How to write a good first reply to an enquiry (with templates)

A good first reply to an enquiry contains five things: a thank-you, the answer to the question or at least a price range, one question that moves the conversation forward, one clear next step and your name. Everything else is padding. The customer doesn't need a company introduction. They need an answer.

Enquiries are often lost to a late or vague reply. A Harvard Business Review study from 2011 of 2,241 US companies found that companies that tried to reply within an hour were nearly 7 times as likely to qualify the lead as companies that tried an hour later. The average time to first response was 42 hours. There's more on this in our piece on speed-to-lead research.

So speed matters. But a fast reply that says nothing doesn't help the customer. Below is what to write, plus five templates you can adapt and use today.

What a first reply should contain

1. A thank-you and confirmation. One sentence. The customer knows the message arrived and that someone read it.
2. An answer or a price range. If the customer asks for a price, give them a range and what it depends on. "It depends" isn't an answer.
3. One question. Not five. One you genuinely need for the next step: floor area, a date, a photo.
4. One next step. What happens now and when: a quote by tomorrow, a visit on Thursday, a booking link.
5. A name. Sign with a real name, not "the team".

Five or six sentences are enough. If the reply is longer, the customer reads it later, or not at all.

Five templates for different situations

The business names, people's names and prices in the templates are invented examples. Replace them with your own.

1. The customer asks for the price of a service

Mrs Kos asks through the website form how much it costs to paint a flat of about 70 m².

Dear Mrs Kos,

Thank you for your enquiry. Painting a flat of that size usually costs between 900 and 1,400 euros with us, materials included. The range depends mainly on the condition of the walls and whether we paint the ceilings too.

Could you send me two or three photos of the rooms? Based on those, I'll send you an exact quote by 12 noon tomorrow.

Best regards
Janez, Barvič Painting (example)

Why it works: the customer gets a number straight away, knows why it's a range and not a single price, and knows what happens next. Asking for photos is the one question, and it saves you a trip for a viewing.

2. The enquiry arrives in the evening or at the weekend

At 10 pm on a Friday, a customer asks through the website whether you have a free manicure slot next week.

Hello,

Thanks for your message. The salon is closed at the weekend, so I'll personally confirm your appointment on Monday by 10 am.

If you like, you can also pick a free slot yourself right now using this link: [booking link]. Otherwise, just let me know whether mornings or afternoons suit you better.

Best regards
Nina, Lina Beauty Salon (example)

Why it works: it doesn't hide anything. It says when the answer will come and gives the customer something to do right now. Of course, nobody writes this message by hand on a Friday night. That's why it makes sense to send it automatically, within a minute.

3. A vague enquiry

The customer writes only: "I'd like a price for a bathroom."

Hello,

Thank you for getting in touch. To give you a realistic price, I need one detail: is this a full bathroom renovation or just replacing the tiles?

The difference in price and time between the two is large, so I'd rather not guess. Once you reply, I'll send you an estimate the same day.

Best regards
Tomaž, Ploščica Tiling (example)

Why it works: instead of a ten-point questionnaire, it asks the one question that splits the options most. The other questions come once the customer is engaged.

4. An enquiry you can't take on

Mr Zupan asks a plumber whether they install heat pumps. They don't.

Dear Mr Zupan,

Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately we don't install heat pumps, so I'd rather not promise you one.

I'd suggest checking the authorised installers listed by the manufacturer you're considering. If you need the plumbing or radiators adapted when you change your heating, I'd be glad to come and take a look.

Best regards
Matej, Kapljica Plumbing (example)

Why it works: a quick "no" beats silence. The customer doesn't wait for nothing, and you're remembered as someone who answered honestly. The door stays open for the work you do.

5. A question in an Instagram DM

A customer asks in a direct message: "How much is a cake for 20 people?"

Hello and thanks for your message! A cake for 20 people is 60 to 90 euros with us, depending on the flavour and decoration. What date do you need it for? If it's still free, I'll book it for you right away. Ana

Why it works: in DMs people write briefly and expect a brief reply. A price, one question, a next step. Don't send the customer to email or the phone. Every change of channel is one more reason for them not to reply.

Checklist before you hit send

• The thank-you is in the first sentence.
• An answer to the question or a price range, with what it depends on.
• No more than one question.
• One next step with a deadline: what, when and who.
• A signature with a real name.
• The customer's name and the details from the enquiry are correct. With templates, this is where things most often go wrong.
• The message can be read in half a minute, a DM even faster.

What not to do

• Don't reply with "Give us a call". The customer wrote because writing is easier for them. If a call really is needed, suggest a specific time.
• Don't send a PDF price list without a word. The customer has to make sense of it, find their item and work out the price. Most won't.
• Don't hide the price if you know it. "Price on request" often sends the customer to a provider who did write a price.
• Don't ask ten questions at once. Customers rarely fill in questionnaires, but one question is easy to answer.
• Don't promise deadlines you can't keep. "By tomorrow" means by tomorrow.
• Don't write on behalf of "the team". People reply to people.
• Don't wait until you have time for the perfect reply. A short reply now beats a perfect one two days later.

How to send a reply like this automatically

Templates solve the content. They don't solve the timing. An enquiry that arrives on a Friday night or while you're out on a job still waits until someone sits down at a computer.

A system can send the first reply automatically, within a minute. To avoid sounding like a robot, it has to meet three conditions:

1. It knows your prices, availability and services, including the ones you don't offer.
2. It writes in your tone and signs with your name.
3. It hands the conversation over to you when the customer is serious or the question goes beyond the template.

That's the system we build for speed to lead. If you're curious why the speed of the first reply matters so much, read our piece on speed-to-lead research.

How to check where you are today

Open your last ten enquiries and for each one check:

• how long it took to send the first reply,
• whether the first reply included a price or a range,
• whether it had one clear next step.

If the answer is "no" for most of them, start with the template that matches your most common enquiry.