5 Follow-Up Mistakes That Kill Deals

You nailed the pitch. The prospect was nodding, asking great questions, and seemed genuinely interested. Then... silence. The deal goes cold, and you're left wondering what happened.

The truth is, most deals aren't lost during the pitch — they're lost in the follow-up. Here are five mistakes that silently kill your pipeline.

1. Waiting Too Long

The biggest killer. Every hour that passes after a meeting, your prospect's enthusiasm fades. They get pulled into other priorities, other vendors reach out, and your brilliant pitch becomes a foggy memory.

Fix: Follow up within 2 hours of every meeting. Even a short message like "Great chatting today — here's the summary we discussed" keeps momentum alive.

2. Generic Follow-Ups

"Just checking in" and "circling back" are the fastest ways to get ignored. These messages signal that you don't have anything valuable to say.

Fix: Reference something specific from your last conversation. Mention a challenge they shared, an article relevant to their situation, or a new feature that addresses their concern.

3. Not Tracking Your Interactions

If you can't remember what you discussed three weeks ago, how can you build on that conversation? Relying on memory is a recipe for awkward moments and missed opportunities.

Fix: Use a relationship manager like Rappo to automatically log interactions and surface relevant context before every touchpoint.

4. One Channel Only

Sending email after email into the void? Your prospect might be a Slack person, a LinkedIn person, or someone who prefers a quick phone call. Sticking to one channel limits your reach.

Fix: Mix your channels. Follow up via email, then engage on LinkedIn, then try a brief voice note. Meet your prospect where they are.

5. No Clear Next Step

Every interaction should end with a concrete next step. Without one, the conversation drifts into "we should catch up sometime" territory — which means never.

Fix: Always propose a specific action. "Can I send you the case study by Thursday?" or "Let's block 15 minutes next Tuesday to review the proposal" — specificity creates commitment.

The Bottom Line

Follow-up isn't an afterthought — it's where deals are won. The reps who close consistently aren't necessarily better presenters. They're better at staying relevant, adding value, and maintaining momentum between meetings.

Start by fixing just one of these mistakes this week. Your pipeline will thank you.