Isn’t Follow-Up just.. Pestering? Let’s look at this. If you aren’t at capacity of fee-paying students, this is for you.

Hello there! Nicola Lutz here, cutting through the fluff to bring you actionable insights on one of the most critical aspects of student recruitment: consistent follow-up. Whether you're leading a language school, managing an admissions team, or driving an education agency, the key to success often lies in the follow-up. Let’s break down why consistent follow-up matters, backed by stats from my book Spend Less, Sell More, and how you can master the mindset required for effective follow-up.

Why Follow-Up Matters

You’re busy. I get it. Between managing day-to-day operations, fielding incoming emails, attending internal meetings and trying to fill seats or beds with international students, it’s easy to let that second or third follow-up slide. If you do it at all. 

But here’s the thing: follow-up is where the magic conversion happens. 80% of bookings require at least five follow-up contacts after the initial enquiry, yet 44% of you give up after just one follow-up. What this means in practice is.. The enquiry drops in, you reply with information; if they don’t get back to you you probably ask again or resend the email. Then if they don’t reply, you stop there.  And this is where we can improve. I work with schools and agents every single day, and by far the easiest way to increase admissions is to improve your follow-up. But GOOD follow-up. 

Yes, you’re dealing with inbound schtuff all the time. Yes, you have spent more on marketing to get the leads in. And yes, some of them are sticking.

And yet.. You’re still not at capacity with fee-paying students.
You can’t KEEP spending on marketing without addressing your conversion into admissions.

You’re leaving it to the last minute to get those last few students in.
You need the revenue to continue to provide an excellent education.

I’m happy to tell you that you can alter this, relatively quickly, with a better follow-up plan. It doesn’t need to be cringe-worthy. It doesn’t need to sacrifice any integrity or morals.

The main issue is actually your mindset. So let’s tackle that first.

The Mindset Shift: Follow-Up as great service

Let’s address the elephant in the room: you’re worried about being annoying. Pestering. Interrupting. You’d much rather shelve the follow-up as you have a ton of emails incoming and it’s just easier to deal with those. I’ve heard it countless times from my school and agency clients—no one wants to be a nuisance. 

So I hope you are open to a perspective shift: follow-up is not about pestering; it’s about enhancing the student journey. Think of it as a value-added service rather than a tactic. You’re not just following up to secure an enrolment; you’re following up to support families and students through their decision-making process, ensuring a smooth and positive customer experience. If it turns out you can’t help them, you can move on. But if you don’t yet know, you are making assumptions, and ideally you’ll carry on.

When you follow up consistently, you’re showing that you care about the student's journey from enquiry to enrolment. Each follow-up is an opportunity to address concerns, answer questions, and provide that vital reassurance, helping families and students feel confident in their choices.  Whilst we may deal with this every day, for them it’s a big deal, a big decision and a big investment. It’s worth taking the trouble. This level of attention and service can significantly improve their overall experience, making them more likely to choose YOU.

5 Practical Steps to Cultivate a Follow-Up Mindset

1. Believe in Your Value

• 63% of enquirers today will not make a decision for at least three months; 20% will take more than 12 months **

   - Mindset Tip: Understand that the information and guidance you provide are valuable. Believe in the positive impact you can have on families and students. This belief will fuel your persistence. When they enquire, they aren’t always ready. Following up consistently ensures you’re there when they’re ready 

2. Reframe Rejection

   - 80% of enrolments require five follow-up contacts after the initial inquiry (*Spend Less, Sell More*).

   - Mindset Tip: View each "no" as a step closer to a "yes." Rejection isn’t personal; it’s part of the process. Each follow-up is an opportunity to learn more about what they need, what is holding them up, and a learning opportunity to improve your approach.

3. Set Clear Goals

     - 100% of the schools and agents I work with HAVE goals and targets but when asked, do NOT know what they are on that day, or where they are tracking against target.

-Mindset Tip: Define your follow-up action goals. We know follow up will help you reach target, so set action targets. Whether it’s reaching out five times or providing specific value in each interaction, having clear goals will keep you motivated and on track.If you’re only just starting out decide to add one more follow up for the week, go back to those you’ve ditched and follow up one more time.

4. Develop a Routine

   - Mindset Tip: Consistency is key. Create a follow-up plan (my book lays all of this out if you’re not sure where to start) and stick to it. Integrate follow-up activities into your daily routine so it becomes second nature. Use tools and reminders to keep you on track. Block out time each day to go over past enquiries and follow them up again.

5. Focus on the Student’s Needs, it’s not about you, diva!

   - Mindset Tip: Shift your focus from making an enrolment to helping the family or student progress along their journey to deciding on their school. Understand their pain points, needs, and goals. If you don’t know what they are.. Learn.. Call them, converse. When your follow-ups are genuinely helpful and centred on the prospect’s needs, they’ll be more welcome and effective.

Making Follow-Up a Habit, but fit it into your day, too

Creating a habit of consistent follow-up can be a game-changer. In my experience, it’s the small, consistent actions that lead to significant results. This all can be done in 30 minutes every day. It’s just remember to do it! For instance, our Accelerator Program participants often see a 20-30% increase in enrolments simply by sticking to a great follow-up routine that we tailor to their time availability.

Conclusion

Follow-up isn’t just a task—it’s a mindset. By believing in your value, reframing rejection, setting clear goals, developing a routine, and focusing on your enquirers’ needs, you can transform your follow-up process into a powerful tool for success. Remember, it’s not about pestering; it’s about being there when they are making their decisions,  and providing value. So let’s cut through the fluff and get those follow-ups done!

Ready to take your follow-up up a notch? Do you want to convert more of those (expensive) enquiries? Do you want to do it efficiently as you’re short on time? Great. I can help, that’s what I do every day.
Join one of my Accelerator Programs - it’s just you, me and your team (if you have one). Nobody else. We can life the bonnet and give the engine a service and get you moving. Let’s move the needle on your enrolments together, we need to do this as every student deserves our help to find the right school and program for them.

If you'd like to chat about how we can work together to increase your admissions, you're welcome to book a call with me here

According to a study by Grant Cordone*

** Hubspot report