When you talk about getting new customers to your website or business, you will often focus on bringing in ‘leads.’ A lead is any potential customer who meets the proper criteria and can be considered the kind of person you will be marketing to.
But not all leads are made equal, and some leads are certainly better than others. The aim of your business should be to bring in new leads, and convert those leads into buyers as quickly as possible.
Let’s look at the different types of leads and what it means for your business.
Cold Lead
A cold lead is the most basic type of lead. This is someone you have established contact with and fit your precise target demographic. In other words, they are the right age, gender, location, and income, and you have the means to reach out to them.
But they are still ‘cold’ leads because they’ve shown no interest in your brand or your products, and they have had no willing contact with you before this first interaction.
Warm Lead
The next stage for your leads is to become ‘warm’ leads. A warm lead is a lead you have now interacted with and has shown some interest in your brand. They aren’t paying customers yet, but they have demonstrated interest in you, making them much more likely to become a customer in the future.
To become a warm lead, someone might have liked your page on Facebook, they might have signed up to your mailing list, or they might have emailed you to ask about your business.
Qualified Lead
A qualified lead is the best type of lead. This is someone who has not only shown an interest in your business but has shown an interest in your products or a specific item. That means they are very likely to want to buy from you with the right push, and they are probably ‘ready’ to buy as well. To become a qualified lead, your lead might have asked for information about a specific product, they might have pre-ordered, or they might have lingered on your store page.
The key is only to try to sell to qualified leads. Find cold leads and then bring them up to the point where they are committed to your brand and ready to buy!