One of the most common misconceptions in the astounding world of CRM services, is that people usually tend to perceive a CRM Lead as an Opportunity. They are both very similar terms but in fact refer to two very different targets.

Imagine that you get invited to a friend’s mid summer wedding. The ceremony is over, the vows have been spoken and love is in the air. Now it’s time for the best part, the food. In this special occasion the meal will not be served to you by the waiters as you’d normally expect but it will be a buffet with a wide array of culinary options  that range from vegan soups to braised hawaiian pork shoulder and everything in between.

“Different strokes for different folks”. Not every guest will enjoy the same dish as not everybody has the same palate. Some will choose seafood over chicken and some will stay in the dessert section. The entire buffet is the “Universe” and every single dish is what is known as the “CRM Lead” since they are possibilities (potential clients) that may or may not fulfill your appetite (a satisfied customer). On the other hand an “Opportunity” is that one dish that you just know will be the one to quench your hunger, after you’ve thoroughly scrutinized it’s appearance, aroma, ingredients and even serving size and nutrients.

Basically, an “Opportunity” is what is left of all the “CRM Leads” that are presented to you after you’ve studied and filtered them and are sure that can become a satisfied customer with the service or product that you are offering. So train your sales department to go after the CRM Leads with a keen eye for distinguishing which Opportunities can be set to calm your hunger for success.