Let an AI agent answer and qualify new Yelp leads for you: write the questions it asks, how it should talk and when it must hand the lead to you: AI agent prompt
On Oct 22, 2026 Yelp rolled out a batch of AI features. For consumers, a voice agent called Check for Me calls restaurants to ask about wait times and texts back the answer. For businesses, Yelp launched Smart Lead Reply, a paid product at $30 a month that engages with customers and qualifies leads, where owners can specify how the agent should handle conversations. Service businesses like plumbers, movers, cleaners and contractors often lose Yelp leads simply by replying late. The prompt below writes the instructions you would give Smart Lead Reply or any lead-reply agent, so it asks the right questions, sounds like you and passes good leads on fast.
The prompt
Help me write instructions for an AI agent that replies to new leads for my business on [Yelp / Google / my website form]. Business: [type, e.g. plumbing / moving / house cleaning], service area: [cities or postcodes], services and starting prices I'm happy to share: [list], things we don't do: [list]. My tone: [e.g. friendly and straight to the point]. 1) Write a first reply that goes out within minutes: thank them, confirm what they asked for and ask the first qualifying question. 2) List the 4-6 questions it should ask to qualify the lead (job details, location, timing, budget, photos) in a natural order, one or two at a time. 3) Write the rules: never promise a final price, date or arrival time; never ask for payment details; say plainly when a request is outside our area or services. 4) Define a good lead and exactly when to hand it to me, with a 3-line summary (name, job, location, timing, budget, best contact time). 5) Write a polite follow-up for leads who go quiet after [24] hours, and a closing message for leads we can't help. 6) Give me 3 sample conversations so I can check it sounds like me before I turn it on.
How to use it
- Copy the prompt above.
- Replace every [bracket] with your own details (or fill in the blanks on AgentPlaybook Real Estate, which remembers your answers for the next prompt).
- Paste it into Yelp Smart Lead Reply, Yelp for Business and review the answer before you use it.
Works with: Yelp Smart Lead Reply, Yelp for Business
Real-world example: tech.yahoo.com/ai/articles/yelps-ai-agent-calls-restaurants-194100034.
Featured in: Free AI agent prompts for small business (beginner-friendly) · ChatGPT prompts for business email, replies and follow-ups
Before you use it: what to check
Check yourself
- Check every figure, price and total against your own records before anything is sent, posted or booked. A person approves refunds, discounts, payments and price changes.
- Remove names, contact details, account numbers and other personal data the task doesn't need before you paste, and check your AI tool's data and training settings.
- Read and edit the draft before it reaches a customer or goes public. If you later automate this prompt, start with "draft and notify me", not "send automatically".
- Check names, dates, numbers and any claim against your own source material before you use the answer. AI can misread or invent details.
Using an AI agent? Download this prompt as a SKILL.md agent skill with these checks built in, or get the .zip for Claude.ai. How to install skills.
Want to make this prompt even better? Grade it with the free prompt grader or build your own with the AI prompt generator.
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