Short, clear definitions, the way we use them in consulting.
An approach in which marketing and sales do not address broad audiences but specifically selected companies (accounts) with coordinated messages. It pays off above all with few, large customers and long sales cycles.
A system in which contacts, companies, interactions and sales opportunities are stored centrally. It only becomes the foundation for marketing and sales once the data structure, lifecycle stages and handover rules are defined. HubSpot is an example of a CRM.
The predictable creation of demand: from positioning through content and channels to lead process, handover to sales and reporting. Unlike pure lead generation, it is not about collecting individual contacts but about building a system that delivers qualified leads over months.
The concrete plan for whom a company reaches with which offering through which channels, and how it measures success. It applies to a product, a market or a target group, for example when entering a market.
The description of the companies that fit an offering best, for example by industry, size, situation and buying trigger. The ideal customer profile is the basis for positioning, campaigns and the assessment of leads.
A contact who has shown interest or has been recorded as a possible customer, for example through a form, a download or a conversation.
Winning contacts with interest, for example through forms, downloads, events or ads. Lead generation is one part of demand generation.
The defined moment and process in which marketing hands a lead over to sales. It only works with jointly defined criteria for MQL and SQL and clear responsibilities.
Accompanying contacts who are not yet ready to buy with relevant content over a longer period. Good nurturing reacts to a contact's actual behaviour and does not follow a rigid schedule.
A points system that rates contacts by fit (for example industry and size) and behaviour (for example page visits and downloads). It helps decide when a lead is handed over to sales.
The phases a contact goes through in the CRM, such as subscriber, lead, MQL, SQL, opportunity and customer. Uniformly defined stages make sure marketing and sales mean the same numbers.
An assessment of strategy, channels, data and processes. It shows where marketing leaves revenue on the table and delivers a prioritised action plan (roadmap).
Software-supported processes that carry out marketing tasks automatically based on rules and behaviour, for example email tracks, lead assignment and lead scoring.
The review of marketing, data and CRM in the context of an investment or a company sale. It shows how reliable a company's numbers and processes are.
A lead that marketing rates as qualified according to defined criteria and can pass on to sales.
All open sales opportunities, ordered by stage and with expected value. It shows how much revenue is realistic in the coming months.
Bringing together processes, data and systems from marketing, sales and service so that revenue can be steered predictably. The free readiness check shows how far a company has come.
A lead that sales has reviewed and accepted as a real sales opportunity. The distinction between MQL and SQL is only useful if both teams define the criteria together.
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