Skip to main content

Lead Expiration and Availability Windows

Understand the 60-day lead lifecycle, 24-hour sponsor advantage, and strategic timing for maximizing your purchase opportunities

Brandon Austin avatar
Written by Brandon Austin
Updated this week

Lead Expiration and Availability Windows

Quick Answer

Referral leads remain available for purchase for exactly 60 days from when they enter the system after manual review. During this window, sponsors get exclusive access for the first 24 hours, then leads become available to all matched professionals and businesses. After 60 days, unpurchased leads automatically expire and are permanently removed from the system. Once purchased, lead information remains accessible forever in your Purchased tab, regardless of when it was bought.

Overview

The 60-day availability window ensures lead freshness, encourages timely action, and maintains system efficiency across Heritage Web's 300+ publications. Understanding these time constraints helps you prioritize purchases, manage your pipeline effectively, and avoid missing valuable opportunities. The expiration system balances client privacy needs with professional opportunity access while maintaining marketplace quality.

The 60-Day Expiration Rule

Why 60 Days?

System Benefits:

  • Maintains data freshness

  • Ensures client interest relevance

  • Prevents system overload

  • Encourages decisive action

  • Protects outdated information

Client Benefits:

  • Timely professional response

  • No indefinite data storage

  • Privacy protection

  • Fresh start option if needed

  • Reduced spam contact

Professional Benefits:

  • Current opportunities only

  • Higher conversion potential

  • Clear action timeframe

  • Reduced competition over time

  • Quality over quantity

How the Clock Starts

Day 0 Timeline:

  1. Client submits request

  2. Manual review begins (within 24 hours)

  3. Quality verification with third-party tools

  4. Lead approved and categorized

  5. 60-day countdown begins

  6. Matching engine activates

  7. Distribution to qualified professionals

Important: The 60 days starts after approval, not submission

Availability Timeline Breakdown

Days 1-7: Fresh Leads

Characteristics:

  • Highest client interest

  • Maximum urgency

  • Best conversion rates

  • Most competition

  • Premium value period

Strategy:

  • Check dashboard multiple times daily

  • Purchase immediately if good fit

  • Respond within 2 hours

  • Track new arrivals closely

Days 8-30: Prime Window

Characteristics:

  • Still strong interest

  • Good conversion potential

  • Moderate competition

  • Stable availability

  • Standard value period

Strategy:

  • Daily dashboard review

  • Evaluate carefully

  • Compare options

  • Budget-conscious purchasing

Days 31-45: Aging Leads

Characteristics:

  • Reduced client urgency

  • Lower competition

  • Possible re-submissions

  • Value opportunities

  • Requires persistence

Strategy:

  • Look for hidden gems

  • Consider lower prices

  • Focus on specialty matches

  • Prepare for longer conversion

Days 46-59: Last Chance

Characteristics:

  • Final opportunity

  • Minimal competition

  • Client may have found help

  • Deep discounts unlikely

  • Expiration imminent

Strategy:

  • Quick evaluation needed

  • Check "expiring soon" filter

  • Grab exact matches

  • Act decisively

Day 60: Expiration

What Happens:

  • Automatic system removal

  • Disappears from all dashboards

  • Cannot be recovered

  • No extensions possible

  • Permanent deletion

The 24-Hour Sponsor Window

Sponsor Exclusive Period

Hours 0-24:

  • Only sponsors can see lead

  • Full purchase ability

  • No free listing access

  • Exclusive evaluation time

  • Premium opportunity

How It Works

Hour

Sponsor Status

Free Status

Lead Visibility

0-24

Full access

No access

Sponsor exclusive

24-48

Full access

Full access

Everyone

48-1440

Full access

Full access

Everyone (60 days)

Sponsor Advantages

During Exclusive Window:

  • No competition from free listings

  • Time to evaluate thoroughly

  • Better selection available

  • Higher-value leads accessible

  • Strategic purchasing possible

Understanding Visibility Windows

For Sponsor Listings

Complete Timeline:

  • Hour 0: Lead enters system

  • Hours 0-24: Exclusive access

  • Hours 24-1440: Shared access

  • Hour 1440: Expiration (60 days)

Total Opportunity: Full 60 days

For Free Listings

Complete Timeline:

  • Hour 0: Lead enters system

  • Hours 0-24: No visibility

  • Hours 24-1440: Full access

  • Hour 1440: Expiration

Total Opportunity: 59 days

Multiple Listing Scenarios

If You Have Both:

  • Sponsor status takes precedence

  • See all leads immediately

  • 24-hour advantage applies

  • No duplicate visibility

  • Single purchase opportunity

Tracking Expiration Status

Dashboard Indicators

Visual Cues:

Days Remaining

Display Color

Status Label

50-60

Green

New

30-49

Standard

Available

15-29

Yellow

Aging

7-14

Orange

Expiring Soon

1-6

Red

Final Days

Expiration Filters

Using "Expiring Soon":

  1. Go to Leads Dashboard

  2. Select "New" tab

  3. Click filter dropdown

  4. Choose "Expiring Soon"

  5. See leads with <7 days

Custom Date Filtering:

  • Set date range

  • Find specific windows

  • Track patterns

  • Plan purchases

Expiration Notifications

Available Alerts:

  • Email digest with expiring leads

  • Dashboard banner warnings

  • Sort by expiration date

  • Countdown timers (if enabled)

Strategic Timing Considerations

Best Purchase Times

Lead Age

Pros

Cons

Best For

Days 1-3

Highest interest

Most expensive

Urgent matters

Days 4-7

Fresh + available

Still competition

Quality focus

Week 2-3

Good balance

Some may be stale

Value seekers

Week 4-6

Less competition

Lower urgency

Specialists

Week 7-8

Last chance deals

May not convert

Risk takers

Conversion Rate by Age

Statistical Patterns:

  • Days 1-7: 20-25% conversion

  • Days 8-14: 15-20% conversion

  • Days 15-30: 10-15% conversion

  • Days 31-45: 5-10% conversion

  • Days 46-60: 2-5% conversion

ROI Optimization

Early Purchase (Days 1-7):

  • Higher price paid

  • Better conversion rate

  • Faster close time

  • Higher client satisfaction

Later Purchase (Days 30+):

  • Same price (no discounts)

  • Lower conversion rate

  • Longer nurture needed

  • Requires persistence

Special Expiration Scenarios

Hidden Leads

Expiration Still Applies:

  • Hiding doesn't stop clock

  • Still expires at 60 days

  • Can unhide if time remains

  • Check hidden tab regularly

  • Act before expiration

Purchased Leads

Never Expire:

  • Permanent access once bought

  • Contact info always available

  • No time limit on use

  • Can revisit years later

  • Maintain forever

Refunded Leads

Post-Refund Status:

  • May return to pool if time remains

  • Follows original expiration

  • Could be repurchased by others

  • Original timeline unchanged

Holiday Periods

No Extensions For:

  • Weekends

  • Holidays

  • System maintenance

  • Account issues

  • Payment problems

Managing Expiration Efficiently

Daily Workflow

Morning Check:

  1. Filter by "Expiring in 7 days"

  2. Evaluate urgent purchases

  3. Hide definite non-matches

  4. Note potential purchases

Weekly Review:

  1. Check leads expiring in 14 days

  2. Compare with budget

  3. Prioritize best matches

  4. Clean up hidden leads

Bulk Management

For High-Volume Users:

  • Set up expiration alerts

  • Use spreadsheet tracking

  • Batch review sessions

  • Quick decision frameworks

  • Automated reminders

For Selective Users:

  • Focus on fresh leads

  • Ignore expiring unless perfect

  • Quality over quantity

  • Let non-matches expire

Avoiding Expiration Loss

Prevention Strategies:

  • Purchase immediately if certain

  • Don't wait for discounts (none exist)

  • Hide non-matches quickly

  • Review hidden weekly

  • Set calendar reminders

Client Resubmission After Expiration

What Happens Next

If Lead Expires Unpurchased:

  • Client not connected to professional

  • May search elsewhere

  • Could resubmit request

  • Might try different publication

  • May have found help

Resubmission Patterns

Common Scenarios:

  • Same request, 61+ days later

  • Modified request with urgency

  • Different publication submission

  • Escalated qualifying answers

  • Multiple publication attempts

System Handling:

  • Treated as new lead

  • New 60-day window

  • Fresh manual review

  • Potentially different price

  • New matching cycle

Important Expiration Notes

  • No extensions ever granted

  • Expiration is automatic and final

  • Time zone is Heritage Web server time

  • Daylight saving doesn't affect count

  • System maintenance doesn't extend

  • No bulk expiration discounts

FAQs

Q: Can I request an extension if I'm about to purchase? A: No, the 60-day window is automatic and cannot be extended for any reason. Purchase before expiration to secure the lead.

Q: Do leads ever go on sale before expiring? A: No, lead prices remain fixed throughout the 60-day window. There are no last-minute discounts or sales.

Q: What if a lead expires while I'm trying to purchase? A: Once expired, the lead cannot be purchased. The system removes it immediately at the 60-day mark.

Q: Can the client extend the expiration? A: No, clients cannot extend or renew existing leads. They must submit a new request if still seeking help.

Q: If I hide a lead, does it stop the expiration clock? A: No, hidden leads continue counting toward expiration. Hiding only removes them from your view.

Q: Can I see exactly when a lead will expire? A: Yes, the Lead Details page shows days remaining. Some views may show exact expiration date/time.

Next Steps

  • Check your dashboard for expiring leads now

  • Set up a daily review routine

  • Create decision criteria for different age ranges

  • Use filters to track expiration patterns

  • Purchase high-value matches immediately

  • Clear out hidden expired leads

  • Monitor resubmission patterns

Related Articles

  • Understanding Lead Status Types

  • The 24-Hour Sponsor Window Explained

  • Managing Your Lead Pipeline

  • When to Purchase vs. Pass

  • Hidden Leads Best Practices

  • Maximizing the Fresh Lead Window

Did this answer your question?