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Quick Start: Your First Lead Purchase

Step-by-step guide to purchasing your first client lead

Brandon Austin avatar
Written by Brandon Austin
Updated this week

Quick Start: Your First Lead Purchase

Quick Answer

To purchase your first lead, you need an approved listing (profile, organization, job, or event) in the Heritage Web network of 300+ publications. After creating your account and submitting a listing for review (1-3 business days for approval), matched leads will appear in your Leads Dashboard. You can purchase leads in two ways: click "Purchase" in the email notification to use Stripe checkout, or click "Purchase for $XX" in your dashboard to access an in-app pop-up payment. Both methods instantly deliver the client's full contact information.

Getting Started: Before Your First Purchase

Step 1: Create Your Heritage Web Account

Sign up for a free account at Heritage Web. Verify your email address, log in, and complete your basic information (name and location). This gives you access to the Heritage Web dashboard, which opens to the "My Feed" page.

Step 2: Create Your First Listing

From the left sidebar, choose the type of listing you want to create:

  • Edit Profile: Your professional/personal listing (one per account)

  • Organization Listings: Business or nonprofit listings (multiple allowed)

  • Job Listings: Employment opportunities (multiple allowed)

  • Event Listings: Conferences, workshops, networking events (multiple allowed)

Complete all required fields, including specialties (up to 7), services, languages (including those spoken by your team), and other relevant details that help match you with appropriate leads.

Step 3: Submit for Approval

After completing your listing, submit it for review. You'll see a "Pending Approval" status on the relevant page. Approval times:

  • Free Listings: 2-3 business days

  • Sponsor Listings: 1 business day

Step 4: Wait for Approval

Our team manually reviews each listing, using third-party verification tools to validate information. Once approved, your listing becomes active in the matching system. You'll receive an email confirmation, and the status will update from "Pending" to "Approved" in your dashboard.

Understanding Your Lead Matching Setup

Default Settings

  • Referral Radius: Automatically set to 75 miles

  • Specialties: Based on what you selected in your listing

  • Languages: Matches clients needing languages you or your team speak

  • Publication Placement: Priority for same publication, then network-wide matching

Customization Options

To adjust your referral radius (expand, reduce, or remove the limit), email [email protected]. The team can adjust this setting to better align with your service area.

Two Ways to Purchase Your First Lead

Method 1: Purchase via Email Notification

Step 1: Receive Email Alert

When a lead matches your profile, you'll receive an email containing:

  • Lead description and requirements

  • Qualifying question responses

  • Location and practice area

  • Price for the referral

  • "Purchase Lead" button

Step 2: Click Purchase in Email

Click the "Purchase Lead" button in the email. This redirects you to Stripe's secure checkout page with an automatically generated invoice.

Step 3: Complete Stripe Payment

On the Stripe page:

  • Review the invoice details

  • Enter payment information (or use saved card)

  • Confirm the purchase

Step 4: Receive Contact Information

After successful payment:

  • Follow-up email sent immediately with full contact details

  • Lead automatically appears in your dashboard's "Purchased" tab

  • Access contact information anytime

Method 2: Purchase via Dashboard

Step 1: Access Leads Dashboard

Once your listing is approved and leads are matched, click "Leads Dashboard" in the left navigation menu. The dashboard shows all matched leads across ALL your approved listings in one place.

Step 2: Review Available Leads

The "New" tab displays available leads. Each lead card shows:

  • Practice area/category

  • Brief client description

  • Location (City, State)

  • Source publication

  • Price button (e.g., "Purchase for $95")

Step 3: Check Lead Details (Optional)

Before purchasing, you can click through to the Lead Details page to see:

  • Complete lead description

  • Qualifying question responses

  • All information except name and contact details

Step 4: Click the Purchase Button

When ready to buy, click the blue "Purchase for $XX" button. This opens a payment pop-up window.

Step 5: Complete Payment

In the pop-up:

  • Select existing payment method or add new card

  • Accepted cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover

  • Click confirm to complete purchase

Step 6: Access Contact Information

After successful payment:

  • Lead moves to "Purchased" tab

  • Lead Details page now shows full contact information

  • Confirmation email sent with all details

After Your Purchase

Immediate Access to:

  • Client's full name

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Preferred contact method

  • Best times to reach them

  • Complete request details

Critical First Steps:

  • Contact within 2 hours for best conversion rates

  • Reference their specific needs from the request

  • Follow up if no initial response

  • Check both email and dashboard for complete information

Where to Find Your Purchased Lead:

  • Dashboard: Purchased tab shows all your bought leads

  • Lead Details Page: Full information including contact details

  • Email: Confirmation with contact information

  • Both Methods: Same information regardless of purchase method

Multiple Listings & Lead Matching

If you have multiple listings (profile + organizations + jobs + events):

  • Leads matched to ANY of your listings appear in one unified dashboard

  • Each lead appears only once (no duplicates)

  • Sponsor listings get priority matching

  • You receive one notification per lead, regardless of multiple matches

  • Sponsor benefits on ANY listing apply account-wide

Important Notes

  • Leads won't appear until at least one listing is approved

  • Pending listing changes don't affect matching until approved

  • Each lead is sold exclusively to one purchaser (professional or business)

  • Sponsors see leads 24 hours before free listings

  • 7-day refund policy for quality issues

  • The default 75-mile radius can be adjusted via support

  • Both purchase methods (email and dashboard) provide identical results

  • Leads prioritize the same publication matches, then search network-wide

FAQs

Q: Why don't I see any leads in my dashboard? A: Check that at least one of your listings shows "Approved" status. New listings take 1-3 business days for approval. No leads will match until approval is complete.

Q: Can I see lead details before purchasing? A: Yes! In the dashboard, click through to the Lead Details page to view all information except the name and contact details. Email notifications also include lead descriptions and qualifying questions.

Q: What's the difference between an email and a dashboard purchase? A: Both provide the same lead at the same price. Email purchase uses Stripe's external checkout, while the dashboard uses an in-app pop-up. Both deliver contact information immediately via email and dashboard.

Q: What if I have a profile and a business listing? A: Leads matched to either listing appear in your single Leads Dashboard. If you're a sponsor on any listing, you get 24-hour priority for all matched leads.

Q: How do I change my referral radius? A: Email [email protected] with your preferred radius (in miles) or request "no limit" to receive leads regardless of distance.

Q: Do I need separate dashboards for different listing types? A: No, all leads from all your listings (profile, organization, job, event) appear in one unified Leads Dashboard.

Q: Can I use my company credit card? A: Yes! You can use any valid Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card. The name on the card doesn't need to match your account name.

Next Steps

  • Create and submit your first listing today

  • Include languages spoken by you and your team

  • Upgrade to sponsor for faster approval (1 business day)

  • Add a payment method while waiting for approval

  • Email [email protected] to adjust radius if needed

  • Set up email notifications for instant lead alerts

  • Review lead details before purchasing to ensure good fit

Related Articles

  • Creating Your Professional Profile

  • Organization Listings Guide

  • Understanding the Listing Approval Process

  • Leads Dashboard Overview

  • Setting Your Referral Radius

  • Two Ways to Purchase Leads

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