Yonatan Stern defines marketing as lead generation: actively creating opportunities for prospects to engage with a company. Lead generation is distinguished from branding, which passively builds recognition and trust. In the SmartUp methodology, inbound lead generation – where prospects voluntarily express interest – is prioritized over outbound methods like cold calling or PPC advertising, which can be costly and inefficient.
Successful lead generation involves multiple strategies: long-tail SEO to capture specific search queries, free tools or products that incentivize users to provide their data, and thought leadership content that attracts and educates prospects. Once leads are captured, they are enriched with relevant data, scored for quality, and routed to appropriate sales staff. A robust lead generation engine allows companies to hire less expensive “B-minus” salespeople focused on processing and closing leads, rather than prospecting, reducing costs and enabling scalable growth. Stern emphasizes that building an effective engine takes time – often 6-12 months – and should start as early as possible to avoid cash burn and accelerate product-market validation.
