A step-by-step plan for texting aged leads
Step 1: confirm who you can contact
Lead age does not decide whether you can text someone; permission does. Before you send anything, confirm that the consent you collected or bought covers texts from your business, then remove anyone who has opted out. Aged lists also collect wrong numbers and landlines, so run a cleanup first. This protects your number's reputation and keeps your reply rate meaningful.
Step 2: write a first message that sounds human
Aged leads do not remember you, so do not pretend they do. Introduce yourself, give a short reason for the text and ask one question. Avoid links, all caps and anything that looks like a promotion. Three examples that work well:
- "Hi Maria, this is Jamie with Sunrise Insurance. You asked about health coverage a while back. Are you still looking for options this year?"
- "Hi Tom, Jamie here from Sunrise Insurance. Did you ever get your life insurance sorted, or is that still on the list?"
- "Hi Ana, it's Jamie with Sunrise Insurance. Rates changed since we last talked. Want me to check what's available for you?"
Step 3: send in batches and watch the numbers
Send to a few hundred leads first, not the whole list. Watch replies, positive interest and opt-outs over the next day. If opt-outs are high, the message or the list needs work. If replies are healthy, scale up gradually. Sending in batches also makes sure your team can actually answer the replies that come in.
Step 4: follow up, then stop
One follow-up two or three days later often doubles the response. A short "Just checking in, still interested?" is enough. After two or three attempts with no reply, pause that lead and try again next season instead of texting every week.
Step 5: turn replies into appointments
When someone replies yes, offer two specific call times or a booking link and confirm by text. Text2Sale can route replies to a shared inbox, let AI qualify and book, and drop interested leads straight into a dialer queue so an agent calls within minutes.