Short answer: to reactivate old leads, clean your list of past enquiries, keep only people who gave you their details, then send a short, personal sequence (three messages over about two weeks is a sensible start) by WhatsApp or email that reminds them who you are, offers something specific and makes it easy to reply or opt out. Stop on any reply, hand replies to a person within hours, and measure replies and sales. Insurance agencies, car yards, real estate firms, schools and clinics usually have the most to gain. You can run it yourself with a spreadsheet and your email or WhatsApp tools, or have it built: Ananke Digital’s old-lead reactivation starts from KSh 150,000 in Kenya or US$2,500 internationally.
Step 1: Clean the list
- Pull every past enquiry into one sheet: name, phone, email, what they asked about, date and source.
- Remove duplicates, staff, competitors, people who already bought and anyone who asked not to be contacted.
- Group them by interest (for example, motor insurance quotes, a specific property or a school intake) so each group gets a relevant message.
- Note how they first contacted you. People who messaged you on WhatsApp expect WhatsApp; web-form leads may prefer email.
Step 2: Respect the rules
- Consent and purpose. In Kenya, the Data Protection Act, 2019 restricts using personal data for commercial purposes without consent, and the Data Protection (General) Regulations, 2021 set direct-marketing rules, including a simple way to opt out. Contact people who gave you their details for this kind of follow-up, say who you are, and honour opt-outs at once. Elsewhere, follow your local law (for example GDPR in Europe). This is not legal advice.
- WhatsApp. Messages to someone who has not written to you in the last 24 hours must use an approved template on the official WhatsApp Business Platform, and Meta charges per template message. Bulk-messaging from a phone app with unofficial tools risks your number.
- Email. Send from your own domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up (see our guide), include an unsubscribe link, and send in small batches.
Step 3: Write a short sequence
| When | Purpose | Example (motor insurance) |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Remind and ask one easy question | “Hi Jane, this is Mary from ABC Insurance. You asked us about cover for your car in March. Is that still something you are looking at? Reply STOP to opt out.” |
| Day 4 | Give a concrete reason to reply | “We can now compare comprehensive cover from several insurers in one quote. Want me to send one for your car?” |
| Day 10 | Close the loop politely | “I won’t keep messaging. If you’d like a quote later, just reply here.” |
Keep messages short, from a named person, about the thing they asked for. Do not pretend to be a friend or invent urgency.
Step 4: Hand replies to a person fast
A reply is the whole point. Route every reply to a named staff member, ideally within working hours on the same day, with the original enquiry attached. Automate the sending, not the conversation that follows.
Step 5: Measure
Track, per group: messages delivered, replies, opt-outs, meetings or quotes, and sales. If opt-outs are high, the message or the list is wrong; fix it before sending more.
Do it yourself or have it built?
| Do it yourself | Done for you (for example, Ananke Digital) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Your time plus email or WhatsApp tool fees | Setup from KSh 150,000 or US$2,500, plus messaging fees and optional care |
| Effort | List cleaning, templates, approvals, sending and tracking | A 15-minute demo and approving the scope and messages |
| Best for | A few hundred contacts and a free week | Thousands of contacts, several groups, or recurring campaigns |
Frequently asked questions
What reply rate should I expect from old leads?
It varies widely with the age of the list, how relevant the offer is and the channel. Do not trust anyone quoting a guaranteed figure; run a small test batch first and measure.
Is WhatsApp or email better for old leads?
Use the channel the person used to contact you. In Kenya WhatsApp often gets faster replies, but it needs approved templates and costs per message; email is cheaper and suits longer information.
How many follow-up messages should I send?
Two or three over about two weeks is a sensible start. Stop immediately on any reply or opt-out.
Can AI write the follow-up messages?
AI can draft them, but a person should approve every template, and replies should go to a person.
Want it run for you? See old-lead reactivation, or the lead reply delay cost calculator.