What Type of Response Leads Do You Have?

Let’s face it, every list broker out there has the “freshest” leads as they like to say. Well, what exactly do they have that is so “fresh”? There are a couple things that immediately come to mind as soon as I see or hear that term.

• how is the lead generated?
• what type of lead or data is it?
• what make’s this broker’s lead’s so “fresh”?

Well first, I will give you an example. I have a long time mortgage client of mine who has not been buying any data from me for some time now. Of course, since relationships are everything in this business, I still touch base with him periodically. Now, he used to buy about a hundred thousand records a week back in the mortgage boom, nothing special, just straight, cheap modeled mortgage lists. Just the other day he now tells me he is getting 100 internet leads for $499. I figure, ok, he’s getting some sort of co-reg generated incentivized lead aged somewhere from 14 days to 60 days. He proceeds to tell me he is getting real time, phone verified, EXCLUSIVE, internet generated leads from an un-incentivized URL.

Now, obviously, he is either lying to me or doesn’t have a clue as to what he is talking about, even though he is a good guy and a good client, I believe the latter.

How is a “Fresh” Lead Generated

First, it’s important to understand that, especially with internet generated list’s, lead’s, and data, leads can be purchased “real time”. It’s as simple as once someone hits submit in completion of a form the captured information can be delivered directly to an end user via email or posted to an ftp or some other CRM. Phone verified leads are just that. Once a consumer completes an online form and hits submit, the data is transferred to a telemarketing associate who then contacts the consumer over the phone to verify his or her information and interest in the product being offered. Once verified, the lead can be delivered to the end user offering the product.

This is where I have an issue with my mortgage client. These types of real time phone verified internet generated mortgage leads can range in cost from $20 to $35 per lead! So, obviously he doesn’t know what he is getting exactly, but hey, if the closing ratio is there then who cares right??

Leads, Lists, or Data, Which Is It?

This topic would certainly be open to debate and can certainly be viewed in different fashions. Typically, how I look at it is like this. If real time, daily, or at the most weekly ‘leads’ are being delivered, they should be in some type of format other than excel, .csv, .txt. Preferably a nice word or PDF layout. Depending on age and exclusivity, they can range in the dollars per lead, very broad I know, but that’s what it is out there now.

Lists and data I generally consider about the same thing. A list is pulled from a database to meet certain criteria to a customers request. In other words, ‘data’ is the general term I would use for an existing compilation of information. A ‘list’ would be information pulled from data for the client. Now don’t get fooled here, remember that all those ‘leads’ that were sold real time, next day, or weekly, those same leads then become data in immense databases in which lists can be queried from. A list, again, depending on age and the number of times it has previously been used, can range from pennies to a dollar or more.

Who Has the Freshest Leads?

To put it quite simply, it depends. As mentioned, the internet certainly generates a tremendous number of leads on a daily basis for every offer you can imagine. Also, there are inbound call centers taking calls from direct mail campaigns, tv ads, radio ads, you name it ads. So the bottom line here is that you need to find the proper age and cost point for your campaign when utilizing response based leads and lists.