B2B lead-gen glossary: 30 terms you should master
CAC, ICP, MQL, lead scoring, intent data... the vocabulary of B2B lead generation can overwhelm. This glossary brings you up to speed with clear, direct definitions.
The world of B2B lead generation is full of acronyms and jargon used without explanation. This glossary gathers the essential terms with clear definitions, so no conversation about leads catches you off guard.
Strategy terms
- ICP: ideal customer profile, the filter for who you want to sell to.
- CAC: customer acquisition cost, everything it costs to get one.
- LTV: customer lifetime value.
- Buyer persona: a semi-fictional representation of your typical buyer.
- TAM/SAM/SOM: total, serviceable and obtainable market sizes.
Lead terms
- Lead: a contact with some relationship to your market.
- Qualified lead: a lead meeting fit and intent criteria.
- MQL / SQL: marketing- / sales-qualified lead.
- Lead scoring: a score that prioritizes leads.
- Intent data: buying-intent signals.
Process terms
- Outbound / Inbound: capture you start / that comes to you.
- SDR / BDR: roles that prospect and qualify.
- Pipeline: the set of in-progress opportunities.
- Cadence: a sequence of contacts over time.
- Enrichment: adding context to a contact.
The five essentials
- ICP: who you sell to
- Qualified lead: fit + intent
- Lead scoring: who to attend first
- CAC: how much each customer costs
- Cost per opportunity: the metric that compares channels
Why master the vocabulary
Speaking the same language aligns marketing and sales and lets you evaluate providers with criteria. When you understand the terms, you tell a serious proposition from one full of smoke. Vocabulary is not pedantry: it is the basis for deciding well.
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