How to Generate Qualified Sales Leads

68% of businesses report struggling to generate qualified sales leads. And, without these sales leads, even with the best products and services, your company can struggle to generate revenue. Finding and nurturing these leads is both an art and a science. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, understanding the different types of leads, the stages they go through, and the strategies to reach them can make the process far more effective. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about finding and converting sales leads.

Lead Generation 101: What is a Sales Lead?

By definition, a sales lead is a person or company that has shown interest in your product or service but hasn’t yet made a purchase. That interest can take many forms including filling out a contact form, signing up for a newsletter, attending a webinar, or even engaging with your company on social media. 

The important thing to remember is that a lead is not just a name on a list. A true sales lead has demonstrated some level of intent or curiosity, making them more valuable than a completely cold prospect. The goal is to turn that initial spark of interest into a deeper conversation and eventually a closed sale. While leads are often gathered through marketing activities, not every lead is ready to talk to a salesperson. That’s where the distinction between MQLs and SQLs becomes critical.

SQL vs. MQL: Understanding the Difference

Not all leads are created equal, and mixing them up can cause friction between marketing and sales teams. The key is to know where a lead stands in the buying journey before deciding how to approach them.

Marketing Qualified Lead

A Marketing Qualified Lead, or MQL, is someone who has interacted with your marketing content enough to be considered a potential customer, but isn’t ready to buy just yet. They might have downloaded an ebook, watched a product demo video, or attended a webinar. The marketing team’s role is to nurture these leads with valuable information until they’re ready to move forward.

Sales Qualified Lead

On the other hand, a Sales Qualified Lead, or SQL, is further along in the decision-making process. They’ve shown buying intent, perhaps by requesting a quote, booking a meeting, or asking specific questions about your pricing or features. These leads are passed to the sales team for more direct engagement.

Knowing the difference between MQLs and SQLs ensures that the right leads are approached in the right way. Reaching out too early can feel pushy, while waiting too long can mean missing the opportunity altogether.

How to Find Sales Leads

Finding sales leads is about being where your potential customers are and giving them a reason to connect with you. While there are many ways to generate leads, the most effective strategies combine targeted outreach with ways for prospects to discover you on their own.

Leverage Your Existing Network

One of the simplest yet most overlooked ways to find leads is through your own network. Past clients, colleagues, friends, and even current customers can be valuable sources of introductions. These referrals often come with built-in trust, making them easier to convert into paying customers. It’s worth taking the time to reach out to people you know and let them know who you help and how. A genuine conversation is often more effective than a cold call because there’s already a connection in place.

Optimize Your Website for Lead Capture

Your website should work for you around the clock, collecting information from visitors who are interested in what you offer. A well-placed contact form, newsletter sign-up, or live chat option can turn an anonymous visitor into a lead. This doesn’t mean cluttering every page with forms. Instead, create helpful resources like guides, case studies, or industry reports that visitors can access in exchange for their contact details. This way, you’re providing value first and building a relationship from the start.

Use Social Media to Connect, Not Just Promote

Social media isn’t just for promoting your company’s products or services. It’s also a great way for finding and engaging with potential leads. Try joining industry-specific groups, participating in discussions, and sharing valuable insights that position you as a thought leader. This way you can attract potential customers who are seeking solutions or advice. For example, LinkedIn allows you to search for people by job title, company, and location, making it a great place to search for B2B sales leads. Engaging with posts from your target audience can open the door to meaningful conversations without feeling like a hard sell.

Attend Industry Events and Conferences

Face-to-face interactions still hold incredible value in building relationships and finding leads. Industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events allow you to meet potential customers in a setting where they’re already thinking about business solutions. Make the most of these opportunities by preparing in advance. Research who will be attending, set up meetings ahead of time, and have a clear idea of how you can help them. Even if someone isn’t ready to buy immediately, the relationship you start at an event can lead to future opportunities.

Identify Your Website Visitors

Your marketing team spends so much time getting people to your website, wouldn’t it be nice to know who they actually are? With the help of Visitor Queue, you can identify the companies that land on your website, along with how they were acquired, what pages they visit, and how long they are on each page. We also provide employee contact information to help you reach out to your website visitors and ensure they found what they were looking for. For example, if you see a company visiting your pricing page, you can reach out to them to try to book a demo of your platform. Try Visitor Queue for free today and stop losing leads.

Create Content That Attracts the Right Audience

Content marketing isn’t just about creating blog posts. It’s about creating the right kind of content that draws in potential customers. This could include webinars, case studies, video tutorials, or industry trend reports. When you create resources that speak to the challenges your audience faces, you naturally attract leads who are looking for solutions. Over time, this positions your business as a trusted source of information, making it easier for prospects to choose you when they’re ready to buy.

Follow Up and Nurture Relationships

The most successful companies don’t rely on just one method for finding sales leads. Instead, they build a system that combines inbound and outbound strategies, online and offline touchpoints, and ongoing lead nurturing. This means marketing and sales teams need to work closely together. Marketing should provide sales with qualified leads, and sales should give feedback on which leads are converting. Over time, this feedback loop makes the process more efficient and the leads more valuable.

Consistency is key. A burst of lead generation activity followed by months of inactivity will produce inconsistent results. By making lead generation an ongoing priority, you create a steady pipeline of opportunities for your business.

What’s Next?

Finding sales leads is not about chasing everyone who might be interested. It’s about identifying the right people, building relationships, and guiding them toward a decision. By understanding the difference between MQLs and SQLs, leveraging multiple strategies to connect with potential customers, and maintaining consistent follow-up, you set your business up for long-term success. As always, if you have any questions about how to use Visitor Queue to generate leads, do not hesitate to reach out.