Enhanced Lead

Introduction

In the dynamic environment of online business directories, efficient and equitable communication between potential customers and listed businesses is crucial for success. However, managing these interactions effectively, especially across various listing tiers and numerous inquiries, can present a significant challenge for site managers. This is where the Enhanced Lead plugin steps in, providing a robust and streamlined solution designed to optimize lead management and ensure fair distribution for site administrators.

Understanding Leads in a Business Directory:

Before we delve into the functionalities of the Enhanced Lead plugin, it's important to define what constitutes a "lead" within the context of a business directory website. Leads, in this context, refer to the direct messages or inquiries initiated by end-users of the site and sent to the owners of specific business listings. These interactions typically occur when a user clicks on a prominent "Send a message" or similar call-to-action button found on the business's dedicated listing detail page.

These messages represent valuable opportunities for listed businesses to connect with interested potential customers, answer their questions, and ultimately convert these initial inquiries into sales, bookings, or other desired outcomes.

Introducing the Enhanced Lead Plugin:

The Enhanced Lead plugin significantly upgrades the lead management capabilities of business directory websites by introducing a powerful feature: the ability for site managers to define a maximum number of leads that each listing can receive within a specified timeframe or overall, based on its designated membership level. This crucial functionality ensures a fairer and more equitable distribution of valuable leads across all listings within the directory. Furthermore, it empowers administrators with the flexibility to customize these lead quotas according to the different membership tiers offered, allowing for tiered benefits and incentivizing upgrades.

How It Works in the Site Manager Area:

1. Defining Lead Quotas for Listing Levels: Site managers gain granular control over lead allocation through the plugin's intuitive settings. To define the maximum number of leads a listing can receive for each membership level, navigate to the "Settings" section in your administrative panel and then click on "Products & Plans" and proceed to click on "Manage Products". Within the configuration options for each level, you will find a field where you can specify the desired quantity of leads. After entering the appropriate values for each level, click "Save Changes" to apply these lead quotas across your directory. This functionality provides administrators with the precision needed to tailor lead distribution to the specific needs and benefits associated with each membership tier.

2. Setting Individual Lead Quotas: In addition to level-based quotas, site managers also have the flexibility to set unique lead quotas for individual, specific listings. To utilize this feature, navigate to "Content" → "Listings" in your admin panel, select the specific listing you wish to modify, and click the "Edit" button. Within the listing's editing interface, you will find a field labeled "Total allowed Leads" or similar. Here, you can manually input the intended total number of leads that this particular listing should be allowed to receive. If this field is left blank or no specific quota is set for an individual listing, the standard lead allocation configured for its respective membership level (as defined in step 1) will be automatically applied.

How It Works for Listing Owners:

3. Dedicated Lead Management: For business owners managing their listings, the Enhanced Lead plugin provides a dedicated and user-friendly date filter within their dashboard for managing received leads. This feature ensures that listing owners can effectively track, organize, and promptly respond to inquiries within their allocated lead quota. By streamlining the lead management process, the plugin enhances the overall user experience for listing owners and promotes timely and efficient communication between businesses and potential customers. Upon logging into the site, listing owners will find a clear section within their dashboard displaying the leads they have received, allowing them to easily view, manage, and reply to these valuable inquiries.

4. Lead Quota Notification: To keep listing owners informed about their lead usage, the plugin displays a clear notification when the number of leads received by a listing approaches or reaches its defined limit. This proactive notification prompts the listing owner with an option to unlock additional leads if they wish to continue receiving inquiries beyond their current quota.

Upon clicking the option to unlock more leads, the listing owner will typically see a confirmation message such as, "Your request has been sent successfully. Our team will get in touch soon." This action simultaneously triggers an automated email notification to the site manager.

5. Site Manager Email Notification: When a listing owner requests to unlock additional leads, the site manager receives an immediate email notification. This email contains essential information, including the client's email address, the title of the listing that has reached its lead limit, and the current total number of leads the listing has access to. For example, the email might indicate that the listing currently has access to one lead but has two more pending inquiries, totaling three potential leads the owner is currently unable to view.

6. Site Manager Action: As the site manager, you have two primary options when you receive a notification requesting an increase in a listing's lead quota:
   • Increase Lead Quota (Complimentary): You can choose to increase the lead quota for the client's listing at no additional charge. To do this, simply follow the steps outlined in this article for setting individual lead quotas (step 2) or adjusting the level-based quota (step 1).
   • Charge for Lead Upgrade: Alternatively, you have the option to charge the listing owner for upgrading their lead quota. To implement this, you will need to define a specific price for additional leads or a lead quota upgrade and then send a customized invoice to the customer through the payment gateway integrated into your eDirectory site. While eDirectory does not directly support automated charging for lead upgrades, once payment is received and confirmed through your chosen payment gateway, you can manually upgrade the lead quota for the user accordingly by following the steps mentioned above.

Conclusion

The Enhanced Lead plugin represents a significant advancement in lead management for business directory websites, offering a robust set of features designed to streamline communication and enhance user satisfaction for both site managers and listing owners. With its intuitive functionalities and flexible configuration options, the plugin empowers administrators to effectively manage lead allocation, ensuring fairness and providing tiered benefits. Simultaneously, it equips listing owners with the necessary tools to efficiently track and engage with potential customers, fostering seamless communication and ultimately driving business growth within your directory platform.