Lead Generation

What is Lead Generation?

Lead generation (commonly abbreviated as "lead gen") is the marketing process of identifying and attracting potential customers and capturing their contact information so that your sales team can follow up. A "lead" is someone who has shown interest in your product or service and provided their details — name, email, phone number, or company. Lead generation sits at the junction between marketing and sales: marketing generates and qualifies leads; sales converts them into paying customers. Lead generation happens through many channels. Inbound lead generation attracts prospects who are already searching: SEO content that ranks for problem-aware queries, Google Ads targeting high-intent keywords, and downloadable resources (guides, calculators, templates) gated behind a form. Outbound lead generation reaches prospects who have not yet expressed intent: LinkedIn outreach, email campaigns, cold calling, and display advertising. The quality of leads matters as much as quantity. A "Marketing Qualified Lead" (MQL) has engaged meaningfully with content; a "Sales Qualified Lead" (SQL) has been assessed as ready for a direct sales conversation. Tracking lead quality alongside lead volume is essential — generating 100 leads with a 2% close rate is less valuable than generating 20 leads with a 25% close rate. Lead nurturing (following up with prospects who are not yet ready to buy through email sequences, retargeting ads, and valuable content) converts a higher percentage of leads over time. A lead captured today may buy in three months if nurtured correctly.