Lead follow-up text templates for local businesses

Key takeaways

• Only text people who opted in, like someone who checked a consent box on your form or texted you first.
• Every first text names your business and says "Reply STOP to opt out."
• Text from 9am to 8pm in the lead's time zone, and not before noon on Sundays. Outside those hours, send an email and hold the text.
• Keep texts short. One question or one link per text.

The rules first

These rules protect your customers and your business. Federal rules already limit sales calls to 8am to 9pm (47 CFR 64.1200), and some states are stricter. Texas limits marketing texts to 9am–9pm Monday to Saturday and noon–9pm on Sunday (Mailchimp's summary of Texas SB 140). Florida limits them to 8am–8pm (Foley & Lardner, 2021). A 9am–8pm window with no Sunday mornings fits inside all three.

• Get clear consent on your form before you text, and keep a record of it.
• Honor STOP right away. Federal rules set a hard limit of 10 business days (DLA Piper, October 2026), but there's no reason to wait.
• Make HELP reply with your business name and phone number.
• Register your texting number with the carriers (A2P 10DLC) before you send.

In the templates, swap anything in [brackets] for your own details.

First replies to new leads

Send these within a minute of the lead coming in. Speed matters: firms that tried to reach leads within an hour were nearly 7 times as likely to qualify them (Harvard Business Review, 2011). More in what is speed to lead?

1. Form lead, with a booking link: "Hi [Name], it's [Business]. Thanks for asking about [offer]! Pick a time that works here: [link]. Or reply with mornings or evenings and we'll find a spot. Reply STOP to opt out."
2. Form lead, with two times: "Hi [Name], this is [Your name] at [Business]. Got your request for [offer]. I have [Tue 6pm] or [Wed 7am] open. Which works better? Reply STOP to opt out."
3. Lead came in overnight (send at 9am, or after noon on Sunday, after an instant email): "Good morning [Name], it's [Business]. We emailed you last night about [offer]. Want me to save you a spot this week? [link] Reply STOP to opt out."
4. Quote or service request: "Hi [Name], it's [Business]. Thanks for reaching out about [service]. To give you a real price, can you tell us [one question]? Or book a quick call: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out."

Nudges when they don't reply

Space these out over two weeks, then stop. Friendly, never guilt.

5. Same day or next morning: "Hi [Name], just making sure you saw this. Still want to try [offer]? Here's the link: [link]"
6. Day 2, one easy question: "Quick one, [Name]: do mornings or evenings work better for you?"
7. Day 4, answer a common worry: "A lot of people ask what the first visit is like. [One-sentence answer]. Want me to hold a spot? [link]"
8. Day 7: "Hi [Name], [Business] here. Should I keep a spot open for you this week, or is now not a good time?"
9. Day 14, last one: "Last note from [Business], [Name]. If you want to try [offer] later, reply here or book anytime: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out."

Missed-call text-back

Keep these plain. Reply to their call, don't pitch. Our missed-call text-back guide covers setup and the rules.

10. During texting hours: "Hi, it's [Business]. Sorry we missed your call! How can we help? Reply here or book a time: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out."
11. Call came in after hours (send at 9am): "Good morning, it's [Business]. We missed your call last night. Still need help? Reply here and we'll get right back to you. Reply STOP to opt out."
12. After they reply: "Thanks! [Team member] will call you within [15 minutes]. Is this the best number?"

Booking confirmations and reminders

Reminders cut missed appointments. A review of 29 studies found they lowered no-shows by about a third (Hasvold and Wootton, 2011; hospital appointments).

13. Right after booking: "You're booked, [Name]! [Offer] at [Business] on [day] at [time], [address]. Reply YES to confirm, or tell us if you need a new time. Reply STOP to opt out."
14. Day before: "Hi [Name], see you tomorrow at [time] at [Business]. Bring [items]. Parking: [details]. Need to change? Just reply."
15. Morning of (after 9am): "Today's the day, [Name]! Here's a 30-second video on what to expect: [link]. See you at [time]."

No-shows

16. Same day: "Hi [Name], we missed you today at [Business]. No worries, life happens. Want to pick a new time? [link]"
17. Three days later: "Still want to try [offer], [Name]? We have spots on [day] and [day]. Reply with one and it's yours."

Review requests (send to every customer)

Ask every customer, not just the ones you think are happy. Google's rules say businesses must not "selectively solicit positive reviews" (Google Maps content policy), and the FTC says, "Don't ask for reviews only from customers you think will leave positive ones" (FTC guide for marketers). So no "rate us 1 to 5 first" step that only sends happy people to Google, and no rewards for reviews.

18. After a visit or job: "Hi [Name], thanks for choosing [Business]! Would you share an honest review? It helps people nearby find us: [review link]. Reply STOP to opt out."
19. One reminder, a few days later: "Hi [Name], one quick follow-up from [Business]. If you have a minute, we'd value your honest review: [review link]. Thanks either way!"

Tips that make these work

• Sign texts with a real first name when a person is replying.
• If you use an automated assistant and someone asks, tell them honestly that it's automated.
• Hand off to a person for billing, complaints, injuries or anything medical.
• Send a test lead to yourself each week and time the reply.

Want this done for you? Our lead follow-up replies to every new lead in under 60 seconds: a text from your business name from 9am to 8pm, and an instant email the rest of the time. If our setup makes a lead wait longer in a month, you get 25% off the next month, with conditions listed on our guarantees page.

Questions

How fast should I text a new lead?

Within a minute or two during texting hours. Set up an automatic first reply so it doesn't depend on someone seeing the lead.

Do I need "Reply STOP to opt out" in every text?

Put it in every first text and in the last text of a sequence. STOP must always work, even in texts that don't mention it.

Can I text someone who called me but never opted in?

A single plain reply about their call is common, but the rules are not settled. Don't start marketing texts without clear consent. See our missed-call text-back guide.

How many follow-up texts is too many?

About five or six over two weeks, then stop. Florida also limits sales contacts to three in 24 hours about the same matter (Foley & Lardner).

Can I only ask happy customers for reviews?

No. Google and the FTC both warn against asking only people you expect to leave good reviews. Ask everyone.