Right. The third stage in here is Invite. Not Close. That wasn't me being polite. It changes what you actually do. A close is something you do TO someone. An invite is something you offer. They can say no. That's the point. You don't need a closing script from a man on a stage shouting about objection handling. You need to know how to ask someone round for dinner. Think about it. You don't ambush a mate with it. You don't make them sit through a 40-minute presentation on your lasagne. And you definitely don't text "just checking in" four times because they said they're busy Saturday. You tell them when, what's on, and that it's fine if they can't make it. That's an invite. Getting customers works exactly the same way. The invite is the smallest part of the 30 to 45 minutes a day. Usually one line. It's also the line most people never send. Here's how I'd do it. STEP 1: Only invite people who've told you the problem If they haven't said, in their own words, that something's wrong, it's too early. Go back to Connect. The test: can you finish this sentence with their words? "You said ___." If not, don't invite yet. You'd be asking someone to dinner before you know their name. STEP 2: Invite them to the smallest useful next step Not "do you want to join my 12-week programme?" The smallest step that's genuinely useful to them. Usually one of three: A) A conversation. A call, a coffee, whatever you call it. B) A sample. Something free and useful before anyone gets on Zoom. C) The thing itself, if it's small and they've already asked about it. Big invites get big no's. Small ones get yeses. STEP 3: Say what it is, plainly What it is, how long it takes, and what they get out of it. One or two lines. (Would a 20-minute call be useful? I'll go through [their problem, in their words] and you'll leave with [one specific thing], whether we work together or not.) Notice what's not in there. No "hop on a quick call". No "pick your brain". No "explore synergies".

Right. Yesterday I said you're not bad at follow-up, you just don't have one. So here's one. Bookmark it. It's the follow-up process by hand. No software. A spreadsheet and a bit of nerve. It's the Connect bit of Find · Connect · Invite, and it's where most of the money quietly goes missing. You don't need to do the whole pile today. Five is plenty. Here it is: STEP 1: Make the list Go back 90 days. DMs, email, texts, comments. Everyone who said "maybe", "not right now", "send me details", or went quiet after a good chat. Put them in a sheet. Five columns: name, where you spoke, last contact date, what they said, next follow-up date. "What they said" is the one that matters. Copy their EXACT words. You'll need them in step three. STEP 2: Sort them into three piles A) "Not now." A timing problem. They want it, just not this month. B) "Send me info." Curious, not convinced. They need one more reason. C) The ghosts. Went quiet, no explanation. Usually it's life, not you. Each pile gets a different message. That's why "just checking in" never works. It's one message aimed at three different people. STEP 3: Write about them, not you The desperate follow-up is about you. "Just following up on my last message." "Did you get a chance to look?" "Bumping this to the top of your inbox!" Reader translation: "Please." The good follow-up is about THEM, in their words from step one. Pile A: (You mentioned waiting until [their words, e.g. "after the Christmas rush"]. Is that still the plan, or has it moved?) Pile B: (You asked about [the thing]. The one bit I'd look at first is [one useful, specific thing]. No need to reply if it's not relevant.) Pile C: (Last time we spoke you said [their problem, in their words]. Did that sort itself out, or is it still a pain?) Short. One question. No pitch. If they want the offer, they'll ask. QUICK TIP: if you can't remember what they said, don't guess. Ask what's changed since you last spoke. STEP 4: Put the next date in before you hit send