Concept
MQL
Also known as: Marketing Qualified Lead
Marketing Qualified Lead — a lead that marketing has scored as qualified enough to be handed off to sales.
An MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) is a lead that, based on fit and behavioral signals, marketing has scored as good enough quality for sales to engage. Criteria combine firmographic fit (matches ICP) with engagement (whitepaper downloads, demo requests, pricing page visits).
The MQL-to-SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) handoff is where many B2B leads die. It's the hinge between marketing and sales. A clear MQL definition agreed by both teams is one of the first things RevOps must lock down.