10 questions to ask before you buy leads for your service business

Suppliers define a lead in different ways, and some count every form submission. These questions take ten minutes and will tell you most of what you need to know before you commit.

1. How do you define a lead? Ask for one sentence. See what is a qualified lead.
2. Is it exclusive? One provider, or several? One per area? See exclusive vs shared leads.
3. Where do the leads come from? Their own websites, paid ads, a purchased list, a directory? Each behaves differently.
4. Can I see the form and an example lead? You should know what the enquirer was told and what you will receive.
5. How are contact details checked? Real phone numbers and emails, or anything typed in a box?
6. What happens with a poor lead? Is there a credit, a replacement or nothing? Is the process written down?
7. What am I committing to? Minimum spend, minimum term, notice period, set-up fee, retainer?
8. How fast and how do I receive them? Email, text, a portal? Speed matters, see how to follow up an enquiry.
9. Who owns the asset? If the lead source is a website, who owns it, and what happens if we stop working together?
10. Can I speak to another provider you work with? A supplier with happy customers can usually arrange it.

Red flags

• Guaranteed rankings or guaranteed volume
• A vague definition of a lead, or one that changes
• No example of what you will receive
• Long lock-in contracts for a channel you have not tried
• Pressure to sign today
• Results that cannot be traced to a named source

How I would answer

I work with one provider per service and area, define a qualified lead in writing before starting, own the sites myself and charge per qualified lead with no retainer. I do not guarantee volume, because I can't. More on how it works and pricing.