Marketing-Qualified Lead (MQL)
A marketing-qualified lead is a lead that marketing hands to sales because it looks like a potential buyer. It is the first qualification stage in most B2B funnels, before sales accepts the lead as a sales-qualified lead.
MQL: a lead that meets marketing's criteria for fit and engagement and is passed to sales for follow-up.
How teams define an MQL
There are two common routes:
- A score threshold. A lead scoring model adds points for fit (company size, industry, role) and engagement (page views, email clicks, downloads, webinar attendance). Passing the threshold makes the lead an MQL.
- A hand-raise. The lead asks for contact directly: a demo request, a pricing inquiry, a "talk to sales" form. Many teams treat these as MQLs regardless of score.
MQL vs. SQL
An MQL is marketing's judgment; an SQL is sales' judgment. Sales reviews the MQL, usually by talking to the prospect and checking criteria such as BANT, and either accepts it as an SQL or returns it to nurture. The MQL-to-SQL conversion rate shows how well the two teams agree on what a good lead is.
Problems with MQLs
Score-based MQLs can rise without pipeline rising: a student who downloads five ebooks can outscore a buyer who visited the pricing page once. That is why many teams now separate hand-raisers from score-based MQLs, or measure marketing on qualified pipeline rather than MQL volume. A conversation that qualifies the buyer directly, such as a demo where the prospect answers qualifying questions, gives sales more to go on than an engagement score. See demo-qualified lead.
FAQ
What is an MQL? A marketing-qualified lead is a lead that marketing judges ready for sales follow-up, based on fit and engagement such as a demo request, repeated site visits or content downloads.
What is the difference between an MQL and an SQL? An MQL meets marketing's criteria and is passed to sales. An SQL has been reviewed and accepted by sales as a real potential buyer, usually after a qualifying conversation.
Is a demo request an MQL? In most funnels, yes. A demo request is a direct hand-raise, and many teams count it as an MQL whatever its score, then qualify it further in the first conversation.