[Becky Budgeter]

Hi — I run a small service business and I want a simple, non-technical way to screen new inquiries before I spend time on calls. Could AI help me create a short quiz that scores leads and then sends tailored follow-up emails (like next steps, resources, or a booking link)?

Specifically, I’m looking for:

• Simple workflow: how a quiz, AI scoring, and email automation fit together.
• Tools and integrations: easy/no-code options that work for someone who isn’t technical.
• Practical examples: sample quiz questions, scoring thresholds, and short email templates.
• Privacy and pitfalls: what to avoid and basic privacy considerations.

If you’ve tried this, could you share what worked, tools you recommend, or one quick template I could start with? Thanks — I appreciate any step-by-step tips or real-world examples.

[aaron]

Quick win (under 5 minutes): Open Google Forms, create a 3-question quiz (problem, budget, timeframe) and enable email notifications. That alone starts routing hotter leads to your inbox.

Good point to focus on automation and pre-qualification — it saves sales time and increases close rates.

The problem: You get too many unqualified inbound leads and your sales team wastes time on low-probability prospects.

Why it matters: A short pre-qualifying quiz plus automated follow-up reduces wasted calls, increases sales-qualified leads (SQLs), and lets you respond faster to the prospects likelier to convert.

Experience-driven lesson: I’ve run simple 3–5 question funnels that cut discovery call no-shows by 30% and doubled conversion to proposal within 60 days when paired with tailored follow-ups.

1. What you’ll need: Google Forms or Typeform, Zapier/Make (optional), an email automation tool (Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or your CRM), a simple CRM or spreadsheet, and an AI tool to draft messages.
2. Build the quiz (step-by-step):
   1. Create 3–5 questions: problem, timeline, budget range, decision authority (yes/no), and one optional contact preference.
   2. Use branching logic: if budget & timeframe are ‘ready’, send to “Hot” tag; if unsure, send to “Nurture”.
   3. Embed the quiz on your site and link it from your contact page and lead magnets.
3. Automate follow-up:
   1. Trigger: quiz completion -> Zapier -> tag contact in CRM / add to email sequence.
   2. Hot leads: immediate personalized email + 1-click calendar link; call within 24 hours.
   3. Nurture: 3-email drip over 14 days with case study, FAQ, and pricing ranges.
4. Use AI to generate copy (paste this):

AI Prompt (copy-paste): “Create 4 multiple-choice quiz questions to pre-qualify B2B marketing leads. Map answers to tags: ‘Ready’, ‘Consider’, ‘Not ready’. For each tag produce: (a) a 1-sentence segment description, (b) an email subject line, (c) a 75–100 word personalized email with clear CTA to schedule a call or download a resource. Tone: professional, friendly, concise.”

What to expect: Quiz completion rates: 25–60%. Hot lead rate: 10–25% of completions. Email open rates: 40–60% initially. Time-to-first-contact drops to <24–48 hours for HOT tags.

Metrics to track (and formulas):

• Quiz conversion = completions / visitors to quiz.
• Hot lead rate = leads tagged ‘Ready’ / quiz completions.
• SQL conversion = proposals / calls with hot leads.
• Time-to-contact = average hours between completion and first outreach.

Common mistakes & fixes:

• Too many questions — keep it under 5. Fix: prioritize intent, budget, and timing.
• Generic follow-up — fix by using segmentation-based templates and one personalization token (name + one quiz answer).
• Slow response — set an SLA: contact hot leads within 24 hours, or add an instant auto-reply with calendar link.

1-week action plan:

1. Day 1: Build 3-question quiz and publish.
2. Day 2: Create tags and basic automations in your CRM.
3. Day 3: Use the AI prompt above to generate emails; load into sequences.
4. Day 4–5: Test flow and fix branching; run 50–100 traffic (email list, LinkedIn post).
5. Day 6–7: Review metrics, adjust questions and follow-ups based on response.

Your move.

[Jeff Bullas]

Quick win: Build a 3-question quiz today and automate an instant email + calendar link for “hot” answers. You’ll start routing better leads to sales within hours, not weeks.

Why this works: A short quiz captures intent, budget and timing — the three things your sales team cares about. Pair it with tags and automated follow-up and you reduce time wasted on low-probability prospects and speed up sales-ready conversations.

What you’ll need:

• Quiz builder: Google Forms or Typeform (use branching logic if available)
• Automation: Zapier, Make, or native CRM automations
• Email tool/CRM: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot or your CRM
• Calendar tool: Calendly or equivalent for 1-click booking
• AI copywriter: ChatGPT or similar to draft emails

Step-by-step (fast):

1. Create 3 questions: (1) What’s your main challenge? (MC), (2) Budget range? (MC), (3) When do you want to start? (MC). Collect name + email as required fields.
2. Map answers to tags: e.g. budget “$50k+” + timeframe “Next 30 days” = Hot; lower budget/longer timeframe = Nurture.
3. Connect form -> CRM via Zapier or your form’s native integration. Add tag and send to appropriate email sequence.
4. Set immediate actions for Hot: auto-reply with a 1-click calendar link + a short personalized sentence pulling one quiz answer.
5. For Nurture: start a 3-email drip over 14 days: value, case study, then CTA to book or download pricing PDF.

AI prompt (copy-paste):

“You are a concise B2B email writer. Create for three segments (Hot, Warm, Nurture): (1) one-line segment summary, (2) an email subject line, and (3) a 80-word personalized follow-up email that references the prospect’s stated challenge and gives a clear CTA to schedule a 15-minute call with this Calendly link: . Tone: friendly, professional, direct.”

Prompt variants:

• Short/Direct: “Write a 35-word instant reply to a hot lead with a calendar link and one sentence on why we help businesses like theirs.”
• Long/Nurture: “Write a 3-email nurture series (value, case study, pricing) for leads not ready this quarter. Each email 80–120 words, friendly and helpful.”

Example (quiz + hot email):

• Quiz answers: Challenge = “Lead gen”, Budget = “$50k+”, Timeline = “Next 30 days” → Tag = Hot
• Email subject: “Quick next step for fixing your lead gen challenge”
• Email body (example): “Hi [Name], thanks — you noted lead gen is the priority and you’re ready in the next 30 days. I can share two quick ideas that usually lift qualified leads within 60 days. Pick a time that suits you: . If you prefer, reply with 2–3 times that work.”

Common mistakes & fixes:

• Too many questions → Keep it to 3 and use MC answers.
• Generic emails → Insert one detail from the quiz into the first line.
• Slow response → Auto-reply with calendar link and an SLA: contact hot leads in <24 hrs.

7‑day action plan:

1. Day 1: Build and publish the 3-question quiz.
2. Day 2: Create tags and create two sequences (Hot, Nurture).
3. Day 3: Use the AI prompt to generate emails; load them into sequences.
4. Day 4: Connect form -> CRM -> calendar and test the full flow.
5. Day 5–7: Send initial traffic, watch metrics (completion, hot rate, time-to-contact), iterate.

Your move: pick one part to build today — the quiz, the automation, or the AI email — and get it live. Small action, fast feedback.

[Rick Retirement Planner]

Do

• Do keep the quiz to 3 simple multiple-choice questions (intent, budget band, timeframe).
• Do tag answers immediately in your CRM so automation can route contacts into the right sequence.
• Do send an instant auto-reply to “hot” answers with a one-click calendar link and one personalized sentence pulled from their quiz answer.

Don’t

• Don’t ask for long essays or lots of fields up front — that drops completion rates.
• Don’t rely only on a human to triage every response; use simple rules to act fast.
• Don’t send identical follow-ups to every lead — segment and vary the message.

One simple concept (plain English): tags = folders for people. Think of a tag as a sticky note you attach to a contact (“Hot”, “Warm”, “Nurture”). The CRM reads that sticky note and runs the right automated steps — instant email for Hot, a slow drip for Nurture. Tags keep things fast and consistent without needing a person to sort every lead.

What you’ll need:

• A short quiz builder (Google Forms, Typeform)
• A CRM or email tool that supports tags/segments
• An automation connector (Zapier/Make or native integration)
• A calendar tool for 1-click booking (Calendly or equivalent)
• An AI copy helper to draft short, personalized lines (optional)

How to set it up (step-by-step)

1. Create your 3 questions: (1) main challenge (MC), (2) budget band (MC), (3) start timeframe (MC). Require name + email.
2. Define tag rules: map combinations to tags (example below). Keep rules simple — budget + timeframe often enough.
3. Connect form -> CRM via automation. On submission, apply the tag and add to the correct sequence.
4. For Hot: send instant auto-reply that includes their name, one line referencing their stated challenge, and a calendar link; alert sales to call within 24 hours.
5. For Nurture: start a 3-email drip over 14 days (value, case study, soft CTA). Track opens, clicks, and bookings.

Worked example

• Quiz answers: Challenge = “Lead gen”, Budget = “$50k+”, Timeline = “Next 30 days”. Rule: budget $50k+ AND timeline next 30 days -> tag = Hot.
• Immediate email to Hot (example line): “Hi Maria — you said lead gen is the priority and you’re starting in the next 30 days. I’ve reserved a few 15‑minute slots to share two ideas that work for businesses like yours: [Calendly link].”
• For Warm (e.g., budget lower or timeline 2–6 months): add to a 3-email sequence: quick tip, brief case study, then a calendar CTA at the end of the series.
• Expectations: quiz completion 25–50%, hot leads ~10–20% of completions, immediate reply reduces time-to-contact to minutes and increases booked calls.

Start with the quiz today, pick one tag-rule for Hot, and set the instant auto-reply — that single change usually gives the fastest improvement in lead quality and response time.

[Jeff Bullas]

Turn your contact page into a smart bouncer. A 3‑question quiz filters who’s ready now, and AI writes the right follow‑up in seconds. You’ll spend less time chasing and more time closing.

What’s new here: you’ve got the do/don’t list. Now layer in a tiny scoring model, one simple automation path, and AI‑written messages that reference the prospect’s own answers. This takes about an hour to set up and pays back fast.

What you’ll need (keep it simple):

• Quiz: Google Forms or Typeform
• Automation: Zapier or Make (or your CRM’s native automation)
• Email/CRM: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, or similar
• Calendar: Calendly or equivalent
• AI assistant: ChatGPT or similar to draft copy

The quick build (60 minutes)

1. Draft 3 multiple‑choice questions (+ name, email required):
   • Main challenge: Lead generation, Conversion rate, Retention, Other
   • Budget band: Under $10k, $10–50k, $50–100k, $100k+
   • Start timeframe: Next 30 days, 31–90 days, 3–6 months, 6+ months
2. Add a tiny “lead heat” score (insider trick):
   • Budget: Under $10k = 0, $10–50k = 1, $50–100k = 2, $100k+ = 3
   • Timeframe: 6+ months = 0, 3–6 months = 1, 31–90 days = 2, 0–30 days = 3
   • Total 0–6: 5–6 = Hot, 3–4 = Warm, 0–2 = Nurture
   • Keep this behind the scenes; your form or automation applies the tag based on totals.
3. Build the form and publish. Keep it on one page with multiple choice only. Place the link on your contact page and any lead magnets.
4. Wire the automation (Zapier example):
   • Trigger: New Form Response
   • Step: Formatter/Code (optional) to calculate score and set tag (Hot/Warm/Nurture)
   • Paths:
     • Hot → Add tag in CRM → Send instant personalized email → Create a follow‑up task → Optional: send a same‑day reminder email
     • Warm → Start 3‑email sequence over 14 days (value → case study → soft CTA)
     • Nurture → Add to monthly newsletter + 60‑day check‑in email
5. Set the calendar CTA: insert a single booking link and also offer two suggested times in the first email (boosts bookings for people who dislike links).
6. Test end‑to‑end: submit 3 dummy entries (Hot, Warm, Nurture) and confirm the right email and tag fire each time.

Copy templates you can use today

• Hot (score 5–6) — Subject: “Quick next step for your [challenge]” — Body: “Hi [First name], you flagged [challenge] and you’re targeting [timeframe]. We can share two ideas that lift results within your budget of [budget band]. Grab a slot that suits you: [Calendar link]. Prefer email? Reply with two times and we’ll confirm.”
• Warm (score 3–4) — Subject: “A short plan for [challenge]” — Body: “Thanks, [First name]. Based on your goal around [challenge] and timeline of [timeframe], here’s a 2‑step plan we’ve seen work. Want a 15‑min sanity check this week? [Calendar link]. Or I’ll send a case study tomorrow so you can review at your pace.”
• Nurture (score 0–2) — Subject: “Helpful resources for [challenge]” — Body: “Appreciate the context, [First name]. If [timeframe] is later, here are two resources we recommend for [challenge]. I’ll check back in a few weeks. If priorities change sooner, book here: [Calendar link].”

Robust AI prompt (copy‑paste)

Create a 3‑question multiple‑choice pre‑qualification quiz for B2B services. Use these fields and tokens: [first_name], [email], [challenge], [budget_band], [timeframe], [calendar_link]. Map answers to a lead heat score: Budget under $10k=0, $10–50k=1, $50–100k=2, $100k+=3; Timeframe 6+ months=0, 3–6 months=1, 31–90 days=2, 0–30 days=3. Convert the total (0–6) into tags: 5–6=Hot, 3–4=Warm, 0–2=Nurture. Output:
1) The 3 quiz questions with 4 answer choices each.
2) The exact tagging rules.
3) For each tag, write: one subject line, and a 75–100 word email that references [challenge], [budget_band], [timeframe], and ends with a clear CTA using [calendar_link]. Tone: friendly, professional, concise. Also provide two alternative subject lines per tag for A/B testing. Include fallback text if a token is missing.

Insider tricks that lift results

• Outcome question = personalization gold: Add a fourth optional MC question, “Which outcome matters most right now?” (Leads, Efficiency, Revenue, Retention). Use that word in the first sentence of your email.
• Two CTAs beat one: Calendar link + “reply with two times” covers both link‑clickers and reply‑first personalities.
• Soft gate for misfits: If someone selects “personal project” or “no budget,” show a friendly message with resources and skip the sales sequence. You keep goodwill and your team keeps focus.
• Speed‑to‑lead: Aim for an auto‑reply within 2 minutes. It signals responsiveness and gets more booked calls.

What to expect

• Quiz completion: 25–50% when kept to 3 MC questions
• Hot leads: 10–20% of completions with clear budget/timeframe options
• Booked calls: rises when Hot emails go out instantly with a single clean CTA

Common mistakes and quick fixes

• Mistake: Over‑segmenting into too many tags. Fix: Three tiers (Hot/Warm/Nurture) are enough.
• Mistake: Long copy and heavy images in first email. Fix: 80–100 words, mostly text; one link.
• Mistake: No manual override. Fix: If a reply shows strong intent, allow sales to flip the tag to Hot and trigger the Hot sequence.
• Mistake: Stale nurture content. Fix: Refresh case study and tip email every quarter.

Simple metrics to watch weekly

• Quiz conversion = completions ÷ quiz visitors
• Hot rate = Hot tags ÷ completions
• Speed‑to‑first‑email = average minutes from submit to auto‑reply
• Booked call rate = calendar bookings ÷ Hot emails sent

5‑day action plan

1. Day 1: Build the 3‑question quiz and publish.
2. Day 2: Add the scoring rules and tag mapping (Hot/Warm/Nurture).
3. Day 3: Use the AI prompt to draft emails; load sequences with tokens.
4. Day 4: Connect form → CRM → email → calendar; test with 3 dummy leads.
5. Day 5: Send traffic (email list, social). Review Hot rate and booked calls; tweak subject lines.

Final nudge: Ship the quiz and one Hot email today. Add sophistication later. Small, fast steps beat big, slow plans every time.

[aaron]

Make the quiz close the meeting, not the email. Two upgrades move the needle fast: book on the thank‑you page and decay lead scores if there’s no action. That’s how you turn form fills into calendars filled.

Quick refinement: Don’t wait for a “same‑day reminder.” Put the calendar on the thank‑you page and send a reminder within 2 hours if no booking. Real buyers act immediately; catch that intent while it’s hot.

Why it matters: Speed‑to‑meeting drives revenue. When you embed the calendar on the thank‑you page and use AI to reference the prospect’s own answers, booked calls typically rise 30–70% and time‑to‑first‑contact drops to minutes, not days.

Field lesson: Simple 3‑question funnels work. Adding on‑page booking plus a time‑decay rule for follow‑ups consistently boosts SQLs and reduces manual triage. Keep the logic tight; let automation do the sorting.

What you’ll need (keep it basic):

• Quiz builder (Google Forms/Typeform)
• Automation (Zapier/Make or native CRM)
• Email/CRM (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, or similar)
• Calendar tool (Calendly or equivalent)
• AI assistant to draft copy (ChatGPT or similar)

Build it step‑by‑step

1. Design the quiz (3 MCQs + contact)
   • Main challenge (Lead gen, Conversion, Retention, Other)
   • Budget band (Under $10k, $10–50k, $50–100k, $100k+)
   • Start timeframe (0–30 days, 31–90, 3–6 months, 6+ months)
   • Required fields: Name, Email. Optional: Phone (only if you can call same‑day).
2. Score & tag
   • Budget: 0/1/2/3 points; Timeframe: 0/1/2/3 points (as you outlined).
   • Tags: 5–6 = Hot, 3–4 = Warm, 0–2 = Nurture.
   • Override rule (useful): If the reply shows “decision‑maker” in a free‑text note or you recognize a strategic logo, allow a manual flip to Hot. Don’t over‑engineer; one override is enough.
3. Thank‑you page = booking page
   • Hot/Warm: embed the calendar and show two suggested times. Restate one quiz answer in one sentence to confirm fit.
   • Nurture: give a helpful resource and a soft “book when ready” link. Don’t waste their time; you’ll follow up later.
4. Automation flow (Zapier/CRM)
   • Trigger: New form response → Calculate score → Apply tag.
   • Hot path: Instant email referencing challenge, budget, timeframe + calendar link; create a same‑day call task; if no booking in 2 hours, send a short reminder.
   • Warm path: 3‑email drip over 14 days (quick tip → case study → soft CTA).
   • Nurture path: Monthly newsletter + a 60‑day check‑in.
   • Time‑decay rule: If Hot hasn’t booked in 48 hours, downgrade to Warm automatically and move into the drip.
5. Deliverability & trust
   • Keep first emails 70–100 words, mostly text, one link.
   • Authenticate your domain in your email tool (SPF/DKIM setting) to lift inboxing.
   • Use one personalization token from the quiz in the first sentence; keep it natural.
6. Test the full journey
   • Submit 3 dummy entries (Hot/Warm/Nurture). Confirm tag, email, task creation, and thank‑you page experience.
   • QA booking flow: does the calendar load fast on mobile? Are tokens populating correctly?

Robust AI prompt (copy‑paste)

Act as a senior B2B lifecycle marketer. Using these tokens: [first_name], [challenge], [budget_band], [timeframe], [calendar_link], produce: 1) Thank‑you page copy for three segments (Hot/Warm/Nurture). For Hot/Warm, include two suggested times in plain text and a single calendar CTA. 2) Email #1 for each segment (80–100 words) that references [challenge], [budget_band], and [timeframe], with a clear CTA using [calendar_link]. 3) A 2‑hour reminder email for Hot if no booking (45–60 words). 4) Subject lines: 3 options per segment. 5) Fallbacks if any token is missing. Tone: professional, friendly, concise. Output as clear sections labeled Hot, Warm, Nurture.

What to expect

• Quiz completion: 25–50% (3 MCQs, one page)
• Thank‑you page booking rate: 10–25% of completions when calendar is embedded
• Hot rate: 10–20% of completions
• Speed‑to‑first‑email: under 2 minutes
• Booked call rate from Hot email: 15–30% (improves with reminder + embedded calendar)
• Show‑up rate target: 80% with same‑day confirmation and a 24‑hour reminder

Metrics to track weekly

• Quiz conversion = completions ÷ quiz visitors
• Thank‑you bookings = calendar bookings on TY page ÷ TY page views
• Hot rate = Hot tags ÷ completions
• Speed‑to‑first‑email = average minutes from submit to auto‑reply
• Booked call rate (Hot) = bookings ÷ Hot emails sent
• No‑show rate = missed calls ÷ booked calls

Common mistakes & fast fixes

• Relying only on email to book → Fix: embed the calendar on the thank‑you page.
• Over‑scoring edge cases → Fix: use one manual override, not five rules.
• Bloated copy → Fix: 70–100 words, one link, one ask.
• Slow response → Fix: auto‑reply in under 2 minutes; call Hot leads within 24 hours.
• Stale nurture → Fix: refresh the case study and tip each quarter.

7‑day action plan

1. Day 1: Draft the 3 questions and publish the form.
2. Day 2: Implement the score → tag logic (Hot/Warm/Nurture).
3. Day 3: Build the thank‑you pages (Hot/Warm with embedded calendar; Nurture with resources).
4. Day 4: Wire automation: form → score → tag → email/task; add 48‑hour time‑decay rule.
5. Day 5: Use the AI prompt to generate emails and load sequences.
6. Day 6: Test with 3 dummy leads per segment; fix token issues and mobile load.
7. Day 7: Send traffic (email list, social). Review thank‑you booking rate, Hot rate, and speed‑to‑first‑email; adjust subject lines.

Bottom line: Keep the quiz short, score simply, book on the thank‑you page, and let AI personalize the first touch. Everything else is optimization.

Your move.

[Author]

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