What is a Marketing Qualified Lead?
A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) has shown some form of interest in your company, either by responding to marketing activities or by meeting your company's criteria for which leads are typically more likely to become a customer than other leads.
Often an MQL is a lead that has consciously engaged with your business by performing actions such as; voluntarily filling in contact details, downloading your material or repeatedly visiting your website.
It can therefore be said that these leads are curious and considering buying something from you, but they haven't quite taken the big step where they are ready for a conversation with a sales team. However, they are more likely to be receptive to a sales pitch than other leads. If you're considering your own buying journey, you're unlikely to fill out a contact form unless you're interested in a product or service.
Examples of MQL actions:
- Download a free e-book or guide
- Using software demos
- Filling out the contact form
- Signing up for a newsletter or other list
- Added products to a wishlist
- Added items to a shopping cart
- Repeatedly visited your website
- Visitors who have spent a lot of time on your website
- Clicked on one of your ads
- Contacted you to request more information
These examples are some of the most common actions, but the list is not exhaustive. The best way to find out if a lead is an MQL is to gather other information on the lead. Whether a lead is an MQL can be assessed based on lead scoring, demographics, etc. However, it's a good start to look at the leads that are interesting and delete the ones that will probably never make a purchase.
What happens with an MQL?
As mentioned earlier, an MQL has taken the first steps towards becoming an actual customer and is ready to receive further information from you. From a more general perspective, Marketing Qualified Leads are Sales Qualified Leads (SQL) and then to customers.
A Marketing Qualified Lead is not
An MQL is not just a lead, but also not a guaranteed customer - so you should neither overvalue nor undervalue a lead. Marketing Qualified Leads are only those who have indicated some interest or engagement in your business and may be open to more. If a lead is further along than just showing interest, they can no longer be defined as an MQL and become a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL).
