How to write the reply that wins the lead
Jun 27, 2026 5 min read
A four-line structure for answering a public request for recommendations, and the four things that get replies ignored.
Short answer
The reply that wins has four parts: a direct answer to the question asked, one line of relevant proof, your availability, and a price or range. Link dumps, 'DM me', credentials-first replies and anything that ignores the actual question get skipped, because the person reading is deciding on a phone in under a minute.
Someone asks for a recommendation. Fifteen people reply. Two get a DM. The other thirteen were not worse at the job — several were probably better — they just wrote a reply that made the reader do work. The difference is almost entirely structural, which is good news, because structure is learnable and charisma is not.
Line one: answer the question
If they asked how much something costs, say roughly how much it costs. Answering demonstrates competence and separates you from every reply that treated the post as a lead-generation opportunity rather than a question.
Line two: one piece of proof
The single closest thing you have done to what they described — a job on the same street, the same platform, the same problem. One example, not a portfolio.
Line three: availability
'I could be there Thursday' or 'I have space from the 12th'. This is the first filter most posters apply and the one most repliers omit.
Line four: a number
A price or a range. It filters out people who were never going to pay and signals you are a business rather than someone hoping. It also makes the DM conversation start halfway through.
What gets ignored
A bare link. 'DM me!' with nothing else. Opening with certifications. And anything that reads as copy-pasted, which everyone can spot instantly.
Four lines, four jobs
| Line | Content | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A direct answer to what was asked | You read the post and you know the answer |
| 2 | One closest-match example | You have done this exact thing |
| 3 | Your availability | You can start when they need |
| 4 | A price or range | You are a business, not a hopeful |
What gets skipped
- A bare portfolio link with no words
- “DM me!” and nothing else
- Opening with certifications instead of the answer
- Anything that reads as copy-pasted across groups
Frequently asked questions
What should I say when someone asks for a recommendation in a group?
Answer their actual question, give one relevant example, state your availability, and give a price or range. Four short lines outperform a portfolio link nearly every time.
Should I include a price in a public reply?
A range, yes. It filters out enquiries that were never going to convert and signals confidence, which is what the poster is really assessing.
Is it better to comment or to DM?
Comment first. The thread is public, so a useful reply is seen by everyone who will need the same service later, and DMs from strangers who have not been useful publicly are usually ignored.
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