The Complete Guide to Aged Leads

What Are Aged Leads and Why Do Contractors Keep Buying Them?

If you've spent any time around lead generation, you've probably heard someone say:
"Those leads are too old."

And in some industries that can be true.  The question is, does the buyer have to purchase immediately or can they put it off?  An aged lead for a heart attack patient wouldn't work because they either already died or they already got medical care from a hospital.  Most people won't postpone fixing a furnace during the winter or an air conditioner during the summer. But many homeowners will spend weeks, months, or even years researching, budgeting, arranging financing, and waiting for the right time to replace a roof, install new windows, or remodel a bathroom.

In many cases, the person making that statement has never actually tested aged leads, never tracked their results, and never compared their return on investment against fresh leads.

The truth is that aged leads have been helping contractors, insurance agents, and sales organizations generate appointments and sales for decades.

In fact, many of our customers continue purchasing aged leads month after month, year after year because the economics simply make sense.

Before discussing whether aged leads work, it is important to understand exactly what an aged lead is.

What Is an Aged Lead?

An aged lead is simply a lead that was originally generated in real time but was not sold or delivered recently.  In some cases, depending on the filters that lead buyers may choose it may not have been sent to anyone before it was sold as an aged lead.  Some buyers prefer 3 days old, aged leads while most prefer aged leads that are 30 or more days old.

For example, a homeowner visits a website and requests information about:

• Replacing their windows
• Installing a new roof
• Remodeling a bathroom
• Purchasing solar panels
• Obtaining Medicare information
• Learning about life insurance

That lead is often sold immediately to a contractor, insurance agent, or call center.

As time passes, the value assigned to that lead by the marketplace decreases. The lead may become 10 days old, 30 days old, 60 days old, or even older.

The important thing to understand is that the lead itself has changed very little.

The homeowner still owns the house.
The roof is still aging.
The windows are still drafty.
The bathroom is still outdated.
The Medicare prospect is still getting older.
The need that caused the person to request information often continues to exist long after the lead was originally generated.

My own experience with the real value of aged leads.

I owned the company and also made sales.  Very consistently I sold 15% of the leads I followed up on.  One day instead of sending one of my salespeople a batch of fresh leads, I accidently sent him a file of prospects I had previously marked as Not Interested.  Can you guess what percentage of the file he sold?  15%!  He sold the same percentage I did to the people who told me they weren't interested.

During more than 100 in-home solar consultations, every homeowner had originally responded to the company's own marketing and submitted a request for information directly through the company's website. Yet despite being generated in-house and treated as exclusive leads, I was never the first salesperson they had met with.

I hear this time and time again, salespeople with no other leads to work turn to a stack of "Dead Leads" and pull out sales.  One salesperson was top producer for the week and when the sales manager asked where he got the leads, the salesperson responded that he just worked the dead leads file that the sales manager had given up on.

Why Are Aged Leads So Much Cheaper?
This is one of the most common questions we receive.

Many people assume that a lead costing $2 must be dramatically worse than a lead costing $50.  Don't misunderstand me, a $50 lead is almost always going to be better than an aged lead costing $2, but you might be surprised how good the $2 lead can be.

Aged leads are usually cheaper for several reasons:

• They may require more follow-up.
• They may require more persistence.
• Most buyers prefer immediate gratification.
• The market places a premium on speed.
• The perceived value decreases as the lead ages.

Notice that none of those reasons mean the lead is bad.

A homeowner who requested a roofing estimate 60 days ago may still need a roof.
A homeowner who requested window replacement information 90 days ago may still have drafty windows.
A homeowner who requested a bathroom remodeling estimate six months ago may still be planning the project.

The lead may require more work, but that is very different from saying it will produce a lower ROI than a real time lead.

The Biggest Misunderstanding About Aged Leads

The single biggest misunderstanding about aged leads is the belief that homeowners make purchasing decisions immediately.
Sometimes they do.
Often they don't.
Real life gets in the way.
Homeowners postpone projects because of:

• Budget concerns
• Financing issues
• Family obligations
• Work schedules
• Vacations
• Health issues
• Contractor research
• Competing priorities

Many projects are delayed weeks, months, or even years after the initial inquiry.

This is especially true in home improvement.
​
A homeowner may know they need replacement windows today but wait six months before moving forward.
They may know the roof needs replacement but postpone the project until after tax season.
They may want a bathroom remodel but delay the project until they have saved additional money.
The underlying need often remains long after the lead was generated.

Why Many Fresh Leads Eventually Become Aged Leads

One of the realities of lead generation is that salespeople naturally chase newer opportunities.
A contractor buys 100 fresh leads.
The following week, another 100 fresh leads arrive.
Then another batch arrives.
And another.

The fresher leads get the priority as they should, but soon there are too many leads in the system for all the leads to be followed up in the most effective way possible.  The company doesn't stop buying new leads, nor should they.  But the result is there are a lot of sales that are missed.

This does not necessarily happen because the contractor is doing something wrong.
It happens because time and resources are limited, and its human nature to focus on the highest probability prospects.

The result is that many homeowners receive only minimal follow-up before being forgotten.

For the contractor willing to call, text, email, and follow up consistently, those neglected opportunities can become profitable customers.

Myth #1: Aged Leads Don't Work

If aged leads truly did not work, nobody would buy them twice.
Yet approximately 90% of our sales come from repeat customers.
Many clients begin with a small test order and return for additional leads after seeing their results.  The most common result from a test order is the client calling back after 3-4 days to buy more leads because they have already set more than enough appointments to justify reordering.

Some clients have purchased tens of thousands of leads over time.

One client purchased an initial batch of leads, reviewed the results with management, and was instructed to call back and order 50,000 more.  Unfortunately, there were only 3,700 more leads available in their market area that month, but they would have bought more if they could have.

Businesses with internal call centers tend to buy as many leads as there are available, each week, over and over.

Businesses do not continue purchasing something that loses money.

Myth #2: If They Didn't Buy Immediately, They Never Will.

This myth ignores how consumers actually behave.
Some prospects react better to a male salesperson; some react better to woman.
Some prospects simply don't feel comfortable that they understand enough after a single conversation.
Some prospects are committed to getting 3-5 quotes before making a decision.
Many people research products long before making a purchase.
Homeowners frequently collect information, compare options, delay decisions, revisit projects, and re-enter the market months later.
The fact that someone did not purchase immediately does not mean they lost interest.
In many cases, it simply means they were not ready yet.
The contractor who follows up when the homeowner becomes ready often gets the appointment.

Myth #3: One Call Is Enough.  "If they were interested, they would have called me back".

Many salespeople make a single call attempt and assume the lead is no good.
That approach ignores reality.
People miss calls.
People work.
People screen unknown numbers.
People forget to return messages.
​Mostly people assume that you will call them back.
Bottom line:  It's not their job to buy from you!

Many successful buyers of aged leads make five to ten passes through a lead file during a campaign.
Some continue contacting leads every three to six months for years.
In our experience, persistence often matters more than lead age.

Why Home Improvement Leads Often Perform So Well.

Home improvement remains one of the strongest categories for aged leads.
Unlike many consumer purchases, home improvement needs rarely disappear overnight.
A roof continues aging.
Windows continue leaking energy.
Bathrooms continue becoming outdated.
Siding continues deteriorating.
These ongoing needs create opportunities long after the original inquiry was submitted.
This is one reason contractors in roofing, windows, bathroom remodeling, solar, and related industries often achieve strong results with aged leads.

Aged Medicare leads often perform very well because the programs are constantly changing.

The Real Question

The question is not:
"How old is the lead?"
The better question is:
"What is my cost per appointment, cost per sale, and return on investment?"
A lead that costs $50 and produces one sale can be profitable.
A lead that costs $2 and produces one sale can also be profitable.
The only way to determine value is by measuring actual results.
That is why successful lead buyers focus less on lead age and more on economics.
At the end of the day, the goal is not to buy leads.
The goal is to buy profitable customers.

​Real-Time Leads vs Shared Leads vs Exclusive Leads vs Aged Leads

One of the biggest mistakes lead buyers make is assuming that all leads should be evaluated the same way.
Different lead types serve different purposes and have very different economics.

Real-Time Exclusive leads.

Real-time leads are delivered immediately after the consumer submits their request for information.
The primary advantage is speed.
The homeowner is actively thinking about the project, researching options, and potentially speaking with contractors.
The primary disadvantages are cost and commitment.

In many industries, real-time leads can cost anywhere from $20 to well over $100 per lead depending on the category and market.
The buyer is paying a premium for immediate access.

Real Time Exclusive leads usually come from an exclusive marketing campaign that has to be managed.

When the leads are that expensive, you have to drop what you are doing and react to the lead, studies show that even waiting ten minutes drops the results dramatically.  After the consumer has walked away from their laptop and shifted their attention elsewhere, much of the advantage of paying a premium for real-time delivery has already begun to diminish.​

Real Time Shared Leads.

Real Time Shared Leads are sold to multiple companies at the same moment.
The advantage is lower cost than exclusive real-time leads.
The disadvantage is obvious.
Multiple companies are often contacting the same homeowner at approximately the same time.
In some cases, the homeowner may receive several calls within minutes of submitting the request.
Many contractors find themselves competing not only on quality and reputation, but also on speed.

Exclusive Leads.

Exclusive leads are sold to a single buyer.
At least in theory.
In reality, many homeowners submit requests on multiple websites, research multiple companies, and obtain multiple estimates.
Once a consumer responds to an ad for a product or service, they are going to be seeing a lot more ads for that same product or service.  You have probably noticed that yourself after you have responded to an ad online. 

Even if the lead itself is technically exclusive, the homeowner may still speak with several contractors.
This surprises many contractors when they first realize it.
Paying for an exclusive lead does not necessarily mean you will be the only company presenting an estimate.

Aged Leads.

Aged leads represent a different strategy entirely.
Instead of paying a premium for speed, buyers pay significantly less and rely on persistence, follow-up, and volume.
The economics can be dramatically different.

A contractor spending $15,000 on 300 fresh leads may be under tremendous pressure to generate immediate results.
A contractor spending $600 on 300 aged leads has much more flexibility.
That difference matters.
Aged leads are not necessarily a replacement for fresh leads.
Many successful companies use both.
Fresh leads generate immediate opportunities.
Aged leads create additional opportunities at a much lower acquisition cost.
The right mix depends on your business model, staffing, budget, and objectives.

Why Follow-Up Matters More Than Most Contractors Realize.

Many businesses believe they have a lead problem.
Often they actually have a follow-up problem.
Consider what happens when a homeowner submits a request for information.

The request is made while they are:

• At work
• Watching television
• Taking care of children
• Preparing dinner
• Traveling
• Multitasking

The homeowner may genuinely want information but may not be prepared to make a purchasing decision immediately.
Yet many contractors attempt one or two calls and then move on.
The result is predictable.
Potential customers slip through the cracks.

What Successful Buyers Do Differently.

The companies that consistently generate results from aged leads tend to follow a process.
They do not assume every lead will answer on the first call.
They do not assume every lead will buy immediately.
Instead, they create systems.
Those systems may include:

• Multiple call attempts
• Voicemail messages
• Text messages
• Follow-up emails
• Scheduled callbacks
• Future campaign cycles

Rather than viewing an unanswered call or a Not interested as a rejection, they view it as part of the process.

Not Interested Does Not Always Mean Not Going to Buy

• NI often means:
  • not ready
  • not today
  • you caught me at a bad time
  • still getting quotes
  • waiting on financing

The Long-Term Value of a Lead.

Many businesses evaluate leads over days.
Successful lead buyers often evaluate leads over months and years.
A homeowner who says "not now" is not necessarily saying "never."
Circumstances change.
Projects move forward.
Budgets improve.
Priorities shift.
Some of the most profitable sales occur long after the original inquiry was submitted.

Typically, even after 6 months 5% of contacts result in an appointment even when they previously said they weren't interested.  

In one campaign, we contacted homeowners who had previously indicated they were not interested and had already been contacted multiple times. Despite the age of the leads and prior follow-up activity, the campaign produced the following results:​

• 7.8% contact rate
• 85-second average conversation length
• 4.17% appointment rate per live contact
• 4.39% callback rate per live contact
• 8.55% appointment + callback rate per live contact
• Only about 4% of contacts requested not to be called again

This is one reason many contractors continue contacting the same lead files every three to six months.
The value of the lead does not necessarily disappear simply because time has passed.

Common Mistakes Lead Buyers Make.

Mistake #1: Buying Too Few Leads

Many companies purchase a small quantity of leads and expect immediate conclusions.
Lead generation is a numbers business.
A sample size of 25 or 50 leads often provides very little useful information.
This is why many contractors begin with several hundred leads rather than a handful.
Larger sample sizes generally provide more reliable results.

Mistake #2: Giving Up Too Early.

Some buyers stop after one or two calling attempts.
The most common thing we hear from contractors that fail is, "I talked to 5 people and no one is interested so I stopped calling."  Five people in a row not being interested could be as simple as calling at the wrong time of the day, or even just a string of bad luck.  The law of averages will kick in when you have a larger pool of responses.
Many appointments are booked after repeated contact attempts; the more money a household has, the less likely they are to answer the call from an unknown number.  Persistence matters.
The contractor willing to make additional calls frequently books appointments that competitors miss.

Mistake #3: Using Weak Scripts.

Give the prospect something to respond to, let them know if you are running a seasonal discount, how long you have been in business, your BBB rating, anything that gives them something to say yes to.  One company tells people they give discounts in exchange for placing a sign in their yard during the repair.  I call it "Permission to Believe"; give them permission to believe it's a good idea to get a quote from your company.

Many appointment setters focus too much on the age of the lead.
The homeowner rarely cares how old the lead is.
The homeowner cares about solving a problem.
The conversation should focus on the project, not the age of the inquiry.
This is one reason professional scripts and structured appointment-setting processes can dramatically improve results.

Mistake #4: Failing to Track Results.

Every lead source should be measured.
Track:

• Contact rates
• Appointment rates
• Sales rates
• Cost per appointment
• Cost per sale
• Return on investment

Businesses that track their numbers make better decisions.
Businesses that rely on assumptions often waste money.

The human brain isn't good at doing math on the fly.  Keep track of your results in a spreadsheet of a CRM, even on a piece of paper if nothing else, but don't rely on your memory.  

Mistake #5: Confusing Cost Per Lead with Cost Per Sale.

Many buyers focus entirely on lead cost.
Lead cost is important, but it is only one piece of the equation.
The metric that matters most is cost per sale.
A lead costing $50 may be profitable.
A lead costing $2 may be profitable.
Neither number tells the whole story.
What matters is how much revenue and profit the lead ultimately generates.

Industry Examples.

Roofing Leads.

Most roofs are replaced because of age, storm damage, insurance claims, leaks, or visible deterioration.
These needs often remain long after the original inquiry.
Homeowners frequently postpone roof replacement until financing, insurance settlements, or timing issues are resolved.
It's not at all unusual for the sales process to stretch out for months or years.

Window Replacement Leads.

Buying or selling a home can create a shorter sales cycle but often drafts, energy loss, condensation, deteriorating frames, and rising utility costs motivate homeowners to replace windows and many homeowners research replacement windows long before making a final decision.
The need often remains months and years after the initial inquiry.

Bathroom Remodeling Leads.

Bathroom remodeling projects are frequently delayed by budgeting, financing, scheduling, and family considerations.
Homeowners often revisit remodeling projects multiple times before moving forward.
Homeowners often don't know exactly what they want, they just know they don't want what they have.
This creates opportunities for contractors who continue following up.

Medicare Leads.

Medicare prospects frequently require education and repeated contact before making enrollment decisions.
Many consumers gather information long before they are ready to enroll.
Follow-up often plays a significant role in success.

Medicare leads are one type of aged lead where our aged leads often outperform a fresh exclusive lead, just because many agents focus on getting cheap leads from social media, and the contact information from social media leads is often incorrect.

Life insurance Leads.

Consumers frequently research life insurance options before making a purchase.
Life changes, policy renewals, premium increases, and changing needs create opportunities over time.
A lead that does not convert immediately may still become a customer later.

One sales manager would door knock every lead, and when they didn't want to meet with him, he would come back two weeks later and try again.  Not only did he have the same success percentage the second time, no prospect ever mentioned that he had been there two weeks before.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Are aged leads worth buying?

For many businesses, yes.
The answer depends on your follow-up process, staffing, sales ability, and expectations.
Companies willing to follow up consistently achieve the strongest results.

How old should aged leads be?

There is no universal answer.
Some buyers prefer leads that are only a few days old.
Others successfully purchase leads that are several months old or older.
The best choice depends on your objectives and budget.
We can go over your options with you, based on your situation.

Are aged leads exclusive?

They may be sold exclusively as aged leads, but homeowners often research multiple companies and obtain multiple estimates regardless of lead type.  Occasionally there will be aged leads that were never sold in real time, for whatever reason.

How many times should I call a lead?

Every business develops its own process.
Many successful buyers make multiple passes through their lead files and continue following up over extended periods.
In general, we recommend a minimum of five attempts at calling them, leaving at least one voicemail message and a minimum of one text message.
As always, whether it's a live conversation or a message of some sort, give the prospect something to respond to, a special offer or your qualifications to do a good job for them.

What industries perform best with aged leads?

Home improvement categories such as roofing, windows, bathroom remodeling, solar, and related services have historically performed very well.
Medicare and other insurance can also perform strongly when proper follow-up systems are used.

Final Thoughts.

Aged leads are not magic.
They are not a shortcut.
They are not a substitute for good sales processes.

What they are is an opportunity.
An opportunity to contact consumers who have already demonstrated interest in a product or service.
An opportunity to generate appointments at a lower acquisition cost.
An opportunity to compete using persistence rather than simply spending more money.

The businesses that consistently succeed with aged leads are usually not the ones with the largest advertising budgets.
They are the ones with an adequate follow-up process.

The difference between success and failure is not the age of the lead, it is what you do with it.