What is MQL?
Marketing Qualified Lead – a lead that marketing has identified as sales-ready.
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Understanding MQL
MQL, or Marketing Qualified Lead, is a lead that has been vetted by marketing and deemed ready for sales outreach. MQLs have shown sufficient interest and fit criteria that make them worth a sales team's time to pursue.
MQL criteria vary by business but typically include behavioral signals (downloaded content, attended webinar, visited pricing page) and firmographic fit (right company size, industry, role). The transition from MQL to SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) happens when sales accepts the lead and confirms purchase intent. Clear MQL definitions and lead scoring models are essential to prevent friction between marketing and sales teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MQL?
Marketing Qualified Lead – a lead that marketing has identified as sales-ready.
MQL, or Marketing Qualified Lead, is a lead that has been vetted by marketing and deemed ready for sales outreach. MQLs have shown sufficient interest and fit criteria that make them worth a sales team's time to pursue.
What does MQL stand for?
Why is MQL important?
MQLs are the currency of B2B marketing—they represent the tangible output that sales teams can work with and convert into pipeline. Poor MQL quality destroys sales productivity and creates organizational friction, while high-quality MQLs accelerate deal velocity and improve win rates. The MQL-to-SQL conversion rate is one of the most important indicators of marketing-sales alignment and lead quality.