“Just Checking In” Is Dead

In a recent viral TikTok trend, men are filmed calling up their male friends - not to make plans, not to ask a favour, not even to share news. They just say hi. The point is simple and pure: to check in, without an agenda.

The reactions speak volumes. On the other end of the line, the recipients are caught off guard. They pause, laugh awkwardly, ask, “Is something wrong?” The very idea of being contacted just to connect is so unusual that it becomes touching - or, at the very least, memorable.

In personal life, that kind of unstructured outreach can be powerful and meaningful. However, in professional communication - especially in sales - the opposite tends to be true. The phrase “just checking in” has turned into the business world’s equivalent of small talk without substance. It has become filler and a placeholder that adds little value. In 2025, it is dead weight. Here is why that matters and what better follow-up should look like.

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Why “Just Checking In” No Longer Works

For many years, “just checking in” was the default phrase when there was nothing new to say. It felt light, polite, and non-pushy, which made it a safe choice. Over time, though, that safety became a problem. Today, when prospects hear “just checking in,” they interpret it as meaning you have nothing meaningful to add, you are only reaching out because you have to, or you are hoping they will do the work to restart the conversation.

People do not want more emails or calls that lack relevance. Attention spans are short and inboxes are crowded. If your follow-up does not offer clear context or value, it simply will not stand out; it will be ignored or deleted. The point is that follow-up itself is not dead. Lazy, thoughtless follow-up is.

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Why People Still Use It

So if “just checking in” is ineffective, why does it persist? The answer is simple: it is easy. The phrase fills silence and helps salespeople check boxes in their CRM. In fast-paced sales environments where reps often juggle hundreds of leads, this autopilot style of communication can feel necessary. However, the cost is significant. When you repeatedly follow up without adding anything new or meaningful, you train your prospects to ignore your messages in the future.

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The Shift Toward Intentional Follow-Up

Follow-up today is evolving. It is becoming more intentional, more focused on context, and more driven by value. The best sales professionals know that success does not come from how often you reach out, but from how relevant your messages are.

Here’s how this shift plays out in practice.

From Generic to Specific

First, follow-up moves from being generic to specific. Instead of sending a message like, “Just checking in to see if you had time to review the proposal,” try something that shows you were really listening. For example, you could say, “I remember you mentioned focusing on improving the hand-off between sales and customer success this quarter. Here is a short case study on how one team solved that exact challenge.” This kind of message tells your prospect that you are paying attention and tying your follow-up to a real conversation or problem.

From Reminder to Resource

Second, good follow-up stops being just a reminder and becomes a resource. Instead of nudging for a response, bring something new to the table that could help. This might be an article or trend relevant to the recipient’s industry, a product update that directly impacts their situation, or news about changes in regulations or competitors that could affect their priorities. The goal is not to demand attention but to earn it by offering something useful.

From Cadence-driven to Context-driven

Third, follow-up shifts from being driven by a fixed schedule to being driven by context. While following a sequence is important for consistency, the timing and tone of your outreach should reflect the reality of the person you are contacting, not just your own internal calendar. For instance, if a lead said, “Circle back in two months,” do not send a “just checking in” email exactly 60 days later without adding new value. Instead, acknowledge their timeline and lead with what has changed since your last conversation. You might say, “When we spoke in May, you were preparing for your third-quarter planning. Now that it’s underway, I wanted to share a quick summary of what teams in your industry are focusing on this quarter.” This approach shows your follow-up is thoughtful and relevant, not scripted or routine.

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When a Simple Check-In Works

That said, there are moments when a simple check-in can be appropriate. If you have a strong, ongoing relationship, a brief, personal message can strengthen trust. For example, “Hey, it’s been a while. Just thinking about you and the team and hoping Q3 is going well,” conveys genuine presence without an agenda. But you have to mean it, and use this approach sparingly. A sincere check-in only works when it stands apart from all the other messages competing for attention.

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Why We Care About Follow-Up

At We Do Follow-Up, we study this topic every day, and not just because it’s our business, but because we believe follow-up is an undervalued part of professional communication. Done right, it can open doors, deepen relationships, and differentiate you in a crowded market. But that only happens when it's intentional, respectful, and tailored to the person on the other side. We're building systems and insights around what effective follow-up actually looks like in practice, so teams can move beyond scripts and into real, meaningful outreach.

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What Sales Can Learn from the TikTok Trend

The viral phone calls we saw on TikTok were meaningful because they broke a pattern. They reminded people what real, agenda-free human connection feels like - precisely because it’s become so rare.

But in business, the pattern has been broken for a different reason: overuse. "Just checking in" has become white noise. Its meaning has been diluted by repetition. It no longer feels thoughtful - it feels like automation in disguise.

The takeaway isn’t to stop reaching out. It’s to be more deliberate about how and why you reach out.

Follow-up still matters. It’s still where deals move forward, trust is built, and opportunities resurface. But in a world where attention is scarce and expectations are higher, only intentional, informed follow-up will stand out.

“Just checking in” may still have a place among close friends trying to stay connected. But in sales, in client relationships, and in professional outreach - it’s time to retire it for good.

Thoughtful follow-up is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the baseline.