MQL
Aussi : MQL, Marketing Qualified Lead, Marketing-Qualified Lead, Lead qualifie par le marketing, Prospect qualifie marketing
Marketing Qualified Lead: a prospect deemed ready to be handed off to sales, based on pre-agreed qualification criteria.
What it is
An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is a prospect that marketing has judged ready to be passed to sales, based on qualification criteria agreed in advance between the two teams. It sits between a raw lead (any contact who entered the funnel) and an SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) that sales has accepted and is actively working.
The MQL is a shared definition, not a marketing opinion. It typically combines:
- Fit: does the contact match the ideal customer profile (industry, company size, role, geography)?
- Engagement / intent: behavioral signals such as pricing page visits, demo requests, content downloads, or repeat sessions.
- Data quality: enough valid contact information to act on the lead.
Why it matters
The MQL exists to protect two scarce resources: sales time and marketing credibility. Without a clear threshold, sales gets flooded with low-value contacts and starts ignoring marketing entirely.
- For marketing, MQL volume and MQL-to-SQL conversion measure lead quality, not just quantity.
- For sales, a consistent MQL definition means every handoff is worth a call.
- For finance and leadership, MQLs anchor pipeline forecasting and cost-per-lead economics.
How it is used in practice
1. Define the criteria jointly (marketing plus sales) and write them into a Service Level Agreement.
2. Score leads, often via a points model (fit points plus behavior points) or explicit rules.
3. Trigger handoff when the threshold is crossed: the lead is routed to sales in the CRM.
4. Track downstream: what share of MQLs become SQLs, opportunities, and closed deals.
5. Recalibrate the threshold periodically as data accumulates.
A warning: a high MQL count is a vanity metric if those leads never convert. Always read MQL volume alongside conversion rates.
Worked example
A B2B software vendor uses a 100 point model. Fit: correct industry (+20), 200+ employees (+15), VP or C-level title (+15). Behavior: pricing page view (+20), demo request (+30), webinar attendance (+10).
- A junior analyst downloads one ebook: 10 points, stays a lead.
- A VP of Operations at a 500 person firm views pricing and requests a demo: 20 + 15 + 15 + 20 + 30 = 100 points, becomes an MQL and is routed to an account executive.
Over a quarter, 1,000 MQLs yield 250 SQLs (25 percent) and 40 closed deals. That conversion chain, not the raw 1,000, tells the real story.