The Enquiry Response Playbook: 10 Follow-Up Templates That Increase Bookings
Most leads don’t say “no”. They just go quiet.
They get busy. They forget. They screenshot your quote and never come back. Or they message three businesses at once and pick the one that feels easiest to deal with.
This playbook is about one thing: helping a warm lead become a booking — without sounding desperate or spammy.
Before we jump into the templates, one quick note. If your enquiries are coming in from Google, your follow-up can only do so much if your website is slow, confusing, or missing the basics. A quick tidy-up like these 12 common SEO issues and how to fix them can lift conversion rates so you’re following up on better leads in the first place.
Now, the templates.
How to use these templates (so they feel natural)
- Keep it short (1–2 lines is fine)
- Use their name if you have it
- Ask one clear question
- Make the next step easy (book, call, reply with a time)
You can use these via SMS, email, or DM. SMS is often the highest converter for local services.
Template 1: Same-day “Just checking”
When: 1–3 hours after you send the quote
Message:
“Hey {Name}, just checking you received the quote for {job}. Any questions I can answer?”
Template 2: Same-day “Two options” close
When: later the same day
Message:
“Hi {Name} — I can do {Day/Time Option 1} or {Day/Time Option 2}. Which suits you?”
Template 3: 24-hour “Quick call?”
When: next day
Message:
“Hey {Name}, happy to run through this quickly on a 2-minute call if that helps. Want me to ring now or later today?”
Template 4: 48-hour “Still looking?”
When: 2 days later
Message:
“Hi {Name} — are you still looking to get {job} sorted, or has it been taken care of?”
Template 5: 48-hour “Common objection”
When: 2 days later (especially if you sense hesitation)
Message:
“Totally fine either way — just so I can help, is the hold-up timing, budget, or something else?”
Template 6: 3–5 day “Proof nudge”
When: 3–5 days later
Message:
“Hey {Name}, here’s a similar job we did recently (before/after). If you’d like, I can pencil you in for {Day}.”
Template 7: 7-day “Close the loop”
When: one week later
Message:
“Hi {Name}, last one from me — did you want to go ahead with {job}, or should I close this off on my end?”
Template 8: “Lost quote” rescue
When: anytime they go quiet after asking for a quote
Message:
“No stress — some people lose the quote in their inbox. Want me to resend it?”
Template 9: “Seasonal urgency” (ethical scarcity)
When: if you genuinely have limited spots
Message:
“Quick heads-up: I’ve got {X} spots left this week. If you want one, reply with your preferred day and I’ll lock it in.”
Template 10: Reactivation (30–90 days later)
When: for past quotes or old leads
Message:
“Hey {Name} — you asked about {job} a while back. Did you still want help with that, or all sorted now?”
Make it even easier: a 3-touch follow-up that works for most businesses
If you only want a simple system:
- Same day: Template 1 or 2
- 48 hours: Template 4 or 5
- 7 days: Template 7
That’s it. Consistent beats clever.
One last lever that’s massively overlooked: if you rely on before/after photos, your images can quietly drive a surprising number of enquiries on their own when they’re set up properly. Here’s a practical guide to image SEO best practices for search engines if you want those photos to pull their weight.
