Ask a lead seller three things in writing before you buy: how soon anyone else gets it, what happens when the number's dead, and how many companies get it.
Swipe or tap Next · checked on 2026-10-18
Not technical? Start here. Copy this prompt into ChatGPT or Claude (the free versions work) and it walks you through the whole guide, one step at a time, in plain English. It asks before it assumes anything and checks with you before anything that costs money, reaches a real customer or deletes something. The rest of the page is the same guide, written out, if you'd rather do it yourself.
The walkthrough prompt (copy all of it) · lines 1-4 of 148. Copy all copies the whole prompt; read it in full on the page.
Hi! Please be my patient guide for this step-by-step guide from Receipts Group: "Three questions to ask a lead vendor before you buy"
The guide is here: https://receiptsgroup.com/guides/lead-vendor-questions (open it if you can; if you can't, everything you need is below).
About me: I run a small business and I'm not technical. Use plain words and short sentences.If the answer to number 3 is "it's complicated", it's shared. You're paying full price for a lead other companies are already calling.
One line: a lead (a name and a number), an appointment (a time at the house) or a live call, from which seller, for which trade and which area, at what price per piece. If you can't write that line, you're not ready to compare answers.
Email, not a phone call. The whole point is getting it in writing. Fill in the brackets, delete the appointment questions if they only sell leads, and send it. The first three are the ones from the video. The follow-ups close the loopholes, like a lead that's "exclusive" for a day and then gets sold again.
The email to the seller · lines 1-15 of 47. Copy all copies the whole file; read it in full on the page.
Subject: Before I buy: three questions about your leads
Hi [name],
Before I sign up, I need a few answers in writing.
A reply to this email is fine.
THE THREE THAT MATTER
1. How soon after me does anybody else get this
lead? Or do we all get it at the same time?
2. What happens when the number's dead, wrong or
disconnected? A credit, a replacement, a refund?
3. How many companies get this exact lead (the same
person, the same request)? If it's more than
one, what's the most?Go through the reply one question at a time and mark each one straight, dodge or not answered. Start with question 3. If the answer is "it's complicated", assume it's shared. Same if it isn't a number, or if they'll say it on the phone but won't write it down. The table under these steps shows what each kind of answer looks like.
The email tells you what they say. The contract is what you sign. Get it in the contract, not on the sales call. Anything from the call or the email that isn't in there, ask them to add before you sign. Have your lawyer read it if anything's unclear.
The contract checklist · lines 1-15 of 32. Copy all copies the whole file; read it in full on the page.
CONTRACT CHECKLIST: LEADS OR APPOINTMENTS
Seller: ____________ Date: ________
THE THREE
[ ] How long before anyone else gets it: ____
[ ] Dead or wrong number: credit / replacement
/ refund: ______________
[ ] Most companies that get each lead: ____
THE REST
[ ] Resold later? Never / after ____ days
[ ] "Exclusive" means: ________________
and lasts: ____________
[ ] My area or zip codes: ______________
[ ] Who else they sell to or set for hereStart with the smallest order they'll sell you. Call each lead the way you normally would, the day it comes in, and fill in one check per lead. On the call it's fine to ask, "Have other companies reached out about this already?" Write down what they say and don't push. Then line it up with what the seller wrote. If it doesn't match, send them the lead numbers (not the names) and ask.
The first-batch check
FIRST-BATCH CHECK
(lead numbers only: no names or phone numbers)
Lead #: ______
Came in: date ______ time ______
We called: time ______
Reached someone? Y / N
The number: works / dead / wrong person
Other companies already called? Y / N
How many they mentioned: ____
Matches what the seller wrote? Y / N
Asked for a credit? Y / N
Got it? Y / NAny straight answer is fine. You're not grading the deal, you're finding out what it is.
The federal rule (47 CFR 64.1200) requires "prior express written consent" for marketing calls to cell phones made with an autodialer or a prerecorded or artificial voice, and for prerecorded marketing calls to home phones.
It defines that as a written agreement, signed by the person called, that clearly authorizes the seller to make those calls, and includes the number they can be made to. That's why question 8 asks for the form and whether it names your company.
Plain English, not legal advice: states add their own rules, and texting has its own questions, so have your lawyer read the wording before you dial or text.
Everything here is made up: a fictional roofing company and a fictional seller.
A roofing company is thinking about buying roof-replacement leads. The office manager sends the email. The reply:
One straight answer out of four, and question 3 is a dodge. So they treat it as shared and write back: "What's the most companies that get one lead, and how soon after us? Please put both in the contract."
The seller answers: up to three companies, all at the same time, and yes, it can go in the contract. Now they know it's a shared lead, and they can decide whether it's worth it to them and how fast their reps have to call. That's the whole point: no surprises after the check clears.
Already buying from someone? Start there. It costs nothing: send them the email, then paste their reply (and the contract, if you have it) into this prompt. It quotes their words next to each question, so you can see what's actually in writing.
Before you paste: take out homeowners' names, phone numbers and addresses, and any account numbers. In Claude you can also choose whether your chats help improve its models: Settings → Privacy → Help Improve our AI models (or go straight to claude.ai/settings/data-privacy-controls).
The scoring prompt · lines 1-1 of 17. Copy all copies the whole prompt; read it in full on the page.
I run a [your trade] business and I'm thinking about buying [leads / appointments] from a seller. Below are the questions I sent and their written answers. [If you have it: their contract or terms are below that.]Good: a table with the seller's exact words in quotes, a label on each, and "assume it's shared" if question 3 has no number. Bad: it summarizes instead of quoting, or it fills in a number the seller never wrote. Search the email for each quote: if you can't find it, the AI made it up, so ask it to redo that row.
Checked 2026-10-18 on claude.com/pricing. Prices change, so check before you buy. A lawyer's review of the contract is whatever your lawyer charges.
Reply: "Can you put that in an email?" If they won't, treat every answer as no, and question 3 as shared.
Assume it's shared. Then ask for the most companies that can get one lead, as a number.
The contract is what you sign. Ask them to add it, with what exclusive means and how long it lasts, before you sign.
Ask how long, and what happens to the lead after: is it sold again? Get both in writing.
Write it on the first-batch check with the date and time. Send the seller the lead numbers (not the names) and ask how that fits their answers to questions 1 and 3.
Check every number the day it comes in, and put the credit deadline on the calendar of whoever works the leads.
Don't autodial, robocall or text those leads until your lawyer has seen it. Ask the seller again, in writing.
Search the email for its quote. Not there? Tell it: "Quote only. If they didn't answer, write NOT ANSWERED."
It isn't a lawyer, and the prompt tells it not to say that. Anything about consent or calling rules goes to your lawyer.
That's fine. Everything it needs is in the walkthrough prompt. Tell it to keep going without the link.
What each page backs up is listed at the end of the full guide.
How soon after you, what happens when the number's dead, and how many companies get it: in the contract, not on the sales call. If question 3 gets "it's complicated", it's shared, and you just bought the raffle ticket.
That's also why our floor sets each in-home appointment for one partner per market.
Want help setting this up? Receipts Group builds these systems.
Open the full guide as a page (every file in full, plus the table of contents).