How to answer every moving lead in under 5 minutes

Someone planning a move fills out a form on three or four websites in one evening. The mover who calls back first usually gets the walk-through, and the mover who gets the walk-through usually gets the job. Speed is not everything, but it is the cheapest edge you will ever have.

The good news: you don't need more salespeople to be fast. You need every lead in one place, a clear owner for each one, and a first message that goes out on its own.

1. Put every lead in one inbox

Leads come from your website form, Google, Yelp, Thumbtack, moving lead sellers, phone calls and texts. If each one lands in a different email box, somebody will miss one. Forward every source into one list that your whole office can see.

• Give lead sellers a single email address that turns their emails into leads.
• Put your quote form on your own website so the lead comes straight to you.
• Log phone calls as leads while the customer is still on the line.

2. Send an automatic first reply

An automatic text or email within a minute tells the customer a real company got their request. Keep it short, use their first name and their move date, and say when a person will call.

Example: "Hi Maria, thanks for asking about your move on June 14. This is Lisa at Harbor Movers. I'll call you in the next few minutes. If now is a bad time, reply with a better one."

3. Give every lead an owner

"Everyone" owning the inbox means nobody owns it. Assign leads by turn, by area or by move size, and make the owner's name visible on the lead. When the owner is out, the lead moves to someone else instead of waiting.

4. Call, then text, then call again

Many people don't pick up calls from unknown numbers. If the first call goes to voicemail, leave a 15-second message and send a text right after. Try again later that day and the next morning. Most bookings happen after several touches, not one.

5. Watch your numbers every week

• Average time to first call, by salesperson.
• How many leads never got a call at all.
• How many leads turned into an in-home or video walk-through.
• Bookings by lead source, so you know which ads pay for themselves.

Pick one number to improve each month. Most offices that start measuring time to first call cut it in half within a few weeks, simply because everyone can now see it.