# Deferred lead tracking

> Learn how to track a deferred lead conversion event with Dub

import LeadsIntro from "/snippets/leads-intro.mdx";
import ConversionTrackingPrerequisites from "/snippets/conversion-tracking-prerequisites.mdx";
import LeadAttributes from "/snippets/lead-attributes.mdx";
import LeadsOutro from "/snippets/leads-outro.mdx";

<LeadsIntro />

However, there are times where signups alone might not be the clearest indicator of a lead conversion event. For instance, you might want to track a more meaningful lead event such as:

- A user completing their first meeting on [Granola](https://partners.dub.co/granola)
- A user making their first search query on [Perplexity](https://partners.dub.co/perplexity)
- A user dictating their first 2,000 words on [Wispr Flow](https://partners.dub.co/flow)

In these cases, you can use deferred lead tracking to defer the actual lead event creation to a subsequent request:

<Frame>
  <img
    src="/images/conversions/deferred-lead-tracking.png"
    alt="A diagram showing how deferred lead tracking works"
  />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  Deferred lead tracking is particularly useful for tracking **sales-qualified
  leads (SQLs)** – both for marketing attribution purposes, as well as to make
  sure that you're [rewarding partners](/help/article/partner-rewards) for
  qualified leads (instead of just pure signups) with [Dub
  Partners](https://dub.co/partners).
</Tip>

<ConversionTrackingPrerequisites />

## Step 1: Track a deferred lead event

First, when the user completes the action that indicates interest in your product or service, you'll need to track a deferred lead event. Examples include:

- Signing up for an account
- [Booking a demo meeting on HubSpot](/docs/integrations/hubspot)
- Joining a mailing list

To do this, you'll need to set the `mode` property to `deferred` when tracking the lead event. With this, Dub will still track the customer and the click ID they came from, but defer the actual lead event creation to a subsequent request.

<CodeGroup>

```javascript Node.js
import { Dub } from "dub";

const dub = new Dub();

const dubId = req.cookies["dub_id"];
if (dubId) {
  await dub.track.lead({
    clickId: dubId,
    mode: "deferred",
    eventName: "Sign Up",
    customerExternalId: customer.id,
    customerName: customer.name,
    customerEmail: customer.email,
    customerAvatar: customer.avatar,
  });
  // delete the dub_id cookie
  res.cookies.set("dub_id", "", {
    expires: new Date(0),
  });
}
```

```python Python
from dub import Dub
import os

dub = Dub(token=os.environ['DUB_API_KEY'])

dub_id = request.cookies.get('dub_id')
if dub_id:
    dub.track.lead({
        'click_id': dub_id,
        'mode': 'deferred',
        'event_name': 'Sign Up',
        'external_id': customer.id,
        'customer_name': customer.name,
        'customer_email': customer.email,
        'customer_avatar': customer.avatar
    })
    # delete the dub_id cookie
    response.delete_cookie('dub_id')
```

```go Go
package main

import (
    "context"
    dub "github.com/dubinc/dub-go"
    "net/http"
)

d := dub.New(
    dub.WithSecurity(os.Getenv("DUB_API_KEY")),
)

dubId, err := r.Cookie("dub_id")
if err == nil {
    _, err = d.Track.Lead(context.Background(), &operations.TrackLeadRequest{
        ClickId:         dubId.Value,
        Mode:            "deferred",
        EventName:       "Sign Up",
        customerExternalId:      customer.ID,
        CustomerName:    customer.Name,
        CustomerEmail:   customer.Email,
        CustomerAvatar:  customer.Avatar,
    })
    // delete the dub_id cookie
    http.SetCookie(w, &http.Cookie{
        Name:    "dub_id",
        Value:   "",
        Expires: time.Unix(0, 0),
    })
}
```

```ruby Ruby
require 'dub'

dub = ::OpenApiSDK::Dub.new
dub.config_security(
  ::OpenApiSDK::Shared::Security.new(
    token: ENV['DUB_API_KEY']
  )
)

dub_id = cookies[:dub_id]
if dub_id
  req = ::OpenApiSDK::Operations::TrackLeadRequest.new(
    click_id: dub_id,
    mode: 'deferred',
    event_name: 'Sign Up',
    external_id: customer.id,
    customer_name: customer.name,
    customer_email: customer.email,
    customer_avatar: customer.avatar
  )
  dub.track.lead(req)
  # delete the dub_id cookie
  cookies.delete(:dub_id)
end
```

```php PHP
<?php

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use Dub\Dub;
use Dub\Models\Operations;

$dub = Dub::builder()->setSecurity($_ENV["DUB_API_KEY"])->build();

$dubId = $_COOKIE['dub_id'] ?? null;
if ($dubId) {
    $request = new Operations\TrackLeadRequest();
    $request->clickId = $dubId;
    $request->mode = 'deferred';
    $request->eventName = 'Sign Up';
    $request->customerExternalId = $customer->id;
    $request->customerNasme = $customer->name;
    $request->customerEmail = $customer->email;
    $request->customerAvatar = $customer->avatar;

    $dub->track->lead($request);
    // delete the dub_id cookie
    setcookie('dub_id', '', time() - 3600);
}
```

</CodeGroup>

## Step 2: Track a qualified lead event

Once the user completes the action that makes them a qualified lead, you can then track a qualified lead event. To do this, you'll repeat the same lead tracking request as before, but without the `mode` property and by setting the `clickId` property to an empty string.

<CodeGroup>

```javascript Node.js
import { Dub } from "dub";

const dub = new Dub();

await dub.track.lead({
  clickId: "",
  eventName: "Sign Up",
  customerExternalId: customer.id,
  customerName: customer.name,
  customerEmail: customer.email,
  customerAvatar: customer.avatar,
});
```

```python Python
from dub import Dub
import os

dub = Dub(token=os.environ['DUB_API_KEY'])

dub.track.lead({
    'click_id': '',
    'event_name': 'Sign Up',
    'external_id': customer.id,
    'customer_name': customer.name,
    'customer_email': customer.email,
    'customer_avatar': customer.avatar
})
```

```go Go
package main

import (
    "context"
    dub "github.com/dubinc/dub-go"
    "net/http"
)

d := dub.New(
    dub.WithSecurity(os.Getenv("DUB_API_KEY")),
)

d.Track.Lead(context.Background(), &operations.TrackLeadRequest{
    ClickId:         "",
    EventName:       "Sign Up",
    customerExternalId:      customer.ID,
    CustomerName:    customer.Name,
    CustomerEmail:   customer.Email,
    CustomerAvatar:  customer.Avatar,
})
```

```ruby Ruby
require 'dub'

dub = ::OpenApiSDK::Dub.new
dub.config_security(
  ::OpenApiSDK::Shared::Security.new(
    token: ENV['DUB_API_KEY']
  )
)

req = ::OpenApiSDK::Operations::TrackLeadRequest.new(
    click_id: '',
    event_name: 'Sign Up',
    external_id: customer.id,
    customer_name: customer.name,
    customer_email: customer.email,
    customer_avatar: customer.avatar
)
dub.track.lead(req)
```

```php PHP
<?php

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

use Dub\Dub;
use Dub\Models\Operations;

$dub = Dub::builder()->setSecurity($_ENV["DUB_API_KEY"])->build();

$request = new Operations\TrackLeadRequest();
$request->clickId = '';
$request->eventName = 'Sign Up';
$request->customerExternalId = $customer->id;
$request->customerNasme = $customer->name;
$request->customerEmail = $customer->email;
$request->customerAvatar = $customer->avatar;

$dub->track->lead($request);
```

</CodeGroup>

<LeadsOutro />