Staring at a spreadsheet in a sun-bleached office in Marietta, I watched Vance rub his temples while scrolling through a list of 114 "leads" he'd bought over the previous month. Most were trash. One was a tenant looking for a repair his landlord wouldn't pay for. Another was a guy who just wanted a free estimate for an insurance claim he'd already spent. This wasn't a volume problem; it was a filter problem. We started digging into why his $12,426 marketing spend was yielding a dismal 6.4% conversion rate. It wasn't the sales team's fault. They were burning 19 hours a week chasing ghosts. This was the moment we realized that without a rigid lead scoring system tailored to the Georgia market, he was just subsidizing his competitors' efficiency by staying out of their way.
At a Glance
Stop prioritizing lead volume over intent to save roughly 19 hours of sales waste per month.
Implement a 1 to 10 scoring matrix based on roof age, property type, and financial readiness.
Filter Georgia leads by specific licensing requirements to ensure job profitability.
Use lead previews to verify homeowner status before committing your marketing budget.
The High Cost of Georgia Lead Volume
In the Georgia market, especially around high-density areas like Atlanta or Savannah, the temptation is to buy every lead available. We think more names on a list equals more contracts signed. But my data from Vance's campaign showed a different story. Out of those 114 leads, 82 of them had a "Lead Score" below 4. When we calculated the cost of the sales rep's time (roughly $45 per hour) plus the lead acquisition cost of $109 per head, Vance was losing $9,553 every month on people who were never going to buy.
This is a classic trap for Georgia roofers. We see a storm roll through and we want to capture every bit of "interest." But interest isn't intent. A homeowner asking "how much does a roof cost" is very different from one asking "can you come out Tuesday to look at my hail damage for a replacement?" To scale, you must stop treating these two inquiries with the same level of urgency.
The Volume Trap
Buying unverified leads often leads to "Sales Fatigue." When your best estimators spend 74% of their day talking to people who can't afford a deductible or don't own the property, their performance on high-value "Gold" leads drops significantly.
The hidden cost of chasing leads with scores below 4, including sales rep time and acquisition costs.
Defining the 'Perfect' Georgia Lead Profile
To build a scoring system, you first need to know what a 10 out of 10 looks like in the Peach State. For Vance, we looked at historical data from his successful installs over the last 3.4 years. We found that his highest profit margins came from 2,400 to 3,800 square foot residential homes with 16 to 22 year old shingles.
We assigned point values to these attributes:
- Owner-occupied (Mandatory: 5 points)
- Roof age 15+ years (3 points)
- Documented storm damage (2 points)
- Ready to start within 14 days (2 points)
If a lead didn't hit at least 7 points, it didn't go to his top closer. It went to an automated nurture sequence. This shift alone increased his closing ratio from 6.4% to 13.7% in just 58 days. He wasn't getting more leads; he was just getting the right ones. Before buying your next batch, look for exclusive roofing leads with locked previews to see what you're getting before you pay.
Up from 6.4% in just 58 days by focusing on leads scoring 7+ points.
The Lead Scoring Matrix
A successful matrix isn't just about the house; it's about the human. You need to know if they have the authority to sign. In Georgia, we deal with a lot of multi-generational homes or rental properties. If the person on the phone isn't the deed holder, your lead score drops to zero.
The best way to filter is through a 7-point verification process that weeds out the tire-kickers. This ensures the data you are scoring is actually accurate.
Action Plan
How to implement a lead scoring system in your Georgia roofing business
A systematic approach to implementing lead scoring that protects your margins and maximizes estimator efficiency by focusing on high-intent leads.
Audit Your Past 50 Wins: Identify the common denominators in age, location, and roof type.
Assign Weighted Values: Give more weight to "Intent" (ready to buy) than "Interest" (just looking).
Set a 'Minimum Entry' Score: Decide the floor (e.g., 6 points) below which a lead isn't worth a manual call.
Automate the Low Scores: Use email or SMS to nurture leads that aren't ready to buy yet.
Review Monthly: Adjust your scores based on which "High Score" leads actually converted to revenue.
Want to skip the manual work and get exclusive, verified leads instead?
Get $150 in Free CreditsWhy Georgia Regulations Matter for Lead Quality
In Georgia, the licensing landscape (Residential/Basic vs. Residential/Light Commercial) dictates what jobs you can actually take. If you are buying leads for commercial buildings but only hold a Residential/Basic license, those leads have a value of zero to your business.
According to the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA), maintaining high standards in lead intake is part of professional business management. You should also consult the Small Business Administration (SBA) for resources on how to refine your internal operations as you scale.
If your lead provider doesn't allow you to filter by job type or property size, you are paying for data you can't use. You can manage these scores and filter incoming opportunities on the go with the LeadZik mobile app, which helps you stay mobile while your competitors are stuck at their desks.
Closing the Loop: Implementation
When Vance finally implemented the matrix, his "A" team estimators stopped complaining about "bad leads." Their morale improved because they knew every time they jumped in the truck to head to a site in Alpharetta or Duluth, there was an 84.3% chance the person on the other side was a qualified buyer.
We stopped chasing the $12 leads and started focusing on the ones that actually moved the needle. It wasn't about spending more; it was about spending smarter.
Pro Tip
"Track your lead scores in your CRM and review monthly. The market shifts, and your scoring criteria should evolve with it. What worked in Q1 might need adjustment by Q3."