Lead generation (commonly abbreviated as lead-gen) is a marketing term that refers to the creation or generation of prospective consumer interest or inquiry into a business' products or services. Often lead generation is associated with marketing activity targeted at generating sales opportunities for a company's sales force. Therefore a lead is correctly described as information regarding or provided by a consumer that may be interested in making a purchase. Whereas, generation is one of a myriad of activities that may produce that information and perceived interest

The nature of lead generation depends entirely on the decision process of the buyer.

For complex products and services requiring a complex decision process, the keys are identifying the most likely prospects and then educating and qualifying them before deploying more expensive sales resources. The education benefits the buyer; qualification benefits the seller. This gradual lead cultivation process can go on for months and involve several individuals involved in evaluating a solution.
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Lead generation can take on various marketing methodologies:

• Broadcast Advertising
  
  
• Direct Mail
  
  
• Event or Trade Show marketing
  
  
• Seminar or Training
  
  
• Publicity and Public Relations
  
  
• Whitepapers or Product Literature
  
  
• Email marketing
  
  
• Web marketing (Search Engine Optimization or other Internet Media buying)
  
  
• Telemarketing