Simply put, a lead is a prospective consumer who is interested in your service and has responded to a direct marketing advertisement. There are a couple of formats in which a lead may be purchased. A “data” lead provides an interested consumer’s contact information. After receiving this information, you need to initiate contact with the consumer. A “voice” lead provides a call from a “live” consumer directly to your phone.

Each lead type has a respective conversion rate. Conversion rates vary depending on the lead type, advertising/media used to generate the lead, and most importantly the processes you have in place to work the leads.

While no lead provides a gift wrapped person ready to sign on the dotted line, a lead does provide an interested consumer who has responded to a response-geared marketing piece of advertising precisely because they are “in the market” for your service.

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