Measuring it

Lead

An enquiry with a name and a way to reply.

UPDATED 3 SEPTEMBER 2026

What is Lead?

A lead is an enquiry from a potential customer that includes enough to follow up: a name and a phone number or email, and usually what they want. A click, a page view or a visitor is not a lead. Confusing the two is how dashboards flatter themselves.

What it means for a small service business

Agencies love to report "leads" that are clicks on a phone number. Insist on the definition that matches your inbox. A Sydex performance page counts submitted enquiries and reconciles them with the job book.

Does your business need to do anything about Lead?

Define it once, in writing, and hold every report to it.

See also

Act on it

The tools and guides that deal with Lead on this website, then the free review if you want it looked at properly.

How to track where your jobs come from →Get your free review