Speed to lead means how quickly you ring after a lead lands. For a bought lead, ring as soon as it arrives, ideally within a few minutes, and keep the first call short. Ask three things, text if they do not answer, and stop after a set number of tries. The rest of this page is that routine.
A bought lead is different from an enquiry that came to your own website. The homeowner may have filled in a form on a page you have never seen, and they may have filled in the same form for other businesses. They do not know you yet. The first call is where you introduce yourself and find out if the job is real.
If you want the case for fast replies to your own enquiries, that is covered in how fast to respond to an enquiry. This page is only about the first call to a lead you paid for. It quotes no response-time statistics, because the ones passed around online mostly come from businesses selling leads or software. Work out your own numbers from your own jobs.
Speed to lead: the first hour
Treat the first hour as the working window. A homeowner who asked several businesses may already be talking to one of them by then, or has just got on with their day.
- Set an alert. Make sure a new lead rings or buzzes your phone. An email you read at 4pm does not count.
- Ring first. A call beats a text for a first contact on a real job. They asked for a quote, so they expect to hear from a business.
- Ring again if you get no answer. Leave a message, send a text, and try once more later that day.
- Write down the outcome. Every attempt, even the ones that went to voicemail.
If you cannot answer within the hour because you are on a roof or in a slab pour, have someone else do the first call, or send the text below straight away and ring back at your next break. A quick text that says you got their request is better than silence.
The first call: opening and three questions
Open with who you are, why you are ringing, and one easy question. Keep it under a minute before you ask anything.
Hi, it’s [your name] from [your business]. You put in a request for a fencing quote a few minutes ago. Is now a good time for two quick questions?
If they say no, ask when to ring back and write it down. If they say yes, ask three things.
- “What is the job?” Let them describe it in their words. You are listening for size, materials and whether they know what they want.
- “Where is it, and when would you like it done?” The suburb tells you if it is in your area. The timing tells you if they are ready or just looking.
- “Are you the one making the decision?” A polite way to ask is “Is anyone else involved in choosing who does the work?” If a partner, landlord or body corporate has to agree, you want to know now.
Then close the call with one clear next step: a time to visit, a time to ring back, or a request for photos or drawings. Do not leave it at “I’ll send you something”.
For how to go deeper on these answers, see how to qualify an enquiry before you quote.
When to text instead
Text when the call went unanswered, or when the homeowner replied by text first. Do not use a text to replace the first call. Use it to make the call easier to return. More wording for this is in missed call text back for tradies.
Hi [first name], it’s [your name] from [your business]. I tried to ring about your fencing quote request. I will try again at 5pm, or reply with a better time.
That message names you, names the job, and gives a time. Keep it to one idea. Do not paste a price list or a link to your website in the first text.
There is also a legal side to texting a homeowner for business reasons. A short note on that is in the questions below.
Voicemail
Many homeowners do not pick up numbers they do not know. Leave a voicemail that takes about fifteen seconds.
- Your name and business, said slowly.
- The job they asked about, so they know you are not a cold caller.
- Your number, said twice.
- When you will try again.
Skip the sales pitch. Voicemail has one job, which is to get the call returned or at least recognised next time.
How many attempts, and when to stop
There is no proven right number, so set your own and stick to it. A sensible starting point is three call attempts over about three days, spread across different times of day, with a text on the first miss. If you have heard nothing after that, send one last short message and stop.
Hi [first name], [your name] from [your business] again. I have not been able to reach you about the fence, so I will close this off. If you still want a quote, reply here and I will ring you.
Stopping matters. Ringing the same number ten times is a waste of your hours and it can annoy someone who might otherwise hire you in a month. Check after thirty or so leads how many answered on the first, second and third try. That tells you whether three attempts is too few or too many for your trade.
Log every attempt
Keep a simple record for each lead: the time it landed, the time you first rang, what happened, and what you agreed. A spreadsheet is fine.
| Lead | Landed | First call | Outcome | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample: Sarah K., fencing | Mon 9:10am | Mon 9:14am | No answer, voicemail and text | Ring Mon 5pm |
| Sample: Mick T., decking | Mon 11:02am | Mon 11:30am | Spoke, site visit booked | Thu 2pm |
This record does two jobs. It shows you which leads you worked properly, and it gives you evidence if you want to raise a bad lead with whoever sold it. If a lead has a disconnected number or a person who says they never asked for a quote, you want the date and time of your attempts ready.
It is also worth scoring the leads you reach. A simple method is in a simple lead score for tradies.
If you would rather not ring them yourself
Some businesses have someone else make the first call. PreBuild Systems rings every homeowner who enquires and checks the basics before the lead goes to one business only; there is more on that on the homeowners page. If you handle your own, the routine above works.
Common questions
How fast should I call a purchased lead?
As soon as you can, ideally within minutes. There is no verified study behind any exact figure, so measure how many of your own leads answer at different times of day.
Should I text or ring first?
Ring first. Use a text if the call is not answered, or if the homeowner has replied by text.
How many times should I try a lead?
Set your own limit. Three calls over about three days, then one last message, is a reasonable starting point to adjust.
Can I text a homeowner who filled in a form for a quote?
In Australia, commercial texts and emails fall under the Spam Act 2003, which deals with consent, identifying the sender and a working unsubscribe. Read the Spam Act on the Federal Register of Legislation and check what applies to you. This is not legal advice.
What do I do with a lead that never answers?
Log the attempts, send the closing message, and move on. If the number was fake or disconnected, raise it with the seller with your log.