You know that feeling when you send a WhatsApp message and the blue ticks appear, but no reply comes? Ten minutes pass. Then twenty. Then you start wondering, “Did I offend them? Did they die? Or did they just see my message and whisper ‘I’ll reply later’… then forget me like an old high school crush?”
That’s exactly how your potential customer feels when you take ages to respond.
Sales Is Speed – Not Witchcraft
Let’s get something straight: in this day and age, slow responses in sales are a form of self-sabotage. When a client hits your DM, inbox, or online form, they are basically saying: “Hello, I have money. I’m ready to spend. Convince me.”
But if your response time is slower than ZUPCO during fuel shortages, they’ll move on probably to your competitor with faster fingers.
According to the sales statistics, responding to a lead within 60 seconds increases your chance of closing the deal by up to 500%. Yes, 500%. That’s not a typo it’s a truth bomb.
African Context? Let’s Talk
In Africa, we don’t play with time when we’re hungry. Imagine asking your mum, “What’s for dinner?” and she replies three days later. That’s the same vibe your customer gets when they send you a “Hi, I’m interested in your product” and you reply after you’ve bathed, watched a full episode of Generations, and taken a nap.
They’ve already moved on. They’re now deep in a Facebook group asking someone else for referrals.
Why Fast Replies Win:
- Trust is built in seconds. People assume if you’re quick to respond, you’re serious, professional, and reliable. If you delay? They assume you’re unserious – or worse, a ghost vendor.
- Emotions fade fast. Interest cools down quickly. If you don’t catch them in that moment of curiosity or excitement, you’ve lost them.
- You reduce the chance of competition. The faster you respond, the less time the customer has to check out your competitor’s page.
Moral of the Story
Stop ghosting your customers. If you were selling airtime and someone asked for $10 recharge, would you say “I’ll reply after lunch”? No! You’d jump like rent is due!
So treat every message like money waiting to be claimed. Because, spoiler alert: it is.
Now go forth and reply quickly – before your next sale disappears like power during supper.
