If you’re tired of website forms that go nowhere and leads that ghost you, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through how to use Crankwheel—a real-time screen sharing and lead capture tool—for actually talking to qualified prospects straight from your site. No fluff, no endless setup, just practical steps, what works (and what doesn’t), and a few shortcuts for getting your sales team talking to real people, fast.
Why Real-Time Lead Capture Beats Forms
Here’s the deal: people’s attention spans are short. If you make them wait for a call or an email, most will bounce. Crankwheel lets visitors request a live demo or chat instantly—no downloads, no back-and-forth. This is especially good for sales teams in industries like SaaS, insurance, or financial services, where talking to a real human is half the battle.
But let’s be honest—Crankwheel isn’t magic. It won’t turn bad traffic into good leads, and it won’t close deals for you. What it can do is help you grab the attention of people who are already interested, before someone else does.
Step 1: Figure Out If Crankwheel Is Right for You
Before you dive in, ask yourself:
- Are your buyers the type who want a conversation, or do they just want to browse? If your product is high-touch or needs explaining, Crankwheel is worth a look. If your visitors just want to buy sneakers or download an ebook, skip it.
- Do you have people ready to respond? Crankwheel works only if someone’s there to pick up when a lead comes in. If your team is slammed or you’re a one-person show, consider your hours and expectations.
- Are you okay with real-time interruptions? You’ll need to be ready for drop-in chats and demos. If your team hates getting interrupted, this may cause headaches.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, try it on just your “Contact Us” or pricing pages first. Don’t plaster it everywhere until you know it works for your audience.
Step 2: Set Up Your Crankwheel Account
Signing up is straightforward. Go to the Crankwheel site, sign up, and follow their onboarding steps. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Create your account. Use a work email so you can invite the rest of your team later.
- Install the browser extension. Crankwheel relies on a Chrome or Edge extension for screen sharing, so you can’t skip this.
- Customize your team. Add your sales reps or agents. Assign who gets notified when a new lead comes in.
- Set up your availability. If you don’t want to be pinged at all hours, set working times. Crankwheel will hide itself outside these hours.
What to skip: Don’t waste time on fancy branding or widget colors right now. Get the basics working first.
Step 3: Add the Crankwheel Widget to Your Site
This is the most important part. The Crankwheel widget is a little “Request a Demo” or “Talk to an Expert” button that sits on your site. Here’s how to add it:
- Find the Widget Code: In your Crankwheel dashboard, look for the “Instant Demos” or widget section. You’ll see a snippet of JavaScript.
- Copy and Paste: Drop that code into your site’s HTML—ideally just before the
</body>tag. If you use WordPress or a site builder, look for a way to add custom scripts. - Test It: Visit your site as a visitor. Click the widget. Make sure it opens, and that someone on your team gets the alert.
Where to put it: - Start with high-intent pages (pricing, contact, product features). - Avoid slapping the widget on every landing page or blog post, at least until you see it working. Too many prompts can feel pushy.
Pro tip: The call-to-action matters. “Book a Demo” works for some, but “Talk to an Expert Now” or “Show Me How It Works” can pull in people who are just curious.
Step 4: Qualify Your Leads—Without Scaring Them Off
Crankwheel lets you add a pre-chat questionnaire. Don’t turn this into a tax form. Stick to the basics:
- Name
- Email or phone (pick one, don’t ask for both)
- One or two qualifying questions (like company size or area of interest)
What works: A short form gets more responses. You can always qualify further once you’re on the call. If you ask too much up front, only the most desperate will fill it out.
What doesn’t: Forcing people to create accounts, verify emails, or jump through hoops. This kills urgency, and urgency is the whole point.
Step 5: Respond to Leads Instantly
This is where most teams drop the ball. The second someone requests a demo, your team needs to respond—ideally within 30 seconds. Crankwheel will alert whoever’s available, but it’s on you to actually answer.
- Set up notifications: Make sure alerts go to your phone, email, or Slack. Don’t rely on just a browser tab.
- Have a script ready: Don’t wing it. Prepare a quick intro and a few opening questions.
- If you miss a lead: Follow up fast. Even if you missed the window, call or email back within a few minutes.
Pro tip: If your team can’t handle instant response, use Crankwheel to schedule callbacks instead. Not as powerful, but better than silence.
Step 6: Use Screen Sharing to Build Trust
The real magic of Crankwheel is screen sharing with zero downloads for the customer. Here’s how to use it well:
- Share only what matters: Don’t show your messy desktop. Have a demo account, presentation, or calculator ready.
- Ask before sharing: “Would you like me to show you how this works?” is better than surprising them with a screen takeover.
- Keep it short: Five minutes is plenty. The goal is to answer their questions live, not give a TED talk.
What works: Real-time walkthroughs of your product, pricing calculators, or even just helping someone fill out a form.
What doesn’t: Overwhelming demos, endless slides, or trying to upsell before you’ve even listened.
Step 7: Track Results and Tweak
You’ll want to know if Crankwheel is actually helping you close deals—not just creating busywork.
- Check your Crankwheel dashboard: See how many leads came in, how fast you responded, and who closed deals.
- Ask your sales team: Are the leads any good? Are they just tire-kickers?
- Move the widget: Try different pages, calls-to-action, or qualifying questions. Small tweaks can make a big difference.
If you’re not getting qualified leads, don’t be afraid to pull back. Maybe your traffic isn’t ready for live demos, or your offer needs work. Crankwheel is a tool, not a silver bullet.
What to Ignore (For Now)
- Over-customizing the widget: People care more about fast answers than your brand colors.
- Advanced integrations: Zapier, CRMs, and automation are nice, but only after you’ve proven Crankwheel is worth your team’s time.
- Gimmicky features: Stick with instant demos and screen sharing. Bells and whistles can wait.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
That’s really it. Don’t overthink it. Drop the widget where it counts, respond fast, and see how visitors react. If you get more conversations and better leads, stick with it. If not, try a different page or call-to-action—or turn it off and try something else. The best sales tools don’t need endless tweaking; they just need to work for your team and your customers. Get started, learn as you go, and don’t be afraid to change what isn’t working.