Table of contents
Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)
TL;DR
Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) are leads that meet predefined criteria signaling they're ready for sales engagement. In B2B SaaS, MQLs help align marketing and sales teams around lead quality, intent, and timing—and are a key handoff point in the demand funnel.
What is a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)?
An MQL is a lead who has shown enough interest or engagement to be considered more likely to convert into a customer compared to a generic lead.
Common MQL triggers include:
- Requested a demo
- Downloaded high-intent content (e.g., buyer’s guide)
- Visited pricing page multiple times
- Engaged with email campaigns
- Met firmographic criteria (e.g., job title, company size)
Your MQL definition should be codified in your lead scoring model and agreed upon by both marketing and sales teams.
Why MQLs Matter in B2B SaaS
- Filters Noise from Volume – Not every lead deserves a sales touch
- Improves SDR Productivity – Sales reps focus only on high-potential leads
- Strengthens Marketing/Sales Alignment – Creates a shared definition of “qualified”
- Optimizes Funnel Conversion – MQLs convert at a higher rate to SQLs and customers
- Informs Lead Scoring and Nurture – Helps automate progression through the funnel
How to Measure MQLs
- Define MQL Criteria Clearly – Blend demographic (ICP fit) and behavioral (intent) signals
- Implement a Lead Scoring Model – Assign points for actions and attributes, set a threshold
- Use Marketing Automation & CRM – HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot to identify and tag MQLs
- Track MQL Volume and Quality Over Time – Pair with downstream conversion metrics
- Segment by Source and Campaign – Identify what’s generating the best MQLs
Best Practices to Improve MQL Quality
- Collaborate with Sales on MQL Criteria – It’s a revenue partnership, not a marketing solo act
- Update Scoring Regularly – Buyer behaviors evolve—so should your model
- Layer in Intent Data – Enrich with signals from Bombora, G2, or website behavior
- Nurture Lower-Scoring Leads Intelligently – Don’t rush everyone to sales
- Monitor MQL-to-SQL Conversion Rate – It’s your ultimate quality check
Final Thought
The MQL isn’t just a metric—it’s a contract between marketing and sales. In B2B SaaS, dialing in your MQL definition and flow is how you stop chasing leads and start building revenue pipelines.
FAQs
What’s the difference between a lead and an MQL?
A lead shows interest. An MQL shows qualified interest—meaning they’re closer to being ready for sales outreach.
Who defines what counts as an MQL?
Ideally, both marketing and sales. It’s critical to have alignment to avoid lead rejection or misfires.
Should MQLs be passed to SDRs or AEs?
Depends on your GTM structure. Most B2B SaaS teams route MQLs to SDRs for further qualification.
Discover Petavue
Your AI-Powered Advantage
Request a Strategic Overview
Identify High-Impact Accounts
AI-driven insights pinpoint exactly which accounts and segments deserve your focus, and why.
Optimize Every Interaction
Proactively uncover customer friction points to enhance CX and boost adoption.
Guide Your Next Steps
Receive clear, expert-guided recommendations on the precise actions to take for growth.
Achieve Scalable Efficiency
Get fast, accurate intelligence across sales, marketing, and CX, without scaling headcount.
Identify High-Impact Accounts
Use AI to spotlight the accounts most likely to convert—ranked by revenue potential, engagement signals, and deal velocity.
Optimize Every Interaction
Uncover what drives buyer engagement at every stage—so your reps show up with the right message, at the right time, every time.
Guide Your Next Steps
Receive clear, expert-guided recommendations on the precise actions to take for growth.
Achieve Scalable Efficiency
Get fast, accurate intelligence across sales, marketing, and CX, without scaling headcount.
Identify High-Impact Accounts
Use AI to spotlight the accounts most likely to convert—ranked by revenue potential, engagement signals, and deal velocity.
Optimize Every Interaction
Uncover what drives buyer engagement at every stage—so your reps show up with the right message, at the right time, every time.
Guide Your Next Steps
Receive clear, expert-guided recommendations on the precise actions to take for growth.
Achieve Scalable Efficiency
Get fast, accurate intelligence across sales, marketing, and CX, without scaling headcount.