The world of lead generation can be confusing enough, without extra jargon being thrown in. This 5 minute guide will bust all the confusing terms and simplify your lead-gen process.
Lead
A lead is described as a set of contact details for a person who has the potential to be interested in your product or service as they have either shown interest, or engaged with your company or brand’s marketing messages. A lead will typically contain a name, business address, personalised email and telephone contact details, but further information can be ascertained.
CPL = Cost Per Lead
Cost per lead is the most common pricing type or model for lead generation. It means that a set number of leads will be delivered at a set price per lead, which represents the campaign ‘value’. The price of a lead commonly increases or decreases depending on its level of qualification.
CPM = Cost Per Mille (sometimes known as Cost Per Thousand)
Cost per mille campaigns are based not on the number of leads generated, but the price is set on how many thousand impressions a marketing campaign will achieve.
Qualifier
A qualifier (which can also be referred to as a qualifying question) is used to define certain parameters, which marketers can use to filter leads so that they always fit a certain specification. For example, a marketer may need to qualify their leads on company size, as their software is designed for companies with a certain number of employees. Qualification is used to define both MQL’s and SQL’s.
Profiler
A profiler (or profiling question) is a softer approach used simply to ascertain more information about each lead, but not to define the lead’s parameters. This could be information marketers may find useful to know, or that an outbound sales team could use as a conversation starter.
Content Syndication
Content syndication refers to the process in which content such as whitepapers, eBooks and webinars are promoted and published, usually via third parties such as a high ranking webpages or email direct marketing campaigns.
SQL = Sales Qualified Lead
A sales qualified lead is a lead that is usually identified through lead scoring as a ‘hot lead’. These are leads that fit a marketer’s pre-determined criteria exactly whilst also showing strong buying signals – it is therefore important to have these followed up ASAP.
MQL = Marketing Qualified Lead
A marketing qualified lead is a prospect that has shown an interest in your company’s product or services typically by downloading a whitepaper, eBook or by viewing a webinar. They have also been qualified to an extent that the lead fits the profile of a typical buyer. These may not be qualified to purchase yet but marketers often nurture these leads to take them further down the sales funnel and turn them into SQL’s (sales qualified leads)..
Asset
An asset is a piece of content that is promoted in order to generate leads. It could be a whitepaper, guide, eBook or even a video.
Double touch
Double touch leads have viewed or downloaded or engaged with more than one piece of content that is being promoted. These leads undergo a higher level of qualification as they have shown a more consistent interest in your marketing communication messages and therefore may be in a position to investigate the benefits of your product or service further.
Retouch
A retouch is a message that gets delivered to a lead after a short period of time (usually several days or weeks after the initial download) and is a method used as part of a lead nurturing campaign. Its purpose is to re-remind the lead of your brand and potentially offer extra information or content.
Lead Nurturing
Lead nurturing is the longer term process with which marketers begin to build relationships with the leads that are generated as part of marketing campaigns. Usually content driven, interactions can be identified by marketing automation platforms (typically used for lead nurturing) to ensure a marketer is always in conversation with potential buyers, one way or another.
API Integration
API stands for Application Programming Interface, which is a software-to-software interface that allows leads to be directly posted or uploaded into a CRM or marketing automation system, as and when the leads are generated. This reduces the lead administration burden on your marketing department, and means that the leads can be followed up (by a sales team or via further digital messages) as quickly as possible.
BANT
BANT stands for budget, authority, need and timescale. In order for a lead to be qualified as a BANT lead, a marketer needs to determine that a) the prospect they are talking to is the budget holder; b) they have the authority to approve purchases; c) they have a need for your product or service; and d) that what they need is within a certain timescale (typically 6 to 12 months).
CTA
CTA stands for Call-To-Action. These are used in both B2B and B2C marketing communications to urge readers, listeners or viewers to take a ‘desired’ action. The most popular use of CTA’s is to encourage the download of an eBook or for a prospect to find out more information. CTA’s can be placed anywhere in your marketing too.
Media Owner
A Media Owner is described as the company who ‘owns’ the platform or method being used to generate leads or run outsourced marketing campaigns. For example, if you were to launch a lead generation campaign with Inbox Insight then they would be the media owner. Another term used is for this is ‘Publisher’.
Buyer Persona
A Buyer Persona is a way to outline or define a potential customer’s profile, which can be designed using a variety of factors – such as demographics, professional profiles, psychographics, buying habits, opinions and objectives. Buyer personas are a great way to help define a target market, when designing B2B lead generation campaigns.
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