leadgeneration

Lead generation is the process of attracting and converting individuals who may be interested in a product or service into prospects who have provided contact information or demonstrated interest. A lead is someone who has engaged with content or expressed intent, enabling sales teams to follow up.

Core approaches are inbound and outbound. Inbound lead generation draws people to a company through content, search engine optimization, blogs, social media, webinars, and lead magnets such as guides or trials. Outbound lead generation involves proactive outreach, including email campaigns, cold calling, direct mail, and paid advertising.

The workflow typically includes defining the target audience, creating offers, capturing leads on landing pages or forms, and delivering value through nurture programs. Lead scoring helps prioritize prospects by demographics, behavior, and engagement, and leads are routed to sales as qualified leads (SQLs) or marketing qualified leads (MQLs).

Key metrics include lead volume, cost per lead, conversion rate, lead quality, and time to close. Tools such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems and marketing automation platforms track interactions, manage contact data, and coordinate between marketing and sales. Compliance with privacy laws (for example, opt-in requirements under GDPR or CAN-SPAM) shapes how leads are collected and communicated.

Lead generation is a component of broader demand generation and sales enablement, focused on building a steady pipeline of potential customers.