The Essentials of Following Up No Ever Thought You | Corrie George - 2026

Most salespeople treat follow-up like an afterthought: a quick check-in email, then nothing. I sat down with Corrie George, founder of YESA and Canada First, and former president of Grant Cardone Canada, to talk about the follow-up system that's actually helped him close hundreds of millions of dollars in sales.

Most Sales Are Won After the Fifth Contact

According to Salesforce, less than 20 percent of sales happen in the first few points of contact.82 percent of sales happen between the fifth and twelfth point of contact.Most sales reps stop following up long before they reach that window, which means they're walking away from the majority of their pipeline.

Know Where Your Buyer Really Is in the Buying Cycle

Before you follow up, figure out where the buyer actually is. Some people aren't even aware they have the problem you solve yet.Corrie says salespeople often compete with a purchase in a completely different category, not just a direct competitor.Understanding that stage changes how, and how often, you should be reaching out.

The Four Types of Follow-Up: Information, Education, Entertainment, and Service

Corrie breaks follow-up into four categories, and they have to happen in order: information, education, entertainment, then service.Skipping the order, especially jumping to entertainment before you've built credibility, makes a rep look unprofessional instead of likable.

Information Follow-Up Covers Your Product and Company

This is the follow-up most reps already do: spec sheets, product comparisons, and warranty details.Corrie also uses this stage to introduce the buyer to the service team they'll work with after the sale, so promises made during the pitch feel real.

Education Follow-Up Turns You Into an Advisor

Education follow-up gives the buyer something useful whether they buy from you or not, like an honest guide to navigating your industry.Corrie points to the movie Air, where Nike won over the Jordan family by telling them exactly what to expect from competitors before ever pitching a shoe.This step also means telling buyers the hard questions they should ask your competitors, even when it makes your own company look more exposed.

Entertainment Comes After You've Earned Trust