The Follow-Up Problem That’s Costing You Millions
Home service business owners—let’s talk about something that’s killing your sales and draining your profits: follow-up. If you don’t have a rock-solid system in place to follow up with leads, you’re leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.
Here’s the harsh truth: Most home service businesses call a lead once, maybe send an email or text, and then give up. That’s lazy, ineffective, and it’s why 99% of home service owners will never scale their business to $10M/year.
If you want to stop losing deals and start closing more, this guide is for you.
The Real Cost of Bad Follow-Up
Let’s break it down with some numbers:
- The average home service job has a ticket size of $7,500.
- The average closing rate is around 30%. For every 10 leads, that’s 3 deals, or $22,500 in revenue.
- But here’s the kicker: 80% of sales require 5 or more follow-ups. Most sales teams quit after just ONE.
If you’re not following up, you’re leaving 2-3 additional deals per 10 leads on the table. That’s $15,000-$22,500 per 10 leads. Over 100 leads a month, that’s upwards of $200,000 in lost revenue.
Are you making so much money that you can afford to lose that kind of cash?
Why Most Home Service Owners Fail at Follow-Up
Here’s the problem: You’re lazy. Your team is lazy. And you’ve let this become the norm.
Most home service owners do the bare minimum:
- One call.
- Maybe an email.
- Then they move on.
That’s not follow-up—it’s giving up.
And let’s be real: the follow-up attempts most sales teams do are garbage. “Just checking in.” “Touching base.” “Any thoughts on the quote?” It’s generic, boring, and it doesn’t work. Sooner or later, you're going to give up on following up with customers because you KNOW you're not adding any value and that your customer is just going to be annoyed.
It's a losing game.
Your customer isn’t going to chase you. That’s your job. If you’re not following up like your competitors are, you’re practically handing them the deal.
Follow-Up That Works: Real Strategies for Home Services
Ready to turn things around? Here are four actionable follow-up strategies that will help you close more deals without being annoying:
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The Personal Touch
- Send a quick selfie video to your lead.
- Example: “Hey Sarah, thanks for considering us for your HVAC project. I’d love to go over your options and answer any questions. Let me know when you’re available!”
- This personal approach shows you care and makes you stand out from the competition.
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The ‘I’ve Got an Idea’ Message
- Call your lead and say: “I’ve been thinking about your project, and I’ve got an idea I’d love to share. When’s a good time to chat?”
- This sparks curiosity and opens the door for another conversation.
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The Meme Follow-Up
- A few days after presenting your proposal, send a lighthearted meme or image.
- Example: A skeleton sitting on a bench with the caption: “This is me, waiting to hear back about your quote!”
- Humor breaks the tension and keeps the conversation alive.
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The Value Email
- Share a testimonial, case study, or piece of social media content.
- Example: “Here’s how we helped a family just like yours save $500 on their energy bills with a new HVAC system. Let’s talk about how we can do the same for you.”
- Position your follow-up as valuable, not pushy.
Pro Tip: Consistency is key. Follow up at least 10 times over a period of weeks or months.
Why Follow-Up Is Your Responsibility
Your customer called YOU because they have a problem. If you don’t follow up, they’ll solve it with someone else. It’s not their job to remember you—it’s YOUR job to stay top of mind.
If you’re not following up, you’re telling your customer that you don’t care. And if YOU don’t care, why should THEY hire you?
Here’s the mindset shift you need to make:
- Follow-up isn’t annoying—it’s necessary.
- Persistence shows professionalism.
- Customers choose contractors who stay engaged and show they want the business.
Why Your Competitors Are Winning
Your competitors are training their teams to follow up relentlessly. They’re calling, texting, and emailing 10, 15, even 20 times until they close the deal.
Here’s the difference between winners and losers in the home service industry:
- Winners are relentless: They follow up until the deal is done.
- Losers give up: They stop after one call.
- Winners sell value: They remind the customer why they’re the best choice.
- Losers disappear: They leave it up to the customer to make the next move.
Your Action Plan: Build a Follow-Up System That Works
Here’s how to fix your follow-up game:
- Commit to Relentless Follow-Up: Make it non-negotiable to follow up at LEAST 10 times with every lead.
- Train Your Team Daily: Role-play follow-up calls, practice handling objections, and build confidence. Check out the rest of the blog for more info on this.
- Leverage Technology: Use tools like ServiceTitan or Marketing Pro to automate emails, SMS, and reminders. If you don't have time for this or want a real pro to do it for you - click here.
- Lead by Example: If you’re not committed to follow-up, your team won’t be either.
- Grab My Follow-Up Black Book and Million Dollar Follow-Up: your team needs a playbook - chat with us today.
The Bottom Line: Follow-Up Is the Key to $10M/Year
If you’re not following up, someone else will. And they’ll take your customers, your deals, and your money. Don’t let that happen.
Commit to follow-up, train your team, and start building a system that works. If you’re ready to learn more about our home service sales training programs, click the link below. We’ll help you turn your team into a follow-up machine and scale your business to $10M and beyond.
Don’t wait. The only thing standing between you and the deal is the follow-up.
