Do you need more leads, or better conversion?
It's the first question to answer before you spend another dollar on ads, SEO, a new website or a lead platform. The fixes are completely different, and more leads won't fix what happens after they arrive.
In short
If you win most of what you quote but the calendar is thin, you need more leads. If enquiries come in but few become paid work, fix conversion first: response speed, qualifying, quotes and follow-up. Ten minutes with your last 90 days of numbers usually shows which.
Need more sales? Find out where they're being lost first
When work slows down, "we need more leads" is the natural reaction. Sometimes it's right. But if enquiries are already coming in and not turning into jobs, more leads just means more quotes that go quiet, and a bigger marketing bill.
You can usually tell which problem you have in about 10 minutes, using numbers you already have.
The 10-minute self-check
For the last 90 days, count:
- Enquiries: every call, form, email and message asking about work.
- Worth quoting: how many of those were the right kind of job.
- Quotes sent.
- Jobs won.
- Quotes with no answer.
Rough numbers are fine. If you can't get them at all, go straight to the last row of the table below.
What your numbers are telling you
| If you see this | You probably have | Fix this first |
|---|---|---|
| Few enquiries, and you win most of what you quote | A lead volume problem | Getting found: referrals, Google Business Profile, reviews, marketing |
| Plenty of enquiries, but few worth quoting | A lead quality problem | Where enquiries come from, and the questions you ask before quoting |
| Good enquiries, but slow replies | A response problem | A reply standard, and one person who owns new enquiries |
| Plenty of quotes, but a low win rate | A quote and follow-up problem | Quote clarity, next steps and a follow-up sequence |
| Lots of old quotes with no answer | A follow-up and tracking problem | A list of open quotes, reviewed weekly |
| You can't answer the counts | A visibility problem | Start logging every enquiry and quote this week |
Most businesses have a mix. The point is to find the one costing you the most and fix that first.
Slow replies lose sales you've already paid for
When an enquiry waits a day for a reply, the buyer often contacts someone else in the meantime. Speed matters most for urgent jobs and for leads from platforms where several businesses get the same enquiry.
- Set a reply standard, for example the same business day, and tell buyers when they'll hear back.
- Make one person responsible for new enquiries each day, so nothing waits for whoever is free.
- Send an automatic acknowledgement for forms and emails, with when you'll call and what happens next.
When you genuinely need more leads
If you win most of what you quote and the calendar is still thin, your problem is demand. That's a marketing job: getting more of the right people to find you and get in touch. That can mean referrals, a well-kept Google Business Profile, reviews, a clear website and sometimes ads.
In that case, SalesPath isn't what you need. The review looks at what happens after an enquiry lands, and I'd rather tell you that up front.
What more leads won't fix
- Slow replies: the buyer has moved on before you call back.
- Unclear quotes: the buyer can't see why you're worth it.
- No follow-up: quotes go quiet and nobody notices.
- No tracking: you can't tell which enquiries turn into work.
Fixing these costs time, not ad spend. Every one you fix means more of the leads you pay for turn into work. If quotes are where it breaks, start with the seven reasons quotes go quiet.
Four numbers, seven yes/no questions, two minutes. See what quiet quotes are costing you and what to fix first.
Get a straight answer on your numbers
I go through up to 20 of your recent enquiries and quotes, map where buyers drop off, and give you a practical 30-day fix plan.
- $1,495 inc GST, fixed fee
- 7–10 business days from kickoff
- Three-leak guarantee: if I can't find at least three clear, fixable leaks, you don't pay
Questions owners ask
How do I know if my marketing is working?
Count your enquiries by where they came from, then count how many from each source turned into paid work. A source that brings plenty of enquiries but few jobs isn't working, however busy it keeps the phone.
Should I spend more on Google Ads?
Not until you know what happens to the enquiries you already get. If quotes are going quiet, more clicks just means more quotes going quiet.
What if I don't track anything?
That's common, and fixable. Start a simple list today: every enquiry, where it came from, whether you quoted, and what happened. Four weeks of that will tell you more than any guess.
Is SalesPath a marketing agency?
No. I don't run ads, SEO or social media. I review the path from enquiry to signed work and give you a plan to convert more of what you already get.