You’re spending money on marketing, your website is generating enquiries, but the phone isn’t ringing with orders. What’s going wrong?
In most cases, it’s not the quality of your leads. It’s what happens after they enquire.
The 5 Conversion Killers
1. You’re Too Slow to Respond
Research by Harvard Business Review found that companies who respond to enquiries within an hour are 7 times more likely to qualify the lead than those who respond even an hour later.
Within 5 minutes is ideal. Within an hour is good. Within 24 hours is the absolute maximum. After that, the prospect has moved on or contacted a competitor who responded faster.
Fix: Set up phone notifications for enquiries. Respond immediately, even if it’s just “Thanks for getting in touch — I’ll call you within the hour.”
2. You Don’t Follow Up After the First Response
Most businesses respond to an enquiry once, then wait for the prospect to come back. The prospect gets busy, forgets, or starts researching alternatives.
Fix: Build a follow-up cadence for every enquiry: - Day 0: Respond immediately - Day 1: Call to discuss their needs - Day 3: Send a proposal or more information - Day 5: Follow up on the proposal - Day 10: Final check-in
3. You’re Quoting but Not Closing
Sending a quote and waiting is not selling. It’s hoping.
Fix: After sending a quote, call within 2-3 days. Ask: - “Have you had a chance to look at the quote?” - “Do you have any questions?” - “Is there anything I can adjust to make this work for you?” - “Shall we go ahead?”
That last question — asking for the business directly — is the one most people avoid. It’s also the most important.
4. You’re Not Qualifying Properly
Not every enquiry is a real opportunity. Some are just price shopping. Some aren’t ready. Some can’t afford you.
Fix: Before investing time in a detailed proposal, ask qualifying questions: - What’s driving this project? - What’s your timeline? - Have you got a budget in mind? - Who else is involved in the decision?
If the answers suggest it’s not a real opportunity, deprioritise it and focus your energy on better prospects.
5. You Don’t Have a System
If enquiries live in your email inbox, some will inevitably get lost. Especially during busy periods when you’re focused on delivery.
Fix: Every enquiry should go into a system with a follow-up date. Whether that’s a dedicated tool, a spreadsheet, or even a notebook — the point is that nothing falls through the cracks.
The Numbers
Let’s say you get 20 enquiries per month:
Without a follow-up system: - 20 enquiries → 5 responses → 2 quotes → 0-1 sales
With a follow-up system: - 20 enquiries → 18 responses → 10 quotes → 3-4 sales
Same leads. Same product. Same price. Just better follow-up. That’s the difference between a struggling business and a growing one.
Start Today
Go through your inbox right now. Find every enquiry from the last 30 days that didn’t result in a sale. Call them. Today.
You’ll be amazed how many are still interested.