The different definitions of a lead by sector
In B2B , a lead is considered a commercial contact whose interest in your offer is more or less evident. This contact may have been obtained through a salesperson (trade fair, point of sale) or through other means (website, telephone, request for a quote, etc.). It represents the entry point of the customer relationship management (CRM) process.
In B2C , the collective for digital marketing actors (CPA) defines the lead as "a prospect who has expressed a clear intention to purchase a product or service and has confirmed his explicit desire to be contacted" .
Lead qualification: a major challenge for your business
A lead can be more or less qualified . The more overseas chinese in australia data qualified it is, the greater the chances of converting it into a customer. A lead is considered qualified when sufficient information has been collected about it. The company knows who it is, what its problems, expectations, needs, budget and purchasing potential are.
Working with qualified leads allows you to:
Make sure you don't prospect outside of your target audience;
Don't waste the time of your salespeople, but also of your contacts;
Gain motivation by contacting only people whose needs are compatible with your offer;
Increase your turnover (CA). Segmenting your contacts increases the likelihood that the exchange will result in an appointment or a sale.
You will have understood that generating leads is good, generating qualified leads is even better!
Correctly distinguish a commercial lead from a marketing lead
A sales lead is mostly generated through prospecting activities. Some companies have teams dedicated to qualifying contacts. If they show a real interest in their offer, they become sales leads. They are then passed on to the sales team, which accompanies them throughout their entire journey, right up to the final purchase.
Downloading a white paper, meeting at a trade fair, contact form, online request for a quote... In B2B as in B2C, the main objective of marketing is to generate leads for sales teams. A marketing lead is a contact interested in your offer, obtained following an online or offline communication action.
What is the difference between a lead and a prospect?
A lead is not (yet) considered a prospect. A prospect is a potential customer who has already been contacted. This is a commercial contact previously qualified by the marketing or sales team. He has expressed a clear , precise need for your offer. In other words, an intention to buy . To move on to the act of buying, he must be convinced of your ability to solve his problem.
A lead has expressed interest in your product or service. They are in the discovery phase of your offering. The challenge is to convince them that they have a problem to solve. Unlike a prospect, you have little information about them. When they are sufficiently qualified , they can become a potential customer.
The lead is handled by the marketing department. The handling of a prospect, on the other hand, is entrusted to the marketing or sales team.
The different types of leads "MQL vs SQL"
Before becoming a customer, a lead goes through a qualification cycle called the "lead cycle." It has 5 stages:
Unqualified lead.
Lead MQL.
Lead SQL.
Chance.
Customer.
What is an MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)?
MQL (Marketing qualified lead) . A lead becomes an MQL when he shows a real interest in your content . For example, he can read multiple articles, download a white paper or regularly read your newsletter. As you take action, you collect information on the habits and needs of the MQL. You can then transform it into SQL.
