A lead is an individual or organization that has shown interest in your product or service, or fits the profile of a potential customer. Leads sit at the beginning of the sales funnel and are typically gathered through marketing efforts, prospecting & outreach, or referrals.

Leads vary in quality and readiness to buy, and are often categorized based on their level of engagement and fit.

Types of leads:

• Marketing qualified lead (MQL): A lead who has engaged with your marketing (e.g., downloaded a whitepaper, subscribed to a newsletter) and fits your target profile, but isn't ready to talk to sales yet.
• Sales qualified lead (SQL): A lead vetted by sales and deemed ready for direct outreach, often based on behavior or expressed interest.
• Cold lead: A lead who hasn't interacted with your brand yet but fits your ideal customer profile.
• Warm lead: A lead who has shown some interest or engagement.
• Hot lead: A lead actively looking for a solution and ready to buy.

Lead sources:

• Website forms
• Paid ads
• Events or webinars
• Cold email or cold calls
• Social media
• Referrals