A step-by-step walkthrough for settlement companies buying leads: filters, pricing, consent proof and returns.
Step 1: Define your buy box
Write down the states you're licensed or registered in, your minimum debt (most programs start at $7.5k–$10k unsecured), the debt types you accept and your payment-status rules. Every filter you skip is money spent on consumers you can't enroll.
Step 2: Choose exclusive or shared
Exclusive leads ($35–$95 by debt band) go to you alone. Shared leads ($15–$35) go to at most three buyers and reward teams that dial within seconds. Many buyers run both as separate campaigns.
Step 3: Set caps and hours
Cap leads and dollars per day, week and month, and set delivery hours in your time zone so leads never arrive when nobody can call them.
Step 4: Verify consent on every lead
Each lead should arrive with a TCPA consent record: timestamp, IP, page URL, exact consent language and a TrustedForm or Jornaya certificate. Store it — it's your defense if a consumer later complains.
Step 5: Track cost per enrollment, not CPL
A $95 exclusive lead that enrolls at three times the rate of a $20 shared lead is the cheaper lead. Use the ROI calculator to model your funnel before scaling.