Effective marketing relies on understanding where your leads come from. While individual lead sources provide granular detail, grouping them under "Parent Sources" unlocks a more powerful level of analysis, allowing you to evaluate the performance of entire marketing channels. This guide will walk you through the process of assigning individual lead sources to a parent source within your marketing or CRM platform.

Why Parent Lead Sources are Essential:

  • Holistic Channel Performance: Gain a high-level view of which broad marketing channels (e.g., Online Advertising, Events, Referrals) are most effective at generating leads.
  • Simplified Reporting: Aggregate related lead sources for cleaner, more digestible reports, making it easier to identify trends and make strategic decisions.
  • Targeted Investment: Compare the ROI of major marketing channels to optimize your budget allocation.
  • Improved Data Hygiene: Enforce a structured approach to lead source tracking, ensuring consistency and reliability across your data.

Step-by-Step Guide: Assigning a Lead Source to a Parent Source

Follow these instructions to categorize your lead sources for enhanced reporting and analysis:

  1. Navigate to the Marketing Hub: Begin by logging into your platform and locating the primary navigation.

    • Click on the "Marketing" Tab.

  2. Access Lead Source Management: Within the Marketing section, you'll find the tools for managing your lead origins.

    • Click on "Lead Sources".

  3. Filter and Locate Your Target Source(s): To efficiently find the lead sources you wish to edit, utilize the available filtering and search options.

    • Filter on either "Manual" or "Third Party" creation type: This helps narrow down your list, focusing on lead sources generated internally or integrated from external systems.
    • You can also use the free text search bar to quickly find the specific source(s) you wish to edit (e.g., "Webinar Q2," "Google Ads Campaign").

  4. Initiate the Edit Process: Once you've identified the lead source you want to categorize, you'll need to open its edit screen.

    • Click the "Edit" button located on the right side of the targeted lead source's row.

  5. Assign the Parent Source: Within the lead source's edit details, you'll find the option to link it to a higher-level category.

    • Click the "Parent" dropdown menu.
    • Select the desired parent source from the list (e.g., "Online Advertising," "Content Marketing," "Events").

  6. Save Your Changes: Crucially, remember to save your work to apply the new parent source assignment.

    • Click "Save Lead Source" to finalize your changes.

Pro-Tip: Repeat steps 3-6 for all relevant lead sources. For newly created lead sources, make it a standard practice to assign a parent source during the initial setup to maintain data consistency.

Best Practices for Parent Source Management:

  • Define Clear Categories: Before you begin assigning, establish a clear and concise set of parent source categories (e.g., "Paid Search," "Organic Social," "Email Marketing," "Referral"). Avoid creating too many, as this can dilute the benefits of aggregation.
  • Train Your Team: Ensure everyone involved in lead creation or management understands the importance of parent sources and how to assign them correctly.
  • Regular Review: Periodically review your lead source and parent source structure. As your marketing strategies evolve, your categories may need adjustments to remain relevant.
  • Leverage Reporting: Once your lead sources are categorized, run reports that group leads by their parent source. This will provide invaluable insights into the performance of your broader marketing channels and inform future strategic decisions.

By consistently assigning lead sources to parent sources, you empower your team with clearer, more actionable data, leading to optimized marketing efforts and improved ROI.