Compare the full route to a signed job, including the work your team must do after an enquiry arrives.
| What to compare | Bought enquiries | Your branded campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| First impression | Depends on the supplier’s enquiry journey. | Your business is visible in the campaign. |
| Exclusivity | May be shared or exclusive. Ask. | Our campaigns generate enquiries for your business. |
| Follow-up | Check what, if anything, is included. | Your team, or our Booking Assistant package. |
| Ongoing cost | Lead charges and handling costs. | Advertising, service fees and handling costs. |
01
First, establish what you are actually buying
A lead supplier may sell an enquiry generated through a comparison site, a directory or its own campaign. Advertising under your brand means the homeowner sees your business before submitting their details.
Neither label tells you everything. Bought leads can be exclusive or shared, and campaign management can come with very different levels of support. Ask for a clear explanation rather than assuming all providers work the same way.
- Where did the homeowner enquire?
- What business or offer did they see?
- When was the enquiry submitted?
- Is it exclusive, and what exactly does exclusive mean?
02
Work out who handles the next conversation
Getting a new enquiry is only the first handover. Someone still needs to contact the homeowner, ask about the project, agree the next step and record what happened.
If your own team has enough capacity and a reliable process, standalone lead generation may be the right fit. If callers are already stretched, include the cost and responsibility of follow-up in your comparison. More enquiries will not fix an unworked list.
03
Know what remains accessible to your business
Ask who controls the advertising account, landing pages, reporting and customer records. Establish what access you receive during the relationship and what happens if it ends.
Do not assume that “your own system” means you own every account, piece of software or asset. Get the arrangements explained before you start. Campaigns under your brand can build recognition, but paid traffic still needs an ongoing budget.
04
Compare like-for-like costs
A price per enquiry may exclude the staff time needed to work it. A managed campaign may involve advertising spend, management and appointment charges. Compare the same set of costs across both options.
Use confirmed and attended appointments, signed orders and average job value alongside lead cost. Also consider the number of suitable enquiries your business can realistically work each week.
05
Choose the approach your team can make work
A business with a trained caller, organised lead records and regular reporting has different needs from an owner who is quoting all day and answering enquiries in the evening.
Our Marketing Assistant can run campaigns on its own for companies equipped to manage the leads. The combined package adds UK Booking Assistants to call, qualify and work towards provisional appointments or hot transfers. LeadCentre Pro is an optional package add-on for wider follow-up.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Five questions to put to any provider
Who sees my business?
Ask which brand the homeowner sees and what the advert or enquiry page promises.
Who else receives the enquiry?
Ask whether it is exclusive or shared, how fresh it is and how duplicates are handled.
Who makes the calls?
Agree who follows up, how records are kept and what counts as an appointment.
What do I pay in total?
Include media spend, service fees and the cost of handling enquiries.
What access do I keep?
Confirm access to accounts, reports and customer records, including what happens if the service ends.
Adapted for double glazing businesses from our guide, Buying leads, or owning the system that makes them?. Examples are explanatory, not promised results.
Put the advice to work for your business.
Explore Marketing Assistant, or tell us what you want to improve below.
Talk to our team →