How Tracking Leads Benefits Your Business: The Basics

Before funneling leads into your CRM through marketing campaigns, it’s important to ensure you’ve set up all the critical components—starting with lead tracking. This tool is key to a successful lead generation strategy, providing insight into how prospects interact with your brand at every touchpoint. 

Without lead tracking, you’ll miss valuable data, making it difficult to measure the real impact of your marketing on sales. 

Read on to discover how lead tracking can elevate your business, consistently delivering higher-quality leads.

Request a demo today for more information on how Leadfeeder helps track your leads

What is lead tracking?

Lead tracking monitors and manages interactions with potential customers from initial contact to conversion. It involves capturing data on how leads engage with your business, such as website visits, email opens, and content downloads, to understand their level of interest and readiness to buy. By tracking these behaviors, businesses can prioritize high-potential leads and tailor their sales and marketing efforts.

Key concepts in lead tracking

• Inbound lead: An inbound lead is a potential customer who expresses interest in your products or services by engaging with your content or brand. These leads typically enter the sales funnel by filling out forms, downloading resources, or responding to calls to action. Because they have proactively sought out your brand, inbound leads are often considered higher quality. Effective lead tracking allows businesses to nurture these leads through personalized follow-ups, increasing the chances of conversion.

• Outbound lead: An outbound lead is a potential customer a business actively reaches out to, rather than waiting for them to show interest. This can involve cold calling, email outreach, or targeted advertising. Outbound leads may require more effort to convert compared to inbound leads. However, effective lead tracking can identify which outreach methods resonate best with different audiences, allowing teams to refine their strategies.

• Lead sources: Lead sources are the channels or methods through which potential customers discover and engage with a brand. Common sources include organic search, social media, email marketing, paid advertising, referrals, and events. Understanding lead sources is crucial for assessing marketing campaign effectiveness. Lead tracking helps businesses attribute leads to specific sources, optimizing their strategies based on which channels generate the highest quality leads.

• Lead attribution: Lead attribution determines which marketing efforts are responsible for converting a lead into a customer. This involves tracking a lead's journey from initial contact to conversion and identifying the interactions influencing their decisions. Good lead attribution provides insights into the ROI of various marketing channels, allowing businesses to allocate resources wisely. By understanding lead attribution, companies can improve marketing effectiveness and invest in the most successful tactics.

• Lead scoring: Lead scoring ranks leads based on their perceived value and likelihood to convert into paying customers. A point system typically assigns values to various attributes, such as demographic information and engagement levels. By implementing lead scoring, businesses can prioritize outreach efforts, focusing on leads more likely to convert. This, combined with great lead tracking, allows sales teams to allocate their time and resources efficiently.

What is a lead tracking system?

A lead tracking system is a software tool designed to keep an eye on and take care of potential customers' interactions with your business. It collects data on how leads interact with your brand across multiple channels. This information helps businesses track the progress of leads through the sales funnel, allowing for better prioritization and more personalized follow-ups.

These systems, often integrated with CRM or marketing automation platforms, provide real-time insights into lead behavior and automate parts of the sales process. By organizing and analyzing lead data, businesses can improve communication, enhance targeting, and increase conversion rates by focusing on the most promising leads.

What are leads in sales?

Leads in sales are potential customers who have shown interest in a company's product or service but have not yet made a purchase. They have engaged with the brand in some way, such as filling out a form, subscribing to a newsletter, or interacting on social media. Leads can vary in quality based on their level of interest and how closely they align with the company’s target audience.

Sales leads tracking is crucial because these leads represent opportunities to nurture relationships and guide prospects toward a purchase. Sales teams often categorize leads by their readiness to buy, using lead scoring or intent data to prioritize their efforts. By tracking sales leads that are the most promising, businesses can optimize their resources and improve conversion rates.

Why do sales and marketing need lead tracking? 

Tracking leads in the marketing and sales process is essential if you want to link closed revenue back to your marketing touchpoints. 

Effective leads tracking through the entire customer journey can help teams identify where their leads are coming from, and which channels are generating the most high-value leads. 

For a marketing team, this knowledge is gold dust. By understanding where to concentrate your efforts, you can improve the effectiveness of your marketing and drive more revenue with less budget. 

And for sales, the effects are clear. Greater transparency on lead quality for marketing teams means that sales will be fed better quality data which will result in more impact on the bottom line. 

It also gives sales reps greater detail into their prospect for a more tailored approach, making a conversion or sale much more likely. 

How do you capture leads? Different methods of lead tracking

Before we look into how to effectively track your leads, let’s first look at all the ways you can capture leads. 

Generally speaking, you capture leads in the following way: 

• Via a form submission 

• Via a phone call

• Through your live chat tool

• At an event or instore 

Let’s break down how each of these works. 

Form submissions 

You can host any number of forms on your website to collect inbound leads and their data. 

They could be demo forms, contact us forms, quote forms and more. 

84% of marketers use form submissions to collect inbound leads on their websites. 

Phone calls 

Phone calls are a typically traditional way to collect leads. Whether that’s a phone number on your website, via a directory or via a Google service like paid ads or Google My Business, you need to ensure you’re tracking your inbound calls. 

50% of marketers use phone calls as a form of inbound lead generation, so it’s clear it’s still a popular way to drive meaningful leads to your sales team via

Live chat 

Live chat tools originally began as a form of customer service for businesses. But, in recent years, they’re increasingly being used as a way to drive leads through a website. 

In fact, it’s reported that 33% of marketers use live chat as a conversion tool. 

Events 

Last but not least, there are events that have always been a traditional way to drive new leads for a business. 

An estimated 17% of marketers still use events to drive new leads. And it’s no surprise. They can be a very fruitful way to drive interest from new audiences. 

Types of leads to track

• Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs): Marketing Qualified Leads are potential customers who have engaged with your marketing efforts and shown interest in your products or services. MQLs are considered more likely to convert than general leads, as they have demonstrated a certain level of interest and engagement, making them a priority for the sales team to nurture further.

• Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs): Sales Qualified Leads are prospects that have been vetted by the sales team and deemed ready for direct sales engagement. These leads have typically expressed a strong interest in purchasing, often requesting a demo, consultation, or pricing information. SQLs are more likely to convert into paying customers because they have passed through initial marketing qualifications and are considered more aligned with the company's ideal customer profile.

• Product Qualified Leads (PQLs): Product Qualified Leads are potential customers who have experienced the product firsthand, usually through a free trial or freemium version. Their interactions with the product demonstrate a clear interest in its value and functionality, indicating they are more likely to convert to a paid plan. PQLs allow businesses to focus their sales efforts on leads already engaged with the product, increasing the chances of a successful conversion.

• Service Qualified Leads (ServQLs): Service Qualified Leads are prospects who have expressed interest in a company's services and are more likely to convert to customers based on their specific needs. These leads often come from service inquiries, support requests, or recommendations. ServQLs are significant because they indicate a strong potential for engagement and conversion, allowing businesses to tailor their approach and offerings to meet these prospects' unique service requirements.

Advantages of effective lead tracking: Why it is important

Lead tracking is essential to any business for 3 clear reasons. 

Let’s go through each one by one. 

Track your inbound leads 

Many marketers struggle to know what to track when it comes to proving marketing effectiveness. 

Tracking leads is a good starting point. 

It’s a solid number to track each month so you can start to identify any ebbs and flows in lead generation. 

By understanding the volume of leads you’re generating, you can begin to get an understanding of how marketing impacts sales.

But that’s just the first step in greater marketing reporting. 

Relate inbound leads back to marketing campaigns 

We all know that users don’t land on your website for the first time and convert. 

More often than not, long customer journeys are involved. 

Users research you and your competitors looking for the best solution to their problems. 

When it comes to lead tracking, many simple methods only allow you to track the source of the session they converted on. 

But in many cases, there will have been a number of marketing touchpoints prior to that conversion. 

With traditional lead tracking methods, you will miss this data. 

And that means you can’t relate your inbound leads to your marketing channels and campaigns. 

With proper lead tracking in place, you can get a full view of your customer journeys and see how different channels influence certain actions. 

Understand which marketing initiatives drive the best conversion rates 

While tracking inbound leads is important, a lead doesn’t guarantee revenue. 

You could generate 100 qualified leads in month 1, and 50 in month 2. 

1. January - 100 leads

2. February - 50 leads

From this view, you would believe that month 1 was more successful. 

But what if you converted just 10 of the leads from month 1, and 15 of the leads from month 2. And even more importantly, what if you had oversight of revenue? 

With this data, it’s clear that month 2 was actually more successful. 

1. January - 100 leads - 10 sales - $3,000 revenue

2. February - 50 leads - 15 sales - $7,500 revenue

By understanding your lead quality, you can get a greater idea of what works for your company.

How to collect leads and what information to collect 

Adding lead capture points like form submissions, phone calls etc. is essential to ensuring all the hard work you’re doing in marketing results in real outcomes for your business.

When setting up lead capture you need to: 

• Consider your sector and niche and how competitors capture their leads 

• Speak to your current customers and ask them how they prefer to convert 

• Look at what data you need from leads and consider which method aligns best 

If a user only needs to share basic contact information, then a form submission would perhaps be the most efficient way to capture leads. 

If you need a lot of detail or you need to ask bespoke questions, then encouraging leads to call your business could be the best method for you. 

When capturing lead data, you need the following:

• Their name and contact details 

• Details on what service they’re interested in to guide where they’re sent 

• Any key information about them or their problem that can help you guide your salesperson 

How do you qualify leads and prospects?

Qualifying leads and prospects involves assessing their potential to become paying customers and ensuring your sales efforts are focused on the most promising opportunities. Here are some key steps to effectively qualify leads:

1. Identify demographics: Evaluate the lead's basic demographic information, such as job title, industry, company size, and location. This helps ensure they fit your target audience.

2. Assess needs and pain points: Engage with leads to understand their needs, challenges, and pain points. This information will help determine if your product or service can address their issues effectively.

3. Evaluate budget and authority: Determine if the lead has the budget to purchase your product or service and whether they can make buying decisions. This can be assessed through direct questions during initial conversations.

4. Gauge timing: Understand the lead’s timeline for making a purchase. Are they looking to buy soon, or is it a longer-term consideration? This can help prioritize follow-up efforts.

5. Score leads: Implement a lead scoring system based on key criteria, such as engagement level, demographics, and expressed interest. This quantifies leads' potential and helps prioritize follow-up actions.

6. Stack up your leads and prospects against your defined ICP: By stacking up your leads and prospects against our Leadfeeder ICP, you can prioritize the highest-quality leads that are more likely to convert, streamlining your marketing and sales efforts. Our ICP rates on an RAG status (using brand colors), eg, blue is best, yellow is yes, grey is go away.

How does lead tracking work? 

There are a number of ways to track your leads. 

You can set up lead tracking by lead capture type or you can use an overall lead tracking tool or lead tracking software to capture all types of inbound leads coming into your sales pipeline. 

CRM lead tracking 

If you’re using CRM software, then chances are you can easily capture your inbound leads with marketing automation.

When your CRM is properly connected to your website, your inbound leads should start to come in automatically. 

You can learn exactly how to track inbound leads in your CRM here. Remember, although you can track inbound leads in your CRM, it will only tell you the source of the session the lead converted on. 

And in some cases, your CRM will group lead sources under one umbrella source of ‘Online’ or ‘Web’.

You won’t be able to see your first-click data or any other customer journey information. 

This can be useful to have when considering the steps users move along to conversion.

How to track leads using Google tools

You can track form submissions in Google Analytics with little difficulty. But this poses the same challenge as lead tracking through your CRM.

While you’ll be able to see the volume of web forms and the marketing channel that caused the conversion, you won’t be able to see any of the sessions that lead had prior to converting.

This can be quite limiting when it comes to pinpointing the effectiveness of your marketing process.

Whether you’re using Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager, you’ll be able to connect inbound leads from your site to their last-click data.

While it’s not a full view, it’s better than just tracking lead count. 

How to track your leads using attribution

Marketing attribution is a valuable tool when it comes to sales lead tracking. Attribution tools allow you to track every conversion that takes place on your website. 

But that’s not all. 

Attribution tools actually track every single session on site and merge session data based on first-party cookie data. 

It allows you to connect anonymous website visitor data to a lead in your CRM. 

This gives you a direct view of a full customer journey meaning you can see every interaction every single lead has on your website. 

With this data, you can easily optimize your marketing efforts to drive more leads through channels you know convert.

3 examples of lead tracking software

Here are three examples of lead tracking software for you to consider:

1. Leadfeeder: We identify companies that visit your website and provide insights into their behavior, including which pages they viewed and how long they stayed. Our software integrates with your CRM to help you prioritize leads and follow up effectively.

2. HubSpot: HubSpot’s CRM includes lead-tracking features that allow you to monitor interactions with your leads across various touchpoints, such as emails, website visits, and form submissions. It helps you manage the sales pipeline and provides analytics to enhance lead nurturing.

3. Pipedrive: This sales management tool offers lead-tracking capabilities that enable you to visualize your sales pipeline. It provides detailed insights into each lead's journey, helping you prioritize follow-ups and close deals more effectively through activity reminders and reporting features.

Getting started with lead tracking

Lead tracking is a crucial part of any lead generation strategy. Regardless of how you’re converting visitors to your website, tracking their entire customer journey is vital. 

Proper lead tracking provides clear insights into marketing ROI, boosts overall marketing performance, and helps minimize unnecessary marketing expenses.

Request a demo today for more information on how Leadfeeder can help you track your leads!

FAQs about lead tracking

What is a lead vs. a prospect?

A lead is an individual or organization that has shown interest in your product or service, often through initial interactions like filling out a form or engaging with content. In contrast, a prospect is a more qualified lead identified as having the potential to become a customer, often based on specific criteria such as need, budget, and decision-making authority. While all prospects start as leads, not all leads will evolve into prospects as prospects are further along in the buying journey.

What is a lead vs. a sales opportunity?

A lead is interested in your business to some extent. A sales opportunity, on the other hand, is a more advanced stage in the sales process, representing a qualified lead that has been evaluated and determined to have a strong likelihood of converting into a customer. Sales opportunities are characterized by defined needs, budget considerations, and a clear timeline for purchase, making them critical targets for the sales team.

What are the common characteristics of a good lead?

A good lead usually has several key characteristics, including a clear need for the product or service offered, alignment with the target market or ideal customer profile, and a defined budget that indicates the ability to purchase. 

The best leads also often demonstrate engagement through inquiries, content downloads, or social media activity, showing genuine interest in the brand. Other traits include decision-making authority and a sense of urgency in their buying process, making them more likely to convert into sales opportunities.

How are leads scored?

Leads are scored using a systematic approach that assigns values based on various criteria, including demographic information, behavioral engagement, and interactions with the business.

Marketers use lead scoring models that evaluate factors such as the lead's job title, company size, and industry, alongside their actions, like website visits, email opens, and content downloads. Each of these is given a specific point value, allowing sales teams to prioritize leads based on their likelihood of converting into customers. By analyzing these scores, businesses can focus their efforts on high-potential leads and tailor their outreach.

How to get started with lead tracking

To get started with lead tracking, choose a robust CRM system like Leadfeeder to suit your business needs. Next, establish clear criteria for what defines a lead and set up fields to capture essential information, such as contact details and engagement history. Implement lead scoring to prioritize prospects based on their conversion likelihood and integrate tracking tools to monitor their interactions with your business. Finally, regularly review and analyze this data to refine your approach and enhance your lead generation efforts.