Two Kinds of Leads. Two Kinds of Conversations.

Before the internet handed buyers and sellers a library in their pocket, a “lead” had to come to you for answers. They’d read a leaflet, pop into the branch, ask for specs and you’d take them from curious to committed. Back then, a lead arrived pre-warmed because information was scarce.

Now information is everywhere. Yet a lot of agencies still behave like it’s the old world, blast short-term campaigns, wait for phones to ring, treat every click like a ready-to-list instruction, then get frustrated when conversions don’t match the fantasy. That’s why the marketing stops and starts.

That’s why you keep feeling like you’re standing on the edge of a cliff.

Here’s the truth that steadies the ground under your feet.. there are two kinds of leads and they require two different ways of thinking.

Marketing-Qualified Leads (MQLs) live in research mode. Think instant valuations. Guide downloads. “Register for details.” A Rightmove enquiry that never books the viewing. A buyer who signs up and then goes quiet. These people aren’t wasting your time, they’re mapping their move: checking rough value, mortgage affordability, commute, schools, streets, timing, family logistics, what “good” looks like in their price band.

This is what Google calls the messy middle—the loop of explore ↔ evaluate where people gather and compare until something (clarity, confidence, circumstance) pushes them forward. In plain terms... they’re becoming your next instruction, not being it yet.

Sales-Qualified Leads (SQLs) are asking for a valuation/market appraisal. They want your plan, your strategy, your fee. They’re more ready to be sold to because they’re ready to decide now.

When you treat an MQL like an SQL, ring within five minutes of an instant valuation and try to book a sit-down, you don’t look helpful. You look deaf. If they wanted a pitch, they’d have asked for one. If they asked for a number online, they asked for permission to keep researching with you.

So separate the worlds.

For MQLs, you’re a guide, not a closer. Send something that reduces uncertainty and invites the next small step, no pressure.

“Here’s what your band typically achieves on [your street] and three ways timing changes outcomes.”

“Thinking six months out? Here’s how to prepare without wasting money.”

“Buying before selling vs. selling then buying: what actually changes in this area.”

Follow with a light-touch check-in: “Was that useful? Anything else you’re weighing up?”

Give them space to circle. You’re winning consideration. When they exit the messy middle, they’ll already know your voice.

For SQLs, earn the instruction with clarity, proof, plan.

Clarity: the route from photos to offer in one page.

Proof: time-to-offer on similar stock, chain saves, negotiation method that actually moves price.

Plan: the cadence you run (launch windows, viewer screening, weekly vendor calls).

Here you move quickly, set next steps, and hold your number with quiet authority.

The internal work is where most agencies drift. Fix it at the system level:

Discuss the two paths in your CRM. MQL = research. SQL = pitch. Make it visible. Everyone should know which lane a lead is in before they touch it.

Change your first reply based on the lane.

MQL: helpful pack + one question that invites context (“Rough timing you’re thinking about?”).

SQL: “Thanks for the invite. Here’s how we’ll approach your sale. I’ll bring this one-pager to walk you through it.”

Write two email sequences you’re proud of.

MQL: four short notes over 30 days (pricing reality, timing levers, buyer behaviour, prep checklist). Human, local, no fluff.

SQL: confirmation → pre-appraisal questions → proof reel → day-after recap with fee and expiry. No chasing tone, just presence.

Stop grading success on two-month windows. Marketing is not a slot machine; it’s the seat at the table when the decision is made. If your pipeline view can’t show how many MQLs are moving towards SQL each week, you’ll keep starving long-term work to feed short-term panic.

Reframe the “time waster.” That portal enquirer who didn’t view? They're an “MQL: research.” Send a follow-up that helps them refine their search (streets that fit, trade-offs to expect). People remember who helped them think, not who tried to hustle them into a slot they weren’t ready for.

Build proof into both lanes. MQLs need evidence that you are a safe pair of hands in their future. SQLs need evidence that your plan will work now. Different stories. Same standard.

And here’s the line that changes how your team shows up: a bigger top-end of qualified marketing leads produces a steadier stream of sales leads, if you treat them like learners, not laggards. The better your nurture, the less you’ll have to “convince” later. By the time they ask you in, you’re not a stranger—you’re the person who’s been useful for months.

So, next time an instant valuation lands, don’t sprint to the pitch. Send something that makes them smarter. Ask one question that helps you understand their timing. Let them keep circling with you. Then, when the subject line changes to “Can you come round?”, step into the other lane and lead like you mean it.

Stand straight. Speak truth. And stop trying to close people who are still learning. That’s not kindness. It’s competence.