In the first 60 seconds
- 1The lead is created in your CRM and tagged by source so you know where they came from.
- 2A personalized SMS is sent acknowledging the inquiry and offering next steps.
- 3A matching email goes out with your booking link and a short note.
- 4An internal notification alerts your team so someone can jump in.
- 5The lead enters the first stage of your sales pipeline for tracking.
In the first hour
If the prospect has not replied, the system — not a person who might be on a job — should be carrying the conversation. A second gentle follow-up can offer a direct booking link or ask one qualifying question to keep the thread alive. The goal is to never let a fresh lead sit in silence while your team is busy.
Over the next few days
Not every lead responds on day one, and that does not mean they are dead. A multi-step follow-up sequence — a few texts and emails spaced over several days — re-engages prospects who were busy, forgot, or were comparing options. Most businesses give up after one message; the ones that follow up multiple times win the leads everyone else abandons.
If they go quiet
Leads that never respond should not be deleted — they should be parked for reactivation. Weeks or months later, a targeted campaign can bring them back with a relevant offer. The leads you already paid to capture are some of your cheapest future customers.
The one rule that ties it together
Speed plus persistence wins. Respond in under a minute, then keep following up automatically until the prospect replies, books, or asks you to stop. Almost no one does both — which is exactly why it works.