Three Types of Leads (and How to Use them)

Lead generation comes in many forms, and what works for one business may not work for yours. However, when you find that magic combination, the leads will come pouring in from all corners of the internet. 

But what then? You won’t have the time to chase them all down, but you also don’t want to miss out on any hidden opportunities. 

So, you categorize them. 

Why Should We Categorize Leads?

As a business owner, you don’t have the time or resources to chase down every lead that comes your way. By categorizing your leads, you can determine which ones deserve your attention, which ones need a nudge, and which ones to set aside (for now). 

That way, you can spend your time and energy (and your team’s time and energy) more efficiently, stay organized, and create a temperature funnel (Hot, Warm, Cold) for each new lead generated. 

Eventually, you can use that data to create three temperature funnels for your hot, medium, and cold leads- sending each one on a personalized journey to success. 

Different types of Leads: Cold, Warm, Hot

Cold Leads

Cold leads are the people who have no idea who you are. They may have stumbled upon your business by accident- through an ad or a video on their FYP- and need to gain their bearings. 

Maybe it’s the money- either they can’t afford it, or they don’t believe your experience matches the price tag. 

And finally, maybe they’re just not interested in the kind of services you provide. 

With cold leads, you have two options: make them warm or let them go. 

If you want to try making them warmer, make sure you have the time, energy, and resources for a potentially uphill battle. 

On the other hand, you can set them on the back burner and revisit them when the time is right. Who knows- one may have warmed up naturally by then. 

Warm Leads

Warm leads are people who have purchased something from you before and want to take the next step. However, they may not know what that step is, so it’s your job to nudge them in the right direction. 

Reach out to them through email sequences, online DMs, personalized messages, and really nurture that relationship. Then, they’ll pull the trigger. 

Hot Leads

Hot leads are clients who have worked with you before, bought a few things, and enjoy the benefits your business can bring. These leads are often loyal to your brand and willing to purchase whatever new deal you throw at them, so start pushing them up the value ladder. 

Obviously, you want to focus your time and attention on the warm and hot leads but don’t discount the cold ones completely. That way, you’re never at a loss for leads when the generators aren’t as bursting as before. 

How to Gain and Nurture Leads

Generally, cold and warm leads are only interested in personalized messages offering to solve one of their pain points. However, leads can come from anywhere, so here are some tips for making those lead generators count. 

Update Your Ideal Client Profile

Look at the services or products you offer. Who is most likely to benefit from them? Compare that answer with your current ICP and adjust the information accordingly. 

Narrowing your audience may seem counterproductive, but when you use your time to focus on the few instead of the many, you’ll have more room to grow. 

Personalize Your Marketing Campaigns

Again, your leads enjoy feeling heard and supported by the businesses they work with. Therefore, personalizing your campaigns is the perfect way to grab their attention. 

Use the ICP and create a list of pain points your leads may have, then personalize your campaign by offering them specific solutions. 

Then, watch the leads roll in.

Try Smart Lead Nurturing

The moments before the sale are almost as important as the sale itself, but it’s also tricky territory. On the one hand, being too pushy will turn them off and produce one more cold lead for the pile. On the other hand, you don’t want to give them so much space that they forget about you. 

To solve this problem, you want to read the situation and trust your instincts. If you feel them pulling away, give them time to process before reaching out again. If they’ve gone radio silent, remind them you exist with an email or message. 

Every encounter will be different, but listening to their needs and monitoring their reactions will help you land those sales in no time!

Use Paid Ads

It sounds like cheating, but paid ads can narrow your audience and ensure that only your ideal audience (your hot and warm leads) reads your content. Or, you can target your cold leads and see which ones convert by the time the ad ends.

Either way, it’s a decent investment. 

Bonus: A CRM tracker just for YOU!

The three types of leads may keep your business organized and help you create the marketing campaign of your dreams, but it can still become overwhelming to keep track of everything. 

That’s why I want to offer my CRM/ Follow-Up tracker to help fill that gap.

Time to track all your leads, keep them organized, remember follow-up appointments, and monitor their sources- all for $14!

And, even though I designed it to work with ClickUp, it’s versatile enough to work with almost any CRM you need. 

Never spend time fretting over your leads again. By categorizing them and updating your ICP (and potentially using my tracker), you can grow your business with the speed and precision that will leave others jealous of your success.