In 60 Seconds
- •The Golden Window: The odds of contacting a lead decrease by 10x after the first 5 minutes.
- •First Responder Wins: 78% of customers buy from the company that responds first.
- •The Reality: The average response time for a small business is 47 hours. Most never respond at all.
- •The Fix: You cannot rely on humans for speed. Humans are slow. You need automation (SMS/AI) to bridge the gap.
- •24/7 Demand: 40% of leads come in after hours. If you wait until 8 AM to call them back, they have already hired the guy who answered at 8 PM.
You paid $50 for the click. They filled out the form. You are eating lunch. You decide to call them continuously "after I finish my sandwich."
You just burned $50.
The Harvard Business Review Study
The classic study on "Lead Response Management" analyzed millions of interactions. The findings were shocking:
- 5 Minutes vs 10 Minutes: Waiting just 5 minutes causes a 400% decrease in odds of qualifying the lead.
- 5 Minutes vs 30 Minutes: Waiting 30 minutes decreases odds by 21x.
Why?
- They are still at the computer. If you call now, their phone is in their hand.
- They are in "Buying Mode." Their brain is focused on the problem. In 30 minutes, they are picking up kids or in a meeting.
- The Competitor. They likely filled out 3 forms. The first one to call gets the money.
Overcoming "Phone Anxiety"
Many owners say, "I don't want to seem desperate by calling instantly." False. Customers interpret speed as Competence. "Wow, that was fast! You guys must really be on top of things." Speed builds trust. Slowness breeds doubt.
How to Guarantee Speed
You cannot guarantee it with humans. Humans go into meetings, drive cars, and sleep. You guarantee it with Automation.
- Instant SMS: "Thanks for the inquiry, [Name]. I'm reviewing it now. Do you have a min for a call?"
- AI Voice: An AI agent calls them immediately to qualify.
- Round Robin: If Rep A doesn't answer in 10 seconds, ring Rep B.
[!TIP] The 'Double Dial' If you call and they don't answer... call again immediately (within 1 min). This bypasses "Do Not Disturb" and screams "I am a real person trying to reach you," not a spam bot. answer rates go up 50%.
Read Next in This Hub:
- AI Answering - Automate the speed.
- Missed Call Text Back - Fail-safe.
Related System:
- Response Protection - Built for speed.