In Episode 149 of the Scratch Agency Podcast, co-hosts Stephen Turnbull and Shawn Fitzgerald go solo and get real about one of the biggest make-or-break factors in growing an independent agency: lead quality. They dive into their completely different lead sources—paid ads vs. inbound referrals—and break down how each has evolved their pre-qualification process to save time and close higher-value accounts.

From the power of instant follow-ups to the importance of requiring deck pages before quoting, this episode is filled with tactical tips for scratch agents who want to stop quoting everyone and start quoting smarter. You'll walk away with ideas on how to tighten your intake forms, rethink discovery calls, and adopt one of their favourite mantras:

"If you want better leads, make it slightly harder to become one."

🔍 If you're drowning in unqualified leads or looking to build a more streamlined sales process, this is your playbook.

💼 Sponsored by HawkSoft → https://www.hawksoft.com

🕒 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro & Snow Day Chaos

04:05 – Paid Ads vs. Referral Leads

07:32 – Why Speed-to-Lead Matters for Trust

10:55 – “If You Want Better Leads…”

14:40 – Intake Forms & Filtering on the Front End

20:11 – Why They Ask for Deck Pages First

25:22 – Auto vs. Home vs. Commercial Pre-Qualifiers

31:05 – Time Management & Saying No

36:48 – Knowing Your Top 10 Clients

41:37 – Closing Advice: Custom Criteria for Your Market

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