# More Leads or Better Leads? Decide Before You Brief an Agency Asking an agency for more leads and asking for better leads produce completely different campaigns. Most briefs do not specify which, and then both sides are disappointed. ## The trade-off is real Broadening targeting produces more enquiries at a lower cost each, with a lower proportion worth pursuing. Narrowing it produces fewer, more expensive enquiries that convert at a higher rate. Both can be correct. Which one is right depends on whether your constraint is sales capacity or enquiry volume. ## How to work out which you need ### You probably need more leads if - Your team has spare capacity and is not busy enough - You close a high proportion of the enquiries you do get - Your sales process is quick and cheap to run - You are entering a new area or service and need volume to learn from ### You probably need better leads if - Your team is spending significant time on enquiries that were never going to buy - Your close rate is low and falling as volume rises - Each enquiry costs real time to qualify, as with site visits or detailed quotes - You are getting price-shoppers when you sell on quality ## How to actually shift the dial Toward volume: broader match types, wider geography, softer calls to action, shorter forms. Toward quality: tighter keywords, negative keywords for price-led and job-seeking queries, a stated price range on the page, a longer form asking a qualifying question, and being explicit about who you are not for. Publishing a starting price is the single most effective filter most businesses refuse to use. ## The number that settles it Cost per enquiry is not the measure. Cost per *customer* is. A campaign producing enquiries at half the cost but converting at a third of the rate is worse, and it will look better in every report unless you track through to closed business. That is why we ask for your close rate and average order value before quoting. Our [PPC page](https://thedigitalmagic.com/service/ppc-services/) explains how that feeds into managing an account. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I know if I need more leads or better leads? If your team has spare capacity and closes a high proportion of enquiries, you need volume. If they are spending significant time on enquiries that were never going to buy, and your close rate falls as volume rises, you need quality. ### How do you improve lead quality? Tighter keywords, negative keywords for price-led and job-seeking queries, a stated price range on the page, a longer form asking a qualifying question, and being explicit about who you are not for. Publishing a starting price is the most effective filter most businesses refuse to use. ### Is cost per lead the right measure? No. Cost per customer is. A campaign producing enquiries at half the cost but converting at a third of the rate is worse, and it will look better in every report unless you track through to closed business.