Qualified leads

Qualified leads: Definition and main categories

A qualified lead is a potential customer who has been checked to see if they are suitable, high-quality, and ready to buy. These leads go through an evaluation process to find out how likely they are to become customers. 

By segmenting leads based on their demographics and behavior, businesses can better organize and focus their efforts on leads that are more likely to make a purchase.

Qualified leads are categorized into different types for more targeted marketing and sales strategies. The most common types are Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) and Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs).

Marketing Qualified Leads: Definition

Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) are prospects generated and managed by the marketing department and identified as promising leads for sales engagement. They are assessed based on factors such as their job role, company revenue, and industry type. 

Additionally, the marketing team analyzes the interactions these leads have had online with the company’s website and campaigns (email marketing, paid ads, social media marketing, etc…).

By pinpointing MQLs, the marketing team can focus on:

  • Nurturing leads that show a strong potential for conversion.
  • Promptly passing along hot leads showing immediate buying intent to the sales department.

Sales Qualified Leads: Definition

A Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) is a high-interested lead that a sales representative has engaged with and confirmed as ready to buy.

By working with SQLs, the sales team can streamline their efforts by:

  • Focusing on leads with the highest likelihood of conversion.
  • Providing insights on lead quality to facilitate adjustments and improvements in marketing strategies.
Discover how to improve lead quality