How is Leak 1 calculated?

People who haven’t heard from you in 90 days, divided by 200, multiplied by what a client is worth in a year. Dividing by 200 is the cautious end of our own experience, where about 1 in every 150 to 200 people on a list becomes a client over time.

What happens on the call?

You and John look at your numbers together, work out which leak to fix first, and see how the Growth Engine would do it in your business. If it isn’t a fit, he’ll tell you.

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Your next clients are probably already in your phone.

Most small businesses don’t have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem. Answer nine quick questions about your business and see exactly where enquiries are slipping away, what it’s worth, and how to fix it.

Start the check

About 2 minutesNo sign-upYour own numbers

Question 1 of 9Leaking so far $0

Your database

How many people are in your database?

Everyone who has ever enquired, bought from you, or given you their details. Past clients, old quotes, people who said “maybe later”. A rough guess is fine.

people

Your database

How many of them have heard from you in the last 90 days?

A real message from you or your business. A newsletter they never open doesn’t count.

Your numbers

What is a client worth to you over a year?

Roughly what one client spends with you in their first twelve months. If most buy once, use that one sale.

Your numbers

And what is the average first sale?

The value of the first job, package or invoice a new client pays. This is the cash that lands first.

Your enquiries

How many new enquiries do you get in a month?

Calls, website forms, messages, DMs and referrals. Anyone who puts their hand up.

a month

Your enquiries

Out of every 10 enquiries, how many become clients?

Think about the last few months. Your best guess is fine.

Your follow-up

When someone says “not right now”, how many times do you follow up?

After that first conversation or quote. Be honest, nobody’s checking.

Your follow-up

How long does it usually take someone to go from enquiry to paying?

From the first time they contact you to the day they pay. Your average client, not your fastest.

Your follow-up

How fast do you usually reply to a brand new enquiry?

On a normal busy week, not your best day.

Your Follow-Up Leak

Where it’s leaking, and how to fix it

Every number below comes straight from your answers. The maths is shown so you can check it.

Leak 1

The people who’ve gone quiet

$0a year

The fix

Client Flow System. Every contact in one place, sorted so you can see exactly who has gone quiet and restart those conversations. Then a steady, useful message keeps you in front of them until their timing changes.

Leak 2

The “not right now” enquiries

$0a year

The fix

Client Communication System. Automated follow-up that runs for as long as your sales cycle does, so every enquiry gets proper attention until they buy or say no. You still have the conversations. The system makes sure nobody gets forgotten.

Leak 3

Speed and timing

The fix

Instant reply and booking. Every new enquiry gets a reply in minutes, day or night, with a link to book a time in your calendar and reminders so they show up. AI drafts the messages in your voice. You step in for the conversation.

0extra clients a year, from people who already know you

$0first-sale cash from those clients

0follow-ups your sales cycle needs, at one a week

See how owners close these leaks, live.

Join the free AI For Small Business Workshop with John Bellamy. You'll see the follow-up system running inside real service businesses, and how the Growth Engine does it in your own CRM.

An estimate, not a promise. It uses your answers and the assumptions explained below.

Three leaks. One connected system.

The Growth Engine is the system we install for service businesses. These are the parts that close the follow-up gap, with AI built in so it happens every time, not just when you remember.

Client Flow

See every opportunity

One place for every enquiry, client and quote. See who’s active, who’s stalled and who’s gone quiet, and restart those conversations.

Client Communication

Follow up until they decide

Automated follow-up and steady nurture across your whole pipeline. Every opportunity gets attention until it converts or says no.

Speed to lead

Reply in minutes

Instant replies, online booking and reminders, so new enquiries hear from you before they hear from anyone else.

The research behind the check.

The pattern shows up across years of sales research, and in our own client base.

21×

The odds of qualifying a lead drop 21 times when you reply in 30 minutes instead of 5.

Lead Response Management Study, Dr James Oldroyd (MIT) and InsideSales.com, 2007

50%

Industry research suggests about half of qualified leads aren’t ready to buy yet. They need follow-up, not one reply.

Industry research, as reported by HubSpot

47%

Industry research suggests nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than leads that aren’t nurtured.

Industry research, as reported by HubSpot

1 in 30

About 3.33% of leads are ready to buy right now. That’s roughly 1 in 30. The other 29 need follow-up until they’re ready.

Chat To Clients, 2026

Every assumption, in plain sight.

People who haven’t heard from you in 90 days, divided by 30, multiplied by what a client is worth in a year. Dividing by 30 uses our own figure: about 3.33% of leads, roughly 1 in 30, are ready to buy at any one time.

Enquiries a year that don’t buy, halved, because research suggests about half of them just aren’t ready yet. Then we estimate how many proper follow-up would win back. The less you follow up now, the more there is to win back: 15% if you don’t follow up, 10% if you follow up once, 5% if you follow up two or three times, and 2% if you already stay in touch until they decide. These are cautious estimates, not guarantees.

Because reply speed affects every other number, and we would rather not guess. What we know is that the odds of qualifying a lead drop sharply after the first five minutes. Fixing speed protects the value in Leaks 1 and 2.

Yes. Fewer enquiries means each one is worth more. Losing one client a month to slow follow-up hurts more when only a handful come in.

John Bellamy shows how service business owners set up AI and follow-up systems that run every week. It’s free, live, about 60 minutes, with time for your questions, and ends with an offer if you want help setting it up.

Stop losing the people who already chose you.

See the follow-up system working in the free AI For Small Business Workshop, live with John Bellamy.

Disclaimer: The results shown are estimates for illustration only and are based on the information you provide and general industry assumptions. They do not guarantee any income, client numbers or business outcome. Actual results vary and depend on your business, your market, and the consistent effort you and your team put into following up with your contacts.