Leads or conversion

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.

By Chris EdmundUpdated 5 November 20264 min read

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:

  1. Enquiries: every call, form, email and message asking about work.
  2. Worth quoting: how many of those were the right kind of job.
  3. Quotes sent.
  4. Jobs won.
  5. 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 thisYou probably haveFix this first
Few enquiries, and you win most of what you quoteA lead volume problemGetting found: referrals, Google Business Profile, reviews, marketing
Plenty of enquiries, but few worth quotingA lead quality problemWhere enquiries come from, and the questions you ask before quoting
Good enquiries, but slow repliesA response problemA reply standard, and one person who owns new enquiries
Plenty of quotes, but a low win rateA quote and follow-up problemQuote clarity, next steps and a follow-up sequence
Lots of old quotes with no answerA follow-up and tracking problemA list of open quotes, reviewed weekly
You can't answer the countsA visibility problemStart 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.

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

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.

Free tool Quote Leak Check

Four numbers, seven yes/no questions, two minutes. See what quiet quotes are costing you and what to fix first.

Run the check
Sales Conversion Review

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.

Written by Chris Edmund, founder of SalesPath. About 20 years in commercial roles, including executive recruitment, running an electrical labour-hire business, manufacturing operations and B2B commercial strategy. More about Chris or connect on LinkedIn.