B2B Lead Generation & Marketing Glossary

17 definitions

Strategy

Account-based marketing

An approach that coordinates marketing and sales around selected accounts. Research, messaging and activity are shaped by account context and buying groups, rather than treating every individual lead as an independent opportunity.

Also used: ABM

B2B marketing

Marketing directed at organisations rather than individual consumers. It connects an offer with business needs, buying processes and the people involved in evaluating a supplier. A business audience is not necessarily a single decision-maker.

Also used: business-to-business marketing

B2C marketing

Marketing directed at individuals buying for personal or household use. Purchase frequency, perceived risk, distribution and decision time can differ from B2B markets, although both require an understanding of customer needs.

Also used: business-to-consumer marketing

Brand awareness

The extent to which an audience recognises or recalls a brand. Awareness can support future consideration, but recognising a name does not establish preference, active demand or willingness to purchase.

Buyer persona

A research-informed description of a type of person involved in buying or using an offer. It explores responsibilities, goals, constraints and information needs. A persona complements an account-level ICP rather than replacing it.

Also used: buyer personas

Demand generation

Activity intended to build awareness, interest and demand for an offer over time. It includes work with people who may not be ready to buy; immediate contact capture is only one possible outcome.

Go-to-market strategy

A coordinated plan for bringing an offer to a defined market. It aligns the audience, positioning, channels, pricing, sales approach and delivery model so that attracting customers is connected to serving them effectively.

Also used: GTM, go-to-market

Ideal customer profile

A description of the organisations most suited to an offer and delivery model. In B2B, it may include sector, scale, geography, operational characteristics and exclusions. An ICP describes account fit, not confirmed buying intent.

Also used: ICP, ideal customer

Market segmentation

Dividing a market into groups with meaningful differences in needs, characteristics or purchasing behaviour. Useful segments support distinct commercial choices rather than simply creating more detailed lists.

Also used: segmentation

Positioning

The place a business aims to occupy in the audience's understanding relative to alternatives. Positioning guides which problem the brand addresses, whom it serves and which differences it can credibly demonstrate.

Product-market fit

The extent to which an offer meets a sufficiently important need in a market willing to adopt it. Evidence comes from customer behaviour and business performance, rather than a strong campaign response alone.

Serviceable available market

The portion of total potential demand that an organisation's offer and business model can serve. Geography, technical capability, regulation and distribution may reduce this scope relative to the total addressable market.

Also used: SAM

Serviceable obtainable market

The share of a serviceable market a business could realistically win over a defined period. Capacity, competition, routes to market and assumptions about conversion should make the estimate explicit and reviewable.

Also used: SOM

Target market

The group of organisations or consumers a business chooses to serve. A target market establishes scope; an ideal customer profile adds more specific criteria for deciding which accounts are a strong fit.

Total addressable market

The full potential demand for an offer under stated assumptions. A TAM estimate is a planning model, not a list of reachable buyers or a revenue forecast. Define the geography, category and calculation method.

Also used: TAM

Unique selling proposition

A specific, defensible reason to choose an offer over available alternatives. A claim is only useful as a USP if customers value it and the business can deliver and support it.

Also used: USP

Value proposition

A clear explanation of the relevant benefit an offer provides for a particular customer and why it is worth considering. It should connect capabilities to customer outcomes without promising results that cannot be substantiated.

15 definitions

Lead generation

Appointment setting

Arranging meetings between prospective customers and a sales team. A booked slot is an activity outcome; qualification, attendance and commercial relevance determine whether that meeting contributes to a useful sales process.

Contact database

A structured collection of people and their contact details. It can support research and communication, but a database alone does not establish account fit, current responsibilities, buying context or permission for a particular use.

Also used: contact databases

Gated content

Content that requires a visitor to complete a step, commonly a form, before accessing it. Gating may create lead records but also adds friction; the resource's usefulness should justify the information requested.

Inbound lead

A potential customer record created after someone initiates an interaction, such as requesting information. The action provides context, but its significance depends on what was requested, who acted and whether the organisation fits the offer.

Also used: inbound leads

Inbound marketing

An approach that attracts an audience through useful content, discoverability and relevant experiences. Its effectiveness depends on reaching an appropriate audience and helping people progress, not simply increasing traffic or publishing volume.

Lead

A record of a person or organisation identified for possible commercial follow-up. Businesses use the label differently, from a content enquiry to a researched account. The definition and evidence behind each record should be agreed.

Also used: leads

Lead capture

Collecting information that creates or updates a lead record, often through a form, event or enquiry. Capture should collect relevant information, explain its use and follow the applicable requirements for processing personal data.

Lead generation

The work of identifying or attracting potential customers and creating records for follow-up. Methods include research, enquiries, events and campaigns. A count of generated records says little about their quality without selection criteria and context.

Lead magnet

A resource offered in exchange for a defined action, often submitting contact details. Examples include a template, guide or briefing. Downloading it demonstrates interest in the resource, not necessarily an intention to buy a service.

List building

Assembling a defined set of prospective accounts or contacts. Useful lists record selection criteria, data sources and update needs, so users can distinguish intentional targeting from a large collection of loosely related records.

Outbound lead

A potential customer identified through proactive targeting or research rather than an incoming enquiry. Identification does not mean the recipient has expressed interest, given permission to be contacted or entered a buying process.

Also used: outbound leads

Outbound marketing

Proactive activity that puts a message in front of a selected audience, including direct outreach and advertising. It works best when targeting, relevance and channel choices are considered together. Outreach permissions require separate assessment.

Also used: outbound

Prospect

A potential customer being considered or investigated for commercial relevance. Some teams reserve the term for qualified accounts; others use it earlier. State the criteria instead of assuming a prospect is ready to buy.

Also used: prospects

Referral marketing

Encouraging recommendations from customers, partners or other trusted contacts. A referral may improve access and credibility, but the referred organisation still needs to be assessed for fit, timing and suitability.

Ungated content

Content accessible without submitting contact details. It can help people learn, assess expertise and share material more easily. Its contribution should be evaluated beyond the number of directly captured leads.

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19 definitions

Qualification

BANT

A qualification framework covering Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline. It provides prompts for understanding a potential purchase; it should not be used to infer unavailable information or rule out complex opportunities mechanically.

Buying committee

The people who influence, evaluate, approve or use a business purchase. Membership may change during the process. Understanding the committee helps avoid equating a single contact's interest with agreement across the organisation.

Also used: buying group

Champion

An internal supporter who values a proposed solution and helps it progress within an account. Genuine influence, motivation and access matter more than friendliness or willingness to attend a meeting.

Decision-maker

A person with a material role in selecting or approving a purchase. Authority may be shared or conditional. A job title is a useful research clue, but it does not establish responsibility for a specific project.

Also used: decision-makers, decision maker, decision makers

Disqualification

A documented decision that an account or lead does not meet the criteria for a particular commercial action. Record the reason and distinguish structural mismatch from temporary timing issues that might justify future review.

Economic buyer

The person or group controlling the financial approval for a purchase. The economic buyer may differ from the user, technical evaluator or day-to-day contact, particularly in organisations with central procurement or delegated budgets.

Engagement score

A measure of observed interactions, such as visits, downloads or responses. It can help prioritise investigation, but activity may come from research, competitors or existing customers rather than a new purchasing process.

Fit score

A measure of how closely a person or account matches defined customer criteria. It typically reflects characteristics such as industry, scale or role. Keep fit distinct from engagement and from readiness to purchase.

Gatekeeper

A person or process that controls access to information or stakeholders. Gatekeepers may protect time, security or procurement procedures. Effective engagement respects their role rather than treating every access restriction as an obstacle to bypass.

Lead nurturing

Maintaining relevant contact or useful information over time as a potential customer learns, evaluates or changes priorities. Nurturing should respond to context and permissions, rather than treating repeated automated messages as progress.

Also used: nurturing

Lead qualification

Assessing whether a lead merits further attention and what should happen next. Qualification combines fit, needs, constraints and buying context. Criteria and evidence should be explicit, especially when marketing and sales use different stage labels.

Lead quality

How suitable and useful a lead is for a defined commercial purpose. Assess account fit, information reliability and available context separately from the eventual sale. A high-quality record does not guarantee a successful outcome.

Lead scoring

Assigning a numerical or categorical priority using agreed criteria. Models may combine fit and behaviour, but scores are estimates shaped by their inputs. A high score is not proof of budget, purchase intent or future revenue.

Marketing-qualified lead

A lead meeting the marketing team's agreed threshold for further attention. That threshold may combine fit and engagement. Definitions vary between organisations; an MQL should not automatically be treated as a sales-ready buyer.

Also used: MQL, marketing qualified lead

MEDDIC

A sales qualification framework covering Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain and Champion. It supports understanding complex deals. Terminology and extensions vary, so teams should document how they apply the framework.

Pain point

A problem, constraint or frustration that matters to a potential customer. A credible sales conversation explores its business consequences and priority rather than assuming that a generic industry challenge applies to every account.

Also used: pain points

Product-qualified lead

A lead prioritised using meaningful product-use behaviour, often combined with customer fit. A free trial or repeated use may suggest relevance, but the team must still establish commercial context and purchasing responsibilities.

Also used: PQL, product qualified lead

Sales-accepted lead

A lead the sales team has accepted for follow-up under an agreed handoff process. Acceptance establishes responsibility, but it need not mean the account has been fully qualified or that an opportunity exists.

Also used: SAL, sales accepted lead

Sales-qualified lead

A lead assessed by sales as suitable to progress under the organisation's qualification criteria. This normally requires more evidence than a marketing interaction. SQL is a workflow label, not a universal guarantee of purchase readiness.

Also used: SQL, sales qualified lead

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15 definitions

Outbound execution

Account executive

A salesperson responsible for progressing and closing opportunities within an assigned scope. Responsibilities may include discovery, stakeholder coordination, proposals and negotiation. The role should be distinguished from account management where the business does so.

Also used: AE

Business development representative

A role concerned with developing potential business, often through outbound account research and initial engagement. SDR and BDR titles are used differently across organisations, so the title alone does not establish the role's scope.

Also used: BDR

Cold calling

A proactive telephone approach to a potential customer without a scheduled conversation. It requires appropriate targeting, preparation and attention to applicable calling rules. A completed call is not the same as a qualified opportunity.

Cold email

An initial commercial email sent without an existing conversation. Personalisation does not establish consent or legal permission. The sender must assess applicable rules, relevance, identity requirements and objection handling before using this channel.

Also used: cold emails

Cold outreach

An unsolicited first approach to someone without an established conversation or relationship. Relevance, identity, channel rules and applicable privacy and communications requirements must be considered separately from whether contact details are publicly available.

Conversation angle

A researched starting point connecting an account's circumstances with a question worth exploring. It is a hypothesis for discussion, not a statement that the organisation has an established need or intends to purchase.

Also used: conversation angles

Discovery call

A conversation intended to understand the customer's circumstances, needs, priorities and decision process. Its value comes from what is learned and agreed, rather than simply completing a checklist or presenting a sales pitch.

Follow-up

A subsequent action after an initial interaction, such as answering a question or revisiting an agreed timing. Good follow-up refers to the previous context and gives the recipient a clear, reasonable next step.

Multi-threading

Building relevant relationships with several stakeholders within an account. It can improve understanding of a buying process, but coordinated, transparent engagement is preferable to contacting numerous people without a clear purpose.

Objection handling

Exploring and responding to concerns that affect a potential purchase. A concern can reveal a genuine mismatch or constraint; handling it well may mean changing the proposal or accepting that the deal should not proceed.

Personalisation

Adapting communication to relevant characteristics or circumstances of the recipient. Useful personalisation explains why the message matters; inserting a name or mentioning an unrelated personal detail does not establish commercial relevance.

Also used: personalization

Sales cadence

An organised pattern of outreach steps across time and channels. A useful cadence defines purpose, ownership and stop conditions, and adapts to responses rather than continuing mechanically after rejection or a change in context.

Also used: outreach cadence

Sales development representative

A role focused on early commercial activity such as prospecting, responding to enquiries and qualifying potential conversations. Exact responsibilities differ between businesses and should be defined alongside handoff and success criteria.

Also used: SDR

Sales prospecting

The work of finding and evaluating possible customers and initiating relevant commercial conversations. It combines account selection, research and outreach; sending messages to a large list is only one activity, not the whole process.

Also used: prospecting

Social selling

Using professional social platforms to build understanding, credibility and relevant relationships that support selling. It is broader than sending connection requests or promotional messages and does not replace qualification or customer conversations.

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17 definitions

Intelligence and data

Buying signal

An event or behaviour that may indicate a commercially relevant change. Expansion, leadership moves or recruitment can justify investigation, but do not by themselves establish need, available budget or an active purchase.

Also used: buying signals

Company research

Investigating an organisation's activity, structure, circumstances and relevance to an offer. Good research distinguishes confirmed facts from interpretation and records sources so a salesperson can validate context before using it.

Also used: account research, company research

Customer relationship management

The practices and systems used to manage relationships, account information, interactions and commercial activity. A CRM becomes useful through consistent records and workflows, not simply by importing a large number of contacts.

Also used: CRM

Data enrichment

Adding relevant attributes or context to an existing record. Enrichment improves usefulness only if the additions are reliable, current and appropriate to the intended use. Filling more fields is not automatically better research.

Data freshness

How recently information has been observed or checked relative to its intended use. Different fields age at different rates; a company's sector may remain stable while a contact's role or project deadline changes quickly.

Data hygiene

The ongoing work of maintaining useful, consistent and reliable records. It includes correcting errors, managing duplicates, updating responsibilities and retaining clear definitions, ownership and appropriate retention practices.

Data verification

Checking whether information is accurate for its intended purpose. Verification should state what was checked, how and when. A verified email address does not establish that its owner is the right decision-maker or wants contact.

Deduplication

Identifying and resolving repeated records that refer to the same entity. Matching may use domains, account names or contact identifiers. Preserve useful history and distinguish separate branches or subsidiaries before merging records.

Firmographics

Characteristics describing an organisation, such as industry, employee count, revenue range, location or ownership. Firmographics help segment and assess accounts, but similar profiles can conceal very different needs and purchasing circumstances.

Also used: firmographic data

First-party data

Information an organisation collects through its own interactions and systems, such as enquiries or customer activity. First-party describes the collection relationship; it does not remove the need for a valid purpose and appropriate data handling.

Intent data

Information used to estimate interest in a topic, category or purchase. It may come from a company's own interactions or external providers. Topic-level behaviour should not be treated as proof that a named individual plans to buy.

Marketing automation

Software-supported execution of repeatable marketing workflows, such as segmentation, routing or scheduled communication. Automation should reflect agreed rules and reliable data, with monitoring and clear ownership when circumstances change or exceptions arise.

Prospect intelligence

Research focused on potential customers, connecting account fit, relevant changes, stakeholders and possible next steps. At Leads Prospecta, it supports commercial judgement; it does not certify buying intent or replace direct qualification.

Sales intelligence

Information and analysis that help commercial teams understand accounts, people and market context. Its value depends on evidence, currency and practical relevance. More available data does not automatically produce a better decision.

Technographics

Information about the technologies an organisation appears to use. It can support compatibility or replacement hypotheses, but observations may be incomplete, outdated or limited to public-facing systems rather than the whole technology estate.

Also used: technographic data

Third-party data

Information obtained from an external organisation that did not collect it through the recipient business's own direct interactions. Assess origin, permitted use, quality and update frequency before incorporating it into commercial workflows.

Trigger event

A specific development used to prompt account review or outreach. The event becomes commercially useful only when connected to the offer, checked for timing and interpreted with awareness of alternative explanations.

Also used: trigger events

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21 definitions

Content and search

Alt text

A text alternative describing an image's purpose or information in context. Meaningful images need useful descriptions; decorative images can use an empty alternative. Alt text should serve accessibility rather than become a keyword list.

Also used: alternative text

Anchor text

The visible text of a hyperlink. Descriptive anchor text helps readers anticipate the destination. It should fit the surrounding sentence and accurately describe what the linked page provides.

Answer engine optimisation

A term used for structuring useful answers for search and other question-answering interfaces. It overlaps with editorial clarity and SEO. A concise answer is valuable when accurate and contextual, not when stripped of necessary qualifications.

Also used: AEO, answer engine optimization

Backlink

A link from another website to a page on your site. Its usefulness depends on relevance, context and the linking source. A link is not automatically an endorsement, and acquiring manipulative links can create search risks.

Also used: backlinks

Canonical URL

The representative URL for content available at more than one address. A canonical declaration communicates a preference to search engines, which may select differently. It does not act as a visitor redirect.

Content marketing

Creating and distributing useful material for a defined audience to support business goals. Its contribution depends on relevance, credibility and distribution, not merely the number of articles published or keywords included.

Crawling

The process by which search systems discover and fetch web resources. Being crawled is separate from being indexed, and an indexed page is not guaranteed prominent placement for a particular search.

E-E-A-T

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness: concepts used in Google's guidance for evaluating content quality. They are not a single public numerical score. Clear authorship, accurate evidence and honest limitations help make content more trustworthy.

Also used: EEAT

Generative engine optimisation

An emerging term for making content useful and understandable in AI-assisted discovery. Clear explanations, evidence and accessible pages can help readers and machines, but no universal GEO score or guaranteed citation method exists.

Also used: GEO, generative engine optimization

Indexing

Processing and storing information about content so it can be considered for search results. A publicly accessible page is not necessarily indexed. Quality, duplication, technical signals and search-system choices can affect inclusion.

Internal link

A hyperlink connecting pages within the same website. Descriptive, relevant links help visitors navigate related ideas and make page relationships easier to discover. Adding links without context can make reading harder rather than more useful.

Also used: internal links, internal linking

Keyword

A word or phrase used to understand or target a search topic. Keyword selection should reflect audience questions and page purpose rather than encourage repeated wording that makes the text less useful.

Keyword cannibalisation

A situation where overlapping pages create unclear targeting or compete for the same search purpose. Similar keywords alone do not prove a problem; inspect page intent, performance and whether the pages provide distinct value.

Also used: keyword cannibalization

Long-tail keyword

A relatively specific search phrase, often with lower individual search volume than broad terms. Specificity can reveal a clearer need, but a long phrase is not automatically easy to rank for or commercially valuable.

Also used: long-tail keywords

Meta description

A short HTML description summarising a page. Search engines may use it in a result snippet or select other text. It should set accurate expectations rather than repeat keywords or promise unsupported outcomes.

Open Graph

Metadata that describes a page for previews when links are shared. Title, description and representative image should reflect the destination. Platforms may cache previews, so updates do not always appear immediately.

Pillar page

A substantial overview that introduces a subject and guides readers to deeper resources. It should provide useful explanation in its own right rather than functioning only as a directory of article links.

Also used: pillar pages

Search engine optimisation

Improving a site's accessibility, clarity, relevance and usefulness so search engines can discover and understand its content. Search visibility also depends on competition and search systems; technical compliance does not guarantee indexing or ranking.

Also used: SEO, search engine optimization

Search intent

The purpose behind a search, such as learning, comparing alternatives or finding a particular service. Intent is inferred from context and results, and can be mixed; a keyword alone does not fully describe the searcher's situation.

Structured data

Machine-readable information describing content and entities using an established vocabulary. It should match what readers can see. Valid markup can help interpretation and feature eligibility, but does not guarantee a particular search appearance.

Topic cluster

A connected group of content addressing a broader subject and its related questions. Clear scope and useful internal links help readers explore the subject without making several pages compete to answer the same question.

Also used: topic clusters

11 definitions

Paid and distribution

Cost per click

Advertising cost divided by recorded clicks for the same scope and period. A lower CPC can improve efficiency, but only if the traffic remains relevant and the downstream commercial outcomes justify the spend.

Also used: CPC

Cost per mille

The advertising cost per thousand impressions. It supports delivery comparisons, but says little about attention or business value without considering audience quality, placement, viewability and subsequent outcomes.

Also used: CPM

Frequency

The average number of recorded exposures per reached person or account in a period. Averages can hide uneven delivery; evaluate repetition alongside creative wear, audience size and the objective of the campaign.

Impression

A recorded display of content or an advertisement under a platform's counting rules. An impression does not establish that a person noticed, understood or remembered the message.

Also used: impressions

Paid search

Advertising displayed in response to search activity. Keyword, audience, creative and landing-page choices shape relevance, while bids and platform systems affect delivery. A click still requires a useful and appropriate next step.

Paid social

Advertising distributed through social platforms. It can support reach, demand or direct response, but audience targeting and reported platform conversions should be evaluated against the business's actual customer and revenue records.

Pay-per-click

An advertising pricing model in which the advertiser pays for clicks. It describes how an interaction is charged, not whether the visitor is qualified or whether the campaign generates profitable business.

Also used: PPC

Reach

The number of distinct people or accounts estimated to have encountered content within a defined period. Counting methods differ by platform, so reach figures across channels should not be added without considering overlap.

Retargeting

Advertising directed at audiences with a previous relevant interaction, where permitted and supported. Eligibility, tracking choices and frequency matter. Repeated exposure should not be confused with growing interest or an agreed buying process.

Also used: remarketing

Search engine marketing

Marketing activity connected to search engines. The term often refers to paid search, although some use it more broadly. Specify whether a plan includes advertising, organic search work or both.

Also used: SEM

UTM parameters

Labels added to URLs to help analytics tools classify incoming traffic by attributes such as source, medium and campaign. Consistent naming improves reporting. These labels do not establish causal attribution or identify every visitor journey.

Also used: UTM

9 definitions

Conversion

A/B testing

Comparing variants using an experimental allocation and a defined outcome. Sound interpretation requires suitable sample size, duration and measurement. A short-lived difference does not necessarily demonstrate a reliable improvement.

Also used: split testing

Call to action

A prompt inviting a defined next step, such as reading an example or requesting a proposal. The wording should explain the action and match the visitor's readiness, rather than relying on urgency without context.

Also used: CTA, calls to action

Conversion

A defined action counted as an outcome, such as an enquiry, purchase or registration. Specify the action, counting method and period: different conversions have different commercial value and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Also used: conversions

Conversion rate

The number of defined conversions divided by the relevant eligible interactions, visits or people, expressed as a percentage. Always state the denominator and counting rules so comparisons refer to the same event and population.

Conversion rate optimisation

Improving an experience to help appropriate visitors complete a useful action. Research, testing and measurement should examine lead quality and customer outcomes as well as the proportion completing a form.

Also used: CRO, conversion rate optimization

Friction

Effort, uncertainty or obstacles that make an action harder. Some friction is useful, such as clarifying requirements or checking information. Removing every step may increase submissions while reducing their suitability.

Landing page

A page designed around a particular audience, campaign or next step. Effective landing pages align the promise that brought visitors there with clear information, evidence and a reasonable action.

Also used: landing pages

Lead form

A form that captures an enquiry or potential customer information. Fields should support the stated purpose, with clear labels, accessible feedback and an honest explanation of what happens after submission.

Progressive profiling

Collecting useful information across successive interactions rather than requesting everything at once. It requires consistent record matching and transparent data handling so incremental collection supports relevance rather than unnecessary surveillance.

11 definitions

Pipeline and revenue

Bottom of funnel

Activity close to evaluating or taking a commercial next step, such as reviewing proposals or service details. A visitor's access to such content does not independently confirm an active or approved purchase.

Also used: BOFU

Buying journey

The activities and decisions through which people recognise needs, evaluate options and choose what to do. In B2B, several stakeholders may follow different paths, making the journey less linear than a campaign funnel suggests.

Also used: buyer journey, customer journey

Lead handoff

The transfer of responsibility for a lead between teams or roles. A useful handoff includes context, qualification evidence, ownership and follow-up expectations, rather than only a name and a notification.

Middle of funnel

Activity supporting consideration, understanding and comparison. Examples include practical guides or evaluation criteria. The business should define which behaviours and evidence justify further follow-up rather than rely on content format alone.

Also used: MOFU

Revenue operations

Coordination of systems, data and workflows across revenue-facing teams. The aim is to make commercial activity consistent and measurable across the customer lifecycle, rather than optimise each department's metrics independently.

Also used: RevOps

Sales and marketing alignment

Agreement between sales and marketing on customers, definitions, responsibilities and outcomes. Shared reporting helps, but alignment also requires feedback about lead relevance, rejection reasons and what happens after the handoff.

Sales enablement

Providing salespeople with relevant knowledge, content, tools and support to conduct effective customer conversations. Enablement should be connected to actual situations and outcomes, not measured only by the quantity of materials produced.

Sales funnel

A model showing how an audience or group of records progresses through defined stages. Real buying journeys can pause, reverse or involve multiple people; the funnel simplifies those movements for planning and analysis.

Also used: marketing funnel, funnel

Sales opportunity

A potential transaction managed through a sales process after agreed entry criteria are met. Teams should define what distinguishes an opportunity from an unqualified lead or an account that is simply worth monitoring.

Also used: opportunities, opportunity

Sales pipeline

The set of active commercial opportunities organised by agreed stages. Pipeline value is not booked revenue. Forecasting requires evidence about stage definitions, timing, risk and the chance of progressing.

Also used: pipeline

Top of funnel

Activity associated with early awareness and exploration. The label describes a planning stage, not a reliable diagnosis of an individual's readiness. Early content should help the audience understand a relevant problem.

Also used: TOFU

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17 definitions

Measurement

Annual contract value

The annualised value of a contract under a stated accounting or commercial convention. Clarify how one-off fees, usage charges and multi-year terms are treated before comparing opportunities or customer segments.

Also used: ACV

Annual recurring revenue

Recurring revenue expressed on an annual basis under a consistent definition. ARR normally excludes one-off revenue; it is a business metric rather than a substitute for recognised revenue or cash received.

Also used: ARR

Attribution

Assigning credit for an outcome to recorded interactions or channels under a chosen method. Attribution helps organise reporting, but it does not by itself prove that a campaign caused incremental business.

Click-through rate

Recorded clicks divided by impressions, expressed as a percentage for a defined scope. CTR describes response to an exposure; it does not establish visitor quality, purchase intent or the profitability of the activity.

Also used: CTR

Cohort analysis

Comparing groups that share a defined starting event or characteristic, such as acquisition month. It helps distinguish the age and mix of records from genuine changes in conversion, retention or value.

Cost per acquisition

Cost divided by a defined acquisition or conversion event. Platforms and teams may use different meanings of acquisition, so state whether the event is a form submission, customer or another action before comparing figures.

Also used: CPA

Cost per lead

The relevant acquisition cost divided by the number of leads counted in the same scope. Define both the included costs and the lead criteria. A cheap record can create expensive qualification work later.

Also used: CPL, cost-per-lead

Customer acquisition cost

The cost of acquiring new customers divided by the customers acquired under a consistent method. Included sales and marketing costs, period and cohort assumptions should be explicit; CAC is not the same as advertising cost per enquiry.

Also used: CAC

Customer lifetime value

An estimate of the value a customer relationship contributes over its duration. Revenue-based and margin-based models differ. Assumptions about retention, cost and timing should be stated rather than treating the estimate as guaranteed income.

Also used: CLV, LTV, lifetime value

Incrementality

The additional outcome caused by an activity compared with what would have happened without it. Estimating incrementality requires a credible comparison or experiment; attributed conversions alone do not establish the counterfactual.

Key performance indicator

A selected measure used to evaluate progress toward an objective. A metric becomes a KPI through its relationship to a decision or goal; easily available numbers are not necessarily the most informative indicators.

Also used: KPI, KPIs

Monthly recurring revenue

Recurring revenue expressed on a monthly basis. Define included subscriptions, variable charges, discounts and cancellations. MRR helps track subscription activity but should not be confused with cash collections or total monthly sales.

Also used: MRR

Pipeline velocity

An estimate of how quickly opportunity value progresses through a pipeline. A common model combines opportunity count, average deal value and win rate, divided by cycle length. Definitions and cohorts must be consistent for the result to be useful.

Return on ad spend

Attributed revenue divided by advertising spend within a defined scope. ROAS excludes many business costs and depends on attribution settings, so a high reported ratio does not necessarily mean the activity is profitable.

Also used: ROAS

Return on investment

A measure comparing a defined net return with the investment required, typically expressed as a percentage. Marketing ROI needs clear cost boundaries and attribution assumptions; revenue divided by advertising spend is a different measure.

Also used: ROI

Sales cycle

The elapsed time between defined starting and ending points in a sales process. The start might be first contact or opportunity creation, and the end might be signature or payment; those choices affect comparisons.

Win rate

The share of a defined group of opportunities that is won. State whether the denominator includes only closed deals or all created opportunities, and use comparable cohorts and periods when evaluating changes.

9 definitions

Retention

Churn

The loss of customers or recurring revenue during a defined period. Customer churn and revenue churn measure different things. State the starting base and treatment of pauses or partial cancellations when reporting it.

Cross-selling

Offering a different, complementary product or service to an existing customer. Understanding the account's situation and relevant stakeholders is still necessary; an established relationship does not make every additional offer appropriate.

Customer advocacy

Willingness by customers to recommend, endorse or contribute evidence about a supplier. Testimonials and case studies should be accurate and authorised; a logo displayed on a site is not automatically evidence of endorsement.

Customer experience

The customer's perception of interactions with an organisation across the relationship. Marketing, sales, delivery and support all contribute. Improving a single touchpoint does not necessarily resolve wider sources of confusion or dissatisfaction.

Also used: CX

Customer retention

The ability to maintain customer relationships over a defined period. Retention rates depend on the population and counting method, and should be distinguished from revenue retention when account sizes change.

Customer success

Work intended to help customers achieve agreed outcomes with an offer. It can support adoption, retention and expansion, but responsibilities and success measures vary with the product and business model.

Net promoter score

A survey measure calculated as the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors using its defined response groups. Results depend on survey design, timing and response mix, and should be interpreted alongside other evidence.

Also used: NPS

Net revenue retention

Recurring revenue retained from an existing customer cohort after expansion, contraction and churn, divided by that cohort's starting recurring revenue. It excludes new customers and can exceed 100% when expansion outweighs losses.

Also used: NRR

Upselling

Helping an existing customer move to a higher-value version or scope of an offer. A suitable upsell addresses a relevant additional need; it should not be assumed solely because the account has available budget.

Find the term. Understand the context.

Account-based marketing

B2B marketing

B2C marketing

Brand awareness

Buyer persona

Demand generation

Go-to-market strategy

Ideal customer profile

Market segmentation

Positioning

Product-market fit

Serviceable available market

Serviceable obtainable market

Target market

Total addressable market

Unique selling proposition

Value proposition

Appointment setting

Contact database

Gated content

Inbound lead

Inbound marketing

Lead

Lead capture

Lead generation

Lead magnet

List building

Outbound lead

Outbound marketing

Prospect

Referral marketing

Ungated content

BANT

Buying committee

Champion

Decision-maker

Disqualification

Economic buyer

Engagement score

Fit score

Gatekeeper

Lead nurturing

Lead qualification

Lead quality

Lead scoring

Marketing-qualified lead

MEDDIC

Pain point

Product-qualified lead

Sales-accepted lead

Sales-qualified lead

Account executive

Business development representative

Cold calling

Cold email

Cold outreach

Conversation angle

Discovery call

Follow-up

Multi-threading

Objection handling

Personalisation

Sales cadence

Sales development representative

Sales prospecting

Social selling

Buying signal

Company research

Customer relationship management

Data enrichment

Data freshness

Data hygiene

Data verification

Deduplication

Firmographics

First-party data

Intent data

Marketing automation

Prospect intelligence