Don’t Confuse Volume With Value

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Every week, I hear it: “Gary, our intake team is drowning. We need to hire more people.”

But nine times out of ten, the problem isn’t staffing. It’s attribution.

The Volume Trap

Firms love to brag about the number of lead sources they have. Thirty-six, forty, even more. On the surface, that sounds like an opportunity. But dig deeper, and many of those sources have a qualified-lead percentage of under 5%.

That means intake reps spend hours chasing junk. They feel buried, burned out, and overwhelmed. Partners assume the solution is hiring. But adding staff to chase bad leads just multiplies waste.

The Real Problem: Attribution

Attribution is about measuring quality, not just volume. Without it, you confuse activity with productivity. Intake feels swamped, partners think they’re understaffed, and money is wasted on both ends.

How to Fix It

🔹 Track cost per qualified lead – CPL means nothing if 90% are junk.
🔹 Set abort or scale rules – Double down on winners, cut losers quickly.
🔹 Filter at the front door – Don’t waste time on obvious non-fits.
🔹 Review attribution weekly – Don’t wait for the quarter to end.
🔹 Shift the mindset – Ask: Are we short on people, or just chasing garbage?

Final Takeaway

Before adding staff, ensure attribution is correct. Otherwise, you’re not solving intake problems—you’re just multiplying inefficiency.

Watch or listen to the full episode above. ⬆️