Module 04 — Lead capture that doesn't leak
Every door, one place
You'll list every way an inquiry can reach you, route each one into a single lead log, and set a twice-daily sweep so nothing waits unseen.
The problem
Inquiries come through six or seven doors: the website form, email, calls, texts, social messages, the chat on your site, a referral at the counter. Each door is watched by a different person — or by nobody. The worst leak isn't a slow reply. It's the inquiry nobody ever saw.
Why it matters
You can't answer, qualify or follow up on an inquiry you don't know exists. Everything in the rest of this course — first replies, pipeline, follow-up, weekly numbers — starts from one complete list.
1 The method: list, route, sweep
- List every doorEvery way a stranger can contact you, and who watches it today.
- Route to one logOne row per inquiry, whatever door it came through.
- Sweep dailyTwice a day, one person checks every door against the log.
2 Step by step
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Take an inventory of every door
Think like a stranger who wants to buy: website form, main email, personal emails, business phone, mobile, voicemail, texts, WhatsApp, social media messages, website chat, marketplace listings, walk-ins and referrals. Write down each one and who sees it today.
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Close or forward the doors nobody watches
An old email address, a page nobody opens: forward it, or set an auto-reply that points to a door you do watch. A door that's open but unwatched is worse than no door at all.
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Choose one lead log
A shared spreadsheet is enough to start: one row per inquiry, with the columns in the template. If you already use booking or sales software that captures every door, that's your log — don't add a second one.
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Route every door into it
Many form tools can add a row to a sheet automatically. Email can be forwarded to a shared inbox with a rule. For calls, texts and messages, whoever answers adds the row — it takes 20 seconds. The rule: no reply without a row.
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Sweep twice a day
At fixed times — say 9:00 and 2:00 — one person checks every door against the log. Anything missing gets a row and an owner on the spot.
Example · illustrative
Seven doors, two unwatched
The cleaning company listed seven doors: the website form, email, the business phone, texts, Instagram messages, an old email address from a previous website, and referrals from customers. Nobody watched Instagram or the old address. Between them: four unanswered inquiries from the past month.
The fix took an afternoon: the old address now forwards to the main inbox, Instagram is part of the 9:00 and 2:00 sweep, and every call or text gets a row before it gets a reply.
Your exercise · about 30 minutes
Put every door into one log
DOOR | WHO SEES IT TODAY | ACTION (keep / forward / close) | HOW IT GETS INTO THE LOG
Website form | | |
Email | | |
Phone & voicemail | | |
Texts | | |
Social media messages | | |
Website chat | | |
Referrals & walk-ins | | |
[other] | | |
LEAD LOG — one row per inquiry Date & time | Name | Door | What they want | Owner | First reply sent at | Lane (hot / warm / not a fit) | Next step | Next step date
Every inquiry gets a row and an owner before it gets an answer.
Your next action
At your next sweep, check every door against the log and count how many inquiries you find that weren't in it.
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