How fast should you get back to a lead? And how to set up an automatic WhatsApp reply
Get back to a lead within minutes, and within an hour at the latest. Research published in Harvard Business Review found that companies that made contact within an hour were nearly 7 times more likely to turn the lead into a sales opportunity than those who got back an hour later. The simple way to start: an automatic WhatsApp message sent the moment the lead comes in, together with an instant alert to whoever makes the call.
Why every minute matters
Someone who leaves their details in an ad does it in a moment of interest. They were just thinking about insurance, a mortgage or your service. A few hours later they’re at work, at dinner, or talking to a competitor who got back to them first. A lead that waits goes cold, and every shekel you paid for it in advertising goes cold with it.
What the research shows
| Study | What it found |
|---|---|
| Harvard Business Review, 2011, a check of 2,241 US companies | Only 37% got back to a lead within an hour, 23% never got back at all, and the average response time was 42 hours |
| The same study, an analysis of 1.25 million leads | Those who got back within an hour were nearly 7 times more likely to turn the lead into an opportunity than those who got back an hour later, and 60 times more than those who waited a day or more |
| Workato, 2026, a check of 114 B2B companies | Fewer than 1% responded within 5 minutes, none called within 5 minutes, and almost 1 in 5 never replied by email at all |
The conclusion is simple: those who respond fast are in the minority, so they have a big advantage over competitors.
How fast is fast enough
- Within a minute: an automatic message confirming the enquiry was received and saying what happens next.
- Within 5 to 15 minutes during business hours: a phone call from someone who can answer the questions.
- Outside business hours: a message saying exactly when you’ll get back, and a call first thing in the morning.
In businesses where the customer compares several quotes, such as insurance, mortgages or renovations, speed matters even more, because the first one to call back usually sets the conversation.
What an automatic WhatsApp reply looks like
The moment the lead comes in, from a Meta form, a landing page or a website form, two messages go out at once:
- To the customer: a short WhatsApp message from the business number, with their name, confirmation that the enquiry was received, and when they’ll be contacted.
- To you: an alert on WhatsApp or by email with the lead’s details, so whoever makes the call can get back right away.
An example message to the customer: “Hi Dana, we got your enquiry about home insurance. We’ll call you within a few minutes. If it’s easier, you can also write to us here.” (Illustrative example.)
The tools that connect this are usually Make or Zapier, together with the WhatsApp Business API through an authorized provider. Setting it up usually takes a working day, and after that it runs on its own.
What the law allows you to send
A message that replies to the customer’s enquiry and contains no advertising, such as a confirmation of receipt and scheduling a call, is part of the service. Marketing messages later on, such as promotions or a newsletter, need explicit consent under Israel’s anti-spam law. So the form needs a separate, unticked checkbox for receiving marketing. If you’re not sure, it’s worth checking with a lawyer.
How it affects your campaigns
A fast response doesn’t just close more deals. It also improves the campaigns themselves:
- More leads close, so your target cost per lead goes up, and you can afford to pay more per lead.
- When you mark back in Google and Meta which leads closed, the algorithm learns to bring more people like them.
- You can see clearly whether the problem is lead quality or the speed of getting back to them, instead of blaming the campaign by mistake.
Before raising the budget, check how long it takes you to get back to a lead, and set up an automatic reply if you can. Here’s how we manage campaigns for lead-gen businesses.
Want to know where you stand? We’ll check the numbers against your account, free of charge.
Get a fit checkFrequently asked questions
What is the average response time to a lead?
In the Harvard Business Review study of 2,241 companies, the average response time was 42 hours, and 23% never got back at all. In Workato’s 2026 study, the average email response time was almost 12 hours.
Is an automatic message enough?
No. It buys time and shows the customer someone saw the enquiry, but most deals in lead-gen businesses close on a call. The automatic message should come together with a fast call.
Do you need the WhatsApp Business API, or can you use the app?
To send automatic messages you need the API, through an authorized provider. The regular WhatsApp Business app only allows a greeting message when the customer writes first.
Sources
Founder of SMOLANSKI Media. 14 years in advertising management, 10 of them at Israel’s leading media and advertising agencies.
Related services: Campaigns for lead-gen businesses · Facebook and Instagram campaign management · Google campaign management
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