Glossary of Lead Gen Terms for HVAC & Plumbing

Quick reference while you read the guides. Every term links to a page where you can do something with it.

At a Glance

Use when: A marketer, agency, or platform throws jargon at you
Core trio: GBP (free visibility) · LSA (paid leads) · Cost per booked job (what actually matters)
Go deeper: Metrics · Ultimate Guide · Leak score

CPL (Cost Per Lead): Ad spend ÷ leads. Typical LSA range $15–$80 by trade. See Metrics.
Booked job: Calendar appointment with date, time, service address, and source tag in CRM — not a lead or quote sent. Same definition for DIY and Full Acquisition Machine performance billing.
Cost per booked job: Ad spend ÷ booked jobs — the KPI that matters. Target varies by trade; see trade baselines on Metrics.
Close rate: Booked jobs ÷ leads, by source. Low close rate often means slow response or weak qualify, not bad ads.
ROI (Return on Investment): (Revenue from booked jobs − spend) ÷ spend. Model channels in ROI calculators.
Revenue per lead: Total job revenue ÷ leads — shows whether you are attracting high-ticket or tire-kicker inquiries.

GBP (Google Business Profile): Formerly Google My Business. Powers Maps and the local pack. GBP Mastery.
GBP setup prep: Business info, photos, hours, services, and access decisions before setup. Setup Prep guide.
GBP post: Short Update, Offer, or Event on your profile. GBP Posts.
GBP Insights: Queries, views, calls, and direction requests in the profile dashboard.
Local pack: Map + three businesses at the top of many “near me” searches.
Profile Q&A: Q&A section on GBP — seed FAQs as the business. GBP Mastery Q&A section.
Review link: Shareable URL from Ask for reviews in GBP. Reviews & Referrals.
Service-area business: Mobile trade with no customer-facing storefront — lists cities/ZIPs served instead of a shop address.
Citation: Online mention of business name, address, phone (NAP) on directories — part of Local SEO.

LSA (Local Services Ads): Google pay-per-lead ads with trust badge. LSA guide.
Google Guaranteed: Badge on LSA — Google may refund disputed leads that meet policy.
Search Ads: Google pay-per-click ads to your website. Google Ads guide.
Meta ads: Facebook/Instagram lead or traffic ads — strong for visual trades. Social ads.

Lead-to-Close system: Weekly operating rhythm wiring speed, front office, follow-up, on-site close, and reviews with four shared KPIs. Lead-to-Close hub.
Conversion layer (managed): Instant callback, quote SMS, review SMS, call-to-CRM, weekly digest — included in Full Acquisition Machine installs on Nef’s platforms. DIY options: AI Conversion Tools.
Speed-to-lead: Time from inquiry to first human or trusted auto-touch. Target <5 minutes. System 05 · Speed-to-lead.
Missed-call text-back: Auto-SMS when you miss a call — send within 60 seconds. Templates.
Lead source: Where the inquiry originated (LSA, GBP, website, referral, etc.) — tag in CRM for weekly metrics.
Tracking number: Dedicated phone line for measuring calls by channel. Tracking setup.

Manager role: Day-to-day GBP access — posts, photos, reviews, hours. Cannot transfer ownership. User Access.
Owner role: Can add/remove users and delete listing. Below Primary Owner in hierarchy.
Management access: Shorthand for Manager-level agency or staff access.
Primary Owner: Main account holder — only one per profile. Verify before agency handoffs.
Ownership transfer: Moving Primary Owner to a new Google account — distinct from inviting a Manager. Transfer guide.
Organization account: Central account for many listings via location groups. Organization guide.
Location group: Bundle of listings inside an Organization account for teams or partners.

Put these numbers to work — run your Metrics dashboard and ROI calculators.