When it comes to selling hot tubs, the difference between a cold lead and a lost opportunity often comes down to timing, follow-up and strategic engagement.
While some businesses may consider a lead cold after 60 days with no response, others extend that window to 90 days or even a year. The reality is that purchasing cycles vary widely, and companies that master lead nurturing put themselves ahead of the competition when the buyer is finally ready.
Why leads go cold
Radostina Stoycheva, director of performance marketing at Compass Digital, emphasizes the importance of staying relevant throughout the process. Many factors can make a lead go cold, she says, from a potential buyer not being ready to make a purchase to other cost considerations and timing misalignments.
On the dealer side, a lack of urgency or poor follow-up can also cause leads to disengage. Businesses that maintain stronger engagement strategies can easily capture these lost opportunities.
“Being top of mind for when they’re ready is a crucial part of the sales process,” Stoycheva says.
Being top of mind for when they’re ready is a crucial part of the sales process.”
Radostina Stoycheva, Compass Digital
First impressions matter
Some buyers may be ready to purchase on day one, while others need weeks to make a decision, so dealers need to stay in touch.
Automation can help customers feel seen and save salespeople time. A simple autoresponder sent within 15 minutes of a form submission reassures the lead that their inquiry has been received and provides a follow-up timeline. From there, trust-building becomes key.
A combination of automated and personal touches should be spaced out over days and weeks, adjusting frequency as time passes.
Targeted outreach
For leads that have gone cold, personalized reengagement efforts can be effective.
For example, if a customer requested a price on a specific hot tub model a year ago, an email offering a discount or bonus incentive tied to that model can bring them back.
Retargeting campaigns on Google and Meta can also help revive engagement, ensuring previous visitors continue to see relevant content.
Not all cold leads should be treated the same, however. A customer who visited a website once shouldn’t receive the same offer as someone who has engaged multiple times and opened emails. Starting with smaller incentives like free accessories and gradually increasing discounts for higher engagement leads helps protect profit margins while maximizing conversions.
Tracking metrics is also important. Understanding the size of a company’s cold lead pool, past engagement rates and cost per acquired lead nurtures efficient marketing efforts. If a lead originally cost $100 to acquire, it makes sense to reengage them rather than simply discarding their contact information.
Creative tactics
One tactic Stoycheva employs is a “Hail Mary” strategy, where bottom-funnel leads who suddenly went cold receive a physical postcard. This campaign has successfully reactivated leads, with many bringing the postcard into the store to finalize their purchase.
Win-back flows are another valuable strategy, giving contacts about 90 days before confirming whether they want to remain subscribed. This prevents inactive leads from hurting engagement rates while preserving potential opportunities.
Kristan Hart, chief operating officer at The Get Smart Group, agrees that a lead is never truly dead unless they explicitly request not to be contacted or their information is no longer valid.
“Everybody else is still fair game, especially for products like this with a long buying cycle,” she says.
Some purchases can take six, 12 or even 18 months from initial inquiry to final sale. While early engagement is important, maintaining contact over an extended period is equally meaningful.
Hart has found many leads for a hot tub purchase come at unexpected hours, such as 2 a.m., when potential buyers are awake due to discomfort or pain. Immediate automated responses ensures these inquiries don’t go unnoticed.
The power of automation
Hart emphasizes that sales teams don’t need to handle all touchpoints manually. Automated lead nurturing through a CRM system ensures consistent engagement without overwhelming sales representatives.
“Give people a reason to open [emails],” Hart advises.
Text messaging can be another effective channel. It allows for quick, low-effort interactions and can also be automated.
Don’t overlook current customers
Hart adds that one of the most overlooked lead sources is existing customers. Offering referral bonuses and maintaining engagement with them can generate new leads without additional acquisition costs.
“If you want to sell hot tubs, there are lots and lots of ways to do that,” Hart says. “It’s important for teams to work the leads they have and think outside of the box.”
| “Hail Mary” Lead Revival Tactics | Signs a Lead Isn’t Really Dead | Quick Tips for Automated Nurturing |
• Send a physical postcard with a special offer • Create a retargeting ad campaign for disengaged leads • Email a one-time exclusive offer tied to their last inquiry • Ask directly: “Still interested in ?” • Use humor or surprise to break the pattern | • They opened recent emails • They clicked on product links • They visited your website again • They referred a friend • Their contact information is still valid | • Autoresponder within 15 minutes • Personalized email flow for 30–90 days • Use CRM tags to track interest level • Automate texts for appointment reminders or price drops • Mix personal outreach with system-driven touchpoints |
Lead Nurturing Timeline
| TIME SINCE INQUIRY | RECOMMENDED ACTION |
| 0-24 hours | Autoresponder + personal follow-up |
| 2-7 days | Product education + testimonial emails |
| 2-4 weeks | Reengagement via discount/accessory offer |
| 30+ days | Light check-ins, education content, social ads |
| 90+ days | Lead turns cold; filter for reengagement |
Top Lead Sources Worth Renurturing
| LEAD SOURCE | WHY IT’S WORTH REVISITING |
| Website form fills | High intent, easy to recontact |
| Event contacts | Brand awareness created |
| Referral leads | Trust already established |
| Past customers | Lower acquisition cost |