How to follow up with leads who said “not now”
by Banjo Adesuyi
Treat “not now” as a date, not a no. Save the exact timing and reason the buyer gave, keep the deal open, send one light, useful touch in between, then follow up on their date with a message that references the original conversation. The hard part isn't writing it. It's making sure it happens months later.
A lot of deals end on “not yet”: wait for the budget review, check back after the launch, come back to us in Q3. Most of them are never followed up, not because anyone decided against it, but because a task set in March doesn't survive to July.
1. Capture the timing and the reason
Write down exactly what they said and why: “Come back to us in Q3, after the budget review.” The reason is what makes the future follow-up specific instead of generic.
2. Keep the deal open
Don't mark it lost. A deal with a date is a pipeline you can plan around. Move it to a stage or tag that shows when it comes back.
3. Send one useful touch in between
Halfway to their date, send something they asked about or would value: the case study they mentioned, a relevant product update. One message, no ask.
4. Follow up on their date, from their words
Open with the reason they gave, not with “just checking in”:
Hi [Name],
In March you asked me to check back in Q3, after the budget review. Is now a better time to look at [the problem]?
[Your name]
5. Stop the moment they reply
If they reply, book or move, the sequence ends. Nothing kills goodwill faster than an automated nudge after someone has already answered.
Why this usually fails, and how Viro fixes it
Every step above depends on remembering months later. In Viro, when a lead says “come back later”, Iris saves the timing on the deal and keeps it open. Viro sends a light touch in between, texted to you to approve, and when the date comes round Iris texts you the check-in, written from what they said months ago. It stops the moment they reply, book or move stage.
Related: How to win back lost deals · Follow-up email templates
