A lead is a qualified sales contact, meaning a potential customer who has shown interest in a product or service by providing their contact information or interacting with the company through various channels (trade shows, quote requests, calls, online forms). This contact represents a sales opportunity to explore and needs to be nurtured to meet their needs. Lead qualification can vary depending on the context, and it differs from a cold prospect in that initial contact has already been established. The term is primarily used in B2B marketing, but also applies to B2C, particularly when the buying cycle is long.