Glossary
Lead generation glossary for contractors
27 terms you’ll run into when buying leads or appointments, in plain English.
- Aged lead
- An older lead, usually weeks or months old, sold at a discount because the homeowner has likely already been contacted or hired someone.
- Appointment setting
- A service where callers contact homeowners, confirm they are interested and qualified, and schedule an estimate on the contractor's calendar. Appointment setting
- BANT
- Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline: a four-part checklist used to qualify a homeowner before booking an appointment. How we qualify
- Booked appointment
- A scheduled estimate with a homeowner who has agreed to a date and time, as opposed to a raw lead the contractor still has to reach.
- Close rate
- The share of leads or appointments that become signed jobs. Exclusive leads tend to close at a higher rate than shared leads because no competitor is calling the same homeowner.
- Commission-only lead generation
- A pricing model where the lead provider earns a percentage of revenue from jobs the contractor closes, instead of charging for each lead. Pricing
- Cost per acquisition (CPA)
- Total marketing cost divided by the number of jobs closed. It shows what each new customer actually costs.
- Cost per appointment
- What a contractor pays for each booked appointment. It is usually higher than cost per lead because the qualifying and scheduling are already done.
- Cost per lead (CPL)
- Total marketing cost divided by the number of leads received, whether or not those leads turn into appointments or jobs.
- Decision-maker
- The person or people who can approve the project and sign the contract. Booking with every decision-maker present helps avoid "I need to talk to my spouse."
- Exclusive lead
- A lead sold to only one contractor. No competing company receives the same homeowner. Home improvement leads
- Home improvement lead
- A homeowner planning work on their home, such as roofing, HVAC, solar, windows, siding, plumbing or remodeling, along with their contact details and project information. Home improvement leads
- Inbound lead
- A homeowner who reaches out first, through a web form, an ad or a phone call.
- Insurance restoration
- Roofing and exterior work paid for, in whole or in part, by a homeowner's insurance claim after storm damage. Roofing leads
- Lead nurturing
- Following up by phone, text or email with homeowners who are not ready to buy yet, until they are.
- Lead replacement policy
- The rules a lead provider uses to replace or credit bad leads, such as wrong numbers, homeowners outside the service area, or renters. Pricing
- Live transfer
- A lead delivered by connecting a qualified homeowner's call straight to the contractor while the homeowner is still on the line.
- No-show rate
- The share of booked appointments where the homeowner is not there or does not answer at the scheduled time.
- Outbound calling
- Contacting homeowners first by phone, rather than waiting for them to fill in a form or call. Appointment setting
- Pay per appointment
- A pricing model where the contractor pays only for appointments booked on the calendar, not for raw leads. Pricing
- Pay per lead (PPL)
- A pricing model where the contractor pays a set price for each lead delivered, whether or not it becomes a job. Pricing
- Pre-qualified lead
- A lead checked against criteria such as homeownership, budget, timeline and decision-makers before it reaches the contractor. How we qualify
- Return on ad spend (ROAS)
- Revenue from closed jobs divided by advertising spend. A ROAS of 5 means $5 of revenue for every $1 spent.
- Service area
- The ZIP codes or radius a contractor wants leads from. Leads outside it are usually eligible for replacement. Locations
- Speed to lead
- How quickly a business contacts a new lead after it arrives. Faster contact generally means more conversations and more closed jobs.
- Storm damage lead
- A homeowner whose roof or siding was damaged by hail, wind or a hurricane, often with an insurance claim in progress. Roofing leads
Ready to see it in practice? Get a free quote or read how home improvement leads work.