When managing prospects, the term "Lead" can mean very different things depending on the CRM you're using. Both HubSpot and Salesforce have a Lead object, but their functions and outcomes differ significantly.
In this blog, we’ll break down how Leads function in Salesforce versus HubSpot, when to use each system’s Lead object, and which CRM may be the best fit for your business model.
When you think about a "Lead", it’s typically a person who has shown interest in your product or service—either through direct engagement or because someone at your company identified them as a potential fit.
Leads are a great example of how HubSpot and Salesforce use the same terminology for an object, but the form and function of these objects vary significantly. If you’ve worked in both platforms, you know that Leads in Salesforce and Leads in HubSpot serve different purposes, which can impact how your team manages prospects and sales processes.
Salesforce Leads: Generally speaking, Leads in Salesforce are a pre-cursor object to Contacts. They serve as a housing ground for any sort of prospects that have entered your CRM.
HubSpot Leads: The Lead object in HubSpot contains individual records that are associated to Contacts or Companies to help track and manage the inbound sales actions indicating active interest.
In Salesforce, the Lead object has long been a cornerstone for managing potential customers, serving as an initial repository for new prospects. Meanwhile, HubSpot's Lead object, introduced as part of the Workspaces feature, functions more dynamically. Each Leads records reflects specific 'hand-raise' activities such as form submissions, event registrations or other sales qualified indicators. This difference in approach highlights how each CRM leverages its Lead object to suit distinct sales methodologies.
Salesforce's Lead object is beneficial for organizations with large outbound sales teams that follow a linear sales trajectory. It acts as a precursor to the Contact or Account object, allowing companies to manage and qualify Leads before converting them into Contacts or Accounts.
For instance, if a marketing team automates lead creation through website interactions, such as a 'Contact Us' form submission, these leads can be nurtured and qualified before being promoted to Contacts. This separation ensures a clear distinction between potential buyers and existing customers, streamlining sales processes and enhancing data organization.
An advantage of Salesforce Leads is the clear distinction it provides between prospects and qualified buyers. By separating Leads and Contacts, businesses can ensure that their sales teams are prioritizing the right opportunities. However, the conversion criteria of a Contact vs Lead can vary from organization to organization when it comes to Salesforce.
Factors to keep in mind for Salesforce Leads:
Conversion Process: Leads may no longer be visible to Sales Teams once converted into Contacts, depending on how an admin has configured system settings.
Data Mapping: Ensuring important custom fields on the Lead record are correctly mapped to the Contact or Account upon conversion is essential.
Assignment Rules: Like Contacts, Leads can be assigned ownership based on rules set by your Sales Leadership and Salesforce Admin.
Reporting Challenges: Leads in Salesforce do not require an associated Contact or Account, which can create gaps in reporting if not managed carefully.
Moreover, Salesforce allows for detailed reporting and analysis of Leads without requiring association with a Contact or Account record. This flexibility is advantageous for organizations looking to analyze their lead generation activities independently of their existing customer base. However, it is essential to manage field mappings carefully during Lead conversion to ensure critical information is retained.
HubSpot's Lead object is ideal for businesses with strong inbound sales strategies. It captures new interest or 'hand-raise' activities and associates these Leads with existing Contacts or Companies within the CRM. These new touchpoints are determined by Sales Leadership and set up by your HubSpot admin to trigger the creation of a Lead record. By selecting which actions are considered sales qualified, it will help keep your Workspace and Leads clean and relevant with true sales indicators, rather than enrolling every new engagement.
Whether through form submissions, gated content access, or event registrations, HubSpot's Lead object functions as a versatile tool for tracking and managing inbound interactions. This approach helps avoid cluttering the Deal pipeline and prevents overwriting existing Contact records with new inbound activities.
The Leads tool in HubSpot provides a way to capture each qualified sales action on its own record without cluttering the Deal pipeline or overwriting Contact fields with every new engagement. This is best for companies that have more cyclical or repeated buyer engagements. When using HubSpot's Lead object, it will be normal for a Contact or Company to have multiple Lead records associated to it, which will be reflected in the right sidebar with the other associated objects.
Unlike Salesforce Leads, which act as an initial qualification stage, HubSpot Leads behave more like Deals. This is because each Lead in the Workspace will represent an existing Contact or Company who has shown a new interest that can directly result in a sale.
Why HubSpot Leads function more like Deals:
Multiple Leads per Contact: A single Contact or Company can have multiple Lead records, each corresponding to different engagement touchpoints.
Lead-to-Deal Progression: The primary goal of a Lead in HubSpot is to create a Deal, rather than converting a Lead into a Contact or Account like in Salesforce.
Automations for Leads: System administrators can set up automations to ensure Contact/Account owners are notified of new Leads on records they own, and can then follow up on them so they don’t go stale.
This functionality mirrors that of a Deal object, as the ultimate goal of a Lead in HubSpot is often to create an actual Deal record. By capturing inbound activities on dedicated Lead records, businesses can better manage and follow up on hot Leads without risking data loss or duplication, ensuring a more organized and efficient sales process.
Ultimately, the decision between Salesforce's and HubSpot’s Lead management depends on your business model and sales approach.
If your team relies heavily on outbound prospecting and operates within a linear buying trajectory, Salesforce’s Lead structure may be the better fit.
On the other hand, if your company thrives on inbound marketing, has a cyclical selling motion and prioritizes tracking multiple interactions within a Contact’s lifecycle, HubSpot’s Lead object provides a more efficient way to manage engagement without disrupting existing records.
Both platforms have their strengths, and understanding how each system defines and manages Leads will help you optimize your sales process and reporting capabilities. By leveraging the right tool for your business needs, you can ensure your team is working smarter, not harder.
Whether you’re evaluating HubSpot, Salesforce, or optimizing your existing setup, we’re here to help. Let’s discuss your goals and find the best solution for your team—reach out today!
Anastasia Costa is a Solutions Consultant at accelant and rightfully known as our go-to data expert. She has previously worked as a Salesforce Certified Administrator (SCA), and has nearly a decade's worth of SFDC user experience. Of the many things she helps guide her clients on, Anastasia especially enjoys transforming data into a powerful force for accelerated growth through data hygiene, personalized reporting, and Datasets. Outside of work, Anastasia enjoys grabbing dinner with friends, volunteering with the Junior League of Boston, and spending time with her 2 Labradors.