What marks the moment a new lead is officially recorded in the system?

The moment a new lead is officially recorded in the system is marked by the lead acquisition date. This date signifies when the lead first enters the database, establishing a timeline for tracking their interactions and behaviors throughout the marketing process. It is essential for marketers to have this initial timestamp, as it helps in evaluating the effectiveness of various campaigns and understanding lead lifecycle stages.

While aspects like lead score assessment, nurturing stages, or conversion events are crucial for managing leads after they are recorded, they do not indicate the official entry point into the system. Instead, they reflect the progress and activity level of a lead once they have already been acquired. Therefore, the lead acquisition date serves as the foundational milestone for all subsequent actions and tracking within the marketing automation framework.