How fast should you respond to a lead? Reply to a new enquiry within minutes, and always within the first hour. A study of 1.25 million sales leads, published in Harvard Business Review, found that companies that tried to contact a lead within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify it as those that waited even an hour longer, and more than 60 times as likely as those that waited 24 hours or more. For a local business, the simplest way to hit that is an automatic first reply straight away, followed by a call within the hour.
When someone fills in your website form or messages you about a job, they are usually contacting two or three businesses at the same time. The first one to reply properly often wins, simply because the customer’s problem is solved and they stop looking.
What the research says
In “The Short Life of Online Sales Leads” (Harvard Business Review, March 2011), James Oldroyd, Kristina McElheran and David Elkington looked at how quickly companies responded to web enquiries and what happened next. Their headline finding was that responding within an hour made a lead far more likely to be qualified than responding later, and that most companies were not responding nearly fast enough.
The study looked at US companies, but the lesson fits UK local businesses just as well: a customer with a leaking pipe, a booking to make or a quote to compare does not wait long.
A realistic target for a busy local business
| When | What to do | How |
|---|---|---|
| Within 1 minute | Send an automatic first reply | Text, WhatsApp or email that says thanks and what happens next |
| Within 1 hour | Call the customer | Call during working hours; if no answer, send a short message |
| Same day | Book the visit or quote | Send your booking link so they pick a time |
| Next 7 days | Follow up until they reply | 2 or 3 polite messages, then stop |
The automatic first reply matters most when you are on a job, with a client or out of hours. It tells the customer you have their message, so they are less likely to keep phoning around.
The 5-minute plan
- Put every enquiry in one place. Website forms, Facebook lead ads, WhatsApp and calls should all land in the same list, not five different inboxes.
- Send an instant first reply. A short, friendly message with your name and when you will call.
- Get an alert on your phone. So you see the enquiry even when you are away from the computer.
- Call within the hour. If you cannot, ask a teammate. Share new leads out fairly so nobody is overloaded.
- Follow up until they reply, then stop. Most people who do not answer straight away are just busy.
Example first replies you can copy
Trades: “Hi Sarah, thanks for your enquiry about a new boiler. I’m Tom from Brightwell. I’ll call you within the hour to arrange a free quote. If it’s urgent, call us on 0113 000 0000.”
Clinic: “Hi James, thanks for getting in touch. You can pick an appointment time here: [booking link]. Any questions, just reply to this message.”
Salon: “Hi Priya, thanks for your message! We have spaces this week. Book the time that suits you here: [booking link].”
Common mistakes that lose leads
- Replying only by email when the customer messaged on WhatsApp or by phone.
- Waiting until the evening to go through enquiries in one go.
- No follow-up after one missed call.
- Messaging at night. Use quiet hours so automatic messages wait until the morning.
How Lidora helps you reply in minutes
Lidora puts every new enquiry on one Today screen with a timer showing how long they have waited. It can send the first reply by email straight away and, on the Growth and Pro plans, by text or WhatsApp too. The phone app alerts you the moment a lead comes in, and follow-ups stop by themselves as soon as the customer replies.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly should you respond to a lead?
Within minutes, and always within the first hour. Research published in Harvard Business Review found leads contacted within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to be qualified as those contacted an hour later.
What is speed to lead?
Speed to lead is the time between a customer enquiring and your business making first contact. The shorter it is, the more likely you are to win the job.
What if I cannot answer the phone straight away?
Send an automatic first reply by text, WhatsApp or email, so the customer knows you have their message, then call back within the hour.
Is it OK to send automatic messages to customers in the UK?
Replying to someone who has just enquired about your service is normally fine. Keep messages about their enquiry, include a way to opt out of further messages, and avoid sending marketing they have not agreed to.
How many times should I follow up a lead?
Two or three polite follow-ups over about a week is usually enough. Stop as soon as they reply or ask you to stop.
Last updated: 20 October 2026. Source: Oldroyd, J. B., McElheran, K. and Elkington, D. (2011), “The Short Life of Online Sales Leads”, Harvard Business Review. Lidora CRM is made by NexGen Rank.