Understanding Leads in eDirectory

Introduction

Leads are a key feature of eDirectory, facilitating communication between users and businesses listed on the platform. A lead is a message that users can send to either the site manager or the listing owners (sponsors). These messages could range from inquiries about services to expressions of interest in hiring a business. In this article, we’ll discuss how leads are received by both site managers and sponsors and how to manage them effectively.

Site Managers

For site managers, leads typically come through the "Contact Us" page on the website.

When users visit this page, they fill out a form with their query and submit it. Once submitted, users receive a confirmation message indicating that their message has been sent successfully.

After a lead is generated, site managers can access it in two ways:

Activity Tab → Leads: Leads are stored here and can be viewed by navigating to the Activity section of the site.

Email Notification: Site managers also receive notifications for new leads via email.

Note: For leads to be sent via email, the email configuration needs to be properly set up on the site. This can be done in the Settings section. Be sure to configure the administrator email, which will be used to send all lead notifications.

For guidance on configuring email, follow this link: How to Configure Email Sending Configuration.

Sponsors (Listing Owners)

Sponsors or listing owners receive leads directly from their listing detail pages. Each listing features a "Send a Message" button, which users can click to send their queries.

A form will pop up, allowing users to send messages directly to the listing owner.

However, the "Send a Message" button will only appear if the listing owner has provided an email address in their listing form. If the email field is left empty, users won’t be able to contact the listing owner through the form.

Sponsors can view their leads in two ways:

Sponsor Dashboard: Sponsors can access all leads associated with their listings directly from their dashboard.

Email Notification: Sponsors also receive email notifications for new leads.

Although sponsors have direct access to their leads, site managers can also view the leads submitted to sponsors by navigating to Activity → Leads in the admin panel.

Note: Just like site managers, sponsors will only receive email notifications for new leads if their email configuration is correctly set up. To configure this, follow the link: How to Configure Email Sending Configuration.

Filtering Leads

Site managers can filter leads for specific listings by going to Content → Listings. After selecting a particular listing, options, including "Leads," will appear.

Clicking on this option allows site managers to view the leads associated with that specific listing.

Downloading Leads

It is also possible to download leads in an Excel file for easier management and analysis. To do this:

Navigate to Promote → Mailing Lists.
Select the Leads Module and download the list.
Name the file, and the system will generate it for you to download.

Extra Leads Feature

Boost your revenue by selling valuable leads to your advertisers using the Enhanced Lead Distribution Plugin. This plugin, available for purchase separately, allows premium listings to receive exclusive leads, while basic listings are restricted from access. This encourages advertisers to upgrade to higher-tier plans, boosting your overall revenue. Click here to read more.

If you already have the plugin installed on your site, please refer to this article for instructions on using the plugin: Enhanced Lead.

Conclusion

Leads play a crucial role in establishing and sustaining communication between users and businesses on your eDirectory site. By meticulously adhering to the steps outlined above, both site managers and sponsors can adeptly handle leads and fully harness the potential of their directory.