What does lead generation involve?

Lead generation involves the foundational activities that draw potential customers to a business, creating initial interest in products or services. It is primarily focused on attracting prospective customers and converting them into interested leads. This is accomplished through various marketing strategies and techniques, such as content marketing, search engine optimization, social media outreach, and targeted advertising.

By effectively engaging with the target audience and providing valuable information or incentives, businesses can nurture their leads at this early stage. This positions them to potentially move further along the sales funnel, eventually leading to conversions where these leads become paying customers. Therefore, the emphasis is on the process of attracting and nurturing interest, which is exactly what the correct answer highlights.

The other options address different stages or aspects of the sales process but do not capture the essence of lead generation itself. They focus on actions taken after leads have been generated, such as converting leads into customers or maintaining relationships with existing customers.