A remarkable insight from HubSpot says 80% of deals close in the follow-up, which means not the first conversation, not the pitch, not the “Hey, great to meet you.” In the follow-up.

Yet very few people follow up enough.

Why?

Because rejection stings. Because silence feels like a “no.” Because it’s emotionally easier to chase the new than to continue nurturing what’s already started.

But if you want to live a Superbold life and build a business or career that actually grows, you need to master the art of follow-up. Not as a chore or a sales tactic. But as a form of generosity, professionalism and, of course, boldness.

Why People Don’t Respond (And Why It’s Not About You)

People are overwhelmed—messages, tasks, notifications, family needs, appointments, deadlines, distractions. You are not being ignored because you’re unworthy. You’re lost in the noise. Think about the number of meaningful emails you unintentionally miss in a week. For most people, it’s several.

Follow-up is not pestering. It’s service. It’s helping someone remember what matters to them. Remember, most of the time it’s not a rejection. Silence is the new normal. But we stop ourselves because we’ve been ghosted, (in our mind, at least!)

We create stories in our head:

“They must not be interested.”

“They would have responded by now.”

“They already said no.”

But here’s the truth: Many “No’s” are simply “Not now’s”. You know this, I’m sure, but you hesitate to follow up. Yet I know people who closed deals a full year after their initial outreach because the timing finally aligned. Persistence isn’t annoying. It’s professional.

The Greatest Mistake: Not Systematizing the Follow-Up

Every successful business, from dental practices to consulting firms to coaching programs, runs on consistent touchpoints. The earliest lesson I learned in advertising was that repetition alone is what keeps you top of mind. We are bombarded with messages all day. When you don’t systematize follow-up, you rely on memory, which is the least reliable system ever invented. Create a systematic way to continue reaching out to prospects at specific intervals with a different message. And do it. Once you see the results, you’ll be hooked.

If you’re looking for what message to send, try gratitude or appreciation. Or just a simple tidbit of useful information not directly related to your product.

And finally, accept that ghosting is going to happen. It is the new norm and it’s not going to improve. Don’t ascribe any meaning to it. That’s a waste of calories.

Be bold enough to do the hard stuff and make following up part of your daily activity.

This Week's Boldness Challenge:

This one should be pretty obvious. Follow up with someone you've been avoiding. Do one for business and one personally. Because sometimes we neglect our personal relationships, too, don't we?

Boldly yours,

Fred