Renting demand, or owning it
Buying leads gets you volume in days, shared with three to five competitors, at a cost that rises as more businesses buy the same leads. Owning your lead flow takes weeks to months, is exclusive, and falls in cost per job as the asset compounds. The right answer for most businesses is not one or the other — it is running both and shifting the weight over time.
By Jayden Forshee ·
How to read this page. GRIFFAIN is one of the options listed and we built the page, so treat our entry with the scepticism that deserves. Every other company here changes its pricing and packaging without telling us — check current terms with them directly rather than trusting a comparison article, this one included.
Not the advertised price. The number that matters is cost per won job, and it has three multipliers most buyers never apply: how many businesses the enquiry is shared with, your close rate on shared leads (always below your referral close rate, because the customer is comparing by design), and how fast you respond.
Worked through: a $75 lead shared four ways and closed at 20% is $375 of lead cost per won job — before accounting for the fact that you likely won it partly on price. Run that against your real margin, not revenue. If markup and margin are not settled in your head, start there.
| Buying leads | Owning lead flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first lead | Days | Weeks to months |
| Exclusivity | Shared, typically 3–5 ways | Yours alone |
| Close rate | Lower — comparison is built in | Higher |
| Cost direction | Rises as competition increases | Falls per job as the asset compounds |
| Who owns the customer | The platform | You |
| Main risk | Price and rule changes you cannot appeal | Slower to start; requires upfront investment |
Do not cut bought leads before the replacement exists — that just removes lead flow. Run them in parallel and let the owned channel take over as it matures.
Step one is measurable today: the free diagnostic times how fast your business actually responds — your form, your phone, your number.
GRIFFAIN builds the owned side and makes the bought side convert better while you get there — lead response first, then the site, search and your own demand, with attribution that lets you compare the two on the same number.
GRIFFAIN also sells leads directly on a flat-rate pay-per-lead basis where that is the right starting point. It is a legitimate on-ramp, not a destination.
It can be, when you are new, have idle capacity, or are entering a new area. Judge it on cost per won job — lead price divided by your close rate on shared leads — rather than on the advertised cost per lead.
Not abruptly. Cutting before the replacement exists just removes lead flow. Fix response first so bought leads convert better, build the owned front end in parallel, then shift weight as owned cost per job falls below bought.
Because the enquiry went to several businesses at once and the customer is comparing by design. Response speed matters more on shared leads than on any other channel — first substantive contact usually wins.