Before sending
Four rules that keep reactivation useful, not spammy
- Check consent and context. Confirm the person actually contacted the business and the follow-up channel is appropriate for the original inquiry.
- Name the original request. A stale-lead message should reference the job type, location, or question so it feels like service, not a blast.
- Offer one next step. Ask whether they still need help, offer a booking slot, or provide the simplest way to restart.
- Stop quickly. If there is no reply after the sequence, mark the lead closed or nurture-only. Honor “stop,” “not interested,” and wrong-number replies immediately.
Copy/paste scripts
Sequence 1: 2–7 day warm lead
Best fit: someone who contacted you this week and did not book, reply, or confirm the estimate.
SMS: Hi {{first_name}}, this is {{your_name}} from {{business_name}}. You asked about {{service}} earlier this week. Do you still want help with that, or should I close the loop for now?
Email subject: Still need help with {{service}}?
Email body: Hi {{first_name}}, I’m checking back on your {{service}} request from {{day/source}}. If you still need help, reply with the best time to reach you or use this link: {{booking_link}}. If you already solved it, no problem — I’ll close the loop.
Human review: Verify the original inquiry source, requested service, and whether a booking link is appropriate before sending.
Sequence 2: 8–30 day estimate or form lead
Best fit: someone who requested a quote, estimate, or availability and then went quiet.
SMS: Hi {{first_name}}, quick follow-up from {{business_name}}. We had you down for {{service_or_estimate_topic}}. Are you still comparing options, or did you already get it handled?
Email subject: Should we keep your {{service}} request open?
Email body: Hi {{first_name}}, I’m cleaning up open requests and saw your {{service}} inquiry from {{date/source}}. If it is still on your list, I can help with {{next_step}}. If now is not the right time, reply “later” and I’ll stop checking in for now.
Human review: Remove pricing or availability claims unless they are current. Do not imply urgency that is not real.
Sequence 3: 31–90 day seasonal reactivation
Best fit: older local-service leads where the need may come back seasonally or before a deadline.
SMS: Hi {{first_name}}, {{your_name}} from {{business_name}} here. You reached out a while back about {{service}}. We’re updating the schedule for {{season/month}} — do you want us to reopen the request?
Email subject: Reopening {{service}} requests for {{season/month}}
Email body: Hi {{first_name}}, you contacted us previously about {{service}}. If that project is still relevant, we can restart with one quick question: {{qualifying_question}}. If not, just reply “not needed” and we’ll close it out.
Human review: Confirm the lead is not too old for your consent policy and avoid sending repeated messages to people who never engaged.
Simple tracker
Owner assignment and stop rule
- Columns: lead name, source, original date, service requested, lead age bucket, owner, message sent, reply status, next action, close reason.
- Owner rule: one person owns the next action until the lead replies, books, opts out, or is closed.
- Cadence: send at most three touches: same day you discover the stale lead, two business days later, and one final helpful check-in one week later.
- Close rule: if there is no reply after the cadence, mark closed/no response and do not keep messaging.
Need faster first replies too? Use the free Speed-to-Lead Swipe File and the AI Lead Response Quickstart.
For the complete paid system with scripts, templates, and workflow checklists, see Local Lead Rescue System.