Moving lead follow-up cadence (free template)

Most moving leads don’t book on the first call, because most don’t answer the first call. Velocify’s 2012 analysis of about 3.5 million leads found less than half of the leads that eventually converted were reached on the first attempt, and that half of all leads were never called a second time.

A cadence fixes that. It’s a fixed schedule of calls, texts and emails, so every lead gets the same follow-up whoever’s in the office and however busy June gets.

The 10-day cadence

Day 0 is the day the lead arrives. Times are the customer’s local time. Stop as soon as the customer books, says no or asks you to stop.

That’s six calls, three texts and four emails, counting the breakup email.

Why this schedule

• Call within five minutes. The 2007 Lead Response Management study found the odds of reaching a lead were 100 times lower at 30 minutes than at 5. See speed to lead for moving companies.
• Call again within the hour. Velocify found the best-converting second call came 30 to 60 minutes after the first.
• Six calls. Velocify found 93% of converted leads were first reached by the sixth call.
• Late afternoon. The Lead Response Management study found 4pm to 6pm the best time to reach leads, and Wednesday and Thursday the best days. It didn’t test evenings.
• Limited email. Velocify found leads who got emails were more likely to be reached by phone, but more than five emails before first contact lowered conversion.
• Front-loaded. SmartMoving’s 2026 survey of 484 movers found it took an average of 2.5 days to go from lead to booked job. Most of the work happens in the first few days.

Templates

Text 1 (Day 0)

Hi [first name], it’s [rep] at [Company] about your move from [origin] to [destination]. I just tried calling. Is now OK for a quick 5-minute call, or is later today better? Reply STOP to opt out.

Text 2 (Day 2)

Hi [first name], [rep] at [Company] again. I can do a quick video survey of your things on [day] at [time] or [day] at [time] so you get a written price. Which works?

Text 3 (Day 7)

Hi [first name], it’s [rep] at [Company]. Should I keep your quote for [move date] open, or have you sorted your move? Either answer helps.

Email 1 (Day 0)

Subject: Your moving quote from [origin] to [destination]

Hi [first name],

Thanks for asking [Company] about your move on [date]. To give you an accurate price, we do a quick survey of your things, in person or on a video call, and it takes about [15-30] minutes.

Pick a time that suits you here: [booking link]. Or reply with your home size, any stairs or elevators, and anything large like a piano, and I’ll get started.

[Rep], [Company], [phone] USDOT [number]

Email 2 (Day 1)

Subject: What’s in a [Company] estimate

Hi [first name],

Quick note on how our estimates work, since it helps when you compare movers. [Explain whether you give binding or non-binding estimates, and what’s included: crew, truck, hours, packing materials, stairs, valuation.]

For moves across state lines, a non-binding estimate can’t be raised by more than 10% at delivery. A binding estimate is the price you pay for the items and services listed.

Want to book your survey? [booking link]

[Rep]

Breakup email (Day 10)

Subject: Should I close your quote?

Hi [first name],

I haven’t been able to reach you, so I’ll close your quote for now. If your plans change, reply to this email or call [phone] and we’ll pick it straight back up.

Good luck with the move, [Rep], [Company]

Voicemail

Hi [first name], this is [rep] from [Company], about your move from [origin] to [destination]. I’ve got a couple of quick questions so I can get your price to you. Call or text me at [number]. Again, that’s [Company], [number].

The rules that apply

US rules on calls and texts, from the FCC’s telemarketing rules at 47 CFR 64.1200 and state laws, read November 2, 2026. This is a summary, not legal advice. Check with your lawyer for the states you serve.

• Calling hours. Federal rules bar sales calls to homes before 8am or after 9pm local time. Florida and Oklahoma stop at 8pm and limit calls to three in 24 hours on the same subject. A schedule that stays within 8am to 8pm, and no more than three calls a day, works everywhere we checked.
• Texts count as calls under these rules.
• Recent quote requests. Someone who asked you about a move in the past three months has an “established business relationship” with you for Do Not Call purposes. After three months, scrub old quotes against the Do Not Call Registry before calling them again.
• Automated calls and AI voices. Marketing calls or texts sent with an autodialer, a prerecorded voice or an AI voice need prior express written consent. The FCC confirmed in February 2024 that AI-generated voices count as artificial voices. Put a consent line on your quote form that names your company.
• Opt-outs. Honor STOP and similar replies, and any reasonable request to stop, within ten business days at most. Same day is better. New FCC rules taking effect November 25, 2026 change how businesses can designate opt-out methods, so check the current rule before you set up your texting.
• Business texting registration. US carriers block business texts from unregistered 10-digit numbers, so your texting provider needs to register your brand and campaign (10DLC).

Running the cadence

You can run this from a spreadsheet and a phone for a while. It breaks when leads arrive faster than the office can call them, which is exactly when it matters most.

In a moving CRM or dialer, set up:

1. Automatic first call and text when a lead arrives.
2. Tasks for each step, so reps see who’s due a call next.
3. Voicemail drop, so reps leave a pre-recorded message in one click.
4. Auto-stop when the lead books, replies STOP or is marked lost.
5. A weekly report: speed to first call, attempts per lead and booking rate by source.

MoverPhone puts new leads in a call-back queue that rings within minutes, with a power and parallel dialer, voicemail drop in your rep’s voice, local presence, DNC scrubbing and calling-hour limits, and syncs outcomes to SmartMoving, Supermove, MoveBoard, Elromco, Movegistics and HubSpot. See the auto dialer.