What Is a Good Step-by-Step Process for Handling New Leads?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 18, 2026

The short answer

A lead handling procedure is the same seven steps for every inquiry, no matter where it comes from. Capture the lead in one system, check the basics, assign an owner, respond in the approved way, decide if it’s a fit, move it to an estimate, appointment, referral, or polite no, and record what happened and what’s next. This page is the written procedure. The detailed rules live in Part 16.

Why it matters

Leads slip through when nobody owns them. A landscaper gets a text on Friday night, a web form on Saturday, and a missed call from Google Maps on Sunday. By Monday two of those people have hired someone else. A written procedure means every lead gets the same care, even when the owner is on a job site.

22.3.1 Receive

What it means: capture every lead in one approved system.

How to do it: route phone, text, web form, email, and chat leads into your customer relationship management (CRM) system or one shared lead list (see 16.1 Lead Intake). Log each lead the same day it arrives. Google ended Business Profile chat in July 2024, so if you added a WhatsApp or text link to your profile, make sure those messages land in the same place (see 14.9.6 Calls and Messaging).

Common mistake: leads living in personal phones and inboxes where no one else can see them.

22.3.2 Check

What it means: review source, consent, location, service, timing, and urgency.

How to do it: note where the lead came from (see 15.8 Lead-Source Tracking), whether they agreed to texts or calls (see 12.6 Communication Consent Records), whether they’re in your service area, what they need, when, and whether it’s urgent, like a burst pipe.

Common mistake: skipping consent. Replying to a question is different from adding someone to marketing texts. Check the rules in 12.6 before you do that.

22.3.3 Assign

What it means: one person owns each lead until it’s closed.

How to do it: assign by rule, such as service type, area, or rotation, and put the owner’s name on the record (see 16.2.1 Lead Response Ownership).

Common mistake: “whoever sees it first,” which often means no one.

22.3.4 Respond

What it means: reply using the approved method and wording.

How to do it: reply by the channel the person used unless they ask otherwise. Use short approved templates you can personalize. Set a target response time and track it (see 16.2.2 Lead Response Time). If you miss a call, follow 16.2.4 Missed-Call Process.

Common mistake: a template so stiff it sounds like a robot, or promising a price before you know the job.

22.3.5 Qualify

What it means: decide whether the lead fits your business.

How to do it: ask the questions from 16.3 Lead Qualification: service, location, timing, budget range, and decision maker. Record the answers.

Common mistake: spending an hour on a lead outside your area because you didn’t ask where they are.

22.3.6 Advance

What it means: move the lead to the right next step.

How to do it: choose one: create an estimate (see 22.4 Sales and Estimate Procedure), book an appointment, refer them to someone better suited, or decline politely. Referring a poor fit to a trusted partner builds goodwill (see 14.7.1 Referral Partners).

Common mistake: leaving leads in limbo with no next step at all.

22.3.7 Record

What it means: write down the outcome and the next action.

How to do it: update the lead’s stage in your CRM, add a note on what was said, and set a dated next action or close it with a reason (see 16.7 Follow-Up Procedures).

Common mistake: closing leads with no reason, so you never learn why people didn’t buy.

When to get help from a pro

An attorney can help if you plan to send marketing texts or make marketing calls, since consent rules are strict and state rules vary. A CRM consultant can help set up routing and templates. Questions to ask:

What consent do I need before I text or call a lead with marketing messages?
How do I record consent so I can prove it later?
Can my CRM assign leads and alert the owner automatically?

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short note. For example, how often calls from Google go unanswered for the businesses you see, or the simple routine SiteSmarty uses so no lead is missed.] If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty handles Google Business Profile management, including how calls and links on your profile reach you.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: where SiteSmarty leads land, who owns them, and my response templates]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: a lead record with source, owner, and next action]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

What should happen when a new lead comes in? Log it in one system, check the basics, assign an owner, respond, qualify, move it forward, and record the result.

Who should respond to leads? One named person per lead, assigned by a clear rule.

How should I handle calls from my Google Business Profile? Treat them like any other lead. Log them in the same system and respond on the same schedule.

What do I do with leads I can’t serve? Decline politely or refer them to someone who can help, and record the reason.

Audit check

Outline line	Question	Pass looks like	Fail looks like	Evidence to collect
22.3.1 Receive	Do all leads land in one approved system?	Every channel logged same day	Leads in personal phones	CRM lead list
22.3.2 Check	Are source, consent, area, service, timing, and urgency recorded?	All fields filled	Missing consent or source	CRM record
22.3.3 Assign	Does each lead have one owner?	Named owner	No owner	CRM record
22.3.4 Respond	Are replies sent the approved way within the target time?	On time, approved template	Late or off-script	Response time report
22.3.5 Qualify	Are qualification answers recorded?	Answers logged	Not asked	CRM record
22.3.6 Advance	Does each lead have a next step?	Estimate, booking, referral, or decline	Stuck in limbo	Pipeline report
22.3.7 Record	Are outcomes and next actions recorded?	Dated next action or close reason	Closed with no reason	CRM notes

Where this fits

Do this first: 22.1 Writing Standard Operating Procedures, 16.1 Lead Intake, 16.3 Lead Qualification

Do this next: 22.4 Sales and Estimate Procedure

Sources

Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google" (checked October 18, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.