A shared lead goes to several providers at once. An exclusive lead goes to one. The difference changes how much you pay, how much you win and how much of your day you spend chasing.
Shared leads
A shared lead is sold to more than one provider, often three or four. The enquirer gets calls from all of them within minutes. They are usually cheaper per lead, but you are competing on speed and price, and the customer may already have agreed with whoever called first.
Exclusive leads
An exclusive lead goes to one provider. You are not in a race, so you can take time to understand the job and quote properly. They usually cost more per lead and there are fewer of them. But if your win rate is higher, the cost per customer can be lower.
| Shared | Exclusive | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per lead | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Competition | Several providers contact the same person | None from the same supplier |
| Win rate | Typically lower | Typically higher |
| Pressure | Race to respond and undercut | Time to qualify and quote |
How to check what "exclusive" means
The word is used loosely. Ask:
- Is the lead sent to one provider only, or one provider per area?
- Is it exclusive for that service only, or for everything the enquirer asked about?
- Does the form tell the enquirer their details will be passed to several companies?
- Can I see an example of the form and the lead you would send me?
How I work
I work with one provider per service and area, so enquiries from a site go to one company. It means turning some people away, and it means the leads that arrive are not being sold to your competitor down the road. If you want the detail, read how it works.
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