Why Exclusive Leads Outperform Shared Leads Every Time

If you've ever bought leads from HomeAdvisor, Angi, or Thumbtack, you know the frustration. You pay good money for a lead, call the homeowner within minutes, and discover they've already spoken to three other contractors. By the time you get through, they're either annoyed by all the calls or have already made a decision.

This is the reality of shared leads—and it's costing you money.

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The Math Behind Shared Leads

Let's break down the numbers. When a lead is sold to 4 contractors:

Factor	Impact
Your odds of winning	Drop to 25% (at best)
Speed requirement	First caller often wins
Price pressure	Becomes the main differentiator
Customer experience	Homeowners feel bombarded

The Hidden Cost: Beyond the lead fee, you're paying with your time. Every hour spent chasing shared leads that go nowhere is an hour you could spend on profitable work.

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The Exclusive Lead Advantage

With exclusive leads, the dynamic completely changes:

1. You're the Only Contractor Calling

No competition means no race to the bottom. You can focus on building value instead of beating the clock.

2. You Can Take Your Time

Build rapport, understand their needs deeply, and present thoughtful solutions. Rushed sales calls rarely close.

3. Price Becomes Secondary

When you're not competing against 3 other quotes, homeowners evaluate you on quality and trust—not just price.

4. Higher Close Rates

Exclusive leads typically convert at 30-50% compared to 10-15% for shared leads.

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Real Numbers From Our Partners

Case Study: Our hardscaping partners report average close rates of 35-45% on exclusive leads, compared to the industry average of 12% on shared leads. That's a 3x improvement that directly impacts your bottom line.

The ROI Comparison

Metric	Shared Leads	Exclusive Leads
Cost per lead	$25-50	$75-150
Close rate	10-15%	35-45%
Cost per customer	$250-500	$200-400
Time per lead	2-3 hours	1 hour

The winner is clear when you factor in your time.

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Key Takeaways

• Exclusive leads eliminate competition and price wars
• Higher close rates mean lower cost per acquired customer
• Your time is worth money—stop wasting it on shared leads
• Quality over quantity wins every time

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The Bottom Line

When you factor in the time wasted on shared leads that go nowhere, exclusive leads aren't just better—they're more cost-effective. You might pay more per lead, but your cost per acquired customer drops significantly.

Ready to stop competing and start closing? Check your lead availability today.