"We can't convert any of your leads" (what clients really mean)

An agency founder I mentor was just told by a client: "We can't convert any of these leads you're sending. The quality isn't good enough."

Here's what they actually meant:

1. Expectations vs. Reality: When you hear "the leads aren't good," the problem usually isn't the leads. It's the gap between what clients thought they were buying and what you're delivering. Many agencies sell a "leads" product when clients want a "qualified appointments" product.
   
   
2. Service burden shift: If your service adds work to your client's plate (like triaging leads), they'll perceive it as a burden rather than a solution. One client pulled their ad spend, saw results plummet, then immediately reactivated – finally understanding the value they'd been getting.
   
   
3. Proof is in the data: When challenged about lead quality, one agency reviewed 171 leads they'd delivered to a client. Every single one contained a clear request for service in the client's exact specialty. The issue wasn't quality – it was follow-up and conversion capability.

I watched an agency completely transform their churn rate by simply adjusting their onboarding process to include intake training and setting proper expectations about lead qualification and follow-up requirements.

The value you deliver must match what the client believes they're buying, not just what you think you're selling.

CQ