What is the difference between MQL and SQL?

An MQL is identified by marketing based on engagement signals (downloads, page visits, email interactions). An SQL is verified by sales through direct conversation, confirming the lead has budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT). MQL is a marketing judgment; SQL is a sales judgment. The handoff between the two is the most critical process in B2B lead management.

How many MQLs should marketing generate?

Work backward from revenue targets. If you need 10 new customers/month, with a 25% SQL-to-customer win rate and 25% MQL-to-SQL conversion, you need 160 MQLs/month. This calculation aligns marketing volume targets with revenue goals and ensures both teams share accountability for the pipeline.

Marketing

MQL

Marketing Qualified Lead. A lead that marketing has identified as more likely to become a customer based on engagement criteria.

MQLs are leads that meet marketing-defined engagement thresholds, indicating readiness for sales follow-up.
Lead scoring automates MQL identification by assigning points for demographics (job title, company size) and behavior (page visits, downloads).
The MQL-to-SQL conversion rate (typically 15-30%) is the key metric for evaluating marketing-sales alignment.

Defining MQL Criteria

MQL criteria should be defined jointly by marketing and sales to ensure alignment. Effective criteria combine two dimensions:

Demographic fit: Job title, company size, industry, location, and budget match your ideal customer profile.
Behavioral engagement: Content downloads, webinar attendance, pricing page visits, demo requests, and email engagement.

Action	Typical Score	Signal Strength
Visited pricing page	+15 points	High intent
Downloaded whitepaper	+10 points	Interest in topic
Attended webinar	+20 points	Active engagement
Opened 3+ emails	+5 points	Mild interest
Job title: C-suite	+25 points	Decision-maker fit

Calibration

Review MQL criteria quarterly. If sales rejects more than 40% of MQLs, your threshold is too low. If marketing generates very few MQLs, it is too high. Target a 20-30% MQL-to-SQL conversion rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Services

CRM Implementation Digital Marketing

Related Terms

CRM

Customer Relationship Management. Software for managing interactions with customers and potential customers.

SQL

Sales Qualified Lead. A lead that sales has accepted as ready for direct sales engagement based on qualification criteria.

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