The Enterprise and Economic Development Glossary a resource of the .network library

suspect:

... a lead as a term of prospect development that is based more on rumor than perceptible fact but interesting enough to prompt an effort to continue seeking information about it nevertheless.

An economic development prospect ... has a defined project, budget, and time line. A prospect has been to the community to "kick the tires". Everyone else falls into the category of wishful thinking (source). Here, the definition of suspect indicates a person who has kicked tires in a place of interest or, at least, is the subject of wishful thinking.

Suspects are economic development marketing respondents who provide their names and addresses (contact data) without giving specific reasons for their interest. They require followup to verify that the information they provide is correct as well as to get answers to questions that enable their conversion to potential prospects. A potential economic development prospect, for example, is someone who can be classified as having a tentative project status.

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The Enterprise and Economic Development Glossary a resource of the .network library

tire kicker:

... someone who appears to be looking at a vehicle offered for sale but is suspected of not having serious intentions of actually buying it. The expression literally identifies a person who kicks the tires of an automobile to see what happens and typically, when asked what they are doing, answers: just looking. Metaphorically the expression tire kicking implies taking a look at something without having anything more than a curious interest. Tire kickers don't generally give a reason for what they are doing but their actions raise suspicions In sales situations it's typically considered a waste of time to give much attention to tire kickers other than of ask whether or not they are interested in buying.

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FYI: definition of suspect definition of suspected prospect definition of lead definition of tentative prospect what is a tentative project lead what is tire kicking what is a tire kicker definition of kicking the tires