Data Import - Import data as leads or contacts?

[emerica]

I am curious to know what people think about importing data into a brand new SF installation.

For example, if I have several lists, does it make more sense to import them as contacts or leads? Since they are new to the company, techinically they're not leads because they haven't been qualified yet, so wouldn't it make sense for them to entered as contacts, then create a lead from them once they've been qualified?

Rather than go lead > contact/account > opportunity, go contact/account > lead > opportunity?

However, if in the future data came in from a tradeshow, they could be entered in as leads, as the tradeshow itself could techinically be considered a kind of pre qualification.

I have no idea which way would work better, but I'm really interested in knowing what everyone thinks.


Thanks!

[Santana08]

I have been working with SFDC for three years both as a user and administration.  I believe the best way to enter your database is as accounts.  Entering them as lead will be very difficult to manage.  There are pros and cons to both ways but in my mind a lead is when someone has made contact with your company or your company has made contact with them.  Accounts and contacts is the database you use to initiate that contact.  Once initiated then it is entered as a lead and converted.

Hope this helps

[emerica]

Thank you so much for your reply. I agree with your logic and I am leaning in that direction. However, what do you think would be the best way to then enter a list from say a recent tradeshow?

As leads?, because theoretically if they were at the same tradeshow we were at, there could be some interest in our company, so in a way them being at the tradeshow could be a pre-qualifier?

I guess I'm curious as to how a lead could be tracked from initial contact to a closed opportunity if they are entered as contacts or accounts. Should a custom field be created for where it originated from?

I'd like to know what others think as well.

Lets get this discussion going!

[Santana08]

Contacts from tradeshows should be entered as leads.  You can either qualify the lead prior to converting and convert as a qualified lead or convert as a pre-qualified lead and perform your qualification at the opportunity level.  I have seen it done both ways.  You can run lead reports to track your conversions.  Once you convert the lead it is gone - not the history but you will not be able to see the actual lead.   Web hits, inbound phone calls, responses from campaigns, etc should all be entered as leads.