Lead follow-up is everything that happens between a homeowner reaching out and a job going on your calendar. For most Ontario trades it's the cheapest place to find more work, because the leads are already paid for. We design the routine, write the message templates and check that your texts and emails stay within Canada's anti-spam rules.
Who this is for
This fits trades who send plenty of quotes but win too few, who miss calls while on a job, or who've noticed that leads from ads go quiet within a day. If you're about to raise your ad budget, start here instead. It's usually cheaper to win more of the leads you have.
Where follow-up breaks down
We look at four moments, because most lost jobs fall into one of them.
- The missed call. You're on a ladder; the call goes to voicemail; the homeowner tries the next number.
- The slow callback. You return calls at the end of the day, after a competitor has already booked the visit.
- The silent quote. You send a price and wait. Many homeowners are busy rather than uninterested, and a short check-in is often welcome.
- The finished job. No request for a review, no reminder for seasonal maintenance, no record of what you installed or repaired.
What's included
- A missed-call text-back so every unanswered caller gets a prompt, polite text with your name and when you'll call.
- Callback rules your office or crew can follow: who calls back, how fast and what to ask.
- Quote follow-up templates: a check-in after two days, a second after a week, then a respectful close.
- A review request after completed jobs, sent the same way every time.
- CASL hygiene: sender identification in every message, an easy way to opt out, and a simple record of how each contact reached you.
- A one-page scorecard showing calls missed, callbacks made and quotes won.
CASL in plain terms
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation applies to commercial electronic messages such as emails and texts. The CRTC's guidance explains that these messages generally need consent, identification of the sender and a working unsubscribe mechanism, and that senders should be able to prove consent. Personal information you collect is also covered by PIPEDA in Ontario. We summarise these as of October 2026; we don't give legal advice. Our CASL follow-up guide goes deeper.
Timeline
Most setups take two to three weeks: one week to map how calls and quotes flow today, one to set up tools and templates, and a few days to train whoever answers the phone. The scorecard starts the following month.
How we measure it
We track three ratios: calls answered or returned within the hour, quotes followed up on schedule, and quotes won. Here's why it matters. A trade sending 30 quotes a month at a 30% win rate books 9 jobs. Raise the win rate to 37% and it books about 11. At $3,200 per job, those 2 extra jobs add $6,400 a month without one more lead.
A first-week checklist you can run yourself
You can test your own follow-up before paying anyone. For five working days, keep a sheet by the phone or in your notes app and record four things for every enquiry.
- The time it came in, and whether it was a call, text or email.
- The time someone replied, and who did it.
- Whether a quote was sent, and on what date.
- Whether anyone checked in after the quote.
At the end of the week, look for the gap. If replies took more than half a day, start with callback rules. If quotes went out but nobody checked in, start with the quote templates. Owners who run this test often find the problem in a single afternoon, and some never need our help with it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating follow-up as nagging. One or two short, useful check-ins are service; daily texts are not.
- Adding enquiry contacts to promotional lists without proper consent. That's where CASL problems usually begin.
- Automating everything. A real person should still call back.
If missed calls are your main problem, CallText.chat goes deeper on missed-call text-back. To see costs, visit pricing. Follow-up also makes seasonal ads more profitable, since every paid lead you save lowers your cost per job. In our HVAC work, BCWide.ca reached 3× leads in 90 days; the results page explains the context.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to text someone who called me?
Replying to someone who contacted you about a job is generally treated differently from sending promotions, but CASL has specific rules on consent and identification. Read the CRTC's guidance and get legal advice if you're unsure; we're not lawyers.
Do I need new software?
Often not. Many trades can start with their existing phone system plus a missed-call text feature and a simple quote list. We recommend software only when the volume justifies it.
How quickly should I return a call?
As fast as you reasonably can. Homeowners with an urgent problem usually call more than one business, so the first sensible reply often wins.
Will you answer my phones?
No. We set up the routines, scripts and tools; you or your office answer. If you want an answering service, we can help you think through what to ask a provider.