Independent research for people who buy leads. Built for practical decisions, not sales pitches.

Straight answers about the lead business

Buy leads with your eyes open.

You have a business to run. Getting leads is one part of it, and an expensive part to learn through trial and error. Here is what to understand before you run your own campaigns, hire an agency, or pay someone for your next lead.

Calculate what you can afford Find your starting point

The publication perspective

You have a business to run.

I've sat across from business owners trying to get leads coming in: insurance agents, contractors, attorneys, financial planners, and plenty of others. Different businesses, different problems. But the same crowded calendar. Getting leads mattered. So did everything else they had to get done that day.

That's the perspective behind Not a Lead Vendor. I used to work on the agency side of those conversations. Here, I explain what I learned, what buyers should ask, and where a promising offer can become an expensive lesson.

You might already have a license, a good product, and a desk ready for Monday morning. Great. Who are you going to call?

More about this publication

Publication map

Start with the question you need answered.

The library has five clear subject areas plus practical tools. New articles and calculators will live inside these sections as the publication grows.

  1. 01

    Lead Generation

    How leads are created, captured, qualified, delivered, and measured.

  2. 02

    Buying Leads

    What buyers should evaluate before choosing inventory, pricing, or terms.

  3. 03

    Leads by Industry

    Industry-specific lead markets, including insurance, home services, legal, finance, and education.

  4. 04

    Lead Vendors

    How marketplaces and vendors operate, and how to assess their claims.

  5. 05

    Lead Economics

    Cost per lead, contact rate, close rate, unit economics, and monetization.

  6. 06

    Tools & Calculators

    Free interactive tools for planning lead budgets, evaluating offers, and improving buyer operations.

Latest articles

New research and practical guides.

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Editorial approach

Useful information before the sales call.

The publication is designed to help readers understand the mechanics behind a lead offer, not repeat the offer itself.

Plain language

Industry terms are explained in practical language without unnecessary jargon.

Buyer-side questions

Coverage begins with the information a lead buyer needs to make a sound decision.

Clear disclosures

Future commercial relationships will be identified where they appear.