sales lead

Meaning

A sales lead is a person or organization that has shown interest in your product or service, making them a potential customer. It is the very first stage of the sales process before someone becomes a qualified prospect. Businesses collect leads through websites, events, or cold outreach.

Examples

• We need to follow up on that new sales lead from the conference last week.

  We need to follow up on that new sales lead from the conference last week.

• Our marketing team generated over fifty sales leads from the online webinar.

  Our marketing team generated over fifty sales leads from the online webinar.

• Could you assign this sales lead to one of our junior account managers?

  Could you assign this sales lead to one of our junior account managers?

• She spent the morning cold-calling every sales lead on her list.

  She spent the morning cold-calling every sales lead on her list.

• Not every sales lead turns into a buying customer, but it's a good start.

  Not every sales lead turns into a buying customer, but it's a good start.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I got a sales lead person today.

  ✓ I got a sales lead today.

  The term 'sales lead' already refers to the potential customer or contact. Adding 'person' is redundant.

• ✗ We need to close this sales lead.

  ✓ We need to convert this sales lead.

  You 'convert' or 'follow up on' a sales lead. You 'close' a deal or a sale, not the lead itself.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The marketing campaign was successful and brought in a high-quality ___.

  💡 A singular noun phrase for a potential customer.

  Show answer

  sales lead

• I need to enter this new ___ into our CRM system before I go home.

  💡 The initial contact info of a potential client.

  Show answer

  sales lead