Glossary
What is a lead in sales and what is a qualified lead
Lead is the word marketing and sales use for an interested contact. Knowing how to tell the curious lead from the one ready to buy is what makes the team spend time in the right place.
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The short answer
A lead is a person or company that showed interest in what you sell and left a way to be contacted, like a WhatsApp message, an Instagram direct message or a form. A qualified lead is one that, after a few questions, showed they have the need, the timing and the means to buy. That is who the salesperson should spend most of their time with.
The types of lead
| Type | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Cold lead | Knows the company but is still researching | Reply and keep the contact on record |
| Warm lead | Has interest and is already asking questions | Answer questions and qualify |
| Qualified lead | Has the need, the timing and the means to buy | Pass to the salesperson without delay |
| Customer | Bought | Take care of the relationship and after-sales |
What is a lead on Instagram
On Instagram, a lead is someone who sends a direct message asking the price, replies to a story with interest or arrives through an ad. Many Facebook and Instagram ads lead straight to a WhatsApp conversation. In all these cases, the lead only becomes a sale if someone replies fast and if its source is recorded.
How to qualify a lead
- Understand the need: what the person must solve
- Check the timing: when they need it
- Confirm the means: whether what you offer fits what they are looking for
- Find out who decides: the person themselves or someone else
- Record everything in the history, so the salesperson does not repeat the questions
Why leads get lost
The most common reason is slow replies. The second is the lead landing on the phone of someone busy while nobody else sees it. The third is the company not knowing where the lead came from and continuing to invest in the wrong ad. All three are solved with a queue, automatic distribution and recording the source.
How atendIA does it
In atendIA, leads from WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger arrive in the same inbox and are distributed automatically, by round robin or to whoever is least busy. A stalled conversation goes back to the queue. atendIA tags which Facebook or Instagram ad brought each conversation, and the sales funnel shows which stage each lead is in. On Essential, the AI replies right away, 24 hours a day, and does the first qualification before passing to the team.
Plans and pricing
Lead distribution, the funnel and ad tracking come on every plan, starting at $49. The AI that qualifies the lead is on Essential, at $99.
See all plansFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between a lead and a customer?
A lead is someone who showed interest. A customer is someone who already bought. The job of sales is to take the lead through the funnel stages until they become a customer.
Who should qualify the lead?
On larger teams, an SDR or an AI does the qualification and passes only those who are ready to the salesperson. On small teams, the salesperson qualifies, and the AI helps by replying right away and asking the first questions.
Is there a limit on messages or users?
No. Messages are unlimited on every plan, and you add as many users as you need, with no per seat cost.
Which channels can I connect?
You connect WhatsApp yourself by scanning a QR code, with up to 10 numbers. Instagram, Messenger, Gmail and WhatsApp through the official Meta API are connected by our team, together with you. Everything lands in the same inbox.
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