MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)

Definition

A lead that matches your ideal customer profile and has engaged with your marketing. It's not a customer yet, but they're not random either.

Example Usage

This MQL downloaded our guide and visited the pricing page three times—they're ready to hand off to sales.

Origin

Sales and marketing alignment terminology, popularized in SaaS and B2B sales methodologies

Fun Fact

The definition of MQL varies wildly between companies—some use 'any lead,' others use 'lead that matches 15 criteria'—this causes constant sales/marketing fights

Source: Sales & Marketing Alignment Framework

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