The Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) space moves fast. Brokers are constantly hunting for lead sources that convert, but many unknowingly sabotage themselves before they even start dialing. After years of working closely with brokers, here are the three biggest mistakes we see over and over again when it comes to buying MCA leads:
1. Not Having the Right Tech Stack to Work Leads
You can buy the highest-quality leads on the market—but if you don’t have the right systems in place to manage them, they’ll go cold before you even make contact. Too many brokers try to run operations off spreadsheets, personal phones, or disorganized CRMs. That’s a losing game.
Speed-to-lead is everything in this industry. If you’re not using tools like auto-dialers, SMS follow-ups, CRM integrations, and lead tracking dashboards, you’re falling behind. Technology doesn’t just improve efficiency—it directly impacts conversions.
2. Relying on Unqualified Callers—In-House and Overseas
Handing good leads to bad callers is one of the fastest ways to tank your ROI.
Some brokers rely on offshore call centers to save money, but these teams often lack proper training, industry knowledge, and the ability to build trust with U.S.-based business owners. The language barriers, poor scripts, and transactional tone turn warm leads cold fast.
But the problem isn’t limited to overseas teams. Many brokers hire in-house reps who are equally underqualified. Whether it’sa lack of sales experience, poor training, or zero understanding of MCA products, these reps are not equipped to have real conversations with merchants—and that’s a deal killer.
If you’re investing in quality leads, they should be handled by experienced salespeople who understand urgency, tone, and how to guide a business owner through the funding process. Anything less is just setting money on fire.
3. Lead Broker Hopping (Without a Process)
Here’s a hard truth: it’s not always the leads—it’s your process.
We see it all the time. A broker buys a lead file, makes a few calls, gets no immediate traction, and decides the leads are “trash.” Then they jump to a new lead provider, hoping the next batch will magically convert. This cycle repeats endlessly, with no consistency, no follow-up strategy, and no real process.
Leads don’t always close in the first 24 hours. The best brokers know how to work a file: multiple touchpoints, follow-up over days or even weeks, creative re-engagement tactics, and systems for long-term nurturing. They treat each file as an asset, not a scratch-off ticket.
If you’re hopping from broker to broker without fixing your internal process, you’ll burn through every lead list you touch.
Final Thoughts:
Buying leads can absolutely grow your MCA business—but only if you have the right infrastructure behind it. Before blaming the lead source, ask yourself:
- Do I have the tech to respond and follow up fast?
- Are the right people making calls?
- Am I giving each file a real shot before moving on?
Fix these three areas, and you’ll be shocked at how much more you can squeeze from every lead.