If you’re drowning in inbound leads and not sure which ones are worth your time, you’re not alone. Sales teams and founders spend hours chasing prospects that go nowhere—while the best leads slip through the cracks. If you use Refer to wrangle your inbound leads, this guide will show you how to sort the good from the bad, score leads so you know who to follow up with first, and avoid busywork. No fluff, just a clear, repeatable process.
1. Get Your Inbound Leads Into Refer (Don’t Overthink It)
Before you can score or follow up with anyone, you need all your leads in one place. Refer’s main job is to keep things organized, so take a few minutes to get your house in order.
Here’s what actually matters:
- Connect your inbound sources. Most teams get leads from forms, website chat, referrals, or imports from events. Hook these up to Refer—API, Zapier, or even CSV upload works. Just do it. Don’t worry if it’s “messy” at first.
- Add basic lead info. Name, email, company, where they came from. That’s usually enough for a first pass.
- Tag or group by source. Knowing whether a lead came from your site, a partner, or a cold intro will help later.
Pro Tip: If you’re hesitating because your data isn’t “clean,” ignore that voice. It’ll never be perfect. You can tidy up as you go.
2. Set Up a Simple Lead Scoring System (Don’t Chase Ghosts)
Lead scoring is where most tools (and sales blogs) get lost in the weeds. You do not need a fancy algorithm. You just need a way to separate the “hot” leads from the tire-kickers.
What works:
- Decide on 3–5 criteria. For example:
- Budget
- Company size
- Decision-making power
- Urgency (timeline)
- Lead source (referral vs. random inbound)
- Assign points (1–5) for each. A warm intro from a customer? That’s a 5. A generic form fill from a student? That’s a 1.
- Total up the points. That’s your lead score.
How to do this in Refer:
- Use custom fields to set your scoring criteria.
- Set up a basic scoring workflow (automation, if you want to get fancy) to add up the numbers.
- Don’t stress about the math. This is about focus, not perfection.
What doesn’t work:
- Overcomplicating your scoring model. If you’re spending more time tweaking formulas than talking to leads, back up. Simple is sustainable.
- Chasing “vanity” leads—big names that never reply. Score based on engagement and fit, not wishful thinking.
3. Prioritize Leads for Follow-Up (Make the Pile Smaller)
Now that you’ve got scores, use them. The point is to work smarter—not to “touch base” with every lead.
Triage your list:
- High scorers: These are your A-list. Reach out fast, and give them a personal touch.
- Middle scorers: Worth a shot. Use templates, but personalize something (like mentioning their company).
- Low scorers: Don’t let them clog your pipeline. Set up an automated nurture or ignore them for now.
How to do this in Refer:
- Sort your leads by score.
- Use filters to make call lists or assign leads to reps.
- Archive or “snooze” leads you know aren’t worth time right now.
Pro Tip: Don’t let FOMO (fear of missing out) trick you into chasing every inbound. The best teams ruthlessly ignore noise.
4. Create a Repeatable Follow-Up Process (So Nothing Slips)
Scoring helps, but follow-up is where deals are won or lost. Without a process, even great leads fall through the cracks.
Set up a simple cadence:
- First touch: Within 24 hours, personalized as much as possible.
- Second touch: 2–3 days later, add value or answer a likely question.
- Third touch: 5–7 days after, ask directly if there’s interest or if timing’s off.
Use Refer’s features:
- Set reminders or tasks tied to each lead.
- Use templates for outreach, but always tweak for the person.
- Log outcomes—so you know who’s cold, warm, or needs a nudge.
What to ignore:
- Don’t obsess over “optimal” send times or spammy sequences. Consistency and relevance matter more.
- Don’t send a dozen follow-ups to people who never engage. If they ghost after three tries, move on.
5. Track What’s Working (But Don’t Drown in Data)
It’s easy to get lost in dashboards. Focus on a few numbers that actually tell you if your process is working.
Metrics that matter:
- Reply rate: Are people actually responding?
- Conversion rate: How many scored leads turn into real conversations or deals?
- Time-to-first-touch: How quickly do you reach out after a lead comes in?
In Refer:
- Use built-in reports or just export to a sheet if you prefer.
- Review every 2–4 weeks. Adjust your scoring or process if you see patterns (e.g., certain sources never convert).
Skip this:
- Obsessing over “lead velocity” or tracking every click in the sales funnel. If it doesn’t help you act, it’s noise.
6. Clean Up Regularly (Don’t Let Your Pipeline Rot)
Even with the best process, stale leads accumulate. Set aside time—monthly or quarterly—to clean house.
How to handle old leads:
- Archive leads that haven’t engaged in 60–90 days.
- Remove obvious spam or junk.
- Revisit “maybe later” leads if you have a slow week.
Why bother? Old, cold leads waste your time and make your pipeline look better than it is. Stay honest.
7. Iterate—But Don’t Chase Shiny Objects
Your process will change as you learn. Don’t be afraid to tweak your scoring, try new follow-up templates, or change what you automate. But don’t rebuild your system every month chasing “best practices.” If a tweak doesn’t make following up easier, skip it.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
Managing and scoring inbound leads in Refer isn’t about fancy models or perfect data. It’s about focusing your energy on the right people, moving quickly, and not letting busywork slow you down. Start simple, see what works, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t to have a “perfect” pipeline—it’s to have a useful one that actually helps you close deals (and keeps your sanity).