Reply to new website leads instantly
“People fill out the contact form on our site, but by the time I reply a few hours later, they've already booked with someone else.”
Lead Management
Stop losing enquiries in your Instagram DMs
“Half my enquiries come through Instagram DMs and I get to them hours later, if at all.”
The short answer
Set an automatic first reply on Instagram and Facebook so every DM gets an immediate answer with your prices, hours, and booking link. Most social enquiries are the same three questions, and the person messages three businesses at once. Answering in seconds rather than hours is frequently the whole reason one gets the booking.
- ~3 hours/week back (estimated)
- 25 minutes to set up
- Easy difficulty
How we estimated that: Assumes 15 DMs a day and about 90 seconds each answering the same three questions. This is a model, not a measurement — check it against your own numbers, because if the assumption does not match your business the figure will not either.
What you'll need
- Instagram Professional account free
Instant replies and FAQ answers are built in and cost nothing. Requires a Professional (not personal) account.
Pricing checked 2026-08-02 — source. - Meta Business Suite free
Manages Instagram and Facebook replies together, free.
Pricing checked 2026-08-02 — source. - ManyChat free tier
Only worth it if you need branching conversations rather than a single reply.
Free until: 25 active contacts, up to 4 active automations, 1 user seat, and ManyChat branding on conversations.
Watch the pricing: Essential plan from $15/mo for 250 contacts; Pro plan from $25/mo for 500 contacts. Prices scale upwards automatically as contact count increases.
Pricing checked 2026-08-02 — source.
We are not paid by any tool listed here. If a cheaper or better option exists, that's what you'll see.
Pricing above was checked on 2026-08-02. Vendors change their terms without notice, and free tiers do get withdrawn. We take no money from any vendor listed here. If something on this page is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
How to set it up
- Switch to a Professional account if you have not
Instant replies and saved replies only exist on Professional accounts. The switch is free and takes a minute.
- Write the instant reply around your three most asked questions
Almost always price, availability, and location. Answer them in the first message instead of promising to answer later.
- Put the booking link in that first reply
The moment they message is the moment intent is highest. A link now beats a conversation tomorrow.
- Set saved replies for the follow-up questions
Keyboard shortcuts for the answers you type repeatedly. This is where the hours actually go.
- Set expectations honestly if you are not always available
'We reply to messages between 9 and 5' is better than silence. People forgive a wait they were told about.
Common questions
- Does an automatic reply feel impersonal?
- Less than being ignored for six hours. Write it in your own voice, keep it short, and make clear a person is coming — that reads as organised rather than robotic.
- What does it cost?
- Nothing. Instant replies, saved replies, and FAQ answers are native Instagram and Facebook features on a Professional account.
- Can it book the appointment outright?
- It can link to your booking page, which is usually better than trying to complete a booking inside a chat thread.
Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Tools change — if something here is out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
Related fixes
Automatically text back every call you miss
“I'm missing calls when I'm with a client, and those people just call the next place on the list.”
Got a different problem?
Using 3+ disconnected tools?
Stop duct-taping your business together. Book a Discovery Session — if we can't find you four hours a week, we refund the fee and you keep everything we found.