An aged lead is a consumer enquiry that was generated days, weeks, or months ago and either was not contacted, was contacted but did not convert, or was not sold at the time of generation. Aged leads are typically sold at a significant discount compared to fresh, real-time leads — often 50-80% cheaper — reflecting their lower expected conversion rate.

Why Leads Become Aged

Leads age for several reasons. The original buyer may have reached their volume cap and the lead could not be delivered in real-time. The consumer may have been contacted but did not convert, and the lead has been recycled for a second attempt by a different firm. The lead generation company may have generated more leads than they had buyers for, leaving a surplus that was warehoused for later sale.

Whatever the reason, the core issue is the same: time has passed since the consumer submitted their enquiry. Their circumstances, level of interest, and receptiveness to contact have all potentially changed.

The Problem With Aged Leads

The primary challenge with aged leads is declining intent. At the moment a consumer submits a mortgage enquiry, they are actively thinking about their mortgage. A week later, they may have moved on to other priorities. A month later, they may have already spoken to another adviser, found a solution independently, or simply lost interest.

Contact rates for aged leads are significantly lower than for fresh leads. While SMS-verified real-time leads achieve contact rates of 60-75%, aged leads typically see contact rates of 20-40% depending on age. The older the lead, the lower the contact rate.

Conversion rates follow the same pattern. Fresh leads convert at 8-20% from lead to completed case. Aged leads typically convert at 2-5%. The consumer's engagement has faded, and even if you reach them, they are less likely to be in a position to proceed.

When Aged Leads Can Work

Despite the lower performance metrics, aged leads can be viable in certain situations:

High-volume operations. If you have a large team or a call centre capable of working through high volumes of data, the lower conversion rate can be offset by the much lower cost per lead. At £3-5 per aged lead versus £25-35 per fresh lead, the cost per acquisition can sometimes be comparable — but it requires significantly more calling capacity.

Long sales cycles. For products with naturally long consideration periods — such as pension transfers, equity release, or complex commercial finance — a consumer who enquired months ago may still be in their decision-making process. Re-engaging them at the right moment can be productive.

Nurture campaigns. Aged leads can feed into automated nurture sequences — email drip campaigns, periodic check-ins, or educational content series — that maintain contact at low cost until the consumer is ready to proceed.

Aged Leads vs Fresh Leads: An Honest Comparison

For most brokers and advisers, especially sole traders and small firms, fresh exclusive leads are a better investment than aged data. The higher contact rates and conversion rates mean less wasted time, less frustration, and a more predictable pipeline.

Aged leads require a fundamentally different approach and mindset. You need to accept that most calls will not result in a conversation, and most conversations will not result in a case. If that does not suit your working style or capacity, aged leads will be a source of frustration rather than business.

If you are considering aged leads, we would recommend testing a small batch alongside your fresh lead flow. Track the results separately — contact rate, appointment rate, and conversion rate — and compare the cost per acquisition across both channels. The data will tell you whether aged leads are worth incorporating into your strategy or whether your time and budget are better spent on fresh, exclusive leads.

Our Approach

Lurvo Digital delivers fresh, real-time leads only. We do not sell aged data or recycled leads. Every lead we deliver was generated moments before it reaches you, ensuring maximum engagement and the best possible chance of a productive conversation.