UK Lead Generation Podcast

James Dooley: So what metrics do you measure when it comes to lead generation success? Let’s say, for example, you've been working with multiple lead-generation companies, and you're trying to get to the bottom of which one is performing the best. In my opinion, the only metric you should really be looking at is return on investment—what profit do you actually make? It should be as simple as profit and loss.

The problem is a lot of people obsess over cost per lead instead of cost per conversion, and not only cost per conversion, but cost per conversion versus the profit you're making. Let’s say I have a conservatory lead and I convert it, but it’s only a £4,000 job, and I earn £1,000 profit. That’s good, but if I convert another inquiry and it becomes a £15,000 conservatory and I make £6,000 profit, that conversion is obviously worth far more.

It’s not just cost per acquisition in isolation. If you convert a lead for £400 profit but it costs you £400 to acquire it, you’re breaking even. But if it costs £400 and earns £2,000, that’s good business. So you need your KPIs in place, and you need to know your typical conversion rate—usually around 10%. If you’re buying leads at £50, and you convert at 10%, that’s £500 cost per acquisition. As long as you're making more than £500, it might be worth it. If you're only earning £600 or £700, maybe it's not. Ultimately, ROI is the metric that matters most.

Kasra Dash: Yeah, we speak to a lot of business owners who don’t understand how vanity metrics work. They look at cost per click or cost per view, but you can buy a million views tomorrow and still get zero inquiries. The real metrics to look at are ROI and cost of acquisition. Is it costing you £50, £300, or £1,000 per client? And if it's £1,000, that might still be fine if you're making a strong profit, like in conservatories, where a job might be £13,000.

James Dooley: Exactly. And another thing to consider is average transactional value and lifetime value. If you know your LTV, you might be happy to spend £20 to acquire a Twitter follower, a YouTube subscriber, or someone joining your newsletter—because maybe your average lifetime value is £200. So acquiring someone at £20 can be good business. Different metrics matter depending on the stage of the funnel, but ROI is always central.

Kasra Dash: Right. And if you understand all your metrics—LTV, average order value, CPA—you can start tracking cost per lead and even cost per click. Then you can measure how many impressions turn into clicks, clicks into subscribers, subscribers into paying customers. It’s all about knowing your numbers.

James Dooley: Exactly. And it’s shocking how many business owners don’t know their numbers. They want to do lead generation blind. But knowing your KPIs is the most important part of business success. Here's a good example: in the UK, mechanics offer MOT tests for £30–£40. They only make £1 profit on that. But they know they’ll make money on brakes, tires, and repairs. So that £1 loss leader is worth it because their average transactional value is £600.

Kasra Dash: Yes, metrics matter. And if you're comparing lead-generation companies, one thing I would recommend is going to FatRank.com and filling out the form. We offer a no-win, no-fee lead-generation service if you qualify. You don’t pay for leads—you only pay for converted jobs. So you don’t have to stress about impressions, clicks, CPL, or CPA. We handle all the metrics because we know our numbers inside out. Your only job is to convert the leads properly—respond fast, have case studies, nurture them well, and close deals.

James Dooley: Exactly. So head over to FatRank.com, fill in the form, and see if you qualify.