Follow-up text message templates for sales and customers

A good follow-up text says who you are, why you're texting and asks one easy question, in under 160 characters. Below are ready-to-use sequences for new leads, quotes, missed meetings, candidates, real estate, insurance and existing customers, each with waits between texts and a stop as soon as the person replies.

Every template here fits in one segment (160 characters) with the fields filled in, before any opt-out line is added, and each one assumes the person agreed to get texts from you. Swap "Sam" and "Northwind" for your name and business. Fields in double braces, like First name, come from the columns on your list.

What makes a follow-up text work?

Five habits separate a text that gets a reply from one that gets ignored or reported:

1. Name yourself and your business in the first line. People are right to be careful: they reported $470 million lost to scams that started with a text in 2024 (FTC, 2025). "Hi Jordan, it's Sam from Northwind" answers the first question before they ask it.
2. Give the reason they're hearing from you. Mention what they did: asked for a quote, booked a call, signed up last week.
3. Ask one question that is easy to answer. "Is Thursday or Friday better?" takes two seconds to answer; "Let me know your thoughts" asks for work.
4. Keep it short. Aim for one segment for the message itself. A segment holds 160 characters, or 70 if the text includes an emoji or another special character, and every segment is charged. Curly quotes and long dashes pasted from a word processor can also switch a text to the 70-character format, so type straight quotes. The opt-out line counts toward the length too.
5. Stop when they reply. Any follow-up after a reply reads as if nobody was listening. Answer them yourself from the same number.

Related: how to write a business text.

How should you use these templates?

Each template is a sequence: a text, a wait, a check that the person hasn't replied, then the next text. Build it once, add people who agreed to texts, and let it run inside your sending hours.

Step	What to set	Tip
Text	The message, with fields from your list	Read it aloud with a real name filled in
Wait	Days until the next step	1 to 3 days for sales follow-up
Condition	"No reply yet" before every follow-up	Nobody gets a nudge after answering

Your first text needs opt-out wording such as "Reply STOP to opt out." If you text people in Canada, Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation also requires each commercial message to identify the sender and include an unsubscribe mechanism (CASL s. 6(2)). For the rules behind consent and registration, see our 10DLC registration guide. This is not legal advice.

Templates for new leads

Inbound form or demo request

Send the first text as soon as the lead comes in. In a 2024 test of 1,000 B2B software websites, the average reply to a demo request took more than a day (RevenueHero, 2024), so a prompt, personal text stands out.

Text 1, right away:

Hi First name, it's Sam from Northwind. Thanks for asking about Product. Is a quick call today or tomorrow good?

Wait 1 day. If no reply:

Happy to answer by text instead. What would help most?

Wait 2 days. If no reply:

I'll leave it here for now. Reply any time if the timing changes.

After a demo or sales call

Text 1, the same afternoon:

Thanks for the time today, First name. Any questions come up since we spoke?

Wait 2 days. If no reply:

Hi First name, did the proposal reach Company OK? Happy to walk your team through it.

Wait 3 days. If no reply:

Should I check back next month instead? A quick yes or no is plenty.

Event or webinar leads

Text 1, the day after the event:

Hi First name, Sam from Northwind. Good to meet you at Event. Worth a 15-minute follow-up next week?

Wait 2 days. If no reply:

I'll leave it here. Reply any time if the timing changes.

Missed meeting

Text 1, an hour after the missed slot:

Hi First name, we missed you today. Want to pick another time this week?

Wait 1 day. If no reply:

Here's my calendar if that's easier: Booking link

Use a link on your own domain. Shared public link shorteners get filtered by carriers, and CTIA asks senders to use a shortener "dedicated to the exclusive use of the Message Sender" (CTIA, 2023).

Related: missed meeting and no-show texts.

Templates for quotes and estimates

These suit home services, agencies and anyone who sends a price. Point to the decision and invite one reply; there's no need to repeat the whole quote.

Text 1, the day after the quote:

Hi First name, it's Sam from Northwind. Did the quote for Service come through OK? Happy to answer questions.

Wait 3 days. If no reply:

Is anything holding up a decision on Service, like timing, budget or scope? One word is plenty.

Wait 4 days. If no reply:

I'll take it you've gone another way for now. If plans change, text me and I'll get you on the schedule.

Related: estimate follow-up texts.

Templates for recruiters and staffing

Use these with candidates who applied or asked to hear about roles.

Text 1, after an application:

Hi First name, it's Sam at Northwind Staffing. Thanks for applying for Role. Free for a 10-minute call this week?

Wait 1 day. If no reply:

Would a text chat work better? I can share pay, hours and location here.

Interview reminder, the day before:

Hi First name, a reminder of your interview for Role tomorrow at Time. Reply here if you need to change it.

Re-engaging a past candidate:

Hi First name, Sam at Northwind Staffing. A Role role just opened near City. Want the details?

Related: recruiting text messages to candidates.

Templates for real estate

Half (50%) of home buyers who used an agent prefer texting or messaging apps when working with agents, and 47% hired the first agent they spoke with (Zillow, 2025). Reply to new inquiries fast and keep it personal.

Text 1, right after an online inquiry:

Hi First name, it's Sam with Northwind Realty. Thanks for asking about Address. Want to see it this week?

Wait 1 day. If no reply:

Happy to send a few similar homes too. What matters most to you: price, area or size?

Past client check-in, once or twice a year:

Hi First name, Sam from Northwind Realty. How's life at Address? Here if you ever need anything.

Related: real estate text follow-up for buyer and seller leads.

Templates for insurance

In J.D. Power's 2024 study of 2,982 claimants, just 39% said their insurer always responds in a timely fashion to emails and texts (J.D. Power, 2024). Quick, clear texts are an easy way to stand apart.

Quote follow-up:

Hi First name, it's Sam at Northwind Insurance. Your Policy type quote is ready. Want me to walk you through it?

Renewal, 30 days before:

Hi First name, your Policy type renews on Renewal date. Want a quick review to check it still fits?

Wait 7 days. If no reply:

A reminder that your policy renews on Renewal date. Reply here with any questions.

Related: insurance texts for quotes, renewals and claims.

Templates for existing customers

Onboarding

Text 1, the day they sign:

Welcome to Northwind, First name. I'm Sam, your contact here. Text this number any time.

Wait 3 days:

How is setup going? Anything I can help with this week?

Wait 14 days:

Two weeks in. Is Product doing what you needed?

Renewal

Text 1, about a month before:

Hi First name, your Plan renews on Renewal date. Anything you'd like to change before then?

Wait 7 days. If no reply:

A quick reminder that your plan renews on Renewal date. Reply here with any questions.

Win-back

Text 1:

Hi First name, Sam at Northwind. We've added New feature since we last worked together. Worth a look?

Wait 5 days. If no reply:

Thanks either way. Reply YES and I'll send the details.

Check consent before you text past customers. In Canada, implied consent from a purchase lasts two years and from an inquiry six months (CASL s. 10(10)); after that you need express consent.

Review request

Text 1, the day the work is done:

Thanks for choosing Northwind, First name. Would you leave us a quick review? Review link

Wait 3 days. If no reply:

One last nudge, and thank you again: Review link

Ask once and remind once. Check the review site's rules before offering anything in return, since several restrict incentives.

Related: texting existing customers, with full guides to onboarding, renewal, win-back and review request texts.

How do you answer common replies?

Replies are where deals and renewals happen, so answer them yourself. These short answers cover the replies that come up most:

"Who is this?"

It's Sam from Northwind. You asked about Product on our site on Date, so I followed up here.

"How did you get my number?"

You gave it on our demo form on Date. I can stop texting if you'd prefer. Just reply STOP.

"Not right now."

Understood, thanks for letting me know. Want me to check back in a month or two?

"Send me something by email."

Will do. What's the best email for you?

"STOP" (or ARRET in Canada)

Send only the single confirmation your system sends, then no more texts. Under current FCC rules, opt-out requests must be honored within 10 business days (47 CFR 64.1200(a)(10)), and CASL sets the same limit (s. 11). Stopping at once is the safe habit.

Which texts should you never send?

• Texts to people who never agreed to hear from you, including bought or shared lists. CTIA's guidance says senders "should not use opt-in lists that have been rented, sold, or shared" (CTIA, 2023).
• Texts without your name or business. They look like scams and get reported.
• Requests for passwords, card numbers or one-time codes. Never ask for these by text.
• All-capital texts, strings of emoji and long paragraphs. They read like ads and cost more segments.
• The same text spread across many numbers to get past filters. CTIA calls this snowshoeing and asks senders not to do it.
• Follow-ups after someone has replied. Their next text should come from a person.

Where does Textually fit?

Textually is built to run sequences like these for teams in the US and Canada. You import a list by CSV or paste, push leads into a campaign, and write Text, Wait and Condition steps with any column as a field. The composer shows the character and segment count as you type, and a lead with an empty field you used is paused for you to check. Each lead keeps hearing from the same number, every text carries the opt-out line until they reply, and a reply ends their sequence and lands in one inbox, where you can answer with a suggested reply. For the bigger picture, read our guide to SMS for sales and customer follow-up, see the reminder sequences, check pricing, or apply for access.

Questions

How long should a follow-up text be?

Under 160 characters, so it sends as one segment. An emoji or certain special characters drop the limit to 70 characters, and the opt-out line counts toward the length. Two short sentences and one question usually fit.

How many follow-up texts should I send?

Two to four texts over one to two weeks is a sensible starting point for a new lead, ending with a close-the-loop text. No independent study sets the right number for texts, so watch your own reply and opt-out rates and adjust.

When is the best time to send a follow-up text?

During business hours in the recipient's time zone. Federal rules bar telephone solicitations before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m. local time, and some states, including Florida, Oklahoma and Maryland, use 8 p.m. as the cut-off. Weekdays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. cover them all.

Should I put a link in my first text?

Only if it helps the person, and only on your own domain. Shared public link shorteners are filtered by carriers. A first text with a plain question and no link reads more like a person.

Do I need to add "Reply STOP to opt out" to every text?

Your first text needs opt-out wording, and carriers expect it to be clear. In Canada, CASL requires an unsubscribe mechanism in every commercial message. Keeping the line on every text until the person replies covers both.

Can I use these templates for cold leads?

Use them for people who agreed to hear from you by text. US rules require prior express written consent for many marketing texts, carriers expect an opt-in for every message, and CASL requires consent in Canada. Texting people who never opted in risks blocked numbers and legal claims.