Managing Lead Statuses
Managing Lead Statuses
After purchasing leads, tracking their progress through your sales pipeline helps you measure success and stay organized. Here's how to use lead statuses effectively.
Why Track Lead Status?
Tracking status helps you:
- 📊 Measure your conversion rate
- 📋 Know which leads need follow-up
- 🎯 Identify what's working
- 💰 Calculate your true cost per customer
- 📈 Improve your process over time
Available Statuses
New
Meaning: Just purchased, no action taken yet.
When to use: Automatically applied when you purchase a lead.
Next steps: Contact the lead as soon as possible.
Contact Attempted
Meaning: You've tried to reach the lead but haven't connected.
When to use:
- Called but no answer
- Left a voicemail
- Sent email, awaiting response
- Sent text message
Next steps: Try again at a different time or through a different channel.
Connected
Meaning: You've made contact with the lead.
When to use:
- Had a conversation (phone, video, or in-person)
- Received a response to your message
- They've engaged with you
Next steps: Discuss their needs, provide a quote, schedule a meeting.
Open Deal
Meaning: Actively discussing a potential project or sale.
When to use:
- Sent a quote or proposal
- Negotiating terms
- Awaiting their decision
- Scheduled for service
Next steps: Follow up, answer questions, close the deal.
Closed-Win 🎉
Meaning: Successfully converted to a paying customer!
When to use:
- They've accepted your quote
- Payment received
- Service completed
- Contract signed
This is your goal! Celebrate these wins.
Closed-Lost
Meaning: The opportunity didn't convert.
When to use:
- They chose a competitor
- They decided not to proceed
- No longer need the service
- Couldn't agree on terms
Next steps: Note the reason, learn from it, move on.
Unqualified
Meaning: The lead wasn't a good fit for your business.
When to use:
- Outside your service area
- Needs something you don't offer
- Budget doesn't match
- Not a real opportunity
Note: If a lead is truly invalid (wrong contact info, duplicate), consider requesting a refund instead.
How to Update Lead Status
Individual Lead
- Go to Purchased Leads
- Click on the lead
- Find the Status dropdown
- Select the new status
- Changes save automatically
Quick Update
From the Purchased Leads list:
- Find the lead
- Click the status badge
- Select new status from dropdown
Adding Notes with Status Changes
When updating status, add notes to track important details:
Examples:
| Status Change | Good Note |
|---|---|
| → Contact Attempted | "Called at 2pm, left voicemail. Will try again tomorrow." |
| → Connected | "Spoke for 10 mins. Needs kitchen renovation, budget £15k." |
| → Open Deal | "Sent quote for £8,500. Following up Friday." |
| → Closed-Win | "Accepted quote! Starting next Monday." |
| → Closed-Lost | "Went with cheaper competitor. Price was main factor." |
Tracking Your Pipeline
Pipeline View
Your Purchased Leads can be viewed as a pipeline:
| Stage | What to Monitor |
|---|---|
| New | How many leads need first contact? |
| Contact Attempted | How many need follow-up? |
| Connected | How many conversations in progress? |
| Open Deal | How many potential sales pending? |
| Closed-Win | How many conversions this month? |
Filtering by Status
- Go to Purchased Leads
- Use the Filter dropdown
- Select a specific status
- See only leads in that stage
Calculating Your Metrics
Conversion Rate
Formula: (Closed-Win ÷ Total Purchased) × 100
Example:
- Purchased: 20 leads
- Closed-Win: 5
- Conversion Rate: 5 ÷ 20 = 25%
Cost Per Customer
Formula: Total Lead Spend ÷ Closed-Win Count
Example:
- Spent: £500 on 20 leads (£25 each)
- Converted: 5 customers
- Cost Per Customer: £500 ÷ 5 = £100
Connect Rate
Formula: (Connected + Open Deal + Closed) ÷ Total Purchased × 100
How many leads actually engage with you?
Best Practices
Update Status Promptly
- Update after every interaction
- Don't let leads sit as "New" for days
- Keep your pipeline current
Be Consistent
- Use statuses the same way every time
- Don't skip stages (unless appropriate)
- Train your team on definitions
Add Meaningful Notes
- Record key details from conversations
- Note follow-up dates
- Track objections and preferences
Review Regularly
- Check your pipeline weekly
- Follow up on stale leads
- Analyze what's working
Learn from Losses
When marking Closed-Lost:
- Record why they didn't convert
- Look for patterns
- Adjust your approach or targeting
Common Patterns and Insights
Low Connect Rate?
If many leads stay at "Contact Attempted":
- Try different contact methods
- Contact faster after purchase
- Try different times of day
High Connect, Low Close?
If leads engage but don't convert:
- Review your pitch or quote
- Check your pricing competitiveness
- Improve your follow-up process
Many Unqualified?
If leads often don't fit:
- Review your lead request description
- Tighten location filters
- Add more specific requirements
Exporting Status Data
Export your leads with status for external analysis:
- Go to Purchased Leads
- Click Export
- Status is included in the export
Use this for:
- Reporting to stakeholders
- CRM integration
- Performance analysis
Next Steps
Questions?
Need help with lead management? Contact support.
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