Original framework
Qualified-lead decision record
Use explicit criteria and reason codes so lead quality can be reviewed consistently.
Agree the definition with operations
Marketing cannot define lead quality alone. Document the services, locations, project characteristics, timing and exclusions used by the team that accepts work. Avoid criteria that rely on protected characteristics or inappropriate personal data.
Separate the conversion ladder
Record contact intent, captured enquiry, qualified lead, appointment or proposal and won outcome as different stages. This prevents a rise in button clicks from being reported as commercial growth.
Use reason codes
A small controlled list—wrong service, outside area, spam, duplicate, existing customer, not ready, no response—makes rejected leads useful for diagnosing targeting and website problems. Allow notes in the operational system, not analytics.
Connect sources without exposing personal data
Use approved identifiers and integrations to join acquisition data to later outcomes. Do not upload names, phone numbers, email addresses or unrestricted notes to GA4. Apply access, retention and consent rules to the systems that store customer data.
Build a feedback loop
Report qualification rate by landing page, service, area and channel where data quality supports it. Review patterns with sales or operations and update pages, forms, exclusions or targeting when a repeatable mismatch appears.
State attribution limitations
Consent, cross-device behavior, long sales cycles, offline contact and incomplete staff updates can prevent a perfect link between enquiry and source. Show matched and unmatched outcomes rather than forcing certainty.
Primary sources
Platform behavior and documentation can change. These primary references were reviewed for this guide: