What Is a Lead in Marketo?

The term “lead” can be confusing, as it has different meanings across systems. In Marketo, a lead is essentially a person, or more technically, an email address. Marketo transitioned from calling individuals “leads” to “persons” to minimize confusion. However, some API names still reference “lead” for items like status and source.

Lead vs. Person in Marketo and CRM

In Salesforce, a lead represents an individual or company showing interest in a product or service but hasn’t yet converted to a customer. Sales teams typically work with these leads directly.

In contrast, a Marketo lead, or person, might still be in the early stages of the customer journey, getting acquainted with your brand. Marketo’s goal is to nurture these individuals until they’re qualified enough to pass on as leads to your CRM.