lead response 5 vs 30 minutes

Evidence, weak

The 2007 InsideSales.com/MIT study of over 15,000 web-form leads at six companies found the odds of reaching a lead by phone fell 100 times, and of qualifying it 21 times, when the first call came at 30 minutes rather than 5. It measured phone calls to inbound leads, not replies to cold email, and did not study closes.

One vendor dataset analysed by an academic, not peer reviewed, from 2007 and about a different situation; the HBR follow-up could not be read past its paywall.

Changed in the plan: Supports the direction of “intent decays by the hour”, not a number for email replies; the steps should not quote 21 times as if it were about email.

The InsideSales.com/MIT Lead Response Management Study (read in full)
The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (partly read)

True as of 2026-11-11; to be re-checked by 2027-11-11.

Steps that rely on this

Answer every reply the same day, and give the inbox one owner
Send a payment link within the hour of a yes

In topics

Getting your first ten customers
Cold and warm outreach

Steps that rely on this

In topics

The whole library, sourced.