If you have directed several attempts to prospect in Hubspot without creating a data design, you are not alone. The Lead object may only be the solution that you did not know from you need you, but only if you understand why it exists and how it fits your wider CRM strategy.
In this overview, I will explain the strategic purpose of Hubspots Lead object if you should use it (and not) and how it changes your sales process.
Watch this comprehensive video that covers everything from configuration to automation workflows.
Why did HubSpot create the lead object?
The original one-object approach from Hubspot was refreshingly easy compared to the confusing “lead” system of older CRMs. But like the companies scaled, many found that contact properties such as lead status, life cycle levels and deal pipelines were not sufficient to manage the chaotic reality of modern prospectures.
The problem was clear: Sales teams needed several attempts to engage potential customers, but traditional tools could not cope with this complexity without creating data chaos.
Lead status characteristics were often neglected by busy representatives who focused on their next conversation, not from CRM updates. As a result, the sales teams with unreliable data left behind the reality.
Enter the lead objectHubspots Answer to the management of prospect and qualification activities before offers are created, with proper persecution of several commitment attempts.
What exactly is the lead object?
The LEAD object represents a specific prospection effort associated with contact or company. In contrast to the individual contact data set, the lead object supports many to one-to-one relationships, which means that contact has created several leads over time if they take different attempts to engage them.
Each lead moves through its own lead pipeline with phases such as:
NEW → Attempt → connected → qualified/disqualified.
This creates a clear examination track for every prospection, whether successful or not without overfilling your deal pipeline with early possibilities.
Consider it as a committed work area for the management of the sales phase “You want, not you” – the piece between the initial interest and real opportunities.
Where does the lead object fit into your CRM trip?
Things can become confusing here, and it is crucial to understand the distinction.
Hubspot has both:
- Life cycle level “lead” – The standard phase for most new contacts
- Lead object – A separate unit that lives in the lead pipeline
The Lead object should sit between the “Lead” Life Cyclus level and the “Opportunity” feet. It is the instrument to do a person’s interest in a qualified opportunity and to replace the old guiding status property that caused so much headache.
Here is the key:
Contact with the “Lead” life cycle level is not the same as a lead object. The Lead object is created if you want to actively output or qualify this contact, usually when you switch to the marketing qualified Lead (MQL) or sales qualified Lead (SQL).
Key advantages that make the lead object efficient
Automated pipeline progress
Perhaps the biggest game channel is how HubSpot automatically moves by steps based on email and meeting activities.
If you register an e -mail or call, the lead from “NEW” switch to “Attempt”.
If HubSpot recognizes an answer or a meeting booking, it automatically goes to “connected”.
This integrated automation solves the chronic problem of repetitions that forget to update the lead status and gives you trustworthy data without additional manual work.
Pipeline for cleaner deal and better forecast
In front of lead objects, many companies created deals prematurely to pursue potential customers who “observed” them and inflate pipelines with little possibilities and distort forecasts. The Lead object keeps your deal pipeline on real sales and at the same time manages prospection activities.
This leads to more precise pipeline forecasts, better profit rates and cleaner CRM data that actually reflect reality.
Multiple tracking
The many and one-to-one relationship of the lead object means that they can pursue several prospectical efforts over time. Did a tour have cold due to bad timing? Disqualify this lead, but create a new one when the circumstances change. Each attempt receives its own records and its own result and provides valuable insights into their prospective effectiveness.
Improved segmentation and reporting
With committed disqualification reasons and clear stadiums, you get much better data to understand why potential customers do not convert. This enables more complex segmentation, better coaching options and data-controlled improvements in your sales process.
Should every company use the lead object?
Honest? No, but it will improve the sales process for most companies.
Look at the Lead object when you:
- Make several prospective attempts over time
- Problems with early deal creation that spoils your pipeline
- Do you need better persecution of prospection activities
- Have representatives of sales development (SDRS)
- I would like to separate the prospectus of opportunity management
Avoid the lead object if you:
- Have a simple sales process with a single touch
- You do not have the bandwidth to properly implement and train teams
- Do you already have clean, work processes that meet your requirements
- Preferably keep things easy to keep (and there is nothing wrong with that!)
The key is an honest evaluation: Will this solve the actual problems you occur or add complexity for yourself?
Critical considerations for successful implementation
Who creates leads, when and why?
The biggest mistake is to make the manual for managers for sales employees. If you ask busy sellers to remember to create leads, they fight for a tough fight. Therefore, consider the automation of the blue flows that are triggered by certain contact sources (such as the CRM -ui) or actions.
The high-quality website visitors and CRM-created contacts are perfect candidates for automatic conductor creation and use potential customers directly into the sales workflow without additional administrative burden.
Lead -name conventions are important
If you only use the contact name or the company name for lead objects, confusion between different CRM entities is generated. Consider combining contact and company names or adding context such as the source or campaign that generates the lead. This small detail prevents mixtures and keeps the concepts in the heads of the users clearly separated.
Life cycle stage against lead object clarity
Your team needs crystal-clear understanding of the difference between the life cycle level “Lead” and lead objects.
Consider renaming the life cycle level when it helps to create distinction and make sure everyone understands when and why lead objects are created.
Autodis qualification workflows
Leads can multiply as well as business to close them properly. Consider the implementation of workflows for automatic hangings that clean up the leads stale after a specified period. Keep your pipeline on active opportunities and at the same time create space for future re -accepting.
Implementation of the lead object: DIY or partner with experts?
The right of the lead object requires more than just one switch in Hubspot.
You have to plan your approach, build up supporting workflows, train your team and properly integrate into your existing sales process.
You have two main paths forward: fight the implementation yourself or work with a HubSpot partner agency (like us). If you are confident with the technical aspects of Hubspot and have the internal bandwidth, it is certainly possible to implement the Lead object yourself. Our video tutorial offers the step-by-step instructions you need.
However, many companies find added value in cooperation with a Hubspot partner agency that can help to design implementation in terms of their specific sales process, to create the necessary automation workflows and create training that ensure acceptance in their team. This approach often leads to faster time and less implementation headache.
The choice depends on your internal expertise, the available time and the complexity of your sales process. In any case, the key is strategically approaching to implementation instead of just activating the function and hoping for the best.
Go forward with the lead object
Understanding the lead object is only the beginning. The real value results from the proper integration into your sales process, the effective training of your team and the structure of the supportive workflows that make it really efficient.
If you are convinced that the lead object will benefit your company, the next step is practically set with the setup and the configuration.
The lead object is not just about activating a function. The aim is to fundamentally improve the complexity of modern B2B sale. If it is done correctly, it is transformative. If it is done wrong, it is just a different thing that maintains you.
