Marketing qualified lead (MQL)
What is a marketing qualified lead?
A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a lead that marketing judges ready for sales attention, based on fit and engagement: for example a company in the target market that downloaded a guide and visited the pricing page. The criteria are usually set by lead scoring.
Once sales confirms the lead is worth pursuing, it becomes a sales qualified lead.
Why a marketing qualified lead matters
An agreed MQL definition stops marketing passing on everyone and sales ignoring the list. It also shows which campaigns produce leads worth talking to.
Related marketing terms
A sales qualified lead, SQL, is a lead that sales has checked and confirmed as a real opportunity worth a direct sales conversation.
Lead scoring gives each lead points for fit and interest, such as company size or pages viewed, so sales talks to the most promising first.
A lead is a person or business that might buy from you: someone who showed interest or fits your ideal customer, with a way to contact them.
A sales funnel describes how many people move from first hearing about you to buying, stage by stage, narrowing at each step.