At its core, a sales lead is an individual or organization usa consumer mobile number list that has shown some level of interest in your product or service, or fits the profile of your ideal customer, thereby indicating a potential for becoming a future customer.
However, the term "interest" is where the nuance lies. Not all leads are created equal. The mere possession of a name and contact information does not automatically constitute a valuable sales lead.
A sales lead is a potential customer who has been identified, qualified to some degree, and has expressed enough interest or exhibited enough behavior to warrant further communication and nurturing by your sales or marketing team.
Think of it as a spectrum of interest and qualification:
Raw Contact/Suspect: This is just a name, email, or phone number. You might have found it through general research or bought a list. There's no confirmed interest from their side yet. This is not a sales lead in the true sense; it's a prospect waiting to be warmed up.
Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL): This is where the magic begins. An MQL is a lead that has engaged with your marketing efforts and shown more than a casual interest. This could be someone who: