Beyond Leads
Rethinking how we see people
The language we use shapes how we think. And "leads" is the wrong word.
The Problem with "Leads"
Somewhere along the way, business decided that people who might become customers should be called "leads." The term stuck. We built entire systems around it: lead scoring, lead nurturing, lead qualification.
But here's the problem: the word "lead" centers the company, not the person.
None of this describes the actual human trying to solve a problem.
The Funnel Fallacy
The lead concept comes with baggage: the sales funnel. A wide top where "leads" enter, narrowing down through stages until some percentage "converts" at the bottom.
📉 The Funnel Assumes
👥 Real People
The funnel is a convenient model for forecasting. It's a terrible model for understanding relationships.
What Traditional Systems Miss
When you organize around "leads" and funnels, you miss critical opportunities:
Pre-Awareness Value
Someone in your audience who isn't ready to buy can still share content, influence peers, and build your reputation. "Lead" thinking ignores them until they fill out a form.
Non-Linear Journeys
A customer might buy, then need support, then expand, then refer others, then leave, then come back. Funnels don't accommodate this reality.
Post-Sale Relationship
The funnel ends at conversion. But for most businesses, customer lifetime value dwarfs initial purchase value. The real relationship begins after the sale.
Referral and Advocacy
Your best customers don't just buy — they champion you to others. This multiplication effect is invisible in lead-centric thinking.
A Different Frame: The Value Path
What if instead of tracking people through a funnel, we recognized where they are in a relationship journey?
The Value Path is an alternative to lead-centric thinking. It:
Centers the person
Where are they in their journey?
Honors non-linearity
People can move in any direction
Extends beyond the sale
Customers continue to evolve
Values advocacy
Champions are the ultimate destination
Instead of asking "Is this a qualified lead?" we ask "Where is this person in their Value Path, and how can we help them?"
From: "How do we move leads through our funnel?"
To: "How do we help people progress in their journey?"
Same activities, fundamentally different intent.
Why This Matters in HubSpot
HubSpot has the concept of "Lifecycle Stage" — a property that tracks where someone is in their journey. But most teams use it to replicate funnel thinking:
📉 Traditional Funnel
🌟 Value Path Framework
Eight stages that reflect how relationships actually develop
In the next lesson, we'll explore all eight stages and see how they map to the way people actually engage with businesses.
Quick Check
How would you explain the difference between funnels and Value Paths?
Scenario: Funnels vs Value Paths
Your leadership team is debating whether to stick with traditional funnel thinking or adopt the Value Path model. What is your perspective?