Differences Between Response, Lead, and Opportunity

This table describes the main differences between a response, a lead, and an opportunity.

Response	Lead	Opportunity
A response is an interaction initiated by the customer in response to a marketing stimulus. Every outbound sales activity is a sales stimulus.	A lead is an inquiry, referral, or other information, obtained through marketing campaigns, or other means that identifies: Potential contact or prospect Specific purchase interest You can create a lead if the specific purchase interest isn't known at the time. However, to qualify a lead you must record a primary purchase interest.	An opportunity is a pending sale of a product or service that can be forecasted and tracked using summary data such as: Potential revenue Sales stage Win probability Expected close date
Responses are created from interest recorded in response to sales activities. Responses include: Providing answers to phone survey questions Subscribing to a list Replying to an email response form request As interest for the product or service matures, responses are elevated as leads.	Leads are mostly created by automated lead capture or lead import processes which periodically create qualified responses as sales leads. Leads are sometimes created from the response data of a contact or prospect who has expressed a need or interest in a product or service offered by the business.	Opportunities are created by sales administrators when they have identified a qualified lead with a potential revenue opportunity. Leads are converted to opportunities when significant sales investment is foreseen to close the deal. A salesperson can create opportunities from scratch, without previously having a response or lead created.
Responses aren't included as part of the sales forecast.	Leads aren't included as part of the sales forecast.	Inclusion of opportunities in the sales forecast is at the discretion of the sales administrator. However, not all opportunities are included and the decision to include them may depend on your company's requirements.

Response

Lead

Opportunity

A response is an interaction initiated by the customer in response to a marketing stimulus. Every outbound sales activity is a sales stimulus.

A lead is an inquiry, referral, or other information, obtained through marketing campaigns, or other means that identifies:

Potential contact or prospect
Specific purchase interest

You can create a lead if the specific purchase interest isn't known at the time. However, to qualify a lead you must record a primary purchase interest.

An opportunity is a pending sale of a product or service that can be forecasted and tracked using summary data such as:

Potential revenue
Sales stage
Win probability
Expected close date

Responses are created from interest recorded in response to sales activities. Responses include:

Providing answers to phone survey questions
Subscribing to a list
Replying to an email response form request

As interest for the product or service matures, responses are elevated as leads.

Leads are mostly created by automated lead capture or lead import processes which periodically create qualified responses as sales leads.

Leads are sometimes created from the response data of a contact or prospect who has expressed a need or interest in a product or service offered by the business.

Opportunities are created by sales administrators when they have identified a qualified lead with a potential revenue opportunity. Leads are converted to opportunities when significant sales investment is foreseen to close the deal.

A salesperson can create opportunities from scratch, without previously having a response or lead created.

Responses aren't included as part of the sales forecast.

Leads aren't included as part of the sales forecast.

Inclusion of opportunities in the sales forecast is at the discretion of the sales administrator. However, not all opportunities are included and the decision to include them may depend on your company's requirements.