Getting Ghosted? Build a Follow-Up Cadence That Converts Without Feeling Pushy

What do you do after a great message… and then silence? Most leaders lose momentum not because they don’t know who to call, but because they don’t know how to follow up when they don’t get a response.

In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down my 7x7 follow-up framework, seven meaningful touches over seven weeks, and how to build a system that helps you stay consistent without ever feeling pushy. If you want to win at recruiting, you’ve got to stop chasing and start building trust over time.

Episode Breakdown

[00:00] Introduction – Why most recruiting efforts stall out after the first unanswered message.
[01:00] Prospect Every Week – Block protected time to research and build your short list of 10–20 candidates.
[02:00] Focus on Depth, Not Volume – Personalization wins. Transactional messages don’t.
[03:00] The 7x7 Framework – One value-based touch per week for seven weeks:

• Week 1: Affirmation message

• Week 2: No-pressure email introduction

• Week 3: 60-second video with perspective

• Week 4: Share a valuable resource

• Week 5: Silent call (register as a missed call)

• Week 6: Friendly text follow-up

• Week 7: Creative personal touch (e.g. voice memo, handwritten note, small gift)
  
  

[06:00] Move to Nurture Mode – After week 7, slow the cadence but stay on the radar with light, regular touches.
[07:00] Use a Tracking System – Don’t manage follow-up in your head. Use a CRM, spreadsheet, or board to keep cadence consistent.
[08:00] Train the Right Mindset – Recruiting isn’t a sales cycle. It’s a trust cycle, and trust takes time.

Key Takeaways

• Follow-Up Is Where You Win – Great recruiting isn’t about who you reach out to first. It’s about how you show up after silence.

• Use a 7x7 Cadence – Seven weeks, seven touches, each adding value, not pressure.

• Be the Consistent One – When their world shifts, they’ll remember who stayed in front of them without selling.

• Build the System – Set it and stay with it. A tracker turns good intention into real execution.

• Lead Your Team Into This – Coach your recruiters to play the long game, not the instant results game.
  
  

The leaders who win at recruiting aren’t sending more messages. They’re sending better messages, on purpose, over time, with value.

Want help building a personalized recruiting follow-up system for you or your team? Subscribe to my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com or book a session at bookrichardnow.com. Let’s build your cadence, and your confidence.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
So the big question is this, how dorecruiting leaders like us who have
12 to 15 other job responsibilitieswin at this game of recruiting?
How do we build a system that allowsus to recruit effectively in a minimal
amount of time while motivatingrecruits towards meaningful change?
That is the question, and thispodcast will give you the answers.

(00:21):
My name is Richard Milligan, andwelcome to Recruiting Conversations.
Hey everybody.
Welcome back to Recruiting Conversations.
I'm Richard Milligan, and todaywe're diving into a really common
question I get from both new andexperienced recruiting leaders.

(00:41):
What's a solid cadence forresearching candidates and
following up if they don't answer?
Now, on the surface that sounds tactical.
You might think this is aboutscheduling or reminders or using
the right tools, but the truth isthis question goes a lot deeper.
Because if we're being honest, this iswhere most recruiting efforts lose steam.

(01:02):
It's not that you don'tknow who to reach out to.
It's not that you don't know what to say.
It's that you don't know how to keepshowing up when people don't respond.
You do the work, you identify someoneyou research, you craft a message,
and then silence what happens next.
Determines whether or not youbuild a real recruiting engine or
just dabble in recruiting everyfew weeks when you feel inspired.

(01:25):
So let's talk aboutthe first part of this.
How often should you beresearching candidates?
The short answer is everysingle week, no exceptions.
If recruiting is one of yourprimary roles, then prospecting
is part of your job description.
Period.
This is your version of lead generation.
I coach leaders to block dedicatedtime on their calendar every

(01:47):
week for candidate research.
Not reactive time, not late night.
Scrolling on LinkedIn.
When you remember, you need to hire, I'mtalking about protected time, where you
are heads down building your pipeline.
What does that look like?
You define your avatar before youever start searching, you get clear
on who you're looking for Role.

(02:08):
Experience, geography,volume, tenure of values.
Then you go into your tools, LinkedInSales Navigator, your data provider,
your CRM, maybe even your own network,and you pull a fresh list of prospects.

(02:29):
Now, here's the key.
You don't try to engage everyone at once.
You narrow it to a focus groupof 10 to 20 people per week.
This is your short list.
Why 10 to 20?
Because that number is manageable.
It allows for depth, not just volume.
It lets you personalize your outreach.

(02:50):
It lets you stay consistent.
When you try to outreach to a hundredpeople, you default to copy paste.
You become transactional and greatrecruiting never feels transactional.
So once you've got your list,now comes the real work following
up when they don't answer.
This is the part that separatesgood recruiters from great ones.

(03:13):
I teach a model called theseven by seven framework.
It stands for seventouches over seven weeks.
One meaningful interaction perweek for seven straight weeks.
And I want to be clear, thisis not seven messages that all
say, Hey, just following up.
That's lazy, that's noise.
That's what most people are doing.

(03:33):
And the last thing your ideal candidateneeds is another generic check-in.
Instead, we build a follow-up sequencethat actually adds value, that feels
human, that creates trust over time.
Week one, you send a personalized LinkedInmessage, not a connection pitch, a

(03:53):
message that affirms something specific.
I saw you've been with yourcompany for over a decade.
That kind of tenure saysa lot about who you are.
Just wanted to say, I admire that.
That's it.
No ask just affirmation.
Week two, you send an email, youintroduce who you are, you frame
the message, and you invite them toa conversation with zero pressure.

(04:18):
Something like, Hey, I work withleaders across the industry and your
name has come up more than once.
I'd love to connect.
This wouldn't be a recruitingconversation, just two
professionals in the same space,getting to know each other.
Week three, maybe you send a short video,60 seconds shot on your phone, no polish,
just you saying, Hey, I've been thinkingabout some of the changes in the industry

(04:39):
and your perspective would be valuable.
Would love to hear how thingsare playing out on your side.
Week four, you sendsomething that brings value.
An article, a podcast, a leadershipbook summary, A PDF you created.
You're not just following up.
You're becoming a sourceof insight week five.
Maybe you make the phonecall if they don't answer.
Don't leave a long voicemail.
Just let it register as a missed call.

(05:01):
That alone signals seriousness andshows you're making the effort.
Week six, you send a textif you've got the number.
Just a quick note.
Hey, I've appreciated the chance tolearn more about your background.
No rush at all.
But if a conversation ever makessense, I'd love to connect.
Week seven, maybe it's something creative,a voice memo, a handwritten note, a

(05:22):
small coffee gift card with a messagethat says, thanks for being someone
worth watching, no strings attached.
Now, if you do that with 20people for seven weeks, you
start to build real momentum.
And here's what I hearfrom leaders all the time.
They say, Richard, I sent sevenmessages and didn't get a response.
What now?
My answer is the same every time.
Timing is never perfect.

(05:42):
Just because they didn't responddoesn't mean they're not watching.
If they've seen your face, if they'veread your message, if they've felt your
consistency, you've planted something.
So after week seven, we shift theperson to what I call nurture mode.
Now they're getting touchpoint monthly,maybe B monthly, maybe quarterly.
You're still showing up,but the cadence is slower.

(06:03):
They might not be ready today, butwhen something changes in their world
and they decide it's time to explore amove, guess who they're going to call?
The one who's been showing upwith value without pressure.
This is the long game.
This is why most people neverwin at recruiting because
they're chasing short-term.
Yes.
Instead of building long-term trust.
Let's talk systems.

(06:24):
You need a tracker, a spreadsheet, aCRM, a Kanban board, something that tells
you where each person is in your funnel.
When was the last contact?
What was the last message?
When is the next follow up?
If you're managing all of this inyour head, you will drop the ball.
Period.
Build the system that makesthe follow up brainless.
You open your system, ittells you who to contact.

(06:47):
You contact them.
You market complete.
Then the system remindsyou again in a week.
This is how you scale relationalrecruiting without burning out.
Now let's talk about mindset,because cadence only works if your
mindset is in the right place.
You have to release theneed for immediate results.
You have to remind yourself thatrecruiting is not a sales cycle.

(07:07):
It's a trust cycle, and trust takes time.
It takes consistency.
It takes being presentwhen others are not.
It takes staying the course even whenit feels like nothing is happening.
You also have to coachthis into your team.
If you've got recruiters who aregiving up after two messages, you

(07:28):
need to rewire that expectation.
Have weekly pipeline meetings where youreview not just new conversations, but
where people are in the follow up flow.
Ask questions like, how many weekfive messages did we send this week?
Who's ready to move to nurture mode?
Who do we need to reengageafter a cooling period?

(07:48):
Make follow up part of your team language.
Here's one more thing.
When someone finally responds andagrees to meet, they're not cold,
they're warm because you've alreadyinvested, and now you can reference that.
You can say, I know I've shareda few things with you over
the past couple of months.
Just wanna say thanks for beingopen to finally connecting.
I've really respected the path you'vetaken, and I'm excited to hear your story.

(08:12):
You're not a stranger.
You're familiar.
That's how trust gets built beforethe first meeting even happens.
So here's your challenge this week.
Create your short list, 10 to 20 names,map out the seven touches, build a basic
tracking system, and commit to the cadenceno matter what, not until it feels hard.

(08:36):
Not until someone responds, not until youget discouraged, you commit to the cadence
because that's what leadership looks like.
That's it for today's episode.
Go build the system that helpsyou show up consistently.
And I'll see you next timeon recruiting conversations.
Want more recruiting conversations?

(08:56):
You can register for my [e-mail].
If you need help creating your ownunique recruiting system, you can book
a time with [e-mail].
I.