What is a marketing qualified lead?

A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a prospective customer who has shown more engagement than a typical lead and meets certain criteria set by the marketing team. This means they've indicated a higher level of interest in your product or service through their actions, making them more likely to become a paying customer. MQLs are usually identified based on their online behavior, such as downloading specific content, repeatedly visiting your website, or interacting with your emails.

Unlike a raw lead, an MQL isn't just someone who filled out a general contact form. They've actively engaged with your marketing efforts in ways that suggest they're researching solutions to a problem your business can solve. The goal of marketing is to nurture these leads until they are ready to be passed to the sales team, evolving from an MQL to a sales qualified lead (SQL).

Why MQLs matter for your business

MQLs are crucial because they represent efficiency in your sales and marketing efforts. By focusing on MQLs, your marketing team can better prioritize their resources, ensuring they are engaging with individuals who are genuinely interested. For the sales team, receiving MQLs means they spend less time chasing cold leads and more time closing deals with prospects who are already warmed up and informed.

This alignment between marketing and sales, often called "smarketing," becomes stronger when there's a clear understanding of what constitutes an MQL. It helps reduce friction, improve conversion rates, and ultimately drive revenue growth. Without a defined MQL process, marketing might send unsuitable leads to sales, leading to frustration and wasted effort for both departments.

How to define and identify your MQLs

Defining an MQL involves a collaborative effort between your marketing and sales teams. You need to agree on what specific actions and demographic information signal a strong intent to buy. This often includes a combination of explicit and implicit data.

Explicit data for MQLs

Explicit data is information directly provided by the lead. This could be details from a form they filled out, such as:

• Job title or role (e.g., "decision-maker," "manager")
• Company size or industry
• Budget information
• Expressed interest in specific products or services

Implicit data for MQLs

Implicit data is gathered from a lead's behavior and interactions with your marketing content. This behavioral scoring helps identify interest without direct questions. Examples include:

• Downloading a high-value whitepaper or case study
• Visiting your pricing page multiple times
• Attending a webinar
• Repeatedly opening and clicking links in your email campaigns
• Engaging with specific product-related content on your website

Many businesses use a lead scoring system, assigning points to different actions and demographic traits. When a lead accumulates a certain score, they are automatically flagged as an MQL.

Best practices for nurturing MQLs

Once a lead becomes an MQL, the nurturing process shifts to further qualify them and prepare them for sales. This requires targeted communication and relevant content.

• Personalized content delivery: Send MQLs content that directly addresses their specific pain points or interests based on their previous interactions. For example, if they downloaded an e-book on SEO, send them a case study on how your service improved a client's SEO.
• Tailored email sequences: Design email campaigns that guide MQLs through the next steps, offering deeper insights, product demos, or free trials.
• Retargeting campaigns: Use paid advertising to show MQLs relevant ads on social media or other websites, reminding them of your solution and encouraging further engagement.
• Sales readiness assessment: Before passing to sales, ensure the MQL has consumed enough information and expressed a clear need that your product can fulfill. This might involve a final qualifying email or a call from a sales development representative (SDR).

Understanding and effectively managing MQLs is fundamental for any marketing team aiming to contribute significantly to revenue. By clearly defining what an MQL means for your business, implementing robust lead scoring, and maintaining a strong partnership with your sales team, you can optimize your lead generation efforts and improve your overall sales funnel efficiency. Regularly review your MQL criteria and nurturing strategies to adapt to changing market conditions and customer behavior.