How to follow up with leads
You’ve just received a lead in your Kicksite account—now what?
The time between a prospect’s lead capture form submission and your initial response is critical — in fact, it should happen within the first 5 minutes because you are 400x more likely to get a response! But what should you say? And how can you ensure you’re notified immediately?
First things first: to respond quickly, be sure to set up Quick Connect in your Kicksite account to receive instant notifications when people submit their information on your lead capture forms or website. If a lead has opted into SMS communication, you can engage with them even faster via a quick text. Not everyone may opt into SMS communication, and that’s okay! Aside from texting, you can also utilize prospects’ provided phone numbers and email addresses to engage potential prospects in other ways.
According to HubSpot, email open rates typically range from 19% to 26% at best. In contrast, research says that 90% of text messages are read within three minutes. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of reaching out by calls or emails — just be mindful not to overwhelm potential clients by using all three at once!
After first reaching out to new prospects, it’s essential to track their status, make notes, and assign any further follow ups. In the Kicksite Prospects list, you can do just that. In this section of the software, you can update lead status, set appointments and tasks, add notes for each prospect, and even assign them to specific employees to manage.
Refining your follow-up process
You’ve just messaged a potential prospect funneled into your Kicksite account—great! But what if they don’t reply right away? That’s completely normal, and it doesn’t mean you should stop there. Once a lead is generated, it’s your job to nurture them until they become a member, which can take up to seven interactions to convert. We repeat: if a prospect doesn’t respond or sign up after you’ve reached out just 1 or 2 times, they are not a dead lead!
Having a structured message flow, along with both manual and automated response templates, helps streamline communication and improve response times. Keep in mind not to overwhelm your leads with excessive communication, as not all leads require the same level of follow-up. Tailor your outreach based on their interests, engagement level, and activity.
Generally, sending two to three reminders per week helps maintain interest without being intrusive. Utilize your Kicksite martial arts software to track lead status and refine your communication strategy, ensuring each prospect receives a personalized and effective follow-up journey.
Personalizing your follow-up messages to align with both your business and potential students is essential for building strong connections. Consider including student success stories, class recaps, self-defense tips and techniques, or updates relevant to your community. Use compelling headlines to grab attention and keep your audience engaged. Explore these template options to optimize your follow-up process—just be sure to personalize them to fit the needs of your potential clients!
How to follow up with leads on social media
While website leads are essential, don’t forget to leverage all your business platforms to maximize awareness and visibility! Staying active on social media—such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—offers a powerful way to connect with potential clients. Since prospects may reach out through these channels, having an automated messaging system in place is crucial for timely engagement and lead nurturing. Fortunately, these social media platforms have built-in automated welcome message capabilities that you can take advantage of.
Check out these great resources for setting up effective communication on each platform:
Let’s recap
The lead nurturing process takes time and effort — it’s not a one-and-done task. Instead, it’s a personalized journey that requires organization and consistent follow-ups. Receiving a lead submission is just the first step in an ongoing process.
Finding the right balance between too little and too much communication can be challenging, but setting up an automated response system with personalized touches can help you refine your outreach strategy based on each prospect’s interests.
Be sure to organize your leads in a CRM system to track their engagement and communication levels. And remember—just because you don’t receive an immediate response doesn’t mean you should stop following up!