Lead capture is where the temptation to over-ask is strongest and most expensive. Every field you add reduces completion; every field you skip reduces what you can do with the result. This page covers the mechanics, and then the judgement.
1. How lead capture works
When lead capture is on, the chat presents a short form inside the conversation after a number of messages you choose. What the visitor submits becomes a lead attached to that bot, visible under Leads in the sidebar.
It is a form in the flow of a conversation, not a gate in front of it. The visitor has already asked something and got an answer before they are asked for anything — which is the whole reason it converts better than a modal on page load.
2. Configuring the form
Open Appearance and go to the Lead Capture step. Turn it on, then decide what to ask for.
| Field | Good for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Personalising the follow-up | Low — most people give it without thinking |
| Actually being able to reply | Low, and non-negotiable if you intend to follow up at all | |
| Phone | Sales motions where a call is the next step | High — this is the field that stops people |
| Message | Context beyond what the chat already captured | Medium, and often redundant — you have the transcript |
Each field is independently visible and required, so you can show phone as optional rather than dropping it entirely. You also control the form title, per-field placeholder text, the submit button colour, and the thank-you message shown afterwards.
3. When to ask
The show after N messages setting is the most consequential control on the page, and the default of asking early is rarely the best choice.
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| After 1 message | Maximum reach, lowest quality. The visitor has had one answer and does not yet know whether you are useful. |
| After 2–3 messages | The sweet spot for most bots. The visitor has got real value and is engaged enough to reciprocate. |
| After 5+ messages | High intent, low volume. Suits high-value B2B where you would rather have ten good leads than a hundred addresses. |
4. Working your leads
Leads under Interactions lists everything the bot has captured. From there you can:
Open a lead
See what they submitted alongside the conversation that produced it.
Export to CSV
Select rows and export. The route into any CRM that takes a file.
Send to your team
Forward leads to email addresses so follow-up starts without anyone logging in.
5. Leads from phone calls
If the bot has a voice line, a caller can leave a message and it arrives in the same Leads list — tagged with its source so you can tell phone leads from chat leads, and linked back to the call it came from.
One follow-up queue for both channels. Worth knowing before you build a separate process for voicemail.
6. Getting leads out via API
For a real CRM sync rather than a CSV, read leads programmatically. A secret key with the analytics:read scope can list the leads for a chatbot:
GET /client/v1/chatbots/:chatbotId/leads
Full request and response detail, along with authentication and scopes, is in the API reference.
7. What actually improves conversion
- 1
Cut a field
The reliable win, and the one people resist. Every removed field measurably raises completion. Ask what you will actually use this week.
- 2
Say why you are asking
“So we can send you the full comparison” beats “Enter your details”. The form title is a persuasion surface, not a label.
- 3
Make the thank-you do work
Tell them what happens next and when. “Thanks!” is a wasted screen; a concrete promise sets expectations and reduces the chance they chase you.
- 4
Move the trigger and compare
Run one setting for a fortnight, then the other. Volume and quality trade off against each other, and which side you want depends on your funnel — not on a general rule.