Managing Leads
Quick Reference
The Leads page is your command center for tracking every client inquiry and managing your sales pipeline. Think of it as your to-do list for potential bookings.
Quick Access:
- Navigate to Leads in the left sidebar
- Or click "+ New Lead" in the top-right to create one
Key Views:
- All Leads - Every inquiry you've ever received
- Active - Leads you're currently working with (new + quoted)
- Won - Successfully booked leads (now jobs)
- Lost - Leads that didn't convert
Lead Statuses:
- New - Just created, no quote sent yet
- Quoted - Pricing sent, waiting for client decision
- Won - Booked! Automatically converts to a job
- Lost - Didn't book (mark as lost, don't delete!)
Quick Actions:
- Click any lead to view full details
- Use filters to find specific leads (by status, job type, date)
- Sort by inquiry date to see who needs follow-up
- Add notes to track conversations and next steps
Pro Tip: Check your leads list daily to see who needs a follow-up or response!
Detailed Guide
Understanding the Leads List
When you click "Leads" in the sidebar, you'll see a list of all your client inquiries. This is where you'll spend most of your lead management time, so let's break down what you're looking at.
The List View
Each row in the leads list shows:
- Client Name - Who inquired
- Job Type - What they want (Wedding, Portrait, Event, etc.)
- Status - Where they are in the pipeline (New, Quoted, Won, Lost)
- Session Date - When they want the shoot
- Days Pending - How long since you sent a quote (helps you know who needs follow-up!)
- Created Date - When the inquiry came in
Why "Days Pending" matters: If you quoted someone 7 days ago and haven't heard back, that's your cue to send a friendly check-in email. Don't let leads go stale!
Status Filters
At the top of the leads list, you'll see status filters:
All Leads Shows everything - new inquiries, quoted leads, won bookings, and lost opportunities. This is useful when you want to review your full history or search for a specific person.
Active Your working list. This shows only "New" and "Quoted" leads - the ones you're actively trying to convert. Check this view daily!
Won All the leads you successfully booked. These have been converted to jobs, so you'll manage them in the Jobs section now. This view is mostly for reference or reporting.
Lost Leads that didn't convert. Don't think of this as a "failure" list - it's valuable data! You can analyze why leads are lost and improve your process.
The "Active" view should be your default. These are the potential bookings that need your attention right now!
Lead Detail View
Click any lead to see the full details:
Client Information
- Name, email, phone number
- Any address information you have
- Link to their full client record (if they book future sessions)
Lead Details
- Job type
- Requested session date
- Current status
- How many days since inquiry
- Notes from your conversations
Quote Information If you've sent a quote:
- Which packages you offered
- Total amount
- When you sent it
- Whether they've viewed it
- Whether they've accepted it
Activity Timeline A history of everything that's happened with this lead:
- Lead created
- Quote sent
- Quote viewed by client
- Follow-up emails
- Status changes
Actions You Can Take From the lead detail page:
- Edit lead information
- Create or view quote
- Add notes
- Change status
- Convert to job (if they booked)
- Mark as lost (if they didn't book)
Working with Lead Statuses
Understanding and using lead statuses correctly keeps your pipeline organized and helps you prioritize your time.
New Status
What it means: You've created the lead but haven't sent pricing yet.
What to do:
- Review their inquiry details - what do they need?
- Respond quickly (within 24 hours if possible)
- Ask any qualifying questions (budget, timeline, specific needs)
- Once you have enough info, create and send a quote
- Status automatically changes to "Quoted" when you send the quote
Common mistakes:
- Letting leads sit in "New" status for days without responding (they'll book someone else!)
- Sending a quote before qualifying the lead (might waste time on people who can't afford you)
Quoted Status
What it means: You've sent the client a quote with your pricing and packages. The ball is in their court.
What to do:
- Give them 2-3 days to review without bothering them
- After 3-5 days: Send a check-in email ("Any questions about the quote?")
- After 7-10 days: Another follow-up ("Quote expires soon - want to jump on a call?")
- After 14 days: Final check-in, then mark lost if no response
How long to wait: Most photographers follow up 2-3 times over 14 days before giving up.
What you'll see:
- How many days the quote has been pending
- Whether the client has viewed the quote (they clicked the link you sent)
- How many times they've viewed it (viewing multiple times = interested!)
If a client has viewed your quote 3-4 times, they're seriously considering it. This is a great time to send a personal follow-up: "I saw you checked out the quote - do you have any questions?"
Won Status
What it means: They said yes! They've accepted your quote and are ready to book.
What happens automatically:
- Lead status changes to "Won"
- A job record is created
- Contract is generated
- Payment schedule is set up
- Workflow begins
What you need to do:
- Celebrate! You booked a client!
- Follow up to get the contract signed
- Collect the deposit payment
- Start building the relationship and planning the shoot
At this point, you'll work primarily in the Jobs section, not the Leads section. The lead has served its purpose - tracking the inquiry and converting to a booking.
Lost Status
What it means: They're not booking. Maybe they went with another photographer, maybe budget didn't work, maybe they changed their mind.
When to mark a lead as lost:
- They explicitly tell you they're going with someone else
- They don't respond after multiple follow-ups (2-3 weeks)
- Your quote expires and they haven't accepted
- They're not a good fit and you decline to work with them
Why not just delete lost leads?
Great question! Here's why you should keep them:
-
They might come back - "We went with another photographer for our wedding, but we'd love you to do our newborn photos next year!"
-
They might refer friends - Just because they didn't book doesn't mean they won't recommend you to someone who does
-
Data is valuable - After 6 months, you can review lost leads and see patterns:
- "I'm losing too many leads to price objections" → Adjust packages or positioning
- "I'm losing leads because of availability" → Raise prices or book further out
- "Most lost leads ghost after viewing the quote" → Maybe quote presentation needs work
-
Conversion rate tracking - You can't measure your booking rate if you delete half the data!
What to add when marking lost: Use the notes field to capture why they didn't book:
- "Went with another photographer - price was the issue"
- "No response after 3 follow-ups"
- "Needed a date I wasn't available"
- "Budget didn't align with packages"
- "Not a good fit for my style"
Filtering and Searching Leads
As your business grows, you'll accumulate dozens or hundreds of leads. Filters help you find exactly what you need.
Filter by Status
Already covered above - use Active, New, Quoted, Won, or Lost views to narrow down the list.
Filter by Job Type
Click the job type dropdown to show only certain types:
- Show me all wedding leads (to analyze wedding conversion rates)
- Show me all portrait leads (to see if certain seasons are busier)
- Show me all commercial leads (different follow-up strategy than personal clients)
Filter by Date Range
Want to see all leads from Q4 2024? Or just leads from the past month? Use the date filter to narrow by inquiry date.
Use cases:
- Monthly review: "How many inquiries did we get in January?"
- Seasonal analysis: "Are we busier in fall or spring?"
- Marketing evaluation: "Did that Instagram ad campaign increase inquiries?"
Search by Name
If you're looking for a specific client, just type their name in the search box. Useful when:
- A past lead reaches out again ("Hey, I inquired last year about wedding photos...")
- You need to reference an old conversation
- Someone refers a friend and mentions their name
Sorting Your Leads
The sort options help you prioritize your workload:
Sort by Inquiry Date (Oldest First) See leads you've had the longest without a quote or response. These are at risk of going stale!
Sort by Inquiry Date (Newest First) See the most recent inquiries. Great for your daily check-in: "Who reached out in the last 24 hours?"
Sort by Days Pending (Longest First) For quoted leads, this shows who's been sitting on your quote the longest. Perfect for planning your follow-up emails.
Sort by Session Date Useful if you need to prioritize leads with upcoming dates. Someone who needs photos next month is more urgent than someone planning 6 months out.
Bulk Operations
Select multiple leads at once (with checkboxes) to perform bulk actions:
Bulk Status Changes
- Mark multiple leads as lost at once (after a mini session event ends)
- Update statuses after a batch of follow-ups
Bulk Notes Add the same note to multiple leads at once. For example: "Reached out via Instagram mini session promo."
Export to CSV Export your leads list to analyze in Excel or Google Sheets:
- Conversion rate by lead source
- Average time from inquiry to booking
- Lost lead reasons
Double-check your selection before applying bulk changes. You can't undo a bulk status change!
Adding Notes to Leads
The notes field is your memory for each lead. Use it to capture:
Conversation Details
- "Wants vintage, romantic vibe"
- "Budget around $1500"
- "Flexible on dates, prefers Saturdays"
- "Mentioned Pinterest board with outdoor sunset inspiration"
Follow-Up History
- "Sent follow-up email 1/15"
- "Called and left voicemail 1/18"
- "Waiting to hear back by end of month"
Referral Information
- "Referred by Sarah Thompson (2023 wedding client)"
- "Found us via Google search"
- "Saw Instagram post about mini sessions"
Decision Factors
- "Comparing 3 photographers"
- "Waiting on venue confirmation before booking"
- "Need to discuss budget with partner"
Why This Matters
When you follow up a week later, you won't remember the details. Notes help you personalize your communication:
Generic follow-up: "Just checking if you had any questions about my quote!"
Personalized follow-up: "I've been thinking about your vision for vintage, romantic portraits at sunset. I actually just shot a similar session last weekend and the light was amazing! Have you had a chance to review the quote?"
Which one would you respond to?
Daily Lead Management Routine
Here's a simple routine that takes 10-15 minutes per day:
Morning Check (5 minutes)
- Open the Leads page, Active view
- Check for any new inquiries overnight
- Respond to new leads ASAP (even just "Thanks for reaching out! I'll send you more info by this afternoon")
- Note any leads that need follow-up today
Afternoon Actions (10 minutes)
- Send quotes to any leads you gathered info from this morning
- Follow up with leads at days 3, 5, 7, 10, or 14 after quoting
- Add notes from any conversations or emails
- Mark lost any leads that haven't responded after 3 follow-ups
Weekly Review (15 minutes, once per week)
- Look at all active leads - is anyone falling through the cracks?
- Review lost leads - any patterns?
- Check conversion rate - are you booking enough of your inquiries?
- Celebrate wins - which leads converted this week?
Spending 15 minutes every day is way more effective than spending 2 hours once a week. Stay on top of leads daily!
Common Questions
Q: How long should a lead stay in "Quoted" status before I mark it lost?
A: Most photographers give it 14 days with 2-3 follow-ups. After that, if there's no response, mark it lost and move on. You can always unmark it if they reach back out later!
Q: Should I delete old leads to keep my list clean?
A: No! Even leads from years ago are valuable data. Use filters to hide them if they're cluttering your view, but don't delete them. You never know when someone will reach back out.
Q: What if a client inquires multiple times (for different sessions)?
A: Create a separate lead for each inquiry. This keeps the history clean and helps with conversion tracking. The same client can have multiple leads/jobs over the years.
Q: Can I manually change a lead status?
A: Yes! Sometimes clients book through other channels (phone call, in-person) and you need to manually mark the lead as "Won" and create the job. That's totally fine.
Q: What happens if I accidentally mark a lead as lost?
A: Just change the status back! Nothing is permanent. The lead's history is preserved, so you can always fix mistakes.
Q: Should I track cold leads (people who haven't inquired yet)?
A: No. Only create leads for people who have actually reached out or expressed interest. Cold prospects aren't leads yet - they're just potential future leads.
Integration with Other Features
Leads don't exist in isolation. Here's how they connect to the rest of ShootPath:
Quotes From a lead, you create and send a quote. When the client accepts the quote, the lead converts to a job.
Jobs When a lead is marked "Won," a job is automatically created. All future work happens in the job record.
Clients Every lead is attached to a client record. The same client can have multiple leads/jobs over time.
Calendar Session dates from leads appear on your calendar (tentative until they book).
Reports Your lead conversion rate and source analysis appears in Reports, helping you make data-driven decisions.
Email Templates Use email templates to quickly respond to new leads or send follow-ups to quoted leads.
What's Next?
Now that you know how to manage your leads day-to-day, here are some ways to level up:
Track where leads come from: Read Lead Sources to analyze which marketing channels work best
Improve your booking rate: Check out Converting Leads for strategies to close more inquiries
Automate follow-up: Learn about Lead Workflows to set up automatic reminders and email sequences
Understand the bigger picture: Go back to Leads Overview to see how lead management fits into your business strategy
Questions? Look for the help links throughout ShootPath, or reach out to support if you need a hand!