Marketing Qualified Lead
A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a prospect who has shown enough interest and fits enough of an agreed customer profile that marketing passes them to sales for follow-up.
How MQLs are defined
Good definitions combine fit (company size, role, budget, location) with behaviour (pricing page visits, demo requests, repeat visits). The criteria should come from analysing deals you actually won, agreed jointly with sales.
Why definitions matter more now
Gartner's 2026 survey found 67% of B2B buyers prefer a rep-free buying experience (Gartner, March 2026). Much of the journey happens before anyone fills in a form, so behaviour signals on your site are valuable evidence of intent. See building a lead scoring system.
Common pitfalls
- Counting every form fill as an MQL
- Criteria set by marketing without sales input
- No feedback loop when sales rejects leads
FAQ
What comes after an MQL?
Usually a sales accepted lead (SAL) and then a sales qualified lead (SQL) or opportunity, once sales confirms genuine buying intent.
How often should MQL criteria change?
Review them quarterly against conversion data.
Published Sep 30, 2026 · Last updated Sep 30, 2026