The Real Cost of Ghost Leads
You spend 20 minutes on the phone qualifying a lead. Another 30 building a quote. Maybe an hour more reviewing measurements or materials. Then… nothing.
No reply. No follow-up. No “thanks, but we went another direction.”
Just silence.
In the concrete business, ghosting isn’t just an annoyance — it’s a real threat to your profitability. Every hour spent quoting someone who never responds is an hour you could have spent closing a real job. It’s time lost. Energy drained. Opportunity missed.
But the good news? It’s fixable.
5 Practical Ways to Reduce No-Shows and Ghosting
1. Ask Qualifying Questions Upfront
Before you offer your time, make sure they’ve given theirs. Asking about the basics — type of concrete work, rough budget, project timeline, and location — gives you clarity and creates a little friction to weed out tire-kickers.
If they won’t answer those questions, they probably won’t answer your quote either.
2. Use an Intake Form Instead of Just a Phone Number
“Call us for a quote” may sound simple, but it attracts uncommitted browsers. A well-structured intake form — even just a few required fields — can dramatically improve lead quality.
Better yet? Use a tool that asks intelligent questions and guides users through the scoping process. More on that in a minute.
3. Respond Quickly — Within the First Hour
Speed kills ghosting. According to industry data, contractors who follow up within 60 minutes of a new lead are 7x more likely to get a reply.
You don’t need to write a full proposal in an hour — but a simple “Thanks for your submission, we’re reviewing your details now” message can buy time and build trust.
4. Send a Clear, Visual Quote Summary
Clunky emails with five paragraphs of text don’t convert. Neither do vague numbers like “Probably around $8k, give or take.”
A visual quote — ideally one that includes drawings, concrete finish types, and itemized pricing — gives your prospect something to react to. It shows professionalism, builds confidence, and reduces confusion (a major cause of ghosting).
5. Give a Clear Next Step
What happens after they get the quote? Do they call you? Book a site visit? Confirm via text?
If the process isn’t clear, most leads will stall. End every quote or email with a single, simple call to action: “Click here to confirm,” “Reply to book your walkthrough,” or “Send your deposit here to reserve your spot.”
Why Most Contractors Only Close 25–35% of Their Quotes
In a recent survey of residential concrete contractors, over 60% of quote submissions ended in ghosting — meaning the client either never responded to the estimate or stopped replying after initial contact.
The top three reasons?
- The contractor took too long to respond
- The client wasn’t serious to begin with
- The quote was confusing, overwhelming, or buried in text
But the best part? Contractors who used an upfront qualification form and followed up within 60 minutes saw up to 40% higher close rates in just 30 days. That’s the power of process.
Qualify Before You Quote with Cretegen
One tool that makes this process almost automatic is Cretegen.
Cretegen is a map-based quoting platform designed for concrete contractors. Instead of cold calls or vague emails, your website visitors get a guided experience:
- They draw their project directly on a satellite map
- Choose the concrete type (standard, colored, stamped)
- Enter budget range, timeline, and project location
And you? You get a fully scoped, pre-qualified lead — with square footage, finish type, contact info, and mapped visuals — before you ever respond.
Cretegen Helps You:
- Stop wasting time on low-intent leads
- Quote faster with auto-generated branded summaries
- Track lead progress with a drag-and-drop pipeline (New, Contacted, Scheduled, etc.)
- Focus your energy on real, ready-to-book clients
Start Quoting Serious Leads Only
No-shows and ghosting will always be part of the game. But they don’t have to be a drain on your business.
With better screening, faster follow-up, and the right tools, you can:
- Cut wasted time in half
- Improve your close rate
- Take back control of your calendar
👉 Try the Cretegen demo — no credit card required
👉 See it in action or embed it on your site today and start quoting the jobs that actually lead somewhere
Less ghosting. More closing. Let’s build smarter.
