Free guide
How to reply to a website enquiry, with templates you can copy.
Plenty of people who fill in a form on a tradie's or agent's website send the same request to two or three others, and the first useful reply often wins the job. Here is what that reply should say, how quickly to send it, and templates you can paste into your email today, with or without any software.
1. Reply within the hour if you can
Speed matters more than polish. In a study published in Harvard Business Review, researchers looked at 1.25 million sales leads received by 42 US companies. Firms that tried to contact a lead within an hour of the enquiry were nearly seven times as likely to have a meaningful conversation with the decision maker as firms that waited even an hour longer, and more than 60 times as likely as firms that waited 24 hours or more.
Source: Oldroyd, McElheran & Elkington, “The Short Life of Online Sales Leads”, Harvard Business Review, March 2011.
If you are on a roof or under a sink, an hour can pass without you noticing. That is the case for a short automatic first reply: it buys you time and keeps the customer from moving on while you finish the job.
2. What a good first reply does
- Uses their name and their words. “Thanks for getting in touch about the leaking tap” shows a person read it.
- Asks two or three questions, no more. The ones you'd ask on the phone: what the problem is, how urgent, and where they are.
- Gives one clear next step. A booking link, or your phone number. Not both buried in a paragraph.
- Comes from a real name and a reply-able address. Not “noreply@”.
- Stays short. Five or six lines that read well on a phone.
3. What to leave out
- A price you haven't worked out. Ask the questions first, then quote.
- Promises about arrival times you can't guarantee from your inbox.
- A wall of text about your history, awards and service list. They can read your website for that.
- Pretending an automatic reply is personal. If it is automatic, it's fine to say so. Being honest builds more trust than a fake “personal” note.
4. Templates you can copy
Change the bracketed parts and save them as email templates (Gmail calls these “Templates” under Settings, Advanced; Outlook calls them “My Templates”). Then a good reply takes ten seconds from your phone.
Any trade or service
Hi [first name], thanks for getting in touch about [the problem in their words].
So I can give you a proper answer, could you tell me:
1. [Question one, e.g. what the problem is]
2. [Question two, e.g. how urgent it is]
3. [Your suburb or zip code]
If it's easier, you can pick a time to talk here: [booking link], or call me on [phone].
Thanks, [your name]
[Business] · [phone]
A template. Swap the bracketed parts for your own details.
Plumbers
Hi [first name], thanks for your message, and sorry you're dealing with a leak.
If water is coming through right now, turn off the water at the main stop valve until we can get there.
A couple of quick questions so I send the right person:
1. Where is the leak (kitchen, bathroom, outside, ceiling)?
2. Is it a steady drip or running water?
3. A photo, if you can take one.
Book a visit here: [booking link], or call [phone] if it's getting worse. [Your name]
A template. Swap the bracketed parts for your own details.
Cleaners
Hi [first name], thanks for asking about a clean.
To give you an accurate price, could you let me know:
1. How many bedrooms and bathrooms?
2. One-off, weekly or fortnightly?
3. Any pets, or anything you'd like extra attention on?
Once I have that I'll come back with a price. Or grab a time for a quick call: [booking link]. [Your name]
A template. Swap the bracketed parts for your own details.
Roofers
Hi [first name], thanks for getting in touch, and sorry about the leak.
So I can tell how soon we need to be there:
1. Is water coming inside now?
2. Roughly where on the roof, and what is it made of (tiles, metal, shingles)?
3. A photo from the ground is perfect if it's safe to take one. Please don't climb up.
You can book an inspection here: [booking link]. [Your name], [phone]
A template. Swap the bracketed parts for your own details.
Real estate agents
Hi [first name], thanks for your interest in [property address].
Are you hoping to view it in person, and are you buying or renting? If you're buying, are you already pre-approved or still looking at finance?
Viewing times are here: [booking link], or reply with a couple of times that suit and I'll confirm one. [Your name], [phone]
A template. Swap the bracketed parts for your own details.
5. Follow up once, then let it go
If they don't answer, one polite nudge the next day is enough: “Just checking you saw my note about [the job]. Happy to help if you still need it.” More than that starts to feel like pressure.
6. Doing it automatically
Templates work well when you can get to your inbox quickly. When you can't, an automatic first reply sends the same kind of note within a minute, day or night, and alerts you with the details so you can call the urgent ones first.
That is what LeadLoop does. We set it up on the form and inbox you already have, write the reply with you in your own words, and you approve it before it goes live. The Starter setup is a one-time $49, with no monthly fee.
Pages for your trade: plumbers, electricians, HVAC, roofers, pest control, landscapers, cleaners, painters, real estate agents.
FAQ
Common questions
How fast should I reply to a website enquiry?
As fast as you reasonably can, ideally within the hour. A 2011 Harvard Business Review study of 1.25 million sales leads found that firms who tried to contact a lead within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to have a meaningful conversation as those who waited even an hour longer. An automatic first reply covers you while you are on a job.
Should the first reply include a price?
Usually not. Without a few details a price is a guess, and a wrong guess is hard to walk back. Ask the two or three questions you need, then quote.
Is an automatic reply off-putting to customers?
Not if it reads like you and is honest about being automatic. Say it is an instant reply, ask useful questions, give your phone number, and follow up personally.
What if I get an enquiry outside my area?
Ask for their suburb or zip code in the first reply. Then you can politely decline before anyone wastes a trip, and maybe point them to someone local.