You're on a roof, under a sink or driving between two jobs. The phone rings and you can't pick up. By the time you call back, the customer has already called someone else.
That second call is not a guess. Homeowners contact 2.1 contractors on average before they hire one, and 49% say quick, responsive communication is what set the winner apart (Mantel, 2025, 422 US homeowners). A short text in the first few minutes keeps you on that short list while your hands are busy.
Why a text works better than a callback later
The customer just had their phone in hand. A text reaches them right away, they can answer in ten seconds, and you get the job details in writing. When you call back an hour later, you call someone who already knows what you'll do for them.
It also tells them something about you: this contractor answers. That is the first thing they're judging.
What a good missed-call text says
- Who you are. Your first name and your business name. They may have called three numbers.
- That you saw the call. One line, no long apology.
- One easy question. What the job is, or the address. One question gets an answer; four questions get ignored.
- When you'll call back. A real time you can keep.
- A way to stop the texts. "Reply STOP" is enough. It's also the law in Canada (see below).
Keep it under 300 characters so it reads in one glance on a lock screen.
Templates you can copy
On a job
Hi, it's Marc from Marc Renovation. Sorry I missed your call, I'm on a job site. What can I help you with? I'll call you back before 5. Reply STOP to opt out.
After hours
Hi, this is Marc Renovation. We're closed for the day, but we got your call. Tell us a bit about the job and we'll call you tomorrow morning. Reply STOP to opt out.
For trades with emergencies (plumbing, heating, electrical)
Hi, it's Julie from Plomberie Nord. I missed your call. Is it urgent, like a leak or no heat? Reply YES and I'll call you right back. Reply STOP to opt out.
When they called for a quote
Hi, it's Marc from Marc Renovation. Thanks for calling. What's the project and the address? If you have 2 or 3 photos, send them here and I can give you a first idea before the visit.
If they don't answer the first text
Hi, Marc again from Marc Renovation. Still want help with your project? I have time for a visit this week. Reply STOP to opt out.
Send that second text once, the next day. After that, stop. A third text reads like pressure.
How fast to send it
As fast as you can. The customer is still near their phone and still deciding who to call next. Within a few minutes is the goal, and the same hour is the limit. Done by hand, that means a template saved in your phone and a habit of checking missed calls between tasks. Done automatically, the text goes out on its own a few seconds after the call ends.
What to leave out
- A link to your website. A link from an unknown number looks like spam.
- A price before you know the job.
- A sales pitch about your 20 years of experience. Save it for the visit.
- A text sent to every number that called, including suppliers and family. Only text people who called about work.
The rules for texting customers in Canada
Canada's anti-spam law (CASL) treats a text message as an electronic message (CASL, s. 1(1)). Two parts matter for a missed-call text:
- Consent. Someone who made an inquiry with your business in the last six months has an existing business relationship with you, which counts as implied consent (CASL, s. 10(9) and 10(10)(e)). A person who calls you about a job made that inquiry.
- What every message must include. Who sent it, a way to reach you, and a way to unsubscribe (CASL, s. 6(2)). Your name, your business name and "Reply STOP" cover it.
This is general information, not legal advice. If you text in bulk or for promotions, check with a lawyer.
Questions contractors ask
Should I call back or text first?
Text first, call second. The text holds your spot in the next minute; the call does the selling when you're free.
Can the text go out automatically?
Yes. Business phone systems can send a text a few seconds after any call you don't answer, from your business number, with your own words.
Should I text in French or English?
Answer in the language they used on the call or in their voicemail. If you don't know, a two-line text in both is fine in Quebec.
Want every missed call answered by text without thinking about it? That's part of the follow-up system we set up for contractors. See your options.