Free template · RevOps, CRM & metrics
The Lead Routing Rules Template
Define who gets which lead, how fast they respond and what happens when the owner is out.
What's inside
- Five routing methods and when to use each
- An ordered routing-rules table
- Response-time targets by lead type
- A checklist to build it in your CRM
Who it's for
Teams where inbound leads wait too long or reach the wrong person.
Why it matters
Inbound leads at an early-stage company often sit in a shared inbox or reach whoever happens to notice them. A demo request that waits a day can go cold, and a lead from an existing customer can get a cold email from a new rep. These mistakes are rarely visible in reports, so they keep happening.
Writing routing rules down before automating them forces the decisions that usually get skipped: which rule runs first, who covers when an owner is out, how fast each lead type should get a response. Once the rules are clear on paper, building them in your CRM is straightforward, and you have a standard to check against each week.
How to use it
- 1Use the routing methods table to pick an approach that fits your team size today, such as founder first or round robin, and note when you would switch.
- 2Fill in the routing rules table in order, keeping existing-customer and existing-owner rules at the top and a fallback rule at the bottom.
- 3Set a first-response target, channel and owner for each lead type in the service levels table, starting with demo and pricing requests.
- 4Build the rules in your CRM using the checklist, then review a weekly report of response times and unassigned leads to catch gaps.
Read alongside it
- Lead routing and assignment: how to set it up
- MQL vs SQL: what's the difference and how to define them
- How to set up a CRM (step by step)
The Lead Routing Rules Template: FAQ
- What is lead routing?
- Lead routing is the set of rules that decides which person gets each new lead, and how quickly they should respond. Common methods include assigning to the existing account owner, by territory, round robin between reps, by lead tier, or sending everything to the founder at the earliest stage.
- How fast should you respond to an inbound lead?
- Set targets by lead type rather than one rule for everything. Demo and pricing requests show the most intent, so they deserve the fastest response, ideally the same business day or sooner. Content downloads and event leads can usually wait longer. Track actual response times against your targets weekly.
- What is the difference between round robin and territory routing?
- Round robin rotates leads evenly between reps, which works when leads are similar and reps have the same skills. Territory routing assigns by region, industry or company size, which works when reps specialize by segment. Many teams combine them, using round robin inside each territory.
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