Why speed wins leads
The data is brutal: businesses that respond to leads within 5 minutes are 100x more likely to convert than those responding after 30 minutes. After 1 hour, your chances drop by 60%.
Real scenario (NZ electrician)
Before automation: Quote request submitted at 2pm. Electrician on a job, sees email at 5pm, responds at 7pm. Customer already booked someone else at 3pm.
After automation: Quote request at 2pm. Instant auto-reply confirms receipt and sets expectations. SMS alert hits electrician's phone immediately. He responds from the job site at 2:15pm. Books the work.
You can't always respond in 5 minutes—but automation makes it possible far more often. And when you can't, an instant auto-reply keeps you in the game.
Your lead funnel essentials
A complete lead automation system has four components working together:
Smart quote form
Not just "name, email, message". Ask qualifying questions: What service do you need? When? What's your budget? This helps you prioritise leads and respond intelligently.
Keep it short though—5-7 fields maximum. Every extra field reduces completion rates by 10-15%.
Instant owner notifications
When a quote request comes in, you get instant alerts via SMS, email, Slack, or whatever you actually check. Not buried in your inbox—pushed to you immediately.
For urgent services (plumbers, electricians, emergency trades), SMS is critical. You can respond from the job site.
Auto-reply to prospects
Immediate automated email to the customer: "Thanks for your enquiry. We'll respond within 2 hours during business hours. Here's what happens next..." Sets expectations and keeps you front-of-mind.
Make it personal, not robotic. Include your name, when they'll hear from you, and a phone number if it's urgent.
CRM or sheet logging
Every enquiry gets logged automatically to Google Sheets or a simple CRM. Track which leads converted, response times, where they found you. You can't improve what you don't measure.
Even a basic Google Sheet tracking date, name, service requested, and outcome is better than relying on email search.
Example workflows (email/SMS)
Here are proven automation sequences for different business types:
Trades (electrician, plumber, builder)
Trigger: Quote form submitted
Action 1: SMS to owner: "New quote request from [name] for [service] in [area]"
Action 2: Email to customer: "Thanks [name], we'll call you within 2 hours..."
Action 3: Log to Google Sheet with timestamp
Follow-up (if no response in 4 hours): Email: "Still interested? Here's when we're available..."
Professional services (consultant, accountant)
Trigger: Consultation request submitted
Action 1: Email to owner with lead details and booking calendar link
Action 2: Email to customer with Calendly link: "Book your free 15-min call..."
Action 3: Add to CRM with tags based on service type
Follow-up (3 days later if no booking): "Did you still want to chat? Here's my calendar..."
Retail/E-commerce (abandoned cart)
Trigger: Item added to cart but checkout not completed
Action 1 (1 hour): Email: "Still thinking about [product]? Questions we can answer?"
Action 2 (24 hours): Email with social proof: "Others loved this product..." + reviews
Action 3 (72 hours): Last chance email with small discount (optional)
Results and what to measure
Track these metrics to understand ROI:
Average response time Target: Under 30 mins
Lead-to-customer conversion rate Target: 20-40%
Auto-reply open rate Target: 60-80%
Follow-up sequence completion Target: 3 touchpoints
Before automation, most NZ small businesses convert 10-15% of leads. With instant response and follow-up sequences, 25-40% is achievable. On 50 monthly leads, that's 7-10 extra customers.
Frequently asked questions
What tool do I need—CRM or Google Sheets?
Start with Google Sheets if you're getting under 50 leads per month. It's free, simple, and integrates easily. Move to a proper CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive) when you hit 100+ monthly leads or need sales pipeline management.
Can I send SMS notifications?
Yes. Services like Twilio, ClickSend (NZ-based), or even Zapier + SMS integrations work well. SMS costs ~$0.05-0.10 per message in NZ. For urgent services, it's worth every cent.
Will auto-emails feel robotic?
Only if you write them robotically. Use your actual voice, include your name, be specific about next steps. "Hi Sarah, thanks for getting in touch about electrical work in New Plymouth. I'll call you within 2 hours to discuss..." feels personal, not automated.
How fast can this be set up?
Our Quote Request Workflow service ($349) sets up the complete system in 2-4 days: form, notifications, auto-replies, and sheet logging. If you need SMS or complex CRM integration, add 1-2 days.
Stop losing enquiries
Every quote request you miss or respond to slowly is a job won by someone faster. Automation isn't about being lazy—it's about being responsive when your customers need you.