Why not send four follow-ups?
Because chasing someone who already has their answer rarely wins them back; it just makes a helpful clinic look pushy. Multi-touch sequences mostly come from lead-management software and US practice consultants. Some clinic-software vendors recommend four touches over two weeks and call a single follow-up almost always insufficient.
A service message finishes what someone asked for. Once a message starts promoting your services, it counts as marketing, which needs their permission.
So split the two jobs. The enquiry gets at most one useful follow-up; marketing, where the rules allow it, runs separately, with an opt-out in every message. Anyone who wants to hear from you still can, and nobody gets chased who didn't ask to be.
What's left to do in this enquiry?
Read the thread and name the job that's still open before you write anything.
- The answer was sent and nothing's left: send nothing. Mark it settled.
- A detail is missing and needed for the answer: ask for that one detail.
- The answer bounced or went to the wrong address: resend it through another route they gave you.
- They asked for a call back and you couldn't reach them: one further call at an agreed time, or one short message, using their stated contact preference.
These are alternatives, not steps. Pick the one that fits, or pick none.
Make the next message easy to answer
Ask for the one thing you need, in a question someone can answer in a word.
Example · Alder's parking enquiry
First draft · don't send: "We're following up to see whether you'd like more information about our services."
Our edit: "Which branch will you be visiting? Then I'll send the parking details for that one."
Why: the draft gives them nothing to answer; the edit asks for the missing detail and says what happens next.
Reply in the channel they used, in the same thread. Time it around the task: a detail needed for tomorrow's appointment can't wait a week.
What about the price question that went quiet?
If you answered the question, the enquiry is done, however much you'd like a booking. A message saying "just checking you're still interested" is marketing, not service.
There are two legitimate ways to stay in touch:
- They ticked a marketing opt-in on your form. Add them to your marketing emails, with an unsubscribe link in each one.
- Your form showed a clear opt-out box, and they didn't tick it. The ICO's soft opt-in may then let you email them about similar services. The ICO says asking to buy, such as a price question or a request for a quote, may be enough to count as "negotiations for a sale", but not just any query: Alder's parking question wouldn't count. Every message must offer an opt-out.
Either way, don't use health details from an enquiry to decide who gets which marketing. If neither route applies, settle the enquiry and let your website and reviews do the rest. Our enquiry form guide shows how to set up the form so you have a choice next time.
Which message fits the remaining job?
Choose the purpose first, then adapt one of three messages.
Copy and adapt · ask for a missing detail
"Thanks for asking about [request]. So I can answer, could you tell me [the one detail]? Then I'll send [what they asked for]."
Copy and adapt · resend what didn't arrive
"Our reply about [request] may not have reached you, so here it is again: [answer]. If anything's unclear, just reply here."
Copy and adapt · close the enquiry
"We haven't heard back, so we'll close this for now. If you'd still like help with [request], reply to this message or call [number]."
The closing note is the alternative to a follow-up, never a second message after one. Fill every bracket before sending: a message with "[request]" still in it is worse than none.
Follow up a missed call properly
When someone asked for a call and you couldn't reach them, make one more attempt: a call at an agreed time, or a short message.
Copy and adapt · a message instead of another call
"We tried to call about your request at [time]. You can reach us on [number] between [hours], or reply here with a good time to call."
Leave a voicemail only if their contact preference allows it. Even the clinic's name can reveal more than someone wants shared, so keep the message neutral and leave out the treatment.
When should you stop?
Stop when the job is done, when they ask you to, or when one follow-up has gone unanswered.
- They've got what they asked for: mark the enquiry settled.
- They ask you to stop: stop at once on every route, and record it where everyone will see it.
- One follow-up went unanswered: close the record.
- It's become a clinical question: hand it to your clinical team. Never chase a clinical decision with reminders.
Decide a week of quiet enquiries in ten minutes
Go through the week's quiet enquiries together, oldest first, and give every one a decision.
Example · Alder's Friday sweep
- Parking question, answered Tuesday: nothing left. Settled.
- Laser price question, answered Wednesday, no reply: the price was the answer. She ticked Alder's marketing box, so she'll get the monthly laser email with an unsubscribe link. The enquiry itself is settled; nobody chases it.
- Consultation request, call unanswered Thursday: send the "how to reach us" message as the single follow-up, then close if it goes unanswered.
- "Which area is right for me?": a clinical question. Passed to Priya's queue with the thread.
Ten minutes a week keeps the inbox honest: nothing waits without a decision.
What should the team record?
Record enough that anyone could pick the enquiry up: the date, the channel, what was asked, what was sent and what's left.
Example · Alder's record for a quiet enquiry
"Tue 10:12, email: asked about parking in Bristol. Sent parking details and the entrance photo. Nothing left. Settled. No stop request."
A record like that is quicker to keep when the enquiry arrives with its question and source already attached. PatientPulse's 40-second film shows one of those briefed enquiries.
Count "closed, no reply" as a status in your weekly numbers, not as a reason, as our clinic numbers guide explains.
Alder's finished follow-up card
Decide each quiet enquiry on one card.
Alder's finished follow-up card
- Enquiry: laser price, Bristol, by email, Wednesday
- Sent: the per-session and course prices for full legs, and what changes them
- What's left: nothing; the question was answered
- Marketing permission: opt-in ticked on the form
- Decision: enquiry settled; added to the monthly laser email
- Recorded by: Jo, Friday, with the date
Do this today
Pick three enquiries that went quiet this week and decide what's left to do in each.
Done when: each one is marked "nothing left", "ask for [detail]" or "closing note" on the follow-up card.
Questions owners ask
How long should we wait before following up?
It depends on the task and any time you promised. For an ordinary admin detail, we'd send the one follow-up the next working day, then close the record if it goes unanswered.
Should we text or email?
Use the channel they used. Switch only if that route has failed, and say why.
What if they reply months later?
Treat it as a new enquiry and answer it. Read the old thread first, so they don't have to explain everything again.
Alder is an example clinic. Its messages and people are illustrative.
