You've done the hard part—you found someone who needs a website and got them interested. Now comes the handoff. This is where you pass the baton to Joe and collect your commission. Let's make sure this goes smoothly.
🎯 The Goal of a Great Handoff
A great handoff does three things:
- Warms up the lead — They know who Joe is and are expecting to hear from him
- Provides context — Joe knows their situation and can personalize the conversation
- Creates urgency — They're ready to move forward, not "think about it"
📝 What Information to Gather
Before you submit a lead, try to gather as much of this as possible:
Essential (Required)
- Business name
- Contact name
- Phone number or email (at least one)
- What they need (new site, redesign, e-commerce, etc.)
Helpful (Makes Joe's Job Easier)
- Current website (if they have one)
- Industry/business type
- Timeline — When do they need it?
- Budget awareness — Are they okay with ~$599 + $89/month?
- Pain points — What frustrates them about their current situation?
Bonus (Makes Closing Easy)
- Specific features needed (booking, contact forms, gallery, etc.)
- Competitors they admire
- Decision maker? — Is this person the owner/decision maker?
- How they found you
🤝 Three Ways to Hand Off
Option 1: The Three-Way Introduction (Best)
This is the gold standard. You introduce the lead directly to Joe via text, email, or in person.
Example text/email:
"Hey [Lead Name], meet Joe—he's the Neighborhood Website Guy I was telling you about. He's helped a bunch of local businesses get awesome websites without the agency headaches.
Joe, meet [Lead Name]. They own [Business Name] and are looking for [what they need]. I think you two would be a great fit!
I'll let you two take it from here. 🙂"
Why this works: The lead already knows you and trusts you. That trust transfers to Joe. It's personal and warm, not cold and salesy.
Option 2: Submit Through Your Dashboard (Easy)
Once you're approved as an partner, you'll have access to your dashboard where you can submit leads directly.
Steps:
- Log into your partner dashboard
- Click "Submit a Lead"
- Fill out the lead form with as much detail as possible
- Hit submit
- Joe reaches out within 24 hours
Pro tip: After you submit, give the lead a heads up: "Hey, Joe from NWG will be reaching out soon. You're in great hands!"
Option 3: Direct Email to Joe
If the dashboard isn't convenient, you can email Joe directly at joseph@neighborhoodwebsiteguy.com with the lead info.
Subject line: "New Lead: [Business Name] - [Your Name]"
Include:
- Business name & contact info
- What they need
- Any context from your conversation
- Best way/time to reach them
⏰ What Happens After You Submit
| Timeline | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Within 24 hours | Joe reaches out to the lead |
| 1-7 days | Discovery call & proposal |
| If they sign | Project kicks off, you get notified |
| When they pay | Your commission is calculated & tracked |
| Monthly | Commissions paid out |
💡 Tips for a Smooth Handoff
Do:
- ✅ Let the lead know to expect Joe's call/email
- ✅ Share any "insider info" (their concerns, priorities, timeline)
- ✅ Be available if the lead has questions before connecting
- ✅ Follow up with Joe if you don't hear back in a few days
Don't:
- ❌ Promise specific pricing or timelines (Joe handles that)
- ❌ Pressure the lead—soft handoffs work better
- ❌ Ghost after the handoff—check in to see how it went!
- ❌ Submit leads without telling them (they'll be confused when Joe calls)
🎭 Real Handoff Scenarios
Scenario 1: The Warm Introduction
You're at a networking event and meet a bakery owner complaining about their website.
You: "I actually know a guy who helps small businesses exactly like yours. He built my friend's restaurant site and it turned out amazing. Want me to connect you?"
Them: "Sure, that would be great!"
You: "Cool, I'll text you his info and give him a heads up that you're interested. His name is Joe—super easy to work with."
→ Then do the three-way intro or submit via dashboard
Scenario 2: The Casual Mention
Your dentist mentions they've been meaning to update their website.
You: "Oh, you should check out this guy Joe. He does websites for small businesses—like, real custom ones, not those cookie-cutter templates. Way more affordable than you'd think. Want me to pass along your info?"
→ Get their okay, then submit the lead
Scenario 3: The Online Connection
Someone in a Facebook group asks for website recommendations.
You: "I can recommend Joe at Neighborhood Website Guy! He does custom sites for small businesses with monthly management included. Way better than Wix/Squarespace. Here's his site: [link]"
→ DM them to see if they want a personal intro, then submit
📊 Tracking Your Leads
Your partner dashboard shows you:
- Submitted leads — Everyone you've referred
- Lead status — Contacted, In Progress, Signed, or Didn't Close
- Conversions — How many became paying clients
- Earnings — Commission earned and pending
Joe is committed to transparency. You'll always know what happened with your leads.
🚨 When a Lead Doesn't Close
Not every lead will become a client, and that's okay. Common reasons:
- Not ready yet (timing)
- Budget doesn't align
- Decided to DIY
- Went with someone else
- Just wasn't a good fit
This is not your fault. Your job is to make the connection. Joe handles the selling. As long as you're sending quality leads (real businesses with real needs), you're doing great.
If a lead doesn't close, ask Joe for feedback. It helps you send even better leads next time.
✅ Handoff Checklist
Before you submit, make sure you can check these boxes:
- ☐ Got their permission to share their info
- ☐ Collected at least: name, business, contact info, what they need
- ☐ Told them to expect to hear from Joe
- ☐ Submitted via dashboard, email, or three-way intro
- ☐ Added any helpful context about their situation
That's it! You've successfully planted the seed. Now let Joe work his magic. 🪄