Leads Explained

The word "lead" gets thrown around constantly in sales and marketing. But what does it actually mean, and how do you know a good lead from a bad one? This guide breaks it down.

What Is a Lead?

A lead is any individual or organisation that has expressed interest in your product or service, or who fits the profile of a potential buyer. Leads are the starting point of every sale.

Types of Leads

Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)

An MQL has engaged with your marketing content ? downloaded a guide, visited a pricing page, or signed up for a newsletter. They're interested, but may not yet be ready to buy.

Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)

An SQL has been assessed by your sales team and meets your criteria for a genuine prospect. They have budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT). These are the leads you want to prioritise.

Cold Lead

A cold lead fits your ideal customer profile but hasn't expressed any interest yet. Outbound lead generation ? like SalesHawk's AI campaigns ? converts cold leads into warm conversations.

Warm Lead

A warm lead has responded positively to outreach or shown intent signals. They're aware of your solution and open to a conversation.

The Lead Lifecycle

• Prospect ? identified as a potential fit
• Lead ? contacted and showing some interest
• Qualified lead ? confirmed fit, budget, and timing
• Opportunity ? active deal in your pipeline
• Customer ? closed and onboarded

What Makes a Good Lead?

A good lead matches your ideal customer profile, has a genuine need for your solution, and has the authority and budget to make a buying decision. SalesHawk specialises in delivering leads that check all three boxes.