Short answer: follow up after a masterclass with personal conversations, not just emails. Message attendees the same night asking for their biggest takeaway, then ask if they'll be joining your offer. Send non-attendees the replay or invite them to an encore. Keep following up through cart open by email, DM, WhatsApp and voice notes, tailor what you say to what each person has told you, and remind people before the bonus ends. Around 80% of conversions happen on the fifth follow up.

You've delivered a brilliant masterclass. You pitched. A few people bought on the night. Then it goes quiet.

That quiet isn't a no. Most people who were interested just haven't decided yet. They've got questions they didn't ask, an objection they haven't said out loud, or they simply got distracted by life. Follow up is where you win them back.

When I was growing my business as a new mum, I didn't have time for lots of sales calls. So I opened up my DMs instead: if you've got a question, message me. My conversion rate went up as soon as I offered conversations instead of just sending people to a sales page. People want to talk to a human before they buy now. Here's my follow up process in six steps, from before you go live to cart close, with every message to copy, the numbers to aim for and an action plan.

This is part of my ultimate guide to webinars that sell, which covers the masterclass itself from the first minute to the pitch.

Why follow up matters so much

Around 80% of conversions happen on the fifth follow up. If you stop after one email, you're leaving most of your sales on the table.

And personal follow up is different to automation. Emails and content still matter, but DMs, WhatsApp messages and voice notes are what turn "maybe" into "yes".

Step 1: Set up your follow up before you go live

Good follow up starts before you go live.

• Collect a way to message them. Ask for their Instagram handle or phone number on the opt-in, or get them into a community where you can message them.
• Send a quick reminder DM. "Hi Sam, so excited you've signed up. Just a quick reminder, we're live at 7pm tonight. Will you be joining us live?" This isn't selling. It's getting them in the room, because the people who show up are the people who buy. More on that in why live attendees buy 10 times more.

Time: 30 minutes. Done when: your opt-in asks for an Instagram handle or phone number and your reminder DM is saved.

Step 2: Get people into your DMs during the masterclass

• Add a stay until the end gift. Tell people at the start there's a gift for those who stay to the end. After the pitch, tell them how to get it: DM me the word GIFT. Now they're in your inbox, and the conversation has already started.
• Give three ways to buy. Go to the page, send me a DM or book a call with my team. People buy in different ways.
• Invite questions. "If you have any questions, DM me." Every question is a buying signal.

Time: 5 minutes of your slides. Done when: your pitch ends with the gift instructions and three ways to buy.

Step 3: Message everyone who came, the same night

This is the simplest, most effective follow up I know:

You'll get one of three answers.

• Yes. Brilliant. Send the link straight away.
• Yes, but. They're telling you their objection (time, money, timing, "I'm not sure it'll work for me"). Now you can help with it.
• No. That's fine. Ask: "Can I ask why? It's really useful feedback for me and the team." Sometimes the answer turns a no into a yes. Sometimes it's market research you needed.

Time: 30 to 60 minutes after the masterclass. Done when: every attendee has had message 1, and every reply has had message 2.

Step 4: Tailor the pitch to what they tell you

One of my favourite questions in any DM conversation is: "Tell me a little bit about where you are at the moment compared to where you want to be."

It qualifies them, and they'll tell you exactly what they're struggling with. Then when you talk about your offer, you speak directly to their end result and their struggles, so it feels like the solution made for them. Because it is.

Time: A few minutes per conversation. Done when: you can repeat back each person's starting point and goal in your own words before you mention the offer.

Step 5: Follow up with the people who didn't show up

Most of your sign-ups won't be there live. They're still leads.

• Send the replay (if you offer one) with a short note on what they'll get from it and the offer.
• Run an encore. "I know life gets in the way, so I'm running it again." A second live gives them another chance to experience you and hear the pitch.
• DM them too. "Sorry we missed you tonight. Would it help if I sent you the key points?" It opens a conversation.

Time: 30 minutes the next morning. Done when: non-attendees have the replay or encore date and a personal message where you can reach them.

Step 6: Run the follow up timeline to cart close

1. Same night: takeaway message to attendees, replay email to everyone, reply to every DM.
2. Next morning: email with the offer, the bonus and a client story. Post about it on social.
3. Middle of cart open: an extra touch point, like a Q&A live or a voice note to people who engaged but haven't bought.
4. Bonus ending: email, WhatsApp and DMs 24 hours before and on the day the fast action bonus ends.
5. Cart close: final reminders, then a low priced down sell or encore for everyone who didn't buy.

Use more than one channel. Email, DMs, WhatsApp, voice notes and content. I'm more likely to open a WhatsApp than an email, and I'm not the only one. If you want to create urgency without feeling pushy, read ethical urgency and scarcity.

The personal messages should come from you. The emails around them don't have to. The Email Marketer inside Ascendia OS writes your follow up emails and broadcasts in your voice and schedules them to cart close, so your 30 minutes a day go on real conversations.

Time: 30 minutes a day through cart open. Done when: everyone who engaged has had up to five touch points across at least two channels.

Follow up without feeling salesy

If following up feels awkward, remember why you're doing it. Someone came to your masterclass because they want the result you help with. If you don't follow up, you're leaving them to figure it out on their own. Asking for feedback, answering questions and helping someone decide is service, not pressure.

For the full launch picture, read the ultimate guide to a 6 figure course launch.

Worked example: follow up after a 60 person masterclass

Example (illustrative): 300 sign-ups, 60 attend live, a $1,500 offer, and 6 people buy on the night.

• Same night: 54 attendees who didn't buy get the takeaway DM. 30 reply. 30 get "Will you be joining us?"
• The answers: 6 say yes (link sent), 12 say yes but (objections handled one by one), 12 say no (asked why, noted as feedback).
• Next five days: follow ups by email, WhatsApp and voice note, a Q&A live mid cart, reminders before the bonus ends. Say 6 of the yes buts convert.
• Result: 6 on the night + 6 + 6 = 18 sales instead of 6. That's $27,000 instead of $9,000, from conversations, not more sign-ups.

Follow up benchmarks

Common follow up mistakes

• Mistake: One "doors are closing" email. Fix: Five touch points across email, DMs, WhatsApp and voice notes.
• Mistake: Opening with the offer. Fix: Open with "What was your biggest takeaway?"
• Mistake: Taking "yes, but" as a no. Fix: It's an objection. Ask about it and help.
• Mistake: Ignoring non-attendees. Fix: Replay, encore and a personal DM.
• Mistake: Not collecting a way to message people. Fix: Ask for an Instagram handle or phone number on the opt-in.

Your action plan

Today

• Add an Instagram or phone field to your opt-in.
• Save the same night DMs and "yes, but" replies in your notes app.

Before your next masterclass

• Create a stay until the end gift.
• Add three ways to buy to your pitch.
• Schedule the follow up timeline emails and WhatsApps.

After it

• Message every attendee the same night.
• Follow up non-attendees the next morning.
• Track yes, yes but and no answers so you know which objection to handle better next time.
• Read the ultimate guide to webinars that sell to tighten the masterclass before the next one.

If the follow up keeps hitting the same objections, it's usually the pitch. The 5-Figure Webinar Formula includes my pitch script and objection handling slides for $27.

Frequently asked questions

What should I say when following up after a webinar or masterclass?

Start with a genuine question: "It was great to see you tonight. What was your biggest takeaway?" Once they reply, ask if they'll be joining your offer. It feels natural, gives you useful feedback and opens a real conversation.

How many times should I follow up after a masterclass?

More than you think. Around 80% of conversions happen on the fifth follow up. Spread your follow up across cart open using email, DMs, WhatsApp and voice notes, with extra reminders before the bonus ends.

How do I follow up with people who didn't attend?

Send the replay or key points, invite them to an encore, and DM them personally. They signed up because they were interested, so they're still warm leads.

What do I do if someone says no?

Thank them and ask why. "Can I ask why? It's really useful feedback." Sometimes there's an objection you can help with, and sometimes it's valuable feedback for your next launch.

Do I need sales calls after a masterclass?

Not necessarily. DM conversations can work just as well, and they take far less time. Offer a mix: the sales page, a DM conversation and a call for those who want one.

Laurie Burrows is a UK-based marketing and sales strategist who has built a business that's generated multi-seven figures in sales through social media and digital marketing. Today, Laurie helps business owners use social media, content and digital marketing to get seen, attract more clients and make more sales. She's also the founder of Ascendia OS.