What does one lead really cost? Working out cost per lead with the phone call included
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
The cost per lead in your ad account (spend ÷ forms) isn’t the real number yet: until someone talks to the person, they aren’t a customer. The real number is cost per qualified lead: (ad spend + calling costs) ÷ leads you spoke to by phone who meet your criteria. For example, 6 million so‘m of ads, 300 forms and 70 qualified leads come to about 86,000 so‘m a lead. The faster you call, and with the right questions, the lower it gets.
Two different costs per lead
Your Instagram or Google account shows “cost per lead”: ad spend ÷ forms. But a form is just a phone number. Someone tapped by mistake, someone only wanted the price, someone already chose another company. A form becomes a real lead on the phone, when you talk to the person and learn their need, budget and timing.
So track a second number: cost per qualified lead. It includes ad spend and calling costs, and you divide only by leads you spoke to who meet your criteria.
Step by step
- Take the ad spend for a period, for example a month.
- Count the forms for that period by source: website, Instagram, lead form.
- Write down how many people you actually talked to. Keep the unanswered ones separate.
- Count qualified leads by 2–3 criteria set in advance: for example, they own the flat, have a budget and want to start this month.
- Add calling costs: operators’ time or the AI operator’s talked minutes.
- Cost per qualified lead = (ads + calls) ÷ qualified leads.
Example: the same ads, two ways of calling
For example, the renovation company Uyim Ta’mir spent 6 million so‘m on Instagram ads in a month and got 300 forms. In the first case the leads were called within minutes, in the second the next day. These numbers are only an example; measure your own.
| Called at once | Called next day | |
|---|---|---|
| Forms (20,000 so‘m a lead) | 300 | 300 |
| Talked to | 210 | 120 |
| Qualified leads | 70 | 40 |
| Cost per qualified lead | 6 million ÷ 70 ≈ 86,000 so‘m | 6 million ÷ 40 = 150,000 so‘m |
The ad account shows the same 20,000 so‘m in both cases, but the real cost differs almost twofold. If an AI operator makes the immediate calls: 210 conversations × 2 minutes × 800 so‘m = 336,000 so‘m. The qualified lead then costs (6,000,000 + 336,000) ÷ 70 ≈ 90,500 so‘m.
What lowers cost per lead at the calling stage
- Calling fast: as soon as the form arrives, while the phone is still in the person’s hand.
- The same questions: ask every lead the same 2–3 questions, so qualified leads are easy to count.
- Calling back the unanswered: one more try an hour or two later. With Sado a number that doesn’t answer costs nothing.
- Tracking by source: save every answer in the CRM with its source, and switch off ads that bring no qualified leads.
- Sensible hours: don’t call at night; set the calling hours in advance.
What a qualifying call sounds like
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, this is Shohruh from Uyim Ta’mir. You left a request for renovation on Instagram, is that right?
Caller: Yes, I did yesterday.
Sado: Thank you. Is it a new building or an older flat? How many square metres?
Caller: New building, 65 square metres, bare walls.
Sado: Got it. When would you like to start?
Caller: Next month, if possible.
Sado: Fine, I’ve noted that. Could our foreman come to measure on Saturday? Morning or afternoon?
Caller: Saturday morning works.
Three questions, the type of home, the size and the timing, are enough to mark the lead as qualified. The answers go into separate fields, so you can count them by source later.
With an AI operator
With Sado’s AI outbound calls the AI operator calls each new request from your website, Instagram or lead form right away, asks your questions and books a measuring visit or a meeting. Every call’s recording, transcript, answers and cost are in the portal, and a lead or deal is created in Bitrix24. Other CRMs: calls and your CRM.
You pay only for talked minutes: 800 so‘m a minute, no monthly fee. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
What should a qualified lead cost?
There is no general figure. Work it out: cost per qualified lead ÷ the share who buy = the cost of winning one customer. It should be well below the profit from one sale.
Do I pay for forms where nobody answers?
Not with Sado: only talked minutes are paid. Calling an unanswered number again costs money only if a conversation happens.
Over what period should I calculate cost per lead?
At least a month, or one whole ad campaign. A figure from a few days can be a fluke.