 words)"

Use this template: Set it up so you can send it in under a minute when a lead comes in. Buy yourself time to craft a fuller response.

Lead Qualification

Not every inquiry is worth the same time. Qualify leads quickly:

AI: "Create qualification questions for my business.

I offer: [your products/services]
My ideal customer: [who you serve best]
Deal-breakers: [who you can't help]

Create 3-5 questions I can ask early to determine:
1. Is this someone I can help?
2. Are they serious or just browsing?
3. What's their timeline and budget range?

Make them conversational, not interrogation-style."

Use in your initial conversation to prioritize high-potential leads.

Follow-Up Sequences

Most sales happen after multiple touchpoints. But most businesses give up after one.

Create a follow-up sequence:

AI: "Create a 5-touch follow-up sequence for leads who don't respond.

My business: [type]
Initial outreach: [what they already received]

Spacing:
- Follow-up 1: 2 days after initial
- Follow-up 2: 5 days after initial
- Follow-up 3: 10 days after initial
- Follow-up 4: 21 days after initial
- Follow-up 5: 45 days (last attempt)

Each message should:
- Not be pushy or desperate
- Offer something of value when possible
- Have a different angle than the previous one
- Include a clear call to action
- Get progressively shorter"

Key insight: Each follow-up should have a reason beyond “checking in.” Share a helpful tip, relevant article, or new information.

Handling Common Objections

Prepare responses for objections you hear repeatedly:

AI: "Help me handle common objections.

My business: [type]
Common objections I hear:
1. 'It's too expensive'
2. 'I need to think about it'
3. 'I'm comparing options'
4. [Add your common ones]

**Quick check:** Before moving on, can you recall the key concept we just covered? Try to explain it in your own words before continuing.


For each, give me:
- What the customer is really concerned about
- How to acknowledge without being defensive
- Questions to understand better
- How to respond helpfully"

Note: Handling objections isn’t about manipulation. It’s about understanding concerns and addressing them honestly.

Proposals and Quotes

When it’s time to present pricing:

AI: "Help me create a proposal template.

My service: [what you offer]
Typical project: [scope and scale]
My pricing structure: [how you charge]

Include:
1. Summary of what they need (shows you listened)
2. What you'll deliver
3. Timeline
4. Investment (price framing matters)
5. Next steps to move forward
6. Validity period

Make it professional but not overly formal."

Personalize for each client: The template saves time; specific details show you paid attention.

CRM and Tracking

Even simple tracking beats no tracking.

At minimum, track:

Lead name and contact
How they found you
What they inquired about
When you last contacted them
Next action and when

Spreadsheet works fine. You don’t need fancy software.

AI: "Create a simple lead tracking spreadsheet structure.

Columns I might need for tracking leads from inquiry to close.
Keep it simple—I'm a small business, not a sales team.
Include fields for status and next action date."

The Lost Lead Recovery

Leads you didn’t close aren’t necessarily dead:

AI: "Write a re-engagement email for past leads who didn't buy.

Time since last contact: 3-6 months
Original inquiry was about: [what they wanted]
Tone: Friendly check-in, not pushy

The goal is to see if their situation has changed.
Include an easy reason to get back in touch."

Quarterly review: Look at leads from 3+ months ago. Some are worth a friendly follow-up.

Sales Conversation Prep

Before important sales calls:

AI: "Help me prepare for a sales conversation.

Prospect: [Company or individual]
Their situation: [What they told you]
What they need: [Your understanding]
Potential concerns: [What might hold them back]
My solution: [What you're proposing]

Help me think through:
1. Key points to make
2. Questions to ask
3. Objections to prepare for
4. How to propose next steps"

Exercise: Build Your Follow-Up Sequence

For your most common type of lead:

Write your instant acknowledgment template
Create 3 follow-up messages (days 2, 5, 10)
Make sure each offers value, not just “checking in”
Set up a system to track who needs which follow-up

Test it with your next 5 leads and adjust.

Key Takeaways

Speed wins—respond to inquiries within minutes, not hours
Acknowledge immediately, even if full response comes later
Most sales happen after multiple follow-ups; most businesses give up too early
Follow-up should offer value, not just “checking in”
Qualify leads early to focus time on high-potential prospects
Track leads simply but consistently—spreadsheet beats nothing
Review lost leads quarterly; situations change

Next: Choosing and setting up your AI toolkit.

Up next: In the next lesson, we’ll dive into Building Your AI Toolkit.