Straight answers on calls, leads and appointments.
Plain-language answers for businesses that buy calls and leads, and for contractors deciding how to fill their calendar.
Buying calls and leads.
How pay per call works, what makes a call billable and how to run a fair test.
What is pay per call?
Pay per call is a performance marketing model where a business pays for inbound phone calls from interested customers instead of paying for clicks or…
Read the answer→Qualified callWhat is a qualified call?
A qualified call is an inbound phone call that meets every rule the buyer agreed to pay for. Most definitions combine a minimum connected duration,…
Read the answer→Billable call durationWhat is billable call duration?
Billable call duration is the minimum length of time an inbound call must stay connected before it counts as a paid call. It is set in the campaign…
Read the answer→Live transferLive transfer vs inbound call: what is the difference?
An inbound call goes straight from the consumer to the buyer after automated routing. A live transfer is answered first by a call-center agent who…
Read the answer→Pay per leadPay per call vs pay per lead: which is better?
Neither is better in every case. Pay per call delivers a live conversation, so it usually converts faster and costs more per event. Pay per lead…
Read the answer→Call routingHow does call tracking and routing work for home service businesses?
Call tracking gives each ad, keyword or page its own phone number, so every call is tied to the source that produced it. Call routing then decides…
Read the answer→Real-time bidding (RTB)What is RTB and ping/post call buying?
In real-time bidding (RTB) for calls, the call platform asks connected buyers how much they will pay for a specific call before it connects, and…
Read the answer→TCPA consentWhat are the TCPA consent basics for lead buyers?
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) limits marketing calls and texts to consumers, especially calls made with automated dialing systems or…
Read the answer→Buyer briefHow do you buy inbound calls? A buyer checklist
Start by writing down what a call is worth paying for: the billable duration, the callers you want and don't want, your territory and hours, and how…
Read the answer→Filling the calendar.
What an appointment is worth, why speed matters and how lead types compare.
Exclusive vs shared leads: what is the difference?
An exclusive lead goes to one business only. A shared lead is sold to several competing businesses, often at the same moment, so they race each other…
Read the answer→Cost per booked appointmentHow much should a contractor pay per booked appointment?
A booked appointment is worth your average job value multiplied by your close rate. Multiply that by your gross margin to get your break-even cost…
Read the answer→Speed to leadWhat is speed to lead and why does it matter?
Speed to lead is the time between a new lead arriving and your first real attempt to reach that person. It matters because a homeowner who fills in a…
Read the answer→Key terms, defined.
One-line definitions you can share with your team.
- Pay per call
- Pay per call is a performance marketing model where a business pays for inbound phone calls from interested customers instead of paying for clicks or impressions.
- Qualified call
- A qualified call is an inbound phone call that meets every rule the buyer agreed to pay for.
- Billable call duration
- Billable call duration is the minimum length of time an inbound call must stay connected before it counts as a paid call.
- Live transfer
- An inbound call goes straight from the consumer to the buyer after automated routing.
- Pay per lead
- Neither is better in every case.
- Call routing
- Call tracking gives each ad, keyword or page its own phone number, so every call is tied to the source that produced it.
- Real-time bidding (RTB)
- In real-time bidding (RTB) for calls, the call platform asks connected buyers how much they will pay for a specific call before it connects, and routes it to the winning bid.
- Exclusive lead
- An exclusive lead goes to one business only.
- TCPA consent
- The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) limits marketing calls and texts to consumers, especially calls made with automated dialing systems or prerecorded or artificial voices, and calls to numbers on Do Not Call lists.
- Buyer brief
- Start by writing down what a call is worth paying for: the billable duration, the callers you want and don't want, your territory and hours, and how many calls you can answer.
- Cost per booked appointment
- A booked appointment is worth your average job value multiplied by your close rate.
- Speed to lead
- Speed to lead is the time between a new lead arriving and your first real attempt to reach that person.
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