Sales & CRM
What is MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)?
An MQL is a lead marketing flagged as ready for sales outreach, based on engagement and ICP fit.
An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) meets two criteria: it matches the ICP (ideal customer profile) and showed intent (downloaded material, requested demo, opened sequence). It is the marketing-to-sales handoff.
Defining MQL precisely is the most common debate in commercial teams — without alignment, marketing sends "garbage" and sales complains; with alignment, MQL → SQL rate climbs.
Use it in practice
Lead Magnet + SEO
Frequently asked questions
How do I define MQL criteria?
Combine fit (role, industry, ICP size) and intent (downloads, pricing visits). Score each signal and set a threshold.
Is every demo request an MQL?
Almost always, but check fit first. A demo request outside the ICP is friction (sales wastes time).