What's the best way to follow up with cold leads?
Follow up within 24 hours with a text or call. Most contractors wait days and lose the lead entirely. We'll walk through the sequence that converts cold leads, why timing matters, and when to move on.
Contact them the same day, preferably by phone
Your first touch should happen within 4 hours of them submitting a form or clicking your ad. A text works if calling isn't possible, but a short phone call beats everything. Keep it under 90 seconds. You're not pitching—you're confirming they still need work. If they don't answer, leave a voicemail saying who you are, what they inquired about, and that you'll text them your availability. Then send that text 30 minutes later. The contractors who respond fastest win 40% more jobs from cold leads than those who wait overnight. If they're genuinely interested, they'll pick up or call back within hours. If they don't, they're either shopping around or not ready.
Send exactly three follow-up messages, then stop
After your first contact attempt, send follow-ups on day 3 and day 10. Use the same channel they used to reach you—if they texted, text back; if they filled a form, text or call. Keep each message short. 'Hey, just checking in on that [job type] estimate. Still interested?' Second follow-up: 'One more quick check—still looking to get that work done?' Third follow-up: 'Last message from me. If you want to move forward, here's how to reach me.' After three touches with no response, move to your next lead. Spending time chasing someone who's ignoring you is how contractors waste hours every week. Some will come back weeks later—that's fine, you've already planted the seed.
Track your follow-ups so you don't slip
Most cold leads die because contractors forget to follow up at all. Without a system, you'll respond to some, forget others, and never know which ones you actually called. Write down the date and time of each contact attempt. Even a simple spreadsheet works if that's what you use. Better is a dedicated contact system that reminds you when to follow up and logs every touch automatically. The point is this: if you're relying on memory, you're losing leads. One HVAC crew we know went from calling back 20% of their Google leads to 85% just by setting phone reminders. Same leads, same quality—different process.
Know which leads are actually cold
Cold leads from ads and forms are different from referrals. A referral who reaches out already trusts you—follow up within 2 hours and they'll often book the same day. Cold leads from Facebook or Google ads take longer to warm up because they don't know you. Some will shop three contractors. Some aren't ready yet. That's normal. Referrals should get priority for immediate callback. Cold leads need that three-touch sequence. Don't panic if a cold lead takes a week to respond. They're comparing prices or waiting for a contractor to cancel. When you do connect, you're usually competing on price and availability, not just showing up first.
Bottom line
Call or text the same day. Send three follow-ups over two weeks. Then move on. Most contractors lose deals by waiting too long or giving up too early—the 24-hour rule and three-touch limit fix both problems.