The difference between a broker who converts 5% of their leads and one who converts 15% is rarely about the leads themselves. It's about what happens after the lead arrives. A structured follow-up system is the single most impactful thing you can build for your practice, and most advisers don't have one.
This guide walks through building a follow-up system from scratch. It's based on what we see working across hundreds of brokers and advisers in the UK financial services market.
Why You Need a System, Not Just Good Intentions
Most brokers have good intentions. They plan to call every lead promptly, follow up diligently, and stay in touch with prospects who aren't ready yet. But without a system, good intentions break down quickly.
Monday morning, three leads come in while you're in a client meeting. You plan to call them after lunch. But after lunch, two more leads arrive, a client calls with an urgent question, and suddenly it's 4pm and those morning leads haven't been touched. By the time you call them the next day, one has already spoken to another broker, one doesn't remember the enquiry, and one doesn't answer.
A system removes this ambiguity. It defines exactly what happens at every stage, who does it, when they do it, and through which channel. It works on busy days just as well as quiet days because the process doesn't rely on memory or motivation.
Phase 1: The Instant Response (0-5 Minutes)
The moment a lead arrives, the clock starts. Your goal is to make contact within five minutes. Speed to lead is the single biggest factor in conversion, so this phase is non-negotiable.
Step 1: Instant notification. Configure your lead delivery so you receive a push notification the instant a lead arrives. Most CRM systems support this. If you're receiving leads via email, set up a distinctive notification sound and badge alert for your lead delivery email address so it stands out from regular mail.
Step 2: Call immediately. Pick up the phone and call within two minutes of receiving the notification. Don't read through the full lead details first. Just note their name and what they're enquiring about, and call. You can review the details during the conversation.
Step 3: If no answer, leave a voicemail and send an SMS. Your voicemail should be brief and friendly: 'Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company]. I've just received your enquiry about [mortgage type/insurance]. I'd love to have a chat about how I can help. I'll try you again shortly, but feel free to call me back on this number whenever suits.' Follow immediately with an SMS that includes your name and a brief message.
The SMS is critical because many consumers don't listen to voicemails but will read a text. Keep it conversational: 'Hi [Name], I just tried calling about your [mortgage/insurance] enquiry. Happy to chat whenever suits you. Feel free to call or text me back. - [Your Name], [Company]'
Phase 2: The First Day (0-8 Hours)
If you didn't reach them on the first attempt, you need to try again. Most leads don't answer the first call, but many will answer a second or third attempt, particularly if you vary the timing.
Step 4: Second call attempt (2-3 hours after the first). If you called at 10am and didn't get through, try again around 12:30pm. People's availability changes throughout the day. A lead who was in a meeting at 10am might be on their lunch break at 12:30.
Step 5: Email with value. Send a brief, personalised email in the afternoon. Don't make it a sales pitch. Provide something useful: 'Hi [Name], I tried calling earlier about your mortgage enquiry. I wanted to quickly share a couple of things that might be helpful as you're looking at your options.' Include one or two genuinely useful points relevant to their situation, mention that you're available to discuss further, and include your phone number and a link to book a call if you use an online calendar.
Step 6: End-of-day SMS (if still no contact). A casual text in the early evening: 'Hi [Name], I tried reaching you a couple of times today. I'm around tomorrow if you'd like to have a quick chat about your [mortgage/insurance]. No pressure at all. - [Your Name]'
Phase 3: Days 2-5
By day two, you need to vary your approach. If phone calls haven't worked, they might not be the right channel for this person. Some people prefer text. Some prefer email. Keep trying different approaches.
Day 2 morning: Call attempt (try a different time than yesterday). If no answer, no voicemail this time, just an SMS with a slightly different message.
Day 2 afternoon: Email with a different angle. Perhaps share a relevant blog post, a rate comparison, or a case study. Something that demonstrates your expertise without being pushy.
Day 3: SMS only. Something brief and low-pressure: 'Hi [Name], just checking in on your mortgage enquiry. Happy to answer any questions whenever suits. - [Your Name]'
Day 4: Call attempt in the evening (between 5:30-7pm if appropriate). Many consumers are more available after work hours. If you reach them, they may have more time to talk.
Day 5: Final intensive attempt. Morning call, followed by a 'last chance' SMS if no answer: 'Hi [Name], I've been trying to reach you about your enquiry. I don't want to pester you, so this will be my last message. If you'd like to chat about your options, just drop me a text or call anytime. - [Your Name]'
Phase 4: The Long-Term Nurture (Day 6 Onwards)
After the initial five-day intensive period, most leads fall into one of three categories:
- Contacted and progressing: You've spoken to them and they're moving forward. These enter your normal client pipeline.
- Contacted but not ready: You've spoken to them but they're not ready to proceed yet. They need ongoing nurture.
- Never contacted: You couldn't reach them despite multiple attempts. They're not dead, they're just dormant.
Categories two and three need a long-term nurture sequence. This is where most brokers give up, and where the biggest missed opportunity lies.
Weekly for the first month: Send a brief, value-driven email or SMS once a week. Share market updates, rate changes, helpful tips, or relevant content. Don't ask for anything. Just stay visible and helpful.
Monthly after that: Move to monthly contact. A brief email or SMS that keeps your name in front of them. Many mortgage leads don't complete for three to six months. Insurance leads can take even longer. The adviser who stays in touch during that period is the one who converts the case when the consumer is finally ready.
Tools to Make This Work
You don't need expensive software to run a follow-up system, but you do need something more organised than your memory.
CRM (essential): Pipedrive, HubSpot, or even a well-structured Google Sheet. The key requirement is the ability to track each lead's status, log contact attempts, and set follow-up reminders. If your CRM can automate task creation when a lead arrives, even better.
SMS platform (recommended): A business SMS service lets you send texts from a consistent number, track responses, and schedule messages. Many CRMs have built-in SMS. Standalone options include TextMagic and SimpleTexting.
Email automation (optional but valuable): For the long-term nurture phase, an email automation tool like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign lets you set up a drip sequence that runs automatically. Once a lead enters the nurture phase, they receive your monthly emails without you needing to remember to send them.
Calendar booking (optional): A tool like Calendly or Cal.com lets leads book appointments directly into your diary. Include the link in your emails and SMS messages. Some consumers prefer to book on their own terms rather than playing phone tag.
Tracking What Works
Once your system is running, you need to measure it. Track these metrics monthly:
- Contact rate: What percentage of leads do you successfully reach? If this is below 60%, your timing, channels, or persistence need work.
- Appointment rate: What percentage of contacted leads book an appointment? If this is below 25%, your phone technique or value proposition might need attention.
- Conversion rate: What percentage of appointments convert to clients? If this is below 30%, your consultation process may need improvement.
- Average attempts to contact: How many attempts does it take to reach a lead? This tells you whether your follow-up is persistent enough.
- Best contact times: When do you successfully reach the most leads? Use this data to prioritise your calling schedule.
Common Follow-Up Mistakes
Even with a system, there are pitfalls to avoid:
Being too salesy too early. Your first interaction should be about understanding their situation, not pitching your services. Ask questions, listen, and demonstrate that you care about their needs before you talk about what you offer.
Inconsistency. A system only works if you follow it every single time. Skipping steps on busy days or for leads that seem less promising undermines the entire process. The leads you're tempted to skip are often the ones that would have converted with proper follow-up.
Giving up too soon. Five contact attempts is a minimum, not a maximum. Some of the most valuable clients you'll ever win required seven, eight, or ten contact attempts before you finally connected.
Not personalising. Generic messages get ignored. Reference the specific details of their enquiry in every communication. 'I saw you're looking at remortgaging a property worth around 350,000' is far more effective than 'I'm calling about your mortgage enquiry.'
The Bottom Line
A follow-up system isn't glamorous. It won't make for an exciting social media post. But it's the single most profitable thing you can build for your advisory practice. The leads you're already buying contain more business than you're currently extracting. A structured, persistent, multi-channel follow-up system is how you unlock it.
Build the system before you buy the leads. Then, when you're ready, try our exclusive mortgage leads and see the difference proper follow-up makes to your conversion rates. For ready-made scripts and templates, download our follow-up scripts resource.