Let’s be honest—customers don’t like waiting. Whether it’s a coffee order or a business enquiry, the faster you respond, the better their experience.

In sales, that’s not just a nice idea, it’s measurable. Contacting a lead within five minutes of their enquiry can boost your chance of converting them by a staggering 392%.

This is what’s known as speed-to-lead, and if you’re not doing it, you’re likely leaving revenue on the table. Here’s how to make it part of your sales process in a way that’s fast, efficient, and even a little bit fun.

1. Why the First Five Minutes Matter So Much

When someone reaches out, they’re at the peak of their buying intent. Every minute you wait, that intent fades.

Imagine this:

• A potential customer fills out your “Get a Quote” form at 9:42 AM.

• If you call or message them by 9:45 AM, you catch them in the moment—they’re thinking about your offer, comparing options, and ready to act.

• If you get back to them at 11:00 AM? They may already have booked with someone else.

That’s why speed-to-lead isn’t about being pushy—it’s about meeting customers when they’re most engaged.

2. Automate Your First Response (Without Losing the Personal Touch)

You can’t sit by your inbox all day, and leads don’t just come in during office hours. This is where automation steps in.

Here are a few specific examples that work:

• WhatsApp Auto-Reply: The moment a lead enquires via your form, they get a personalised message:
  “Hi Sarah, thanks for reaching out to [Your Company]! We’ve received your request and will be in touch shortly. In the meantime, here’s our service guide.”

• Instant Email Follow-Up: Send a PDF brochure or a calendar link for booking a consultation.

• SMS Engagement: Use short, friendly texts to confirm you’ve received their enquiry.

If you’re using a CRM like GoHighLevel, you can set these workflows so they run automatically, trigger based on form submissions or calls, and feel completely tailored to each lead.

3. Get the Right Person on the Right Lead Immediately

Fast replies are great, but they need to come from the right person. A premium event booking shouldn’t go to the new trainee, it should go straight to your most experienced closer.

Example in practice:
A lead selects “Corporate Event Package” on your website form. Your CRM automatically tags it as “High Priority” and routes it directly to your senior event coordinator, sending them a push notification on the GoHighLevel mobile app.

This avoids internal delays and ensures your best leads get your best people right away.

4. Respond Through the Channel They’ll Notice First

Not all customers check their email daily. Some respond instantly on WhatsApp, others via SMS, and some prefer a phone call.

Your CRM can track which channels get the fastest responses and use that information to engage smarter:

• WhatsApp: Great for quick back-and-forths, file sharing, and photos (like a portfolio or product images).

• Email: Perfect for sending proposals, contracts, or detailed documents.

• Phone Call: Essential for high-value leads who need a personal touch.

Example: If your data shows Facebook ad leads respond fastest on WhatsApp, set up an automation to message them there within 60 seconds of form submission.

5. Measure, Refine, and Keep Getting Faster

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. That’s why tracking speed-to-lead performance is just as important as the initial contact.

Key metrics to watch:

• Average response time

• % of leads contacted within 5 minutes

• Conversion rate for leads reached quickly vs. slowly

In GoHighLevel, you can see these numbers in your dashboard, compare them over time, and pinpoint where delays are happening, so you can fix them.

Final Thoughts

Speed-to-lead isn’t just a sales hack, it’s a competitive advantage. Respond in five minutes or less and you’ll:

• Build trust faster

• Increase engagement

• Close more deals

The best part? With automation, smart routing, and a CRM like GoHighLevel, you can deliver lightning-fast responses without burning out your team.

Because in sales, timing isn’t everything… but it’s pretty close.