The $12K/Month Text Message: Anatomy of a Perfect Follow-Up Sequence

In January, a Chicago remodeling contractor added $12,400 in closed revenue without a single new lead. The revenue came entirely from leads that had been sitting untouched in their pipeline for 60–180 days.

We activated a 7-step automated follow-up sequence on their existing database. Here is the exact workflow.

Day 0 (Lead submits form): Instant SMS — 'Hi [Name], thanks for reaching out about your [service] project. I'm pulling your info now and will call you in the next 15 minutes. — [Rep Name]'

Day 1 (No reply): Email — Subject: 'Your [Service] Project in [City]' — Body: Project overview, one case study photo, and a booking link to schedule a site visit.

Day 3 (No reply): SMS — 'Hey [Name], wanted to follow up on your [service] inquiry. We have 1 opening in [Month] left for [City]. Would Tuesday or Thursday work for a quick call?'

Day 7 (No reply): Email — A free value piece. For a window contractor, this would be 'What to Know Before Replacing Your Windows: A Homeowner Guide.' No ask, just value.

Day 14 (No reply): SMS — 'Hi [Name], following up one last time on your remodel. We've had 3 clients in [Neighborhood] this year and have before/after photos I'd love to show you. Worth 10 minutes?'

Day 30 (No reply): Email — 'We're finalizing our schedule for Q2. Wanted to give you first refusal on the last open slot in [City] before we open it to the waitlist.'

Day 90 (Long nurture): SMS — 'Hi [Name] — hope the spring is treating you well. We're running a pre-summer promotion for [service] in [City]. Would love to reconnect if the timing is better now.'

The key insight is that most contractors stop at Day 0 or Day 1. The $12K came from Days 14, 30, and 90 — the follow-ups no human sales rep would ever send manually.