Meter
Leads (L)
Leads is the third C.A.L.M. meter: the number of strategy or sales conversations with ICP leads you held last month. Requests, downloads, DMs and no-shows do not count.
Held conversations only
A lead is not a form. It is a conversation that took place with someone who fits your ideal client profile. Everything before that is activity.
The target
New clients per year, divided by your win rate, divided by twelve. That is the number of held conversations you need each month. Most agencies have never calculated it.
Order
Inflow only when margin can carry it. Growth on thin margin buys a treadmill: more clients in, more clients out, more of you. See Margin per client and the Leads and Margin page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't downloads count?
Because they do not predict revenue. Held conversations with the right people do. The meter counts what predicts.
What are the two ratios next to it?
Quarterly: the acquisition ratio (contracted value signed divided by marketing cost) and the cash ratio (cash collected from new clients divided by marketing cost). High acquisition with low cash is an agency that sells well and invoices badly.